Vending Market News

People in the News

Cantaloupe Systems tabs Crane Streamware's Glenn Butler
Glenn Butler has joined Cantaloupe Systems as president and chief technology officer. Butler joins Cantaloupe after spending 15 years as the co-founder and chief technology officer at Crane Streamware. During his tenure at Streamware, he was the architect of the VendMAX and DeliveryMAX software systems, and worked to create the industry's first syndicated data service, InfoVEND.

David Larimer to succeed Roger Cohen as Filterfresh president
Roger Cohen, president of Filterfresh Coffee Service Inc., will retire at the close of the company's fiscal year in 2006. David C. Larimer joined the company in November 2005 as executive vice president and will transition to president. Cohen will continue to remain active with the company as a member of its board of directors.

Larimer brings 22 years of retail experience with a proven track record in sales, marketing, operations and franchise development.

Industry loses Ira Greenfield
Ira Greenfield, a veteran coffee service operator in Stamford, Conn., and his wife, Linda, recently passed away in a bus accident in Chile, where they were vacationing. The couple were among 12 Americans killed when a bus plunged 300 feet off of a mountain road.

Greenfield, 68, operated Best Brew Coffee Services in Stamford, Conn., before retiring from the coffee industry a few years ago. He was a board member of the Eastern Coffee Association and a member of the National Beverage Products Association.

Industry Loses Don Day
Don Day, a long-time vending industry veteran, recently passed away at the age of 78. He had retired from H.A. Franz & Co., the vending equipment distributor in Houston, Texas, where he oversaw vending sales. Day worked for Canteen, Aramark, Servomation and South Texas Vendors in Houston before joining H.A. Franz. He was president of both the Greater Houston Coffee and Vending Association and the Texas Merchandise Vending Association. He is survived by his wife, Pattie, and two children.

Validata tabs Gaston and canteen franchise group's David Clayton
Validata Computer & Research Corp. appointed David Clayton to oversee marketing and sales development. Most recently, Clayton was director of franchise development for Compass Group/Canteen and approximately 80 franchises. Validata also hired Mike Gaston to assume duties in marketing and communications.

Compass Group names new ceo Compass Group PLC named Richard Cousins, former CEO of buildings material company BPB PLC, as its new CEO. He will replace current CEO Michael Bailey on June 1.

Coffee Distributing Corp. tabs Filterfresh's Rodney Turner
Rodney Turner recently left his position as director of Filterfresh Coffee Service Inc.'s Eastern region, based in Lakewood, N.J., to become New Jersey sales manager for Garden City Park, N.Y.-based Coffee Distributing Corp., according to Robert Friedman, president of CDC. He will work from CDC's Clifton, N.J., office.

Mike Lawlor sells Apex Vending, rejoins USA Technologies
Michael Lawlor recently rejoined USA Technologies as vice president of national accounts after selling his vending business, Apex Vending Services in Malvern, Pa., near Philadelphia. He had been senior vice president of sales at USA Technologies until leaving in 2003 to go into the vending business.

Industry loses Dennis Blow
Dennis Blow, founder of Diablo Marketing in Danville, Calif., recently passed away. He was 71. He had been retired since 1999 when he sold the vend brokerage to Pacific Brokerage Co. in Yorba Linda, Calif. He lived in Pinehurst, N.C. He is survived by his wife, Edee O'Meara, three sons, a daughter, a brother, two sisters and several grandchildren.

Wrigley promotes Scozzafava
Ralph Scozzafava has assumed Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.'s newly created position of vice president, worldwide commercial operations. He is responsible for sales and marketing for commercial business and will oversee the company's operations in 180 countries. Scozzafava joined Wrigley in 2001 as vice president, U.S. sales and customer marketing after serving in a variety of senior positions for Campbell Soup Co.