In his role as a contract and design specialist for Rapids Wholesale Equipment Co., Troy Little really appreciates the fact that he can stay involved with his customers' projects from concept to completion. This was not the case in his previous position selling database software and accessories.
For Regina Cafferata being a successful DSR seems to run in the family, as her husband John is a
former FE&S DSR of the Month.
Combining training and experience has been a recipe for success for Phil Blas.
Jack Mullins considers himself a foodservice industry lifer. He became a dishwasher in a restaurant at 16, and also served as a line cook at a steakhouse before rising through the ranks to become a restaurant manager.
Foodservice was always on Chris Monico's radar, yet after receiving a degree in hospitality management with a foodservice emphasis from Purdue University, it took a couple of false starts before he found his career path.
It is possible to combine two diverse interests into one successful career.
Joel Kaplan counts himself lucky despite the fact that he was laid off from his first job post-college after only two months due to a recession. This unfortunate start led him to his current career in project sales and management at E. Friedman Associates, Inc.
Scott Morrical found his calling in the foodservice industry at a very young age. "I started working in breakfast restaurants while in middle school, washing dishes by hand," he says. Morrical then moved on to supper clubs, before becoming a dealer and broadline sales rep to capitalize on what he calls his "gift of the gab".
Michelle LaCrosse took all the necessary steps to prepare for what she thought would be a career as a lawyer. While attending the State University of New York at Albany, she worked in a law firm, took her LSATS and was accepted into the law school of her choice.
In some instances, it is the family ties that carve a career path.
When it comes to well-rounded foodservice industry veterans, it would be difficult to find someone comparable to Cameell Hanna Jr.
Scott Wainwright has been involved in almost every facet of the foodservice industry during his career.
After going to college for rabbinical studies, Eli Goldring met the woman he would marry and realized full-time work took priority. His first sales stint was as a project manager/salesperson for a fiberglass insulation company.
Larry Simonel has been in the foodservice industry most of his life. Growing up, his mother worked as a restaurant manager and he began working in and around foodservice operations at 12 years old.
During his tenure as a franchisee owner of two different concepts, Derek Tippner had much experience opening and closing restaurants, reading leases and analyzing profit and loss statements. "I took a leap of faith to become a franchisee for a sub shop, which lasted six years," Tippner says. "I then eventually sold the two locations and opened a pizza franchise."
Working with national accounts for Atlanta Fixture, Jon Jacobs says his favorite part of the job is helping customers save money. This is no surprise because, as a former restaurant owner, Jacobs realizes the importance of the bottom line.
