About Fismc

Founded in 1934, FISMC offers a forum for relationship building with both customers and associates who share your goals and challenges. To qualify for membership you must manage sales people or broker representatives. You must be employed by a company which manufactures, produces, or represents a product or service sold to the food industry.

Active participation affords opportunities for meeting and building relationships with top executives in all walks of the grocery industry. With the widespread downsizing of customer and member companies, we need more than ever to keep open the channels of communication. If you qualify, apply for membership now!

who we are

FISMC OFFICERS 2022

Vice President

David Talmage

Secretary

Michael Aquilina

Treasurer

Monica Abarca

President

Heather DeLuca

Information Officer

Cathy Yochem

Historian

Lorna Bjorklund

Past President

Rita Cabot

Membership Officer

Belinda Vant Hul

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Second Year

Liz Gustafson

Second Year

Taylor Verbeck

Second Year

Donna Simpson

Second Year

Jake Johannes

First Year

Heather Wilson

First Year

Cindy Jo Schneider

First Year

Kathy Talamante

First Year

Herbert Benjamin

History

looking back

The Food Industries Sales Managers' Club has proudly been in existence for over 85 years! The club was founded in 1934 and was incorporated on September 22, 1939.

From an original membership of eighteen, FISMC has grown into one of the most highly respected organizations throughout the food industry. Its membership is limited to those of management level within suppliers of food and related products and services to the food industry. The club honors grocers and holds business meetings throughout the year. At the annual Hi-Jinks event, FISMC thanks customers for their business and accepts donations to Olive Crest to make Christmas better for underprivileged children.

Past Presidents

Take a look

The Food Industries Sales Managers’ Club of Los Angeles proudly donates to selected charitable organizations. Each customer-oriented event raises funds to support causes specified by the honored retailer. Through these events FISMC gives back to the community.

Charities

The following are some of the charitable organizations

that have benefited from FISMC’s events.

1934 Stanley West

1935 Stanley West

1936 George Salm

1937 Oliver Seegelken

1938 Roy Heinz

1939 Dumont Hirsch

1940 Sy Ferguson

1941 Cyril C. Nigg

1942 William B. Massie

1943 Tony Whan

1944 Lyman Dunbar

1945 James A. Camp

1946 Alex Smith

1947 Lester Irvin

1948 Jack L. Hall

1949 Irvin E. Damon

1950 Paul J. McKinney

1951 Spencer D. Redfield

1952 Anthony Hebner

1953 Verne L. Mishler

1954 Ivan A. Nielson

1955 Floyd W. Williams

1956 Charles F. Fuller

1957 Fred Heaton

1958 Andrew J. Dossett

1959 Carl D. Finn

1960 Ray Kidd

1961 Fred C. Hawkins

1962 Richard W. Burns

1963 Will L. Higgin

1964 Ray C. Parks

1965 John A. Mooney

1966 John B. Coker

1967 James P. Curry

1968 David J. Ford

1969 James C. Martin

1970 William H. Coulson, Jr.

1971 J. E. Johnson

1972 Harold R. Lohmuller

1973 N. R. Maitino

1974 Ernie J. Ales

1975 Robert W. Hutto

1976 Robert L. Lord

1977 Fred E. Marsic

1978 Robert A. Kunz

1979 Larry Moore

1980 Warren C. Lattin

1981 Jack R. Hinrichs

1982 John Vander Giessen

1983 Jack Targon

1984 Ron West

1985 Virgil Zappe

1986 Sid Borie

1987 Arnie Gamboa

1988 Larry Taylor

1989 Bob Stokes

1990 Roy Roudine

1991 Bill Manwarren

1992 Harry Little

1993 Kent McLain

1994 Bob Gilmore

1995 Jerry Whitmore

1996 Gerry Martin

1997 Don Davis

1998 Lorna Bjorklund

1999 Joe Wertzberger

2000 Eddie Gales

2001 Mickie Sharp-Villanueva

2002 Victor Gwinn

2003 Orv Harpole

2004 Dana Gilbert

2005 Dave Dimond

2006 Warren Langley

2007 Cricket McNeill

2008 Joel Yochem

2009 Cynthia Weifenbach

2010 Susan Bremer-Rossow

2011 Robert Mayo

2012 Jeff Hansen

2013 Kent Sandie

2014 Jill Elroy

2015 Perry Sanders

2016 Kristal Clark

2017 Chuck Balassa

2018 Michelle Cassatt

2019 Belinda Vant Hul

2020 Rita Cabot

2021 Rita Cabot

Who is eligible for membership with FISMC?

Requirements

• You must be a sales manager employed by a food and/or grocery merchandise manufacturer

or a sales manager directly selling products or services to the retail food trade channels.

• Employees of wholesale or retail grocers or buying organizations are not eligible.

• Application to the Club is first approved by the Membership Committee.

• Applicants must be then elected to membership by the Club.

• Membership is strictly social in nature and cannot be used to further business interests.

• Membership is not transferable to another person or company.

• Dues are annual: $150 per year with a one-time $100 initiation fee.

Membership

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Dates!

Seats go fast so make your reservations now!!!

frequently asked questions...

Q. CAN OTHER QUALIFIED PEOPLE FROM MY COMPANY JOIN AS WELL?

A. Yes, but they have to submit an application and be presented to the membership for a vote.

Q. WHAT DOES THE PROCESS OF INDUCTION INVOLVE?

A. At your induction, you will be given your FISMC badge, FISMC pin and pen, and a copy of that year’s Club Roster. We will also ask you to tell us something about you and your company so that we may get to know you better.

Q. I TRAVEL FREQUENTLY. ARE THERE A REQUIRED NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT I MUST ATTEND?

A. We all understand that our jobs come first and there are no attendance requirements during the year. However, if you don’t attend events you won’t reap the maximum benefits the Club has to offer.

Q. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET INVOLVED?

A. Go to our website and look at the list of Committees. Decide where you would best serve the Club and volunteer by contacting the Chair or Vice Chair of that Committee.

Q. WHAT ARE THE FISMC “EXCLUSIVE” EVENTS?

A. During the year we will have at least one event where we will honor a retailer that is “exclusive” to FSIMC members in good standing and one special guest. These are more intimate affairs, which is why we restrict attendance to a member and a guest. The retailer invites individuals from their senior management, so it is an excellent opportunity to socialize with our accounts top management.

Q. HOW DOES ONE SERVE ON THE BOARD OR AS AN OFFICER?

A. Board members are selected by the Nominating Committee. Selection is based on how active a member is on event attendance and/or Committee participation, as well as how the member interacts within the membership. Nomination to the Board is a two-year term, with monthly Board Meeting on the first Monday of the month. If selected to be an Officer, this is a five year process serving as Secretary,

Treasurer, Vice President, President, and then Immediate Past President of the Club.