The NAMA/MSU Executive Development Program is designed for senior leaders in the vending, coffee service and foodservice management industries who are key decision-makers in areas such as finance, marketing, operations, and human resources.

• Enhance the skills enabling you to become a more dynamic leader.
• Develop customer service strategies that enhance overall company performance.
• Receive a comprehensive education in a dynamic, real-world setting created for busy professionals.
• Learn new business modules and better ways of strategically positioning your business for growth.
• Participate as an active team member as you examine the case study of a full line vending operation. Working with other department teams you will explore and develop a new strategic plan to help turn this company around creating a stronger and profitable organization.

This unique program provides a comprehensive look at current successful business practices in these industries, including the environment in which a vending, coffee service or foodservice management company operates, and the key functional areas of management. The NAMA Executive Development Program is taught by a group of MSU’s most distinguished faculty, along with speakers with excellent knowledge of and backgrounds in the vending, coffee service and foodservice management industries.

We are celebrating 10 years of offering this highly acclaimed program. Based on its success, NAMA has continued the program on an annual basis at the Michigan State University campus.

For further information or questions about this program, please contact education@vending.org.

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Dr. Ronald F. Cichy, Ph.D., NCE5, CHA Emeritus
Ronald F. Cichy is The School of Hospitality Business director and one of its professors. Cichy team-teaches Total Quality Management in the Hospitality Industry with John King, president and COO of HDS Services. He is the author or co-author of four books, including Managing Food and Beverage Service and Quality Sanitation Management. Together with other faculty colleagues in The School, Cichy is a recognized researcher, and he is the authority on leadership qualities of hospitality leaders spanning all segments of the industry.

Dr. William Donohue
William A. Donohue is currently professor of Communication at Michigan State University. Professor Donohue has published four books in the area of conflict, communication, negotiation and mediation. His 1992 book, Interpersonal Conflict, is a practical, hands on tool for people to use in managing conflicts in their routine interpersonal contacts. In 1991 he published the book Communication, Marital Dispute, and Divorce Mediation which provides mediators with a researched-based guide to facilitate communication in marital disputes. Dr. Donohue's primary research interests lie in the areas of business communication, marketing, conflict, and information management in organizations.

Dr. Gil Harrell
Gilbert D. Harrell is Professor of Marketing, Eli Broad College of Business and Graduate School of Management, Michigan State University. His teaching, research, and consulting activities focus on sustainable competitive advantage, building business value, consumer satisfaction, sales management, strategic planning, and relationship marketing. Dr. Harrell has consulted in over 20 countries and he maintains an active multinational clientele. He has received wide acclaim from his clients as a leading strategist, motivational speaker, and facilitator. Dr. Harrell has developed strategic marketing systems and has given keynote speeches at top executive meetings for more than 100 Fortune 500 and mid-size organization,

Dr. Michael Kasavana, Ph.D., CHTP, NCE5
Michael L. Kasavana is the National Automatic Merchandising Association professor in hospitality business and holds CHTP (Certified Hospitality Technology Professional) certification. He continues research into the current and near future Developments of electronic commerce and transaction processing technology. He has also created a series of instructional materials and software products. Dr. Kasavana has been actively exploring Internet, Intranet and Extranet opportunities for various aspects of the hospitality industry involving virtual cash transactions, application service providers, e-procurement, and effective web site design. He recently completed an innovative research project dealing with the impact of technology on industry productivity and competitive advantage and is credited with coining the phrase “V-commerce”.

Dr. Bonnie Knutson
Bonnie J. Knutson is a professor in The School of Hospitality Business. Widely known as an authority on emerging lifestyle trends and creative marketing strategies, she often consults with business leaders who want to understand and take advantage of changing consumer demands. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and on CNN. She has also had articles appear in numerous hospitality publications, and is editor of The Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing.
With her wit and entertaining style, Bonnie is a frequent speaker at industry meetings all over the United States, and has addressed hospitality organizations in other countries, from China to the former Soviet Union. She has also been NAMA featured presenter at the National

Dan H. Mathews, NCE5
Dan Mathews is Executive Vice President & COO for the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA). Dan also maintains an ownership interest in a management, organizational development, customer service and personal leadership training/consulting service. Dan is a problem solver and business improvement specialist recognized for the ability to develop people and dedicated to helping organizations and individuals achieve more of their goals more often.
Prior to joining NAMA in January 1999 and forming his consulting company in September 1997, Dan was Area President for ARAMARK Uniform Services in central USA. Dan is a member of the Eli Broad College of Business Alumni Association Board of Directors at Michigan State University. He is also Chairperson Emeritus of The School of Hospitality Business Alumni Association Executive Board of Directors at Michigan State University.

Geoff Paul
Geoff Paul is President of Excelso Coffee Company. Through his unprecedented dedication, Geoff transformed Excelso Coffee Company into a private label coffee roaster/manufacturer with distribution into 35 states based in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, Geoff is President of Atlanta Coffee Time and Atlanta Vending and is a board member of the Board of Vend Marketing Institute. He is a two-time winner of National Supplier of the Year award, an active NAMA member and serves on the board of the Southeastern Vending Association and Georgia Automatic Merchandising Council.

James M. Proebstle
Jim completed his MBA in marketing and his BA in business from Michigan State University, where he remains involved as a past President of the Eli Broad College of Business Alumni Association. As President and founder of Prodyne, Inc., Jim has extensive consulting and operational expertise in cross-functional management effectiveness, sales strategy, sales training & design, team selling, customer satisfaction management, and the management of change. As a consultant, Jim interacts with the management team in a consulting role and a training role.
Jim's career spans 25 years of increasing responsibilities in large and middle-market organizations in the information systems and computer industries. Prior to forming Prodyne, Inc. in 1991, Jim was Vice President, Sales for Bell & Howell. In this position, as well as with many previously held, Jim had significant responsibilities for direct sales operations, management and sales training marketing and alternate channel sales management. During his 16-year tenure in sales and Senior Executive at Xerox Corporation, Jim also held a leadership position in pioneering the development and implementation of their Malcolm Baldridge winning total quality process.

Dr. Ray Schmidgall
Ray Schmidgall, Ph.D., CPA is the Hilton Hotels Professor of Hospitality Financial Management and The School of Hospitality Business accounting and financial management expert. He serves on industry committees of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals and American Hotel & Motel Association. He conducts managerial accounting seminars for CMAA, HFTP, and GCSAA. The fourth edition of his Managerial Accounting for the Hospitality Industry was released in July 1997. He is currently writing a book on hospitality financial management for the club industry. In 1998 he had a dozen articles published to add to over 120 articles in the past.

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"One of the best learning and practical exercises I have been part of since coming to the industry 33 years ago." -
Stan Ledbetter, President of Sales, RE Services

"A worthwhile investment in time and resources for anybody that is serious about growing their skills and knowledge of the vending industry." - Earl Williams, National Sales Manager, Dole Packaged Foods, Co.

"I sincerely enjoyed the program and the people. It is a professional and well-thought out program that does an excellent job of summarizing an extensive amount of information clearly and concisely. The incredible contacts made are an added bonus." - Karena Randall, OCS Manager, Canteen Vending

"No pain, no gain. The NAMA Executive Development Program is a "gain" have. I would love to check in on the graduates of this program 5 years fromnow. I believe they will be the movers and shakers of the automatic merchandising industry." - Elliot Maras, Editor, Automatic Merchandiser

"The program was outstanding! I left feeling full of knowledge & excitement. Knowing that I would take what I learned here, back to my everyday life, in both business and personal. I would recommend anyonein a management position within our industry, take this course!" - Sarah Thomas,
Director, National Accounts, VSA/Multifoods Distribution Group

The Executive Development Center