After more than 40 years in the vending industry, Jerry Browning, account executive at Vistar, will be retiring at the end of December 2016. "It's been really enjoyable," Browning told VendingMarketWatch.com about his time in the industry.
Of particular note, Browning is proud to have been a past president of the New York State Automatic Vending Association. "I won two different awards from NAMA for tax relief during that time, something operators are still enjoying today," said Browning. He hopes to continue to be part of the industry offering consulting services as time allows.
Working his way up
Browning began his vending career in 1974 at Canteen in Buffalo, NY where he was a route driver. He enjoyed the work and autonomy. He moved up the ranks changing jobs as companies were acquired and new opportunities arose. He began as a service representative at Vistar in 2004, traveling 40,000 miles a year visiting customers in a territory that ranged from Rochester NY to Geneva, OH. In 2011, Browning was named Distributor of the Year by Automatic Merchandiser.
"What I think about most as I look back on my time in vending is how much technology has changed," said Browning. He remembers mobile phones when they were brick phones. He had one on his night stand in case of emergency calls. "The new generation doesn't know how far we've come," shared Browning. He sees how this new generation is changing the vending landscape, however, especially Millennials. "It used to be people would ask for healthy items in the vending machine and not buy them. You threw out full pallets. With more Millennials in the workplace that's not true now," said Browning. The SKUs of products that appeal to Millennials are fast moving and more diverse than ever. This has helped build strong OCS sales, and made micro markets a real benefit to operators.
While Browning has no specific plans for his retirement, you might catch him on the golf course come summer, picking up where he left off with his old photography hobby, or planning travel with his wife when she retires. "My time will be my own," said Browning. "But I need to stay busy, too. If people need advice, I'll be available...Tuesday through Thursday," Browning finished with a chuckle.
