Craig Newton, Supplies on the Fly

Eric Harrison is dressed in his standard uniform today. “I always wear black,” he says, and I laugh. “No, like every day, all the time.” Even while accepting his award for DSR of the Year at the FE&S banquet in May, he was decked out in a black tuxedo. That made sense, as it was a black-tie event, but Harrison paired it with a black shirt, vest and tie.

After managing a pizza franchise for a number of years, Eric Harrison, Supplies on the Fly, knew he wanted to be in sales. He joined his first foodservice equipment dealership in 2003 and was determined to educate himself about every aspect of the industry along the way.

The number of new jobs came back strong in June but restaurant hiring slowed. Sysco bought Supplies on the Fly. The NPD Group says many countries saw traffic gains in the first quarter. Casual restaurant sales were weak in June. The fast-casual segment continued to post strong growth numbers last year, per Technomic. McDonald’s will spend big to modernize its German restaurants. These stories and a whole lot more This Week in Foodservice.