WHO
Problem solvers
A diverse group of members ranging from convenience, grocery, and foodservice operators to academics and futurists.
WHAT
The First VGN Forum
Members meet quarterly to identify trends, challenges and disruptions in retail as well as possible solutions and opportunities.
WHY
Finding Solutions
TVG members offer a cross-industry, multi-discipline approach to identifying issues and innovative solutions.
The Vision Group
Addressing Challenges
Created in 2020, The Vision Group (TVG) stands as the inaugural virtual forum organized by the Vision Group Network. Its purpose is to foster collaboration, dismantle silos, and expand members’ perspectives.
While these meetings typically do not generate a Vision Report, the discussions within TVG often shape and guide the themes of other VGN forums.
What we are passionate about
These are just some of the topics TVG has explored:
- Global retail trends
- 15-minute cites/urban hubs
- Omni-channel retailing
- Phygital retailing
- Cybersecurity
- “The Jetsons” predictions coming true
- Creating destinations with compelling customer experiences
Meet The Vision Group
Frank Beard, Head of Marketing
Rovertown
I'm a Des Moines, Iowa-based marketer, speaker, and writer who focuses on the convenience retailing industry. I'm currently the Head of Marketing at Rovertown, the leading app platform for convenience retailers. Past affiliations include Standard AI and GasBuddy.
I frequently speak at events where I focus on 1) convenience retail trends, 2) retail technology, and 3) lessons from having visited thousands of convenience stores across the United States and internationally. Past presentations include the NACS Show, National Restaurant Association Show, Summer Fancy Food Show, NACS CEO Summit DACH, Handel & Wandel, AACS Convenience Leaders Summit in Sydney, and numerous regional and corporate events.
My analyses and commentary have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Bloomberg, Grocery Dive, the Washington Post, Atlas Obscura, and more. I currently write a monthly column for C-Store Dive called "The Road Ahead."
On a personal level, I once spent a month eating at convenience stores to prove that healthy on-the-go options do exist. I'm also an active cyclist and enjoy participating in RAGBRAI—the nation’s oldest, longest, and largest organized bike ride.
Sheila Bennett, Founder
Sheila Bennett Consulting
Strategic business development and operations leader with 20+ years of experience in the foodservice industry and nonprofit space in driving revenue growth and organizational impact. A trusted relationship builder with a deep hospitality background and a proven track record of building and scaling programs within both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Experience working in full-service food and beverage service operations, in national accounts and purchasing in foodservice distribution, as VP Development for an e-Marketing technology and analytics company and creating national fundraising programs and leading a national nonprofit. Known for developing high-performing teams, strengthening franchise and partner performance, and delivering value for operators, buyers, sellers, and communities nationwide.
Jon Bratta, SVP - GM
Rock Solid Capital Investments
Jon Bratta is a 30 -year CPG veteran holding various Senior Leadership positions within Marketing, Merchandising, Category Management, and Private Brand Development for Convenience Retailers such as 7-Eleven, ampm, and Kangaroo Express, as well as West Coast Alcohol retailer: BevMo. Jon also spent nearly 5 years at Core-Mark, leading Marketing, Merchandising, and Advertising.
Ed Collupy, Principal
Collupy System Solutions LLC
Ed has more than 40 years of retail systems experience in the convenience/petro (The Pantry) and grocery (Purity Supreme & Shaw’s) retail channels, including as a consultant at W. Capra Consulting Group providing strategic, operational, and project leadership to retailers, emerging businesses, and technology companies. His involvement in the industry continues as a Facilitator for various groups and as an independent consultant through Collupy System Solutions. He has served the Convenience/Petro industry as Chairman of the Board of Advisors of Conexxus and as a member of the NACS Convention Content Committee. Ed writes for trade publications, leads, and participates in on-line and in-person forums focused on retail technology. A New Englander at heart, he graduated from Suffolk University in Boston, attended Harvard’s Executive Education session, Delivering Information Services, and now living on Cape Cod he is very active in the community serving on various boards and committees.
Kevin Farley, President
Farley Retail Advisors
Brand Marketing, Merchandising Strategies & Concepts, Organizational Development, B2B Strategic Sales, Domestic and International Partner Alliances
Kevin Farley serves as Impact 21’s Chief Client Officer responsible for strategies to grow and support the company’s industry and client relations across the specialty retail, convenience, and energy channels. Kevin brings a long history of building critical relationships and alliances across industries. He has played an active role in advancing the convenience industry as a long-standing member and current Supplier Board Chair for the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). He also serves on the Digital Marketing Advisory Board at the University of South Florida.
Throughout Kevin’s career, he has led the charge for retail innovation and solutions, bridging the gap of brick and mortar and e-commerce by focusing on consumer in-store experience. Kevin will support Impact 21 in leading efforts with our clients to deliver a seamless customer experience – streamlining all customer touchpoints through innovation and integration of customer-facing solutions.
Kevin comes to Impact 21 from GSP Companies, where he most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the overall day-to-day operations including the retail accounts team, client success, and the Retail Production Divisions. At GSP, Kevin fostered strategic partnerships with retailers, suppliers, and service providers to accomplish key strategic goals, scalable growth, and improving overall operations and customer service to clients.
Prior to his time with GSP, Kevin worked in the energy sector. He served as the Regional Business Director at Telvent (acquired by Schneider Electric) in the Middle East. He was responsible for Sales and Project Execution for the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, with a strategic focus on IT-related sales and marketing efforts. He also held senior roles as Telvent’s Product Manager and Project Engineer, each with global responsibility, and served as Manager of International Projects for Valmet Automation, in Ankara, Turkey where he resided for two years.
Growing up in Banff, Canada, Kevin earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Alberta. He later ventured off to gain his Master of Business Administration from HEC, an international school based in Paris, France. Kevin made his way to the United States and established his home in Tampa, Florida. Kevin is the father of two adult children. As a former drummer in a band, Kevin is still a big fan of music, along with hockey and his local curling club.
Rob Garf, Head of Strategy and Insights
Cordial
Rob is Head of Strategy and Insights at Cordial. He has spent his career on various sides of the retail table - as practitioner, industry analyst, strategy consultant, and software executive. Rob’s worked with executives worldwide to help them accelerate digital transformation. He was most recently VP and GM of Retail and Consumer Goods at Salesforce where he led Product Strategy and Industry Insights. Rob's a member of NRF’s Digital Council, one of 50 top Retail Voices by NRF, a RETHINK Retail Top Expert, and on the Executive Leadership Committee for the Retail AI Council.
Robert Grimes, CEO
IFBTA
Robert (“Rob”) Grimes is the Founder & CEO of the IFBTA (the Food and Beverage Technology
Association) and is the Host of the Accelerate podcast on the Foodable Network.
The IFBTA was launched at FSTEC (Foodservice Technology Conference and Showcase) 2014 which was founded by Rob in 1996 and is a non-profit professional association promoting and advancing technology and innovation for the global food and beverage industries.
Prior to establishing the IFBTA, Rob also founded ConStrata Technology Consulting and its predecessor companies, which have been providing information technology consulting services for the globalhospitality, foodservice and retail industries and is headquartered in Potomac, Maryland since 1994.
In addition to Accelerate, Rob is a regular technology contributor to many industry and technology publications in the U.S. and abroad as well as co-authored and contributed to a number of books. He has spoken at over 1,000 industry shows, conferences and events around the world. He is a Conti Professor in the Program of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management (“HR&IM”) at Penn State University
and also serves on the Industry Advisory Boards of the Hospitality Programs at the University of Delaware, University of South Florida, and the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Rob has served on the Board of the National Restaurant Association and is an active member of the of The Young Presidents Organization (YPO) having served in leadership positions as the Chair of YPO’s
Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Doing Business Globally and Travel Networks. He is a triathlete and 4-time Finisher of Ironman Lake Placid and the Ironman World Championship in Kona in 2005.
Jesse Hirsh, Punk
Eco Punks
Jesse Hirsh is a futurist farmer who brings an outsider's perspective and literal critical distance, operating from his farm in rural Eastern Ontario. Yet this is no ordinary farm. Wired up with high speed fiber optic Internet, the Academy of the Impossible engages in a wide range of research regarding agriculture, media, technology, and culture.
He has a Masters degree from Toronto Metropolitan University in algorithmic media, and his current work focuses on the rise of automated media, as well as the governance and ethics of artificial intelligence, data protection, and privacy.
Jesse is also a co-founder of the Eco Punks, a trans-disciplinary agency that analyzes the ecosystems and communities that our clients operate in, helping us identify opportunities resulting from, as well as responses to the ever changing challenges that are imposed on us by an increasingly unpredictable and unstable reality.
Jesse has an infectious energy that lifts spirits and enables creative critical thinking. He’s always learning, sharing, and helping others to do the same.
Kris Klinger, VP Auxiliary Services
Boston University
Kristian Klinger, Vice President, Auxiliary Services began his tenure at Boston University in October 2022. Kristian has more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and auxiliary services. He spent the previous two plus years as Senior Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services at Syracuse University. In this role, he oversaw operations in Food Services; Housing, Meal Plan, and I.D. Card Services; Parking and Transportation Services; Drumlins Country Club; Minnowbrook Conference Center; the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center; the Lubin House; the Syracuse University Campus Store and Trademark Licensing.
Prior to joining Syracuse University, Kristian spent 11 years as Assistant Vice President within the University of Southern California’s (USC) Auxiliary Services department. While at USC Kristian also taught an introduction to foodservice class that was part of a Master’s in Dietetics program through the USC Davis School of Gerontology. Kristian earned his EdD at the USC Rossier School of Education, his MBA at the USC Marshall School of Business and holds a bachelor’s degree in German and International Relations from the same university. Kristian is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps where he proudly served our country as an air traffic controller.
As Vice President for Auxiliary Services, Kristian and his team below have oversight and leadership responsibilities of Food Services and Convenience Stores, Housing, Parking and Transportation, Events & Conferences, Agganis Arena, Fitness & Recreation Center, Barnes & Noble @ BU, Vending Services and Trademark and Licensing. As Auxiliary Services touches nearly every aspect of University life, Kristian and his team collaborate with other campus and community leaders to advance a number of key initiatives in an effort to enhance the living and learning experience for the University’s diverse student population.
Don Longo, Former Editorial Director
Convenience Store News
Don Longo is Editorial Director Emeritus of Convenience Store News. He joined the brand in 2005 as Editor-in-Chief. With the highest recognition of any c-store industry media journalist, Don has given presentations to business groups throughout the U.S., Europe and South America, appeared as a guest on Fox Business News and National Public Radio, and is a highly sought source for major consumer and business news. For the past 40-plus years, Don has been making outstanding contributions to the development of editorial excellence in business media. In the course of his career, he has covered discount stores, drug stores, home improvement stores, supermarkets and, of course, convenience stores. Among other accomplishments, he co-launched the Hispanic Retail 360 Conference (the first conference recognizing the importance of diversity in retail media), the Top Women in Convenience Awards event, and the Convenience Foodservice Exchange
Douglas New, Founder
New Edge Advisory
Doug has held C-level technology leadership positions in the retail convenience and fuel industry for 15 years, most recently as the Chief Information Officer at Nouria Energy, a 300+ chain, with responsibilities for defining Nouria’s strategic technology direction, leading the technology efforts related to acquisitions, including the acquisition of Enmarket’s 132 stores and 26 carwashes, business and technology initiatives, and ensuring effective day-to-day support to stores, car washes, and office personnel. Before Nouria, Doug served as Chief Technology Officer for Yesway, a $1.2B chain of 400+ convenience stores, including the integration of 305 Allsup’s stores as part of that acquisition. Prior to Yesway, Doug spent six years as Chief Information Officer for Tedeschi Food Shops, a chain of 190 convenience stores.
Before transitioning to his new career in convenience and retail fuel with Tedeschi’s, Doug held multiple executive-level technology positions at Putnam Investments, a Boston-based financial management firm, and has held senior-level technical positions at Computer Sciences Corporation, Verizon (Bell Atlantic), the United States Senate, and Northern Telecom. Doug served on the Board of Advisors for Conexxus for 15 years, including multiple terms as chairperson, and chaired the Conexxus Innovation Research Committee. Doug received his M.S. from George Washington University and his B.A. from DePauw University.
Doug retired from Nouria in 2025 and established New Edge Advisory to provide business and technology consultant services.
Michael Sansolo, President
Sansolo Solutions
Countless studies and years of work with some of the world’s most innovative companies gives Michael Sansolo a unique and diverse view of the changing nature of trends impacting shoppers, employees, competition, economics, supply chains and management. A long-time senior vice president of the Food Marketing Institute and now a consultant, speaker and author, Sansolo has traveled the globe working with companies on adjusting to new market conditions.
He currently serves as the research director of the Coca-Cola Retailing Research Councils of North America, working with these groups on emerging business topics such as social networking, emerging technology, store management and changing consumer wants and needs.
Sansolo recently authored Business Rules! a collection of diverse and useful lessons in business success. Stories are gathered from companies of all sizes and lessons from professional sports, Broadway Theater, a New York City catering company and pop star Lady Gaga.
Previously, Sansolo co-authored The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies, a book that identifies creative lessons in leadership, marketing and workplace dynamics gleaned from movies as varied as The Godfather and Young Frankenstein. Topics in the book include ethics, brand building, crisis management, outside-the-box thinking and diversity. Sansolo also writes a weekly column on wide-ranging business trends for www.MorningNewsBeat.com, a daily blog with nearly 35,000 readers.
Lynne Schultz, CEO
Tri-State Marketing
Lynne Schultz is a seasoned leader in the food service industry with an impressive 49-year career. As the CEO and co-founder of Tri-State Marketing, she has played a pivotal role in establishing the company as one of the nation's premier food service manufacturer's rep groups. Alongside her partner, Bart Gobioff, Lynne launched Tri-State Marketing 25 years ago with a vision to represent high-end, top-quality manufacturers. Under her leadership, the company has expanded across four key industry territories, earning a stellar reputation for excellence and innovation.
Beyond her success in the food service sector, Lynne is deeply committed to mentoring young adults, offering guidance in both business and life skills. Her passion for advocacy extends to her work as the founder of Harvest Moon Sanctuary, a nonprofit dedicated to the care and well-being of animals.
Adding to her diverse accomplishments, Lynne is also a published author of children's books, using storytelling to inspire and educate young readers.
With her vast industry expertise, commitment to mentorship, and dedication to philanthropy, Lynne Schultz continues to make a lasting impact on both the business world and the community.
Eva Strasburger
President, StrasGlobal
CEO, Compliance Safe
Born in Tanzania, brought up in Vanuatu, Hong Kong and the Caribbean and educated in England, Eva Strasburger, brings an international perspective to everything she does. After graduating from Cambridge University, and a stint at Chase Manhattan Bank in London, she co-founded a publishing company with Roy Strasburger in Southern England before moving to the States in 1988. For fifteen years, she served as VP of International Client Relationships for Strasburger Enterprises, where she helped manage their convenience retailing clients in over thirty countries.
Eva is currently President of StrasGlobal. StrasGlobal had its own retail outlets until June 2022 and, for the last thirty years, has provided operational and infrastructure support and management consulting to retail operators. Eva is also CEO of Compliance Safe, a SaaS product that manages business-critical documents, and alerts retailers when permits should be renewed. Compliance Safe won CSP’s Retailer Choice Best New Technology Product in 2020.
Eva is co-founder of the Vision Group Network – where industry leaders meet to discuss current and future issues and share their perspective with the rest of the industry.
In 2020, Eva spearheaded the StrasGlobal COVID Task Force Team and the development of the COVID-19 Response Plan. Shared with retailers, the plan was featured by NACS, Convenience Store News, CSP and numerous state associations. Eva then headed up Resources for Retailers, a new initiative that provides information, support and, most importantly actionable plans for small retailers.
Eva is a member of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), and the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS), and a past member of the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) and the Consumer Goods Forum (formerly CIES).
Convenience Store News named Eva as a senior-level leader in their 2021 Top Women in Convenience Awards.
Eva, is an Officer on the Board of Directors of the Caius Foundation of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University, an Officer of the Priory in the USA of The Order of St John and Vice-President of The American Friends of St George’s and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter. She is based in Austin, Texas with her husband, Roy, and they have four daughters: Selina, Chantal, Lorelei and Danielle. Along with other charitable endeavors, Eva and Roy focus on supporting global cultural and heritage projects.
The context: A unique Anglo-Goan background and perspective from a bygone era; a love of the exotic in design and beauty; a connoisseur of boutique hotels and travel itineraries; an aficionado of late-night dinner debates; a passion for collecting artifacts and their stories; a collector, connector, and disseminator of information; an initiator of creative experiences and an enthusiastic participator in any cultural ventures.
Roy Strasburger
CEO, StrasGlobal
President, Compliance Safe
Roy Strasburger is an expert in convenience retailing and a thought leader in the retail industry. He is a frequent columnist, conference presenter, and webinar and podcast participant.
Roy is a fourth-generation retailer and is currently CEO of StrasGlobal, a retail support and consulting company based in Austin, Texas, USA. In this capacity, he oversees StrasGlobal’s retail, tech, and consulting businesses. He also serves as President for Compliance Safe – a business document management software solution that won the CSP Retailer Choice Best New Technology Product in 2020.
Roy attended Baylor University graduating with degrees in Marketing and Computer Information Systems. He obtained his JD degree from Baylor University Law School in 1984 and joined a British law firm based in the Caribbean.
After moving to England, where he started a publication company, Roy returned to the US to join Strasburger Enterprises, Inc. (SEI) as General Counsel. He later became President of SEI’s fuel division then, in 1994, he was named President of the International Division. From 2009 Roy ran SEI’s US and international convenience retailing businesses as well as heading up Cambridge-Myers, its consulting division. During his time with SEI, Roy was responsible for the development and/or operation of over 6,000 retail sites in 33 countries through the licensing of its systems and management agreements.
In 2012 Roy bought SEI’s retail business and continues to provide retail related services to multinational oil companies, financial institutions, investors, and independent operators under the StrasGlobal banner.
Roy is a co-founder of the Vision Group Network, where top level executives discuss current and future issues and share their perspective with the rest of the industry, and a co-founder of Resources for Retailers (RfR), an initiative that provides information, support and, most importantly, actionable plans for small retailers.
Roy is a member of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) where he served as Vice-Chairman on its Executive Board and Board of Directors and was a founding member of the NACS International Board. Roy is also a member of the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS), and a past member of the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) where he participated on the Legislative Committee, the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), and the Tribal Convenience Store Association (TCSA). He has also been a member of The Coca-Cola Research Council, the Consumer Goods Forum (formerly CIES), and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT).
Roy is the recipient of Convenience Store News inaugural 2021 Special Service award.
Roy is an Officer in the Priory in the USA of The Order of St John and is a member of The American Friends of St George and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter. Roy and Eva are based in Austin, Texas and they have four daughters, Selina, Chantal, Lorelei and Danielle. Along with other charitable endeavors, Roy and Eva focus on supporting global cultural and heritage projects.
The context: Dreaming of new ventures, exploring foreign markets, early mornings watching cities come alive, G&Ts at Bali sunsets, reading The Economist, long road trips with rock’n roll on the radio, or Texas two-stepping with his four daughters. Enjoying the moment.
TVG Advisor and Facilitator
Myra Kressner, Founder
Kressner Strategy Group
With over 40 years knowledge and experience cultivated by strong relationships, Myra Kressner brings value to the marketplace by developing and facilitating strategic engagement for suppliers and retailers in the consumable retail industries.
Myra Kressner co-founded Retail Insights, the food retail industry’s first b-b video publishing company in 1983, which was sold to Progressive Grocer in 1987.
From 1984-1994 Myra led account management for The Retail Marketing Group, a niche B-B trade advertising agency.
In 1994, Myra co-founded CSP Business Media, well know for CSP Magazine, CSP Daily News, Retail Leader of the Year, Convenience Retailing University, Outlook Leadership Conference, CSP’s Edu-Networking series, and even more.
In June 2012 CSP Business Media sold to Winsight Media, which sold to Informa Connect in 2023.
Myra founded Kressner Strategy Group in April 2016, bringing her expertise, deep relationships and thought-leadership to strategic and tactical planning in food retail industries.
Myra was SUNY New Paltz Foundation Board Executive Committee member and Chair of the Foundation Development Committee from 2016-2024, a frequent speaker at New Paltz Women’s Leadership Summit, and speaker and mentor at the Hudson Valley Venture Hub.
In 2018 Myra created the Kressner Autism Spectrum Program (KASP) Fund and Endowment.
Myra co-Founded the Vision Group Network with Eva Strasburger and Roy Strasburger in 2020, hosting quarterly virtual Vision Group meetings with convenience retail and fuel/energy/mobility leaders to debate issues, share experiences and brainstorm solutions. Vision Reports are shared throughout the industry at no charge, dedicated to the mission of “Sharing Today to Shape Tomorrow.”
Myra is the recipient of 2021 Top Women in Convenience and 2021 SUNY New Paltz Heritage awards.
Myra was SUNY New Paltz 2024 Commencement speaker.
TVG Past Members
Tom Bush, President
Food Concepts Inc.
Tom Bush is the President of Food Concepts Inc. and is focused on building growth and continuous improvement. Tom has been a speaker at industry events and has presented research that FCI conducted to provide insight about what makes a coffee shop what it is, and the relative importance of those elements in driving sales in the convenience store marketplace.
Prior to working for FCI, he spent the bulk of his career in the food industry primarily with food manufacturers. He co-founded a startup venture marketing pre-cooked bacon to consumers nationwide. This startup was listed at #38 on INC Magazine’s list of America’s fastest-growing private companies in 1999, and later was sold to ConAgra Foods, Inc. Previously Bush worked for Oscar Mayer Foods in operations, finance and marketing roles including a brand manager role leading the test marketing and national launch of Lunchables.
Bush has a bachelor’s degree in food science, and an MBA.
John Flood, Managing Director
Elevate Performance
Seasoned executive, expert in organizational design, team development. Forward looking leader with a proven track record of identifying and scaling business opportunities that address shifting business and consumer desires. Understands the rigor and execution required to deliver products and services that delight each client.
Fully committed to the success of the organizations he has founded, co-founded and invested in.
Prior to retirement from corporate life, John was a Proven Executive with a track record of developing and leading teams to realize and optimize profit and growth with Fortune 500 and privately held organizations.
- Decisive senior executive with extensive business and performance development experience. Provides sound, strategic vision and planning to executives looking to improve sales, marketing and operations performance in large, complex businesses and privately held entrepreneurial ventures.
- Proven ability to inspire organizations to deliver exceptional results in operations, sales, trade spending efficiency, innovation, new product development, organizational development and profit.
- Recognized by peers and customers as a passionate leader with unquestioned integrity.
Entire working career was in the food industry, most notably as President of both the Sara Deli and Foodservice business units. Post retirement, John continues to contribute to the advancement of organizations both domestically and internationally as he supports clients seeking his experience in assessing and vetting business and investment opportunities.
Melvin Maddux, Global Sourcing & Innovation
Gourmet Foods International
June 28, 1967 - October 24, 2024
Melvin was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable founding member of The Vision Group. His expertise in the production and distribution of food products, his insights on new product innovations gathered on his global travels, and his insatiable curiosity helped give life to TVG and encompassed the philosophy of the Vision Group Network, “Sharing today to shape tomorrow”. We will miss him.
Melvin Maddux worked for Gourmet Foods International (GFI) in Worldwide Global Sourcing and Innovation, for all Gourmet Product Categories. Melvin brought a worldwide perspective in terms of brand management, retail solutions, innovation, and global procurement. Melvin was an industry veteran with more than 40 years of experience, in both retail and brand management. Melvin lived on three continents and had done business in 6 of the 7 continents around world during those 40 years.
Melvin assisted in the development of proprietary brands at HEB Grocery Company in Texas, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company in New Jersey, AEON Group in Tokyo, Japan, Lotte Group in South Korea and Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co. Ltd in Shanghai, China, while working for Daymon Worldwide. Melvin was elected as the youngest Vice President and Officer, at that time with Daymon. Melvin performed various leadership roles in developing those businesses into the successes they still appreciate today.
There are very few people that understand all aspects of the retail business, as well as the destinations around the world to procure high quality safe foods. Melvin’s life work had been studying all channels of retail trade around the world, while fostering relationships with the best manufacturers in those respected countries. Melvin had flown more than 5,000,000 miles and visited thousands of factories and most retail chains in the major markets worldwide.
At GFI, Melvin developed and launched many proprietary brands from different parts of the world to include Italy, USA, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Canada, Portugal Mexico, Japan, China, South Korea and France to name a few countries over the last few years with great success, with a focus on finding the best people with the best products. In his last 7 years with Gourmet Foods International Melvin set-up more than 200 new suppliers and developed and launched more than 1,800 items from around the world selling exclusively to GFI customers.
Melvin Maddux and his wife Janet were married for 31 years, with twin daughters that were born in Tokyo, Japan. Melvin and wife have lived in Japan, China, South Korea, New York, New Jersey and spent extensive time in Europe, before moving back to Central, Texas, now living in Salado. Melvin’s daughters are attending the University of Oklahoma (OU) where one daughter is a Double Major in Business and Entrepreneurship and the other as Pre-med, they are both in their Junior year at OU. Melvin enjoyed cooking international foods, spending time on the lakes and rivers in Texas, and all High School Sports.
Melvin was always visiting stores, taking photos, and consistently looking for new innovative ways in every aspect of the business from new equipment, food products, transportation efficiencies, GFI E-commerce platform from across the globe. Melvin believed there is an opportunity to learn every day and applied “first principles thinking” to everything that was done to create something new or different, never being satisfied with the status quo.
Tim Tang, Director
Hughes Network Systems
With over 25 years of professional experience developing enterprise solutions, Tim Tang offers a broad scope of technology expertise in cybersecurity, AI/ML, digital signage, SD-WAN, and more. As a director at Hughes, Tang analyzes and anticipates industry trends, engages with organizations to understand their needs, and collaborates with ecosystem partners to design solutions. He actively participates in various standards and trade organizations, such as Conexxus, RTN, NACS, and IFBTA, to help make technology more accessible.
His industry insights may be found at https://www.hughes.com/timtang.
*Bio, Title and Position at the time of group membership.
A word from TVG:
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