Neil Tell, co-founder of The Sam Tell Companies, died on December 15, 2025. He was 93 years old.

Bob Don, 89 years old, died on October 20, 2025. Before his retirement, Bob Don was the second generation of the Don family to lead Edward Don & Company.

Don Follett, former president of the Follett Corp., died on October 13, 2025. He was 96 years old.

John Guettler, a longtime service agent in Michigan and member of the Commercial Food Equipment Service Association, died on August 16, 2025. He was 96 years old.

Longtime foodservice consultant Theodore “Ted” Farrand, FCSI, FMP, of Cini-Little International died on April 17, 2025.

Mike Jewett, CEO of foodservice equipment and supplies buying group Strata GPO has died. Andrew Meyer will step in as interim CEO as the organization determines the next appropriate steps the organization will take.

Longtime AVETC Industries executive Bruce Zimmerman died on March 10, 2025, after battling cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

Longtime foodservice consultant William “Bill” Eaton died on Feb. 12, 2025, two days before his 85th birthday. Eaton most recently served as chairman of the board for Cini-Little.

Thomas Belot, former president and CEO of The Vollrath Company, passed away on November 23, 2024. He was 74 years old.

Longtime manufacturers’ rep Ken Hamilton passed away on October 4, 2024. He was 76 years old.

Longtime service agent Bruce Peeling passed away on July 25, 2024. He was 73 years old.

Robert Cantor, the chairman of Insinger Corp., has passed away.

David Castino passed away on January 2, 2024. The 63-year-old Castino was president of Castino Restaurant Supply, a California-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer.

Tom Cassin passed away on January 20, 2024. Cassin spent more than 50 years in the foodservice industry. His background included leadership roles with manufacturers such as Pitco and Blodgett.

Walter “Stewart” Manning passed away on Jan. 3, 2024, after a bout with cancer. The 81-year-old Manning had previously owned Manning Brothers, a Georgia-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer.

Larry Cantamessa, president of New York-based rep firm PBAC and Associates has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 63 years old.

John Metz, the founder of Metz Culinary Management, passed away on May 8, 2023. He was 83 years old.  

Kevin Vigeant of Lakeside Foodservice passed away on April 27, 2023. He spent 12 years with the Wisconsin-based foodservice equipment manufacturer, most recently serving as executive vice president.

Gary Dykstra, a longtime foodservice equipment executive, passed away on April 21, 2023. He was 68 years old.

Jerry Greene of Hotel & Restaurant Supply, a Mississippi-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer passed away on February 24. He was 80 years old.

Wallace Streich, founder of Wisconsin-based foodservice equipment dealer Streich Equipment Co., died on January 31, 2023. He was 97 years old.

Paul Klein, a longtime foodservice equipment and supplies dealer, passed away on January 15, 2023. The past owner of Atlanta Fixtures, Klein was 90 years old. Klein owned the company for close to 60 years.

Longtime foodservice equipment manufacturer Michael Elliott has died. He was 82 years old.

The foodservice industry is mourning the loss of two long-time and accomplished members: James O’Brien Jr. of GCS Service and Jim Bassett of Link2Hospitality Solutions.

Two longtime independent manufacturers reps have passed away: Corky Pike, Johnson Pike & Associates, Inc. and Kerry Wallace, Forbes, Hever & Wallace, Inc.

Christopher Heina, president of Cobblestone Ovens, passed away on Oct. 2, 2022. He was 48 years old.

Larry McAllister, owner of Eagle Group, has passed away after a multi-year battle with cancer.

Two longtime manufacturers’ reps, Edward Pecinka Sr. formerly of Pecinka Ferri and Dick Wiczek of Wiczek & Associates have passed away.

Gary Inverso, a longtime member of the foodservice industry has passed away.

Jay Mincks, a longtime member of the foodservice industry passed away on April 5, 2022. He was 95 years old.