Expo

photo by David Hathcox
From left, George Eversman, Dot Foods, Mount Sterling, Il; Steve Shing, Chairman of AWMA, GSC Enterprises, Inc., Sulphur Springs, TX; Todd Willis, Dot Foods and Ed Delaney, Federated Foodservice, Lawrenceville, GA

Distributors and suppliers got down to business at the 2005 AWMA REAL DEAL EXPO.

photo by David Hathcox
Distributors and suppliers got down to business at the 2005 AWMA REAL DEAL EXPO.

photo by Mike Gatty
Pictured from left to right at the REAL DEAL EXPO kick-off reception are AWMA Chairman of the Board Ricky Jones, Andalusia Distributing Company, Inc.; Ferris Youmans, H.B. Paulk Company; and Nick Zaden, City Wholesale Grocery Company.

photo by Mike Gatty
Rob Hackett, Burklund Distributors, discusses foodservice strategies with Don Pungitore, Omni Food Concepts, Inc.

photo by Mike Gatty
Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds, fields a question from the audience Thursday morning. Bench was a fan favorite during the Expo opening session, adroitly mixing advice for success ("Are you willing to make the effort to try to be the best? The best individuals make the best team.") with stories about growing up and his career. "I could throw a baseball through a car wash and it wouldn’t even get wet," he said. Bench drew a standing ovation.

photo by Mike Gatty
Meyercord Revenue, Inc. unveiled new equipment during EXPO. From left are Meyercord’s Ben Hyde, Tom Letiza and Tim Arends.

photo by Mike Gatty
Ron Scott, Zucca, Inc., receives autograph from Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench.

photo by Mike Gatty
Paul Noorda, Gem State Distributors, Inc. (center) discusses warehouse inventory management with Retalix USA President Vic Hamilton (right) and Gary Jarvis, Retalix senior manager, customer service.

© 2007 Exposures, LTD. - www.exposuresltd.com
Networking opportunities abound at the REAL DEAL EXPO. Here (left to right), Joe Bowlin, GASCARD Partners, catches up with Larry Glass, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, and Mark Sullivan, Sullivan Wholesale Company.

© 2007 Exposures, LTD. - www.exposuresltd.com
AWMA Chairman Jode Bunce, Eby-Brown Company, talks with former AWMA Chairmen Ricky Jones, Andalusia Distributing Company, and Steve Shing, GSC Enterprises.

© 2007 Exposures, LTD. - www.exposuresltd.com
Bob Pignato, AWMA Vice President of Marketing, Membership and Industry Affairs (far right) at an evening reception with Bernie Lee (next to Bob) and other Sell-Thru Services representatives.

A wide range of educational sessions drew members to the morning sessions, including Thursday’s, where they heard from NFL Legend Coach Mike Ditka.

Former Chairman Rick Gummer (left to right), Gummer Wholesale, and Chairman Emeritus Ricky Jones, Andalusia Distributing Company, join Tom Joyce, The Hershey Company, and Chad Gummer, Gummer Wholesale

© 2007 Exposures, LTD. - www.exposuresltd.com
NFL Legend Randy White with auction winner Pete Lippe, Core-Mark International, who placed the top bid for the Meyercord stamping machine.

© 2007 Exposures, LTD. - www.exposuresltd.com
REAL DEAL auctioneer and NFL legend Randy White with Hoke Whitworth (right), Commonwealth Brands, Inc., who placed the winning bid for an autographed, limited-edition print of White’s NFL days.

© 2007 Exposures, LTD. - www.exposuresltd.com
Tara Roundtree of Idaho Candy Company, was the lucky winner of a Buyers’ Program IPod.

© 2007 Exposures, LTD. - www.exposuresltd.com
"I never win anything!" said computer winner Derek Wilde, Creager Mercantile. Expect to see Derek back in Las Vegas for the REAL DEAL EXPO in 2008!

Marty Monserez, Procter & Gamble, leads a discussion during the Joint Industry Warehouse Delivered Snack Committee meeting in Vegas

Charlie Casper, MyDad, Inc., adds yet another bid to a Silent Auction item.

AWMA functions always provide excellent networking opportunities, but the 2008 EXPO Welcome Reception drew an especially large crowd!

From left, Dick, Dustin and Donna Dunham with Scott and Clare Ramminger.

AWMA Board Member Eric Atkinson (left), Atkinson Candy Company, works the reception crowd.

Receptions provide great networking opportunities for AWMA REAL DEAL EXPO attendees.

Incoming AWMA Chairman Dick Dunham, eagerly accepts the official green Chairman’s jacket from AWMA’s Penny Paterson and 2007 Chairman Jode Bunce.

Jode Bunce (left), 2007 AWMA Chairman, is presented with a special commemorative gift by 2008 Chairman Dick Dunham.

Oklahoma members (from left) Jerry Naifeh, Standard Distributing; Paula Glidewell, Glidewell Distributing; and Sandy Ruble, Oklahoma Wholesale Marketers Association.

The REAL DEAL EXPO’s opening session drew a large audience.

Highly acclaimed sportscaster Greg Gumbel delivered an inspirational speech.

Sportscaster Greg Gumbel’s address mixed humor, hope and inspiration.

New AWMA Chairman Dick Dunham delivers a rousing welcome address on the first day of the EXPO.

Marc Fortin, President of the National Convenience Stores Distributors Association of Canada (NACDA)

Consultant Kit Dietz led a panel discussion on the challenges facing the Canadian convenience-channel.

Steve Tennant, National Director, We Expect ID, Canadian Convenience Stores Association.

Steven Karrys, Karrys Bros. Ltd.

Opening day crowds stampede into the AWMA REAL DEAL EXPO at the Las Vegas Hilton on February 20-22, 2008.

The busy show floor at the REAL DEAL EXPO!

Business was brisk at the Philip Morris USA exhibit.

The Eisenberg Sausage booth attracted a hungry - and appreciative - crowd.

AWMA Board Member Tom Joyce, The Hershey Company.

The Ice Box Company of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Penguin Ice’s Burleigh Kaster talks with buyers.

Sportscaster Greg Gumbel autographs photos for the EXPO crowd.

Sportscaster Greg Gumbel with sports fan Paula Glidewell, Glidewell Distributing Company.

AWMA President Scott Ramminger stopped by the Select Distributor, Inc. exhibit to talk with Ibrahim Karim.

Greg Gumbel and AWMA Board Member Sherwin Herring, Southco Distributing.

AWMA’s Penny Paterson draws the name of a lucky cash prize winner!

State association executives hold a dinner meeting with tobacco manufacturers.

Tobacco regulation was the primary topic at the state association executives' dinner.

AWMA’s EXPO always includes valuable briefing sessions.

Guest speaker Ron Christie.

With a deadline looming, business at the Silent Auction tables picks up.

Commonwealth Brands’ Bobby Reese (left) and Wayne Barnes.

Curt Easter, The Morrison Group, with AWMA favorite Las Vegas Showgirl, Yvonne.

From left, Nordic-American Smokeless’s Bill Eder and Todd Milligan with Las Vegas showgirl.

The Meyercord/United Silicone team with AWMA’s favorite Las Vegas Showgirl, Yvonne. From left: Lisa Presutti, Tom Letizia, Kim Jackson, Eric Sim, and Joe Fisher.

The Hershey Company’s Tom Joyce (left) and Eby-Brown’s John Scardina with Las Vegas Showgirl.

Jed Ventura, Atkinson Candy Company, presents Las Vegas Showgirl Yvonne with “The World’s Largest Christmas Stick!”

United Distributing’s Bill Allen (left) and Bill Bantu with Las Vegas Showgirl.

Meyercord's Kim Jackson (right) presents a $5,000 donation to AWMA Chairman Scott Ramminger for the AWMA Distributors Education Fund (DEF)

The UPS Logistics Technologies team from Baltimore, Maryland, included (from left) Ken Currie, Ken Krucenski, and Steve Marsh.

The Mainstream Ventures Inc. DBA ZIZZAZZ team included (from left) Lindsey Pinapfel, Josh Dannan, Ryan Alarid and Larry Pettis

Greg Martin, Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors, addresses a meeting of state association representatives at the EXPO.

Autographed sports memorabilia always draws interest at the AWMA Silent Auction.

The annual Silent Auction, which benefits AWMA’s government affairs program, always draws a crowd.

Michael Wagnon, Caldwell Wholesale Company, won an iPhone!

AWMA's Bob Pignato (right) presents a $2,500 check to happy winner Charles Worthy, Bahama Bo's, Eclectic, Alabama, shown here with Las Vegas Showgirl Yvonne.

Cash prize winner Matt Moskwa (left), National Tobacco Company, walked away with $2,500!