Industry member Michael Houseknecht, 38, died unexpectedly on Jan. 7.
Houseknecht was a co-owner of Batavia, NY-based Loose Ends Vending from 1999 until it was acquired by Next Generation Vending and Food Service in 2008. Loose Ends operated 42 vending routes and one OCS route at the time of its acquisition. Houseknecht stayed on at Next Generation as vice president of operations until 2011.
“Mike was a rare breed in that he excelled in all he did and was never one to gloat or boast,” said Brian Gill, longtime friend and colleague of Houseknecht’s. Gill recalled, “One of my first interactions with Mike was when Next Generation Vending acquired Loose Ends Vending and we needed him for an integration planning meeting and after looking around the facility I located him standing inside a 40 yard refuge container rearranging the contents with a front line subordinate to make additional room so that person could complete their previously assigned task. I knew at that moment this guy is different in a special kind of way. He came from a very prominent family in the Western New York community of Batavia that has enjoyed great success in many business ventures over multiple generations yet here’s Mike, a senior executive out back in the dumpster, always willing to help others regardless of the task at hand.”
Michael was a 1995 graduate of Batavia High School and went on to earn a baccalaureate degree in business from SUNY Brockport in 1999.
“For those who knew Mike business success was always important and came naturally, but it was very clear his family was his top priority every moment of everyday and he had a noticeable twinkle in his eye whenever he spoke about ‘his girls,’” said Gill.
Houseknecht is survived by his wife Jen and his two daughters Meghan and Ella.
“Mike was gifted with both great leadership and visionary skills combined with intellectual curiosity about technology that could move our industry forward,” said Gill. “He was a role model for others and will be greatly missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.”
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