Tomorrow, July 27, we’ll present our forecast of the E&S market for 2012 and beyond at our annual President’s Preview forecast meeting in Evanston, Ill. We won’t share the hard numbers with you; you have to pay for them this early. (I’m always surprised more dealers don’t spend the dime and come to the meeting.…

Texas-based Ace Mart Restaurant Supply toasted its top sales representatives during the Southwest Foodservice Expo June 24-25 in Dallas. In addition to honoring its factory reps, the San Antonio dealership debuted a new award for Independent Rep of the Year. Mark Lemons & Associates’ Tony Dettling, Steve Dumar, Doris Dettling and Mark Lemons received the…

Winston Industries has signed up Paragon Marketing Group to represent its equipment lines in a region spanning Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and southern Illinois. Paragon, based in the Kansas City and St., Louis, Mo., areas, was founded in 1947.  Winston is headquartered in Louisville, Ky.

The days are winding down to sign up for NAFEM’s one-day E&S seminar for the Certified Food Service Professional program. The Equipment & Supplies Overview is Wednesday, Aug. 10, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CDT at NAFEM’s Chicago headquarters. Attendees can follow up the overview with the CFSP exam in NAFEM’s office. Sign up at the

Manitowoc Foodservice has hired business veteran Dennis O’Toole as v.p.-marketing for its North America Ovens and Advanced Cooking Technology (ACT) operating company. O’Toole’s marketing responsibilities will cover the five companies which comprise ACT: Cleveland, Convotherm USA, Garland convection ovens, Lincoln and Merrychef USA. O’Toole’s two decades in sales and marketing includes his most recent position…

Blended list prices for the more than 350,000 models from more than 400 foodservice equipment, supplies and furnishings manufacturers rose 2.7% for the year ending June 30, according to the latest data from AutoQuotes Inc. AQ released the figures in its July e-newsletter last week and also will present the data at FER‘s E&S Market…

Associated Food Equipment & Supplies is spreading its wings. The Gulfport, Miss., dealer has announced plans to open a showroom, office and warehouse facility in the Jackson metro area. The planned location will offer design, planning and consulting services in addition to sales, delivery and installation. Associated said the expansion is part of its plan…

The smoke has cleared in Albuquerque, N.M., and existing foodservice operators can breathe a little easier. They won’t have to add sprinkler systems to their restaurants, including their walk-in coolers and freezers. A proposed ordinance would have required all buildings under its purview to have completed retrofits as of next July, but the city council…

The Ohio legislature has barred cities and towns in the state from regulating what restaurants serve or how they serve it. The state’s budget, signed into law June 30, includes a provision drafted and promoted by the Ohio Restaurant Association that gives the director of the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture the sole power to regulate…

The National Restaurant Association has joined forces with the National Retail Federation in backing legislation that would require federal agencies to consider the impact on small businesses when establishing rules and regulations. HR527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011, would give the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy more oversight authority and amend the…