On September 19 and 20, in Orlando, FL the Network of Executive Women (NEW) will celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary by honoring the organization’s first inductees into its CPG Retail Diversity Hall of Fame and raise money for the next generation of industry leaders.
This year’s opening reception is more than an opportunity to meet new friends—it’s a chance to celebrate NEW’s first decade and honor the first-ever recipients of the Network’s William J. Grize CPG Retail Diversity Hall of Fame Award, honoring the late Ahold USA CEO. Those being honored are: Linda Dillman of Hewlett-Packard, honored for her work at Wal-Mart; Jeri Dunn of Bacardi, honored for her work at Tyson Foods; Tom Greco of PepsiCo; Don Knauss of The Clorox Company, also recognized for his work at Coca-Cola; Jeff Noddle, retired CEO of Supervalu; Kay Palmer of J.B.Hunt; Judy Spires of Kings Super Markets, formerly with Acme Markets; and James White of Jamba Juice Company, honored for his work at Safeway. The Network will also induct two companies: Delhaize America and Procter & Gamble.
Adam Borden, managing director of Bradmer Foods, a Baltimore-based venture capital and private equity firm that invests exclusively in emerging food and beverage businesses, was invited last month to be a panelist in a full-day discussion on consumer products investing. The event was organized and hosted by FundingPost Chicago. The meeting discussed such topics as “how to partner with investors and scale up consumer products companies.” Adam participated in the “Growing Your Consumer Products Business: Protecting and Selling Your Product, and Positioning It for a Capital Raise”. Other panelists included representatives from General Mills Ventures, Best Buy Capital and Hydra Ventures.
Bradmer Foods has successfully invested in five companies – Adina For Life, Blue Horizon Wild, Charles Chocolates, Organic To Go (now Ogo) and Sambazon. If you’re interested in learning more about Bradmer Foods, visit www.bradmerfoods.com.
Last month was a trip to the past.
We had an opportunity to talk to Pete Riley of the Joseph W. Riley Co. of Philadelphia, in its day ne of the best food brokerage companies on the East Coast at the time. The company served the Mid-Atlantic market. We spent the better part of an hour just talking about the “good old days” and of the many wonderful and colorful people in the industry. It was a pleasant hour and it brought back a lot of wonderful memories. Pete is in good health and enjoying his retirement days as he spoke to me from his summer home on the beautiful Connecticut Shore.
And speaking of the “good old days,” many of our readers remember the 48-store Food-A-Rama Supermarket chain that began a half century ago and was headquartered in Baltimore. Although the stores are no more, the grandson of one of the owners, the late Paul Diamond, is making a big name for himself. Jeremy Diamond is a highly-regarded voice in the Mid-Atlantic supermarket industry.
His unique strength comes in identifying and explaining food trends (such as store locations, marketing strategies, product placement, etc.) to industry executives, news reporters and consumers. Jeremy’s insights into the supermarket industry have appeared most recently in ABC News, The Baltimore Sun, The Baltimore Business Journal and in national food-related publications. He now serves as director of The Diamond Group in Baltimore. Jeremy can be reached at [email protected]
Our sincere apologies go out to Ron Fish, formerly of the Joseph W. Riley Co. Food Brokers of Philadelphia, who we wrote in this column was a “food industry consultant.”
Ron is now in his sixth year serving as president of Reading Consumer Products of Reading, PA. We understand he’s doing a terrific job. Our apologies to Ron.
Twelve confectionery industry leaders will be inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame in Tampa, FL on October 15.
The honorees are: Basil Atkinson, MD, of Judson-Atkinson Candies, Inc.; Harry Callie of Callie’s Candy Kitchen, Inc.; Chris Chase, of Integrity/ESM and a good friend of Food World’s; Andy Gormen of Pearson Candy Co.; Lee Hartman of Printpack, Inc.; Solange Isidoro of Embare Indujstrias Alimenticias S.A.; Steven Marcanello of Asher’s Chocolates; Linda Sahagian, of Sahagian & Asssoc., Inc.; Joan Sweeting, of The Madelaine Chocolate Co.; Michael Vann of Storck USA L.P.; Bill Walker of McLane Co., Inc.; and John Wynn of Eisman-Gleit Four Star, LLC and also a good friend of Food World’s.
The event will take place during the National Confectionery Sales Association’s (NCSA) 112th Annual Meeting at the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza.
The inductees will be recognized at a gala dinner and highlighted in audio/visual biographies of their personal and professional lives.
In addition, John Molyneux, formerly of Callard & Bowser-Suchard, Inc., and Sam Altshuler, the founder of Annabelle Candy Co., Inc., will be posthumously inducted as industry pioneers.
The National Confectionery Sales Association, formed in 1899, is dedicated to furthering positive growth and acceptance of confectionery products and recognizing the achievements of category leaders from all sectors of the international industry. The Candy Hall of Fame was founded in 1971 and recognizes lifetime career achievements in the confectionery industry, with induction based on dedication to the overall betterment of the industry.
Giant/Landover and The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command together had a summer “Need Knows No Season” giving campaign. The Salvation Army brought the iconic Red Kettle to 50 neighborhood Giant stores in the Greater Washington region.
In addition, Giant has announced it will support the 2011 Red Kettle Campaign this holiday season and welcome The Salvation Army in front of all 174 neighborhood Giant locations Monday through Saturday for eight hours a day. The 2011 Red Kettle Campaign will kick off on November 10 and bell ringers will begin fundraising November 11.
Earlier this year, in honor of giant’s 75th anniversary, the neighborhood grocer presented The Salvation Army with $75,000 to further the work of Salvation Army divisions and corps across Giant’s operating area in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC and Delaware.
Our Best Wishes and congratulations go out to Clyde’s of Chevy Chase general manager Anthony Xavier Moynagh and Celia Ann Stamerro who were married on the 28th of August at Port Annapolis Marina Overlook Pavilion in Annapolis, MD.
It was a beautiful wedding befitting a beautiful couple in a picture perfect setting. (The wedding was originally scheduled for the 27th but Hurricane Irene had reserved that date.)
For those of you who have ever wandered into a Clyde’s Restaurant, you may have seen and talked to Tony. He has been part of Clyde’s management team for many years and we first got to know him when he was the General Manager of Clyde’s of Columbia. He’s a great guy and he’s marrying a very beautiful, smart and charming young lady. We wish them much happiness. (He was also born and raised in Worcester, MA and summered on Cape Cod!)
Congratulations to my daughter, Coca-Cola’s Cyndi Ireland, on completing her first Athleta Iron Girl Triathlon held in Columbia, MD last month. She completed a .62 mile swim, a 17.5 mile bike ride and a 3.3 mile run and finished 177 out of 278 entrants in her category. (And as a point of interest, her daughter, my granddaughter, Kathryn Dougherty Ireland, ran the last 10 yards of the race with her!)
Last month we lost two well know members of the food community with the deaths of Charles E. “Charlie” Markel and Don G. Hartlaub.
Don Hartlaub lost his battle with kidney cancer on August 9, 2011. He was an avid golfer and a member of South Hills Golf Club. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends and making frequent trips to Myrtle Beach, his “home away from home.”
He retired in 2006 after a 28 year career at Utz Quality Foods. He started in route sales at Snyder’s of Hanover in 1967 and moved to a similar position at Utz Quality Foods in 1977. He was promoted to route sales supervisor, then director of sales and completed his career as the vice president of sales operations at Utz. One of his major projects was the successful implementation of the Norand hand-held computer system which, modernized the route sales procedures. He leaves his wife Deanie of 47 years and his two sons, Brad and Tony. He was 67.
Contributions may be directed to the VNA of Hanover & Spring Grove, 440 N. Madison Street, Hanover, PA 17331.
The Mid-Atlantic also lost one of its most popular and well liked sales people with the death of Charles Edwin (Charlie) Markle last month.
Born in Hanover, PA in 1931, Charlie was probably the most visible sales person in the entire Mid-Atlantic. He would be everywhere. In any gathering of food people Charlie would always be there to provide samples of his wares, those delicious potato chips. He loved his work and he loved his customers. He was the “go to” guy for any charitable food affair that needed some “snacks.” He was the “go to” guy, but you never had to ask him. He would always supply the snacks. Charlie was probably the most visible of all the food sales people in the Mid-Atlantic. Everyone knew and loved “Charlie from Utz.” If a new sales person was transferred into the market from another part of the country, at a GMR meeting or any food people gathering meeting, Charlie would make himself known and would make sure the person met the members of the group.
Charlie was born in Hanover, PA and never left. He was very devoted to Utz and his home town, where he was active in many clubs and charitable organizations.
Personally, this writer can’t say enough about Charlie. He was a good friend and would help our paper in any way he could. He’d call with story ideas and to let us know that someone had died or that someone was in need of good medical help and could we suggest who they could go to. He cared and loved the food industry and the people who labored in it.
Charlie found his niche at Utz, where he began his career as a route salesman in 1958 and ended as vice president of key accounts after more than 35 years of service.
He was married to Barbara Jane Keeney Markle, who predeceased him in death, for 59 years.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hanover Kiwanis Foundation, P.O. Box 351, Hanover, PA 17331, the Memorial Scholarship Fund to benefit a graduating student from Hanover High School, c/o Edward Jones, 1147 Reichenberg Street, Hanover, PA 17331, or St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 30 West Chestnut Street, Hanover, PA 1733l. He will be missed.
We were also saddened last month on learning of the death of Irving Rabb of Boston. “Mr. Irving,” as everyone who worked at Stop & Shop called him, was the vice chairman of Stop & Shop, the supermarket chain his family started in Boston.
He was a “healing” presence at Stop & Shop. He helped resolve disagreements, always with an eye toward improving the business. He was 98.
Anniversary wishes go out to: Ron and Terri Fish, Reading Consumer Products, their 50th; Super Rite’s retiree Matt and Mary Toback, their 62nd; Metromedia’s David and Harriet Finkelstein, their 52nd; the world renowned marketing consultant Mike and Linda Wilson; Safeway’s Greg and Carolyn TenEyck, their 28th; the food industry’s roving ambassador, Pat and Lee McCarthy, their 46th; and my son and daughter-in-law Allegian System’s Rick and Stephanie Bestany, their 11th.
Happy Birthday wishes are sent to Kathy and my grandson, Samuel James Bestany, his 7th, and to John Griffin, founder, president and chairman of the Griffin Report of New England, his 80th.