Tenacity Recognized: Nissco Members Honored for Exceptional Growth and Comm­­itment

March 2023 - The year 2022 has been an incredible journey for the Nissco Restaurant Dealer Group, with its dealers and vendors setting new standards for excellence in the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. On March 7th these outstanding individuals were celebrated at an inspiring ocean-themed awards ceremony, honoring their ambition, determination, tenacity, and success.

The Vendor of the Year Award focuses on four areas that are critical to overall success: commitment, leadership, consistent action, and superior customer service – all of which positively influence sales volume. These vendors went above and beyond to ensure dealer members were successful, offering support and creative solutions that allowed them to remain competitive in the marketplace and increase their bottom line.

The following vendors were honored with the Vendor of the Year Award for their contributions in the following categories:

Heavy Equipment: Atosa USA                                    Light Equipment: Nemco Food Equipment

Smallwares/Tabletop: Browne Foodservice               Specialty Products: Advance Tabco

The prestigious Dealer of the Year Award was presented to Pro Kitchen. The most important characteristic of this dealership is their dedication to business and the pursuit to push through during tough times. In a word, resilient. 

Fifteen Nissco vendors received a New Horizons Award for achieving exceptional double-digit annual growth: 

• Advance Tabco
• Arctic Air / Broich Enterprises
• Bally Refrigerated Boxes
• Browne Foodservice
• C.A.C. China 
• Continental Refrigerator
• G.E.T. Enterprises 
• Jackson & Associates 
• Krowne
• Metro
• Sterno  
• TableCraft Products
• Thunder Group
• Turbo Air Group
• Waring Commercial

Three additional vendors were recognized for growth, receiving the Vendor Skyline Award:

• Grindmaster-UNIC-Crathco
• International Tableware
• Unified Brands

“These awards signify more than just recognition for the individuals involved. They are a tribute to the collective spirit of excellence that exists among all members of the Nissco Restaurant Dealer Group and serve as an inspiring reminder of what is possible when hard work meets dedication and determination,” says Mike Jewett, CEO of the Denver-based buying group.

DENVER, CO – March 15, 2023 The Excell and Nissco buying groups announce several organizational enhancements in a recent strategic move to further strengthen their FE&S subject matter expertise to best serve their members. This is the final phase of key, strategic moves to align with the organizations’ momentous visions and goals.

The buying groups welcome industry veteran, Justin LaCrosse as Vice President of Business Development - Strategic Segments. By recruiting LaCrosse, Excell and Nissco take a bold step forward in their mission to revolutionize the buying group experience. With this inspiring move, both organizations are setting themselves up for a future of exponential growth and success.

As a CFSP with 23+ years of experience, Justin knows how to support dealers   and vendors to increase their volume and enhance end-user satisfaction. His passion for serving, mentoring, knowledge-sharing, and building relationships is sure to increase selling confidence which will result in increased individual volume AND group volume.

LaCrosse states: “I am excited to be joining the Excell & Nissco team! I believe my professional experience in the FE&S space will only add to the amazing team already in place and advance the company’s mission of “Stronger Together.” Lacrosse went on to state “I feel very fortunate to have the tremendous opportunity to make an impact in our dealer partners businesses, as well as the entire FE&S industry as a whole.”

In addition, Devyn Kelly is elevated to Vice President of Business Development - Vendor Partnerships. Kelly joined the buying groups in 2021, holding progressive roles and boasts over a decade of experience within the buying group landscape. Devyn’s role is primarily vendor-facing.

Calvin Johnston is elevated to Vice President of Business Development - Dealer Engagement. Hailing from Horizon Bradco, TriMark, and ITW/Hobart, Johnston brings two decades of industry experience. As announced in a prior press release, Johnston serves a critical role – enabling and driving growth through enhanced experiences for members. Calvin’s role is primarily dealer-facing.

CEO of the buying groups, Mike Jewett remarks, “Devyn and Calvin will work closely together ensure we continue to meet dealer members where they are, while helping them get to where they want to be.”

With LaCrosse, Kelly, and Johnston at the helm of Business Development and driving new initiatives, Excell and Nissco are poised to step into a new era of success. This trio of leaders will continue to focus on executing groundbreaking strategies that serve membership with top-tier expertise.

Jewett proudly states, “I am thrilled to be part of such an extraordinary team. Our collective efforts and relentless drive for excellence will no doubt bring great success and satisfaction to our business partners. As champions for the collective, we are ready to unleash a wave of new and innovative ideas that will revolutionize our buying groups in the FE&S space.” He adds, "What we have built is truly remarkable, and I can't wait to see where we go from here. We’ve only just begun and truly, the best is yet to come.”

Jewett concludes, “We are excited to explore innovative ways to push the boundaries of what is possible. The focus is not on being the biggest, but rather on being the best. If we become the biggest by being the best, that’s a bonus.”

Be sure to keep an eye out for more groundbreaking news from Excell and Nissco in the coming months. Join them on their journey into the future as they continue to make waves.

DENVER, CO – February 20, 2023, The Excell and Nissco buying groups are proud to announce Alyssa Auerbach's promotion to Vice President of Member Services, an essential role in their mission to revolutionize the buying groups. This is the first of several upcoming key, strategic moves to align with the organizations’ momentous visions and goals.

In her role as Vice President of Member Services, Auerbach will be responsible for developing and executing a strategy to provide an amazing customer experience while also delivering high value to members through marketing, education, events, and training initiatives. Alyssa will also oversee all branding efforts.

Auerbach states, “I am excited to take on this new role as Vice President of Member Services at Excell and Nissco. Over the past decade I have seen our organizations grow rapidly and I am eager to continue building upon our strong foundation for our members’ success. We are well positioned to provide the best possible services and solutions, and together we can create a better future. As the organization continues to grow, members will benefit directly from the groups' unique solutions, resulting in greater differentiation in the marketplace.”

Auerbach and her team launched Cutting Edge Online Training in January 2022, providing a comprehensive video-based training platform for dealers in the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. Since then, it has expanded to become available to manufacturers as well, helping them tackle the challenge of onboarding and training both internal and external hires within the FE&S sector.

“Alyssa is the perfect choice for this role, and she has earned it with her commitment to excellence, as well as the integrity and passion she demonstrates for our team and our business partners,” said Mike Jewett, CEO. He went on to state, “Alyssa is uniquely qualified for this position given her in-depth knowledge, experience, and success in matters related to Branding, Marketing, Events, Training, and Education. Her expertise will be invaluable as she works to strategically guide these important initiatives.”

Auerbach is an industry leader who is set to blaze a trail at Excell and Nissco. She joined the buying groups in 2010 and has held progressive roles in sales, events, education, and marketing.