We hear a lot about succession planning and preparing the next generation these days. Garrett Redd, CFSP, is the embodiment of both. 

Like so many others, Jeremy Allen, president of Vanco, grew up in the kitchen equipment sector. The path to his current role wasn’t so straight, though.

“The golden ticket” is how Leisa Bryant describes her appointment to director, Food and Nutrition Service, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2017. She was appointed executive director, Food, Nutrition & Patient Transportation Services, in 2021. 

Kathleen Held’s career trajectory, and ultimately her place within the foodservice consulting world, is unique.

Along his path to becoming the president and CEO of Oswalt Restaurant Supply in Oklahoma City, Huff Harper learned quite a few lessons and continues to put them to good use.

The lasting impact of the class of 2025 FE&S Top Achievers will likely stem from the way each of them strives to make the lives of the people around them better. They understand the impact one person can have on another individual, a team, a company, and an industry. With that understanding in place, lifting the overall performance of their businesses and the industry segments they serve comes naturally. 

Five foodservice professionals were named the 2025 recipients of Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Top Achiever Awards. The magazine is recognizing these individuals for their abilities to not only run market-leading organizations but also raise the level of professionalism for the industry overall.

The class of 2024 FE&S Top Achievers represents a group of individuals who not only know how to get things done but know how to inspire those around them in the process of achieving their own remarkable results. Their legacies will be rooted in their collective passion, work ethic, and the way they moved the industry forward.

Roberto Clemente was known for his excellence on the baseball field, playing on a team that won two championships and being one of the absolute best at what he did. Clemente is also famous for this quote: “Anytime you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on Earth.”

Angela S. Petitti co-founded Gary’s East Coast Service with her husband — the Gary in Gary’s East Coast Service — out of the family’s garage in 1994.

Campus dining at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) has long been known as a foodservice leader in the college and university segment. That makes Jill Horst’s elevation of the program that much more impressive as she continues to move the needle even further at UCSB while also influencing campus dining across the country.

Orlando Espinosa took an unusual route to becoming an independent foodservice design consultant — and he believes that’s the secret to his career success. It stems from his extraordinarily extensive reach on foodservice projects globally.

There was never any doubt in Marc Israel’s mind about where his career path would lead.

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies recognized the accomplishments of five foodservice professionals by naming them the recipients of its 2024 Top Achiever Awards. These individual awards recognize professionals from five industry segments for their abilities to not only run market-leading companies but also raise the level of professionalism for the industry overall.

With deep expertise in their respective fields, the 2023 FE&S Top Achievers rise above their peers as they continually move the bar for themselves, their teams and, ultimately, the foodservice industry. This year’s Top Achievers are unapologetic about their passion for their careers, their families, and the industry at large. The way each of these individuals advances every area they touch, from clients to team members, is truly inspirational.

Good advice is good advice — regardless of the source.

Thomas “TJ” Coker, director of operations with Villa Park, Ill.-based Coker Service, has a lifelong connection to the foodservice equipment industry. His uncle, Mike Coker, founded Coker Service in 1984 and TJ started his career with the firm straight out of high school.

Genuine, down to earth, positive, mission driven and compassionate — these are but a few words friends and colleagues use to describe Shannon Solomon. She’s also known for being a servant leader and cheerleader for her school nutrition team at Aurora Public Schools (APS) in Colorado. Solomon wants her team to be the best at whatever they want for themselves. Her leadership approach is straightforward: Hold others accountable with consistency, support, training and love.

Everyone has stories about how they entered the foodservice industry, but Juan Martinez considers his unique. It is also a history-making journey, as he was part of the team that pioneered the application of industrial engineering and ergonomics in foodservice more than 40 years ago.

“Lead with love.” That’s the motto Jamie Arguello, president of Gradys Foodservice & Equipment, continues to follow every day — and she pays no attention to any naysayers.

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies recognized the accomplishments of five foodservice professionals by naming them the recipients of its 2023 Top Achiever Awards.

In an industry of impressive leaders, these five FE&S Top Achievers stand out due to their ability to challenge themselves, their teams and, ultimately, positively influence the foodservice industry at large. Many of this year’s crop of Top Achievers have surprised themselves along the way as their careers and life situations took them on unexpected journeys.

When KaTom Restaurant Supply’sco-founder, Tim Bible, passed away in 2001, his wife and business partner, Patricia Bible, had some tough decisions to make. Not the least of those was what to do with the company. Under the circumstances, selling would have been the easiest and, for many, the most obvious route to take. Doing so crossed her mind but only for a few minutes.

Menu innovation and marketing may be critical for differentiating brands and driving traffic, but it’s equipment and related technologies that represent the real secret weapons for creating thriving, profitable restaurant companies with measurable competitive advantages.

Given Robert Harris’ role as an executive with one of the nation’s largest service agency conglomerates, you might guess his background is in business. In truth, he climbed the ladder through field work, joining what was then Ecolab Equipment Care as a completely green technician in 1995.

Melissa Greenwald has met and done business in an energetic and enthusiastic manner with countless people since her career in the foodservice industry began in earnest back in 2005. But as the president of Greenwald Sales & Marketing, one person in particular stands above all in terms of responsibility for guiding and developing Greenwald into the successful business owner and manufacturers’ representative that she is today.

With his diverse background on the operator side, which included stints as director of catering for the U.S. House of Representatives, director of dining at Harvard University and director for Downtown Disney in Anaheim, Calif., Leonard D. “Lenny” Condenzio, was perfectly positioned to continue rising up the operator ranks. But sometimes life throws a curveball, and in his case, it sent him on a successful path to become CEO of Ricca Design Studios.

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies named the recipients of its 2022 Top Achiever Awards.

Always an impressive group of go-getters, this year’s crop of Top Achievers does not disappoint. They also do not miss a beat when it comes to motivating teams, contributing to the greater good of their segments of the industry and, of course, achieving success in all measures within their primary roles.

Never underestimate the power of networking — even when it’s done late at night over a few drinks. After all, that’s what led Christopher East and Duane Guidry to start Chrane Foodservice Solutions in 2008 and look at Chrane now. The regional rep group serving Texas and Oklahoma has become a model for how to be successful while treating clients and employees with respect. And to think it all began with an after-hours gripe session.