FE&S Names Dealer of the Year, Hall of Fame Inductee
Foodservice Equipment & Supplies named Bargreen-Ellingson the magazine’s 2008 Dealer of the Year. The Tacoma, Wash.-based dealership will receive the award during FE&S’ annual Dealer of the Year & Industry Awards Gala, which takes place May 17 at Chicago’s Four Season Hotel. In addition, the magazine named Rodney Wasserstrom, president and CEO of The Wasserstrom Companies, the sixth member of its equipment and supplies Hall of Fame.

Founded in 1960, Bargreen-Ellingson operates 15 locations spanning seven states and Canada. Over the past year, Bargreen-Ellingson, which previously won this award in 1991, acquired American Restaurant Supply – Hawaii and opened an office in Denver.

Wasserstrom served as an officer for and on the board of directors for the Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association (FEDA). He remains a trustee for the FEDA Educational Foundation.

During the May 17 Awards Gala, FE&S will also recognize a dealer, consultant, service agent and manufacturers’ rep with the magazine’s annual Top Achiever Awards. These awards have not yet been announced. 

For more information about FE&S’ annual Dealer of the Year & Industry Awards Gala, please call Brian Schilling at (630) 288-8280 or send an e-mail to bschilling@reedbusiness.com.

IFMA’s Licata to Step Down
Michael Licata announced he will step down as president and CEO of the Chicago-based International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, an organization he has headed for nearly 31 years. While the search for a replacement is underway, Licata plans to work with the new president for one year as part of the succession plan.

Licata joined IFMA in 1977, having served in the administration of President Gerald Ford as executive secretary to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and as a trade specialist in the Department of Commerce. During his tenure at IFMA, Licata has helped grow the association’s annual Chain Operators Exchange (COEX), an industry gathering for both foodservice operators and suppliers, as well as the Gold and Silver Plate Society, which for 54 years has distributed awards to industry leaders during an annual ceremony. 

The Current Economic Outlook
The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index fell in December, marking its fourth consecutive decline. The RPI now stands at 98.7, 0.3 points lower than November’s reading of 99.0. However, the commerce department reported higher foodservice sales in its latest findings. Visit FE&S’ February Economic Outlook web exclusive to read more about the fiscal health of the industry.

Technomic Reports on Growth of Emerging Chains
Casual dining chains dominate the emerging full-service segment and, as a group, experienced 13-percent growth rates in 2007, according to the 2008 Top 100 Emerging Chain Concept Report conducted by Technomic, a Chicago-based research firm.

The rising stars in the limited-service segment have sought to place more emphasis on “green” elements such as organic foods, renewable energy, recycling programs, and other areas of corporate social responsibility, the report said. Several new players that pose unique challenges to restaurants were also examined, including convenience stores with elaborate foodservice programs. Learn more about the report.

FE&S Presents “Making Foodservice Operate More Energy Efficiently”
For most any foodservice provider, the key to driving operational efficiencies is being able to identify ways to leverage new and existing technologies that allow foodservice equipment to consume less energy while not compromising culinary standards. In an attempt to provide some practical ideas on how operators can achieve this, Foodservice Equipment & Supplies will present an hour-long webcast entitled “Making Foodservice Operate More Energy Efficiently” at 10 a.m. (Central) on March 11.