Fred Ruiz Honored by FMI
LAS VEGAS -- The Food Marketing Institute's (FMI) Board of Directors and members honored Fred Ruiz -- co-founder, chairman and CEO of Ruiz Foods Inc. -- during a reception and dinner held at the Four Season's Hotel prior to the 2008 FMI Show.
Ruiz was recognized for his extraordinary achievements in the industry, and for Ruiz Foods' decades of supporting FMI as both an exhibitor and host to three Board dinners. For years, during his company's humble beginnings, Ruiz attended the FMI convention with a simple card-table promoting his El Monterey signature brand products.
Tim Hammonds, president and CEO of FMI, and FMI Chairman Steven C. Smith, CEO of the family-owned grocery store chain KVAT, presented Ruiz with a congratulatory plaque. Ruiz expressed his gratitude to FMI and to the retailers for their business as he spoke about the future of Ruiz Foods and the transition to the next generation.
The celebration was attended by members of the third Ruiz generation -- Kim Ruiz Beck, the eldest daughter of Fred Ruiz and the company's vice chairman, and Bryce Ruiz, his oldest son who serves as president and COO. Ruiz Foods, a privately owned corporation with offices in Dinuba, Calif., provides authentically prepared frozen Mexican foods to all channels of distribution, including convenience stores.
FMI conducts programs in research, education, industry relations and public affairs on behalf of its 1,500 member companies -- food retailers and wholesalers -- in the U.S. and around the world. FMI’s U.S. members operate approximately 26,000 retail food stores with a combined annual sales volume of $680 billion -- three-quarters of all retail food store sales in the U.S.
Ruiz was recognized for his extraordinary achievements in the industry, and for Ruiz Foods' decades of supporting FMI as both an exhibitor and host to three Board dinners. For years, during his company's humble beginnings, Ruiz attended the FMI convention with a simple card-table promoting his El Monterey signature brand products.
Tim Hammonds, president and CEO of FMI, and FMI Chairman Steven C. Smith, CEO of the family-owned grocery store chain KVAT, presented Ruiz with a congratulatory plaque. Ruiz expressed his gratitude to FMI and to the retailers for their business as he spoke about the future of Ruiz Foods and the transition to the next generation.
The celebration was attended by members of the third Ruiz generation -- Kim Ruiz Beck, the eldest daughter of Fred Ruiz and the company's vice chairman, and Bryce Ruiz, his oldest son who serves as president and COO. Ruiz Foods, a privately owned corporation with offices in Dinuba, Calif., provides authentically prepared frozen Mexican foods to all channels of distribution, including convenience stores.
FMI conducts programs in research, education, industry relations and public affairs on behalf of its 1,500 member companies -- food retailers and wholesalers -- in the U.S. and around the world. FMI’s U.S. members operate approximately 26,000 retail food stores with a combined annual sales volume of $680 billion -- three-quarters of all retail food store sales in the U.S.