Automatic Merchandiser serves the business management, marketing, technology and product information needs of its readers including vending operators, coffee service operators, product brokers, and product and equipment distributors in print.
Issue link: http://automaticmerchandiser.epubxp.com/i/616338
David Barrientos, Broker, G & J Marketing and Sales Barrientos is a NAMA/MSU Executive Development Program graduate who began his career in the food industry in 1990. Since 2010 he has been with G & J Market- ing helping his customer base thrive despite increasing cost challenges. In order to help his customers increase sales and grow their overall business, Barrientos helps in the implementation of marketing ideas based around the end user and the vend/micro market trends. For example, Barrientos identifes new products that will drive value to the industry and helps his customers create value added promotions in order to increase profts. Mark Kelley, Region Manager, General Mills Over the years, Kelley has led change includ- ing pioneering different packs and price points, identifying product concepts/trends and embracing proven marketing concepts that can propel the vending industry for- ward. One of Kelley's most notable accomplishments has been working to bring to market a protein bar creation that operators could sell for a dollar. Kelley has taken on many roles in the industry and serves as the current chair for the NAMA Public Relations and Affairs com- mittee, Millennial Advisory – Vice Chair and Research and Information board member. He is currently the Com- mittee Chair for Membership and Public Relations with the CAVC. Randall Huft, President, Innovation Agency Huft has a 25-year career in marketing and advertising, is a well-known speaker and author on business and marketing topics and has developed programs and contributed to the growth of many successful companies, with the largest focus on the vending industry. Huft's focus on the vending and automated retailing industry helps him understand the everyday challenges of manu- facturers, operators and entrepreneurs looking to start in the vending space. In 2016, Huft's company plans on expanding its Social Marketing Division, which helps connect companies with causes in new, engaging and mutually-benefcial ways. John Rego, VP of Emerging Technologies, On Track Innovations (OTI) America With more than 25 years in the NFC indus- try, Rego brought his expertise to the vend- ing industry when he joined OTI America in 2005. Since then he has focused on building partnerships to deliver the best technology solutions to the markets and improving telemetry in the industry. In 2015 he was a speaker at the NFC Solutions Summit in Phoenix, AZ and in 2016 he will be a speaker at Payments Summit Smart Card Alliance in Orlando, FL. Alan Munson, CCO, Parlevel Systems With over 15 years in the vending indus- try, Munson has used his experience as a vending operator to help other operators stay competitive by adopting revolutionary technology in their own companies. Mun- son, co-founder and CCO of Parlevel Systems, believes that in the coming year operators need to look towards technology to maintain and grow in the vending space. Munson is active on the board of the Texas Merchandise Vending Association and focuses on educating operators of all sizes on the benefts of using technology to track and gain control of their inventory. Dan Ragan, National Sales Manager, Pod Pack Int. Ragan is a coffee service industry veteran with 39 years of experience who has been instrumental in helping operators through- out the U.S. establish and enhance their customized single serve programs. Ragan believes the industry challenges in the year ahead include increased big box competition, a need for higher quality, a require- ment to have more environmentally friendly products and a continual need to improve technology. He has imple- mented The Balanced Scorecard, Lean, and Six Sigma techniques to improve process controls, and reduce errors to create higher effciencies. Marc Rosset, President, Professional Vending Consultants, Inc. Rosset has represented more than 300 sell- ers throughout his 22 years as a consultant and intermediary and has been instrumen- tal in establishing industry-recognized guidelines for the value of vending/OCS and food service companies. Rosset treats every partnership with the utmost confdentiality and works to smoothly combine two competitors by listening to each company's needs. Rosset believes that in the future more resources need to go towards the study of the balance between micro mar- kets and vending so operators are aware of where to best allocate their future capital expenditures. He suggests that operators look at new technologies and advancements in credit/debit and mobile payment options, as well as streamlined warehouse inventory controls. Rego Ragan Rosset Barrientos Huft Kelley Munson 26 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2015