Publisher’s Note: 2026 Travels

It’s been a very busy start to 2026 and by busy, I mean a lot of traveling. One of the things that has become extremely clear to me over the years is that the best learnings happen away from the office.

The five families create some great events and the MAFSI conference was a shining example this past January. Snow, ice and sleet throughout the country could not keep away over 500 members for three days of learnings, networking and team-building activities. The sessions were informative and brought together many of our industry’s best and brightest.

Next up was MUFES 2026! I might be biased, but FER’s Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium is my favorite event of the year and this year’s attendees, speakers and sponsors hit it out of the park. The weather in Clearwater Beach, Fla., was just starting to warm but the sessions were hot! This year marked our 15th MUFES and planning for MUFES 2027 is already underway. Missed MUFES 2026? You have another opportunity this year with FER’s newest event, How To Spec Live, which we are holding in partnership with the Food Service Tech Center, Sept. 23-25.

And as I write this, I am again packing my bags and heading to New Orleans for NAFEM’s Executive Summit. NAFEM is one of our industry’s most important organizations and I am excited to celebrate outgoing president Steve Spittle of the Middleby Corp. and welcome incoming president-elect Eva-Marie Fox of T&S Brass & Bronze Works.

I hope your start to 2026 has been a strong one, and I hope to have the chance to learn more about your businesses as I see you at so many more of these events in the months ahead.

RANDY HANO

President & Publisher

rhano@fermag.com