Paul Gustafson died unexpectedly on February 4, 2026. Gustafson was the former president and owner of Ace Mart, the San Antonio-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer, where he worked for 50 years.
Paul and Judie GustafsonNorman “Gus” Gustafson purchased Ace Mart in 1975. Paul later joined his father in the business. And in 1995 Gus and his wife Fran transferred ownership of the company to their three children: Paul, who served as president; Norma, who served as secretary treasurer and Carl, who served as vice president. The trio was at the helm of the company when Ace Mart was named FE&S Dealer of the Year in 2016. Then, in November of 2021, as part of the company succession plan, Paul turned over the role of president to his son, Jonathan Gustafson. Paul remained connected to the company, however, serving as a special advisor.
Paul was active within the foodservice industry, serving in leadership roles in the Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association (FEDA) and in the equipment and supplies buying group International Foodservice Equipment Distributors (IFED) to which Ace Mart belongs.
Paul and his family had a well-earned reputation for being helpful to other foodservice equipment and supplies dealers wanting to learn about the company’s cash-and-carry business model.
“We've had a large number of dealerships over the years come and visit our Ace Mart stores. It's always come natural to the family to share our enthusiasm for this business model,” Paul said in a 2016 interview honoring Act Mart being named FE&S’ Dealer of the Year. “There are no deep secrets about how to succeed, and we've been open about sharing many of our basic operating principles: Find a great location at the right price, hire and train the best people possible, stock the stores and offer customers the highest levels of service you can provide. But keep in mind, it's the daily execution of these basics that many find challenging.”
Paul and the Ace Mart team could be seen walking the aisles of various industry conferences in brightly colored shirts to commemorate the occasion.Ace Mart was also very supportive of industry events such as The NAFEM Show, where Paul and the Ace Mart team could be seen walking the aisles in brightly colored shirts to commemorate the occasion.
Paul was active in causes outside of the foodservice industry, too. Notably, he served as a Special Olympics coach for 25 years.
During a 2022 interview with FE&S, Jonathan said, “My dad is a very caring man. He cares so much about our people and our customers. It’s something I’ve always admired about him. And I aspire to be as warm and open as he is. He’s not afraid to talk to any customer about any issue. I have a ways to go, but I want to be as open and warm as he is and be able to handle things with grace.”
A celebration of life will take place at 11 a.m. on February 16, 2026, at Community Bible Church (2477 N Loop 1604 E, San Antonio, Texas 78232). A reception will follow. If you can attend the reception, please click the RSVP link.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Reaching Maximum Independence or SAFire.
