PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: MAFSI 2024, Board Elections & More  - Feb/Mar 2024

Presentations and Keynote Videos will be available next week (Feb 26th) on the MAFSI 2024 Website. You will receive an email with login information. 

This year’s conference was like nothing I’ve ever seen. The keynotes, the breakouts, the networking – all of it was off the charts. It’s a real privilege to contribute to this amazing group of professionals who’re challenging the industry like this. The ideas and knowledge exchanged were nothing short of extraordinary. It made me proud to be a manufacturers’ rep, and I hope it made others feel the same way.

As I looked out at the room over those three days I saw friends, fellow reps and brands that I’ve grown up with, they are the reason I am here, to give back to so many of you that have given me such a wonderful career filled with memories to last a lifetime.

I’ve been inundated with reps, manufacturers, and friends that have had the most amazing things to say about the conference.  They’ve called and emailed to say it is the best conference they’ve ever been to, and we can’t thank them enough for their kind words. 

To the youth and first timers in attendance, I say to you work hard, this industry has so much to offer and like most things in life you only get out what you put in. 

This year will go down in the record books as one of our most highly rated and highly attended MAFSI’s with 737 attendees.

I hope you left Palm Springs having made new friends, connected with old ones, and found MAFSI 2024 conference a great value to you and your organizations.

Tell your colleagues what they missed and encourage them to get involved with MAFSI. 

The heart and soul of our members, our association, and our industry, is alive and well. The energy you felt in the air is the same energy that keeps this industry moving.  But, having us all, under one roof, made you feel it.  

THANK YOU DEPARTING BOARD MEMBERS

Next, I would like honor to our departing board members.

Pictured left to right: Melissa Greenwald, Dan DeRoma, Carl Boutilier, Mitch Marcotte, Steve Amos, Carl Kisner, Mike Klosterman, James Mincks, Neil Inverso. Rob Schwalm, not pictured.

I just spoke of the heart and soul of our members, and we have nine MAFSI departing board members who gave their heart and soul to this organization. They stepped up during COVID and agreed to extend their terms to keep the organization on track. They were flexible when we asked them to stay on during committee initiatives and new staff members. 

They worked tirelessly during their terms to make sure the rep function stays front and center of this industry.

Everything you saw at the conference, on our website, through our webinars, or other programs and services like Pantry of Knowledge, Foodservice 101, MAFSI Messenger, are only possible due to their outstanding efforts and leadership. 

Music has been a big part of this MAFSI board’s tenure so to commemorate their time on the board we gifted them MAFSI branded JBL speakers. In no way does this compensate for all they gave us. We could never repay that. 

However, we hope when they hear certain songs on their MAFSI speaker they will remember all the good times shared, and know how much they mean to us, and this organization.  

Mitch Marcotte, President of Elevate Foodservice Group of Boxford, Massachusetts has been a board member since 2016. He hails from MAFSI Region 01 - New England

He served as Co-Chair of MAFSI's Conference Planning Committee in 2022 and 2024 and was the chair of the OrderPath Committee, and the recipient of the 2020 Michael Posternak Pacesetter Award. Mitch, thank you for giving us another record-breaking conference and your service over the last 8 years. 

Rob Schwalm, ServSafe, Western NY Territory Manager/Corporate Chef of Link2 Hospitality Solutions, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania is a Board Member from MAFSI Region 02 - Upstate NY - W. Pennsylvania. Rob has been on the board since 2019 and served as the Chair of MAFSI's M Chef Committee. He changed the face of culinary sales through M Chef and culinary sales. Rob, thank you for your 5 years of service to MAFSI on behalf of your fellow chefs and peers.

Steve Amos, CFSP, CPMR, Partner at HRI, Inc., Saint Clair Shores, Michigan is a Board Member from MAFSI Region 06 - Michigan/Indiana. Steve joined the board in 2016 and served as the Chair of MAFSI's Digital Training & Education (DTE) Committee. You have Steve, along with the DTE Committee, to thank for MAFSI’s new Pantry of Knowledge. Steve, your eight years on the board have been incredible and we cannot thank you for all that you gave us. 


Melissa Greenwald, President of Greenwald Sales & Marketing, LLC, Columbus, Ohio is a Board Member from MAFSI Region 07 - Mid-America and has served on the board twice, with this term starting in 2017 her total years on the board add up to over a decade. Melissa served as the chair of MAFSI's Membership & Marketing Committee and is responsible for the two most important drivers of this association – Members and Promotion. Melissa and her committee gave us one of our biggest wins with the relaunch of our newsletter, MAFSI Messenger, earlier this year. She is the 2022 recipient of the Tony Award and the 2016 Special Achievement Award. Melissa, we can never repay for all you gave us, the members, and the industry. 

Mike Klosterman, Kansas City, Missouri is a Board Member from MAFSI Region 16 - Mid-Central. He served as Co-Chair of MAFSI's Conference Planning Committee for 3 conferences and received the 2024 Michael Posternak Pacesetter Award. Mike, your eight years on the board have had this impact on the industry. We cannot thank you enough. You are amazing. 

Carl Boutilier, CFSP, CPMR, Principal of PB & J Commercial Agents, Wheaton, Illinois is a Board Member from MAFSI Region 17 - Chicago Metro and served as Co-Chair of MAFSI's Rep Firm of the Future (RFOF) Committee. This is Carl’s second term on the board. He also served as a board member in the mid-2000’s. Carl, thank you for your thoughtful analysis of rep issues which will change the ways reps operate now, and for years to come.

Dan DeRoma, CFSP, CPMR, CSP, President of The Daly & DeRoma Group, Inc., Plymouth, Minnesota is a Board Member from MAFSI Region 19 - Upper Mid-Central. He served on MAFSI's Digital Training & Education (DTE) Committee. Dan has been on the board for 5 years and helped to get Pantry of Knowledge off the ground earlier this year. Dan, we cannot thank you enough for your service over the last five years and your efforts on the DTE committee and furthering the education of the industry. 

Carl Kisner, CPMR, CEO & President of Ignite Foodservice Solutions, Denver, Colorado is a Board Member from MAFSI Region 20 - Mountain States North and served as Co-Chair of MAFSI's Conference Planning Committee for 2022 and 2024. He received the 2016 Michael Posternak Pacesetter Award and the 2020 Special Achievement Award. Carl, you gave so much to this organization and peers and made your mark on us and the industry. We cannot thank you enough.

James Mincks, Principal of Kelly-Mincks, Camas, Washington is a Board Member from MAFSI Region 25 - Northwest and served on MAFSI's Membership & Marketing Committee. He was instrumental in getting MAFSI Messenger launched earlier this year. His eight years on the board have made such an impact on the industry and on behalf of the membership, thank you!

Thank you all again for your service, contributions, and most importantly your friendship. 

For a complete list of MAFSI's 2024 Board of Directors and Committee members, please CLICK HERE.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS - MARCH 2024

Have you ever thought of making a difference, helping shape our trade and bringing it into the future — and having a green jacket of your own?

There are 10 seats available on the board from the 9 regions below plus one At-Large position. If that is appealing to you, please step forward and run in your local region. 

• Region 01 – New England
• Region 02 – New York (Upstate) W. PA
• Region 06 – Michigan/Indiana
• Region 07 – Mid America
• Region 15 – Texas/Oklahoma
• Region 16 – Mid-America
• Region 17 – Chicago Metro
• Region 19 – Upper Mid-Central
• Region 25 – Northwest
• At-Large – Any Region

Click on the link to complete the MAFSI National Director Self-Nominating Form by March 14th. 

Board members are voted on by their region’s members. According to the bylaws, departing board members may re-run for their position. 

It is a three-year term requiring two offsite board meetings a year at an annual cost to the board member of about $6,500.00 per year. There are bi-weekly committee meetings and participation is required.

I promise you it is both personally and professionally rewarding.

Best,

Neil