Meet the eight foodservice operators named recipients of the 2020 IFMA Silver Plate Award.
Karen McCain will become executive vice president for TriMark USA’s south region, effective the end of February. She will replace Marty Monnat who will retire at the end of the month.
Minneapolis-based private equity firm FS Funds has agreed to purchase Parasole Restaurant Holdings, an Edina, Minn.-based owner and operator of 14 full-service restaurants.
Drive-thru restaurant chain Checkers & Rally’s named Frances Allen CEO. She succeeds Rick Silva who has decided to leave Checkers & Rally’s after 13 years as CEO and president, per a company release.
The first few months of 2020 have been busy for Clark Service Group. The Pennsylvania-based service agent kicked off the year by hiring its first-ever corporate trainer and followed that up a few weeks later by acquiring Georgia-based Pierce Parts and Service. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In a move aimed to spark restaurant growth both in the U.S. and internationally, Papa John’s International added a Taco Bell and Proctor & Gamble veteran to its development team.
The Middleby Corporation has added to its burgeoning beverage portfolio with the acquisition of Deutsche Beverage Technology, a maker of beverage brewing and processing systems. Based in Charlotte, N.C., the company has $40 million in annual revenues.
Taco Bell Corp. introduced Nikki Lawson as its global chief brand officer, effective this coming April. Lawson is the former managing director in the South Pacific for Taco Bell’s sister concept KFC. In her new role Lawson becomes responsible for the Taco Bell brand in the U.S. and across the world.
Hoshizaki America made three new hires: Bret Eldridge, director of national accounts; Rod Johnson, director of consultant services and Ty Jones, director of e-Commerce strategy.
Longtime foodservice consultant Bill Caruso is semi-retiring from WC & Partners, PC, the practice he founded. As a result of this transition, the company will now do business as William Caruso & Partners, LLC, operating under the leadership of Stephen Young and Michael Caruso. Both will carry the title of managing member and executive principal and co-manage the practice.
Marc Zimmerman has rejoined Boston Showcase Company, a Newton, Mass.-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer. A 12-year veteran of the foodservice industry, Zimmerman previously spent more than a decade with Boston Showcase as an account executive.
TriMark USA, a Massachusetts-based foodservice equipment and supplies distributor, will open two cash and carry locations this month. Operating as Chef’s Toys, the stores will be in the California cities of Commerce and Oakland. When these two locations come online later this month, it will give TriMark a total of ten Chef’s Toys stores.
The National Restaurant Association Show named 18 products from 16 companies as the recipients of its 2020 Kitchen Innovations Awards. Determined by a panel of independent judges, these awards honor foodservice equipment that increases efficiencies and productivity in commercial kitchens.
Smart Care Equipment Solutions expanded its sales team via several promotions and new hires.
As the coronavirus remains a top news story, it’s a reminder to everyone in the foodservice industry the importance of food safety measures. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that so far this season 26 million people have contracted the flu. It is very likely that many of these consumers ate at a restaurant around the time they were contaminated. Now is a great time to reassess sanitation measures: How strong is your strategy to prevent the transmission of the flu virus?
Foodservice Equipment & Supplies named the five foodservice professionals that are the recipients of its 2020 Top Achiever Awards. These awards recognize excellence among foodservice consultants, equipment and supplies dealers, manufacturers’ reps, operators and service agents.
Former Hilton executive Jim Holthouser was appointed CEO for multiconcept operator FOCUS Brands. Holthouser replaces Jim DeSutter, who retired after six years with FOCUS Brands.
Kathy Langlois will join the Zoomba Group team – publisher of Foodservice Equipment & Supplies and restaurant development + design – as vice president, effective February 14. In this newly created position, she will report to CEO and Founder, Maureen Slocum.
The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers has implemented a new, yearlong program to support the Feeding America network of 200 food banks located across the U.S. To kick start this initiative, NAFEM donated $500,000 to Feeding America.
Multi-line foodservice equipment manufacturer Unified Brands promoted Kellie Wood to director of marketing and hired Chad Huber to serve as chain account manager.
