IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 1 (940) 463-5145

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

IMCEA

Tradeshow

2

MC Base Hawaii

Food &

Hospitality Wins

Big in Excellence

Awards

5

Autocross –

Single Marine

Program Foxtrot

Runway

7

IMCEA Award

and Scholarship

Winners

8

IMCEA Hawaii

Chapter Holds

Quarterly

Meeting

10

FYI 12

Connections Uniting Military MWR/Service Professionals Worldwide for 40 Years!

V O L U M E 9 5

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

send your resume and/or

your job title and

qualifications to

melissa@imcea.org.

As we continue to grow and

rebuild, we need your input

more than ever! The only way

we can thrive is to have

active participation from our

members. We want to serve

you and bring you programs,

discounts, initiatives and

value. If you have ideas or

events that you would like us

to work on, please send them

our way and we will do our

best to bring you relevant

programs and events.

Best Regards, Melissa Wells, Director of Marketing and Communications

W hat an amazing month

it has been. Our

European Trade Show in

Ramstein, Germany was a

success! We had decision

makers from across Europe

who interacted with our

vendors and made

connections that

would not have been

possible without a

trade show and the

ability to shake

hands and speak in

person. We also had

some fantastic

training and

programming from our

vendors and even though we

know that many of you were

unable to attend, we want to

make that information

available to you. We will be

loading those to our website

within the next couple of

weeks. Please follow our

Facebook page for links to

view that content. We are

planning another trade show

in conjunction with the Air

Force training seminar this

spring. Stay tuned for an

announcement with more

details coming soon!

We are also announcing our

annual award winners on

page 8. Please join me in

congratulating these amazing

representatives for their

continued hard work and

service!

IMCEA is also working

together with Catersource to

secure a discount for our

members again this year. We

will be announcing our

partnership and registration

information very soon. If you

are interested in attending

Catersource, please contact

Melissa Wells,

melissa@imcea.org.

We are looking for service

representatives and members

willing to join our executive

team as we continue to grow.

If you are passionate about

your MWR/Services career

and have leadership skills

and goals to succeed, please

Grow with IMCEA!

Check out the latest

tips and trends from

Ventura Foods in our

FYI section, page 12!

This informative news-

letter keeps you up to

date on the

latest information to

keep you at the top of

your game!

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 2 (940) 463-5145

P A G E 2

C O N N E C T I O N S

IMCEA Corporate

Partners:

IMCEA Corporate

Sponsors: Gold

to recruit a New

IMCEA Member!

Join the network!

Training, Networking Focus of Overseas U.S. Military Food

and Beverage Trade Show

By Karl Weisel, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Family and MWR Marketing

M WR and other military and civilian

service providers gathered on

Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 23-24

for two days of training, networking and

learning about the latest products and

trends in the food and beverage industry.

The International Military Community

Executives’ Association Trade Show

brought Army and Air Force professionals

and a host of civilian vendors together to

enhance services and programs for service

members and their families overseas.

“We’re here to support the MWR

community throughout Europe as far as

new ideas, new concepts and new

technologies,” said Steven Goldstein, GKi

Vice President.

“I like to take part in events where we can

specifically talk to representatives from the

various military components to help

improve their investments in new products

and services. It’s important to give them

the best value to maintain their

operations,” Goldstein said.

“I think it’s important not just to work with

our customers in the United States, but

also with those OCONUS (outside the

continental United States),” said Leslie

Paffe, senior hospitality and food service

manager for the National Restaurant

Association. “Any opportunity we have to

get in front of our customers is great. … I

think these events are great because they

bring together a wide range of food and

beverage representatives supporting our

military communities.”

During the two-day event, leaders and

business operations managers from MWR,

Air Force Services, dining facilities, Child

and Youth Services and the club systems

were able to attend a range of training

opportunities – every-

thing from Best Hiring

Practices to High Speed

Cooking Methods –

while also connecting

with both stateside and

international

manufacturers and

vendors.

“A lot of training events

and trade shows happen

stateside, but there

aren’t a lot over here in

Europe,” said Melissa

Wells, IMCEA’s director

of marketing and

communications. “This gives people a

chance to get to know the products from

vendors who serve the military all over the

world – to put faces to names.”

“For us, it’s all about bringing value to our

members – whether it’s an associate

member or our MWR members,” said

Wells, stressing IMCEA’s mission to

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 3 (940) 463-5145

advance the professional development of U.S. military

MWR/Services managers around the world while providing

collaborative opportunities with the associate member

manufacturers and vendors.

“It’s been over 15 years that IMCEA has hosted this type

of collaboration with MWR,” said Casey Malloy, IMCEA

president and Wiesbaden Family and MWR Non

Appropriated Funds Support Services chief.

Explaining that the non-profit organization was founded

some 45 years ago by club managers to enhance

professional development and support, Malloy said, the

IMCEA Trade Show in Germany was a way of bringing

contacts of industry together with MWR/Services

professionals overseas.

“We actually had all of our decision makers from all over

the Army and Air Force here for this first event in Germany

in quite some time,” said Jillian Singleton, registered food

and beverage specialist for the Installation Management

Command-Europe. “It’s important for those folks who are

making the food and beverage decisions to actually try the

products to get the best value.”

“I think it was pretty successful,” Singleton said, adding

that there is always room for improvement at successive

trade shows of the like.

Dr. Christian Lutzky, chief executive officer of FSOS-

Europe, underscored the value of connecting industry and

MWR/Services representatives. “We made a lot of great

contacts. … The real deciders were here – 90 percent of

those who attended; it’s about the contacts and building

the network.”

“We had a lot time for them,” said Lutzky, explaining that it

was time well spent presenting new products and

discussing ongoing branded facilities such as MWR’s Java

Cafes.

“There are not that many events like this, so this is a great

opportunity,” said Jens Herbert, president of Food

Equipment Marketing GmbH. “The attendance was small,

but the quality was high. … We would love for them to do

this again.”

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to do this,” said

Texana Sonnefeld, president and owner of BABCO

International, Inc. “We’re known for one-stop shopping,

and this is the customer that we choose to serve. We’ve

been serving the military for 48 years. We’re thrilled to

have the opportunity to do this (come overseas to meet

face-to-face with MWR and Services professionals).

Describing

the rapid

changes in

all aspects

of the food,

beverage,

hospitality

and enter-

tainment

industries,

Mark

Velligan,

President

of the Celebrity Systems Corporation, said he appreciated

having the opportunity to introduce activity managers to

new products.

“I’ve been working with the military for over 30 years and

it’s rewarding to have members of the Armed Services

using our products,” Velligan said, explaining that his

company’s sound, light and video systems are used by all

branches of the Armed Forces – on base, on ships and

downrange. (Editor’s note: In addition to supporting MWR

professionals around the globe with training and support,

the International Military Community Executives’

Association also provides scholarships and awards

recognition for outstanding achievement in the field. For

more information on IMCEA visit https://imcea.org.)

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 4 (940) 463-5145

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 5 (940) 463-5145

M arine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) recently won top

prestigious awards including 2016 Food and

Beverage (F&B) “Facility of the Year” awarded to

Starbucks located at Mokapu Mall, and over a dozen 2016

Food and Hospitality Excellence Awards.

Established by Marine Corps Community Services

(MCCS) Headquarters,

the Excellence Awards

are presented to MCCS

activities that

demonstrate the highest

levels of business

excellence, customer

care and staff training.

Award criteria are based

on four categories that

include Customer

Service, Financial

Performance, Human

Resources and

Operations. Based on a

100-point scale, MCBH performed with an overall score of

90 points or higher for each nominated facility to achieve

the 2016 Excellence Award.

A total of 46 awards were announced, of which MCBH

took home 13 awards, more than any other Marine Corps

installation around the world. The 13 Excellence Awards

announced for MCBH include Strikers Grill & Tap, The

Officers’ Club at Kaneohe Bay, Inns of the Corps Hawaii,

Aloha Kitchen, Rocker Room at Kaneohe Bay Staff

Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCO) Club, Flying

Leatherneck Inn Snack Bar, PACOM Food Court, Lava

Java Coffee Cart, Daily Grind, Starbucks, Kahuna’s

Sports Bar & Grill (Enlisted Club), Samuel Adams Sports

Grill and Sunset Lanai Consolidated Club. The Flying

Leatherneck Inn also received an “Honorable Mention” in

the F&B Facility of Year category as well as Inns of the

Corps with an Honorable Mention in the Lodging Activity

of the Year.

“Manager Janine Nagle and her team at Starbucks are

truly deserving of the 2016 MCCS Activity of the Year,”

stated MCCS Director Jeff Chaney. “Starbucks at Mokapu

Mall consistently ranks as the best the Marine Corps has

to offer. We are very proud of the dedicated service and

quality demonstrated by all of our food and hospitality

Excellence Award recipients.”

The Excellence Awards are open to all eligible food and

hospitality facilities within

MCCS including snack

bars, directly operated food

outlets, clubs, restaurants,

mobile canteens, temporary

lodging facilities and

recreation lodging. The

awards recognize

employees’ dedication and

hard work to fulfill the

mission to support the

Marines, Sailors and

families, while exceeding

the highest levels of

standards in operational

excellence. An award presentation ceremony will be held

at Kaneohe Bay at a later date.

About MCCS: MCCS provides morale, welfare and

recreation programs and services that attribute to the

readiness and retention of Marines, Sailors and family

members stationed aboard MCBH. For more information,

please visit mccshawaii.com.

Marine Corps Base Hawaii Food & Hospitality Wins Big in Excellence Awards

by Helen Ko

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 6 (940) 463-5145

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 7 (940) 463-5145

Autocross – hosted by the Single Marine Program Foxtrot Runway

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point By Deborah Sherwood, Digital Marketing, MCCS

O n a typical Carolina July morning, the temperature was already 93° with a heat index of 103°. These

conditions, however, did not stop the 60 or so drivers and additional 30 volunteers and spectators from participating in Autocross. Managed by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), this nationwide organization consists of like-minded persons who are passionate about amateur racing. From small races to huge annual events, SCCA provides a fun way for individuals and Service Members to blow off stress and burn up the pavement. The Single Marine Program coordinates Autocross events on station with the SCCA and provides a handful of staff and volunteers to assist with the races. Anyone with access to the station can participate as either a driver or volunteer or just come to watch as drivers push their cars through a quick and challenging course. Speeding around the runway and maneuvering through tight turns, weaving around cones and charging towards the finish, it’s an exhilarating rush that requires quick reflexes, steady hands and mindful concentration.

Drivers compete against each other for time in their corresponding classifications. There are different levels and categories to match your car type and experience

level. Novice drivers can attend a novice school that is held the day before the race. Many drivers have cars specifically for racing while others race in the same car they drive to work in. Drivers and passengers must wear helmets and each car must have visible identification and classification numbers. Pros and long-term participants have invested in magnetic numbers to attach to their doors

while many novice drivers use good ol’ blue tape on their windows. The spirit of competition is balanced with camaraderie as participants help each other by sharing tools, cooling off tires and offering tips and advice. Enthusiasts travel year-round to participate in multiple Autocross events across the nation but the casual driver can stay close to home and still enjoy several races each year. The sport is open to all individuals, 18 years and older, who are licensed to drive. Some races even have a junior division with a special go-kart classification.

If you’ve ever wanted to squeal your tires, zoom around turns and speed as fast as your heart will let you without the risk of getting a ticket, Autocross is for you. For more information about Autocross and to find out when the next race is, visit the SMP or SCCA website.

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 8 (940) 463-5145

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 9 (940) 463-5145

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 10 (940) 463-5145

IMCEA Hawaii Chapter Hosts Quarterly Meeting

By Eldon Doi, CMCE

E ntrepreneur Mr. Peter Kim was the guest

speaker at the recent IMCEA Hawaii Chapter

quarterly meeting.

Born and raised in Korea, Kim started off his

business career as a bag boy in the commissary at

U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan in Korea. Kim moved

to Hawaii as a teenager with his family and

graduated

from Kaiser

High

School. He

left a

football

scholarship

at

University

of Hawaii

wanting to

play for the

best college

football

team at the

time, the University of Alabama.

Kim spoke about his experience and how he

struggled in the late 70’s to fit into a world where the

football team had just been integrated. He credits

his coach, Coach Bear Bryant, for inspiring him in

life. “When things get tough you just move forward,”

Kim said Bryant told him. “I’m proud to say that I

scored the last point of the last game of Coach

Bryant’s career.”

After being cut from twice from the NFL, Kim briefly

lived and worked in Alabama, before applying for

and receiving a federal position. He eventually went

home to work at Pearl Harbor and start a family

business called Yummy's Korean restaurant in 1986.

His first restaurant opened in Hawaii Kai’s Koko

Marina Shopping Center. They made more than

$3,000 on their opening day. As his business started

to take off, he eventually opened a restaurant in Ala

Moana Shopping Center’s food court. This is where

Kim met John Nishida, his neighbor at the food court.

Kim currently owns and operates the famous Liliha

Bakery/Restaurant. He purchased the business from

the original family that started the business in 1950.

They chose him because he was local and

understood the local mentality of Hawaii businesses.

They asked that he retain the 72 existing employees,

which he honored and was able to whittle down the

number of employees at the establishment by

offering a

30% raise

and a transfer

to one of the

Yummy’s

Restaurants

around the

island.

Kim also

owns and

operates

Signature

Prime Steak

and Seafood.

Kim got

bored one day while operating three successful

businesses and noticed that the former Nicholas

Nickolas Restaurant was still vacant atop Ala Moana

Hotel. He signed the lease for the property and

established a steakhouse with a 300-seat capacity.

He recruited a chef and manager out of New York,

who was let go after the first few years of business.

“I lost $1.5 million in the first years of business and

needed to get a loan which was finally granted from

Bank of Hawaii,” Kim said. Kim spoke to and offered

their Yummy’s BBQ chef to take over the business

which he was very reluctant. Kim hired a local chef

to teach them how to operate a high-end food facility.

Kim also owns and operates Umamiya Shabu Shabu

Restaurant. In the beginning, he knew nothing about

this Japanese-style cuisine. He took various trips to

Japan and China to learn the authentic way of

cooking and running the business.

Kim was asked to purchase a Mexican Restaurant

from the owners of Daiei at Pearl City Shopping

Center. Kim offered and purchased the business for

Left to Right – Nyla Brennan, MCBH Officer Club Manager; Chandra Namumnart, President EKNA Services Inc; Brian Ishii,

VP EKNA Services; Kendrick Kunichika, MCBH Business Operations Manager; Paulette Witham, MCBH Business Ops

Services Coordinator; William Rusty LaBeau, MCBH Aloha Kitchen Manager; Sgt Michael Farris, Section Chief 1/12; Mike

Bailey, MCBH Projects Manager; Sarah Farris, MCBH Business Admin Assistant; Thomas Cambra, Learning and Develop-

ment Coordinator Island Energy Services; Jason Hasegawa, MCBH Senior Marine Mart Manager; Jody Kodama, MCBH

Accounting Department Manager; Jim Hamachek, MCBH Enlisted Club Manager; Iris Tokita-Young, MCBH Exchange Man-

ager; Elden R.T. Doi, CMCE, IMCEA Hawaii Chapter President; Peter Kim, Owner Yummy Restaurant Group (Guest Speak-

er), Jeff Chaney – MCBH MCCS Executive Director; Tess Paquette, HQ MCCS District Operations Leader; Don Figueira,

CMCE, MCBH F&B Director; Beverly Hudgins, HQ MCCS District Operations Liaison; John Nishida, CMCE, MCBH MCCS

Business Operations Director; Kellie McNamara, MCBH Camp Smith Food Service Manager; Ms. Shirley Vinluan, Guest

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 11 (940) 463-5145

very low price of $15,000, but the restaurant failed.

Kim’s high-end local plate lunch concept, Bear’s

Drive-Inn, also failed. Kim went to Japan and Hong

Kong to learn how to make Italian Food and opened

Mama’s Spaghetti House.

Little by little, the menus changes at Kim’s

businesses to keep up with current food trends. Kim

has plans to expand his restaurant business to

Waikiki.

Question No. 1: Ms. Beverly Hudgins

How has social networking hurt you or helped you?

Answer: I hired a marketing team to try to stay out

of all this high technology error, but I had no choice

to learn very quickly the industry standards like

Facebook, Yelp, Instagram and other social aspects

of networking. We spend a lot of money in

advertising. With the “Signature” Steakhouse, we

spent about $20,000 in advertising and half of the

money goes to social media. People asked me why

not spend money on the news, like local T.V.

stations? Our marketing department keeps telling

me that social media is where it’s at!

Question No. 2: From Mr. Don Figueira, CMCE

Why did it take so long to open Liliha Bakery/

Restaurant?

Answer: The contractor was having issues. I let

him off the hook.

Question No. 3: From Elden R.T. Doi, CMCE

What kept you going despite your few business

failures?

Answer: I had few concepts that I had to close. Two

of which were outside the food court at Ala Moana

Shopping Center. I gave it about a year and a half.

I’m not going to be a quitter but if you’re going to

quit, you’re going to leave with the highest dignity

and you gave it your 100%. If it just didn’t work, walk

away with a smile on your face and no regrets.

Next Meeting: October 10, 6 p.m. at Hale Ikena at

Fort Shafter.

Adjournment: 7:17 p.m.

T he award was presented by RDML

Matthew T. Bell, Jr. Commander,

Coast Guard Personnel Service Center

to CAPT Robert Whitehouse. The

presentation was part of the change of

command ceremony for the Coast Guard

Community Service Command where

CAPT Whitehouse was relieved by CAPT

Bruce Brown.

Captain Robert Whitehouse Receives IMCEA Leadership Award

IMCEA, 14080 Nacogdoches Road #329, San Antonio, Texas 78247-1944 12 (940) 463-5145

Program Updates

American Logistics Association Weekly Executive

briefing: http://multibriefs.com/briefs/alaorg/

index.php

Is your Certified Military Community

Executive (CMCE) Certification up for

Renewal?

O ne amazing benefit of your membership with IMCEA is the

ability to become CMCE Certified. The only military Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) certification program that is nationally registered by the National Certification Commission. As with any certification, you have to re-certify every three years. Recertification is easy! All you have to do is fill out the form on our website https://imcea.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/cmcerecognition1.pdf and send it in to us. The cost for re-certification is $50. You do not want to let this prestigious certification lapse! For questions about CMCE certification, or your CMCE status, please email imcea@imcea.org.

IMCEA and the National Restaurant Association

have partnered to provide IMCEA members with

ServSafe®

Food Safety and ServSafe Alcohol®

online training and certification at a special discounted

price.

The ServSafe food safety and ServSafe Alcohol online

courses allow you to take training on your own

schedule and spend less time away from the operation,

at a lower overall training cost. Click here for more

info.

FYI

T he Joint Services Prime

Vendor Program offers up to

date information along with Food

and beverage tips, trends and

insights on their Food for Thought

blog. Check it out here for more

information!

Join the IMCEA

Virtual Tradeshow - now open!

Register here to start connecting with

current industry trends and training!

Job Opportunity

New Offers Available!

Visit the IMCEA Job

Opportunities page for more

information.