Foodservice Equipment & Supplies will present Fred Clark, founder and chairman of Clark Associates, with the magazine’s 2022 Hall of Fame Award.
Clark will accept his award during the FE&S 2022 Dealer of the Year & All-Industry Awards Gala, which will take place Sat., May 21 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.
“Through his forward-thinking approach, Fred has changed the industry,” said Maureen Slocum, FE&S publisher. “Fred changed the way end-users purchase foodservice equipment and supplies by investing in people, technology, infrastructure and inventory. His open and honest approach also help Fred raise the bar for the entire industry.”
Clark Associates reported annual revenues of $1.75 billion in 2020, making it the country’s largest foodservice equipment and supplies dealer, per the FE&S 2021 Distribution Giants Study. Clark Associates has three main distribution channels: The WebstaurantStore (e-commerce), Clark Food Service Equipment and Clark Pro (the more traditional dealership model) and The Restaurant Store (cash and carry).
Clark is the second generation of his family to lead the business, following in his father’s footsteps. He served as the company’s CEO until January 2020, when as a part of a succession plan Clark assumed the newly created position of chairman. At that time, Gene Clark, Fred’s son, became company president as part of a succession plan that helped shape Clark Associates’ leadership team.
“Fred’s willingness to recruit and mentor young talent helped Clark Associates evolve into an industry leader and will be a part of his legacy,” Slocum added.
Under Fred’s leadership, Clark Associates was named FE&S Dealer of the Year in 2015. Personally, he received the FE&S Top Achiever — Dealer award in 2004.
“This company was built on integrity, values and discipline — something my father instilled in me,” Fred Clark said. “Creating and building this company remains the thrill of a lifetime. We hire really intelligent and hard-working people and then teach them to do the same. I know what I don’t know. And by hiring the right people, I don’t have to worry. I humbly accept this award not only as proof positive of our vision and values but also as a nod to the thousands of Clark associates around the country that make our company what it is.”
FE&S is able to present its 2022 Dealer of the Year and All-Industry Awards Gala thanks to the support of its platinum sponsors: Ali Group, Alto-Shaam and Middleby.
The FE&S Dealer of the Year & All-Industry Awards Gala recognizes the foodservice community’s brightest stars by presenting them with some of the industry’s most time-honored awards, including the FE&S Dealer of the Year Award, Top Achievers, Facility Design Project of the Year and DSR of the Year.
Anyone interested in learning more about the FE&S 2022 Dealer of the Year and All-Industry Awards Gala should contact Maureen Slocum at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
