Tracy Mulqueen
Publisher, FEDA News & Views
CEO, FEDA
[email protected]
From its very beginning in 1933, FEDA has worked diligently to provide resources and support for dealers in the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. In turn, the association has been so fortunate to benefit from the amazing dedication of its members over the decades.
As it approached 2018, FEDA and its members were ready to make some changes. That’s when members shared their desire to see FEDA grow into a more modern and responsive organization, better able to address evolving industry needs by integrating technology into its member services and education and training offerings. They also saw the need for a representative and involved board of directors that could establish relevant strategic goals and govern progress, as well as member groups and committees to properly lead and guide strategic work.
By March 2020, we were on our way to accomplishing that modernization when FEDA — like everyone else — was suddenly confronted with a global pandemic that forced our organization to pivot almost overnight. Members told us they needed critical resources right away, and they wanted to stay connected to the association and its network to learn how others were managing through this unpredictable time. FEDA learned quickly how to work well virtually and rebuilt our programs and conferences online. This was a blessing in disguise, as we now benefit from knowing how to execute everything we offer — from legislative advocacy to education and training and year-round meetings — over the internet.
New Leadership Advisory Groups
Aside from learning how to conduct virtual meetings and programs, COVID reinforced the need for collaboration and information sharing to solve industry challenges. To that end, FEDA is building activities that allow new peer education and exchange opportunities such as the Small Dealers Council. As more than half of FEDA’s members have annual sales of less than $40 million, this group’s feedback is critical as FEDA plans work on behalf of the industry.
We’re also cultivating closer cooperation between dealers and a cross-section of suppliers through the Future of Distribution Council, a newly established group that brings together the CEOs of FEDA’s leading dealer and manufacturer members to constructively discuss and gradually address some of the distribution challenges they share — work that is vital to ensuring the industry is viable and competitive in future years.
Putting it All Together at the 2024 Conference
This year’s FEDA conference is the culmination of everything the association has worked toward over the past six years and incorporates feedback from all our members. The event pulls in all the things members have told us they want to learn, see and enjoy: a little policy, economic and business analyses and the latest on technology trends (including information on FEDA’s fully developed industry data portal and a new quoting tool coming into the market). We’re excited to have The Boelter Companies’ Eric Boelter and Alto-Shaam’s Lucy McQuillan guide us through the opening session and deliver FEDA’s State of the Industry Reports, updated for a new industry and a new FEDA. Lightening things up a bit — something we’ve needed to add to our sometimes too business-focused conference — the duo will also welcome a comedy troupe to highlight the humor that can be found in even the toughest moments we encounter in our industry.
All the above is combined with meaningful roundtable discussions and social activities such as golf, pickleball and basketball in a venue that allows for easy one-on-one networking.
We hope you’ll be at the conference and become involved in as much of FEDA as you can. There is so much to look forward to as the association continues to transform, and we’re eager for your help with the great next steps ahead.