(CHICAGO) November 24, 2015 – The Tri-State Automatic Merchandising Council held its fifth annual John Boyle Scholarship Golf Tournament this fall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Proceeds from the tournament fund the council’s annual scholarship, which awards a Tri-State member full tuition and a travel stipend to NAMA’s Executive Development Program at Michigan State University.
“The scholarship was founded to honor the memory of John Boyle, who had a 40-year career in the vending and refreshment services industry and was a longtime member of Tri-State, serving as president of the council’s Board of Directors,” said Jeff West, Sr. of West Dairy, Tri-State board member and past board president. “The scholarship fund is a fitting tribute to Mr. Boyle’s desire to teach and educate so many in our industry.”
This year’s John Boyle Scholarship was awarded to Ron Irwin, Customer Service Manager at Canteen Lancaster in Lancaster, PA.
“EDP was an impactful experience all around,” Irwin said. “The case study and small group interaction were highlights for me, and there were valuable takeaways from all the sessions throughout the week. It was great to be with people from all facets of the industry and to learn about what they do and the challenges they face. I can’t thank Tri-State enough for the opportunity that was given to me. Just like the Tri-State members that went before me, I hope to use my knowledge to make our business better and to share information with others.”
Two retiring Tri-State members were honored at this year’s Tournament: Andy Calhoun, Canteen, Middletown, PA and Jim Wittler, formerly of Betson Distributing in Pittsburgh, PA. Calhoun and Wittler were both on the Tri-State Board of Directors and both served as President during their board terms. Tri-State members expressed appreciation to both gentlemen for their many years of service to the refreshment services industry and the members in Pennsylvania.
Founded in 1936, NAMA is the association representing the $25 billion U.S. vending and refreshment service industry. With more than 1250 member companies – including many of the world’s most recognized brands – NAMA provides advocacy, education and research for its membership. Visit NAMA on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
