Palm Springs in January certainly beats the grey Ohio landscape. We hopped on flights to the West Coast to attend MAFSI 2026, and man, we were excited.
Our attending team consisted of Chuck Kiley (conference chair), Melissa Greenwald, Sara York, and Michelle French. They made their way through winter snowstorms and flight cancellations to the great, sunny state of California for four days of learning, growing, and educating themselves with their fellow foodservice buddies. It was a spectacular time of personal and professional growth with so many highlights.
The theme of MAFSI 2026 was “Come Hungry,” and our team did just that! Our team came ready to advocate for our needs, educate themselves, collaborate with other foodservice friends, and further Elevate our Experiences.
This MAFSI made her-story with our first female president, Stephanie Perry. Stephanie is a powerhouse as she is the face and voice of MAFSI. It is so refreshing to walk into the conference as a woman-owned business and see a female president. How wonderful!
Greenwald Sales and Marketing was a Bronze Sponsor of the conference, and we were so proud to partner with MAFSI to make conference dreams come true.
Happy Hardware!
Our team was elated to receive the Ed Gregory Marketing Excellence Award from MAFSI. This award was in recognition of our outstanding efforts to communicate our firms’ products and services through innovative marketing, and our influence on the advancement of the manufacturer’s representative function and the foodservice industry. Receiving this award was an incredible surprise and a lovely pat on the back for innovative and impressive marketing efforts. Way to go to the Marketing Team and Melissa!
Amazing Activities!
The activities from the week were so much fun: Chuck Kiley and Melissa Greenwald played in the golf outing and had the time of their lives. How great it was to connect with new friends on the links and enjoy the Palm Springs sunshine and gorgeous mountain views. Another favorite activity from the week was the annual Pickleball tournament and championship. It was such an exciting evening getting to watch the best of the best battle it out with paddles. Thanks to Chuck for running this event!
There was even a music festival hosted by MAFSI on the last night, and let me tell you, it was a riot. With our tummies filled with scrumptious snacks and bites, we enjoyed the evening as we sipped on drinks and listened to a dueling pianos, complete with our favorite activity—karaoke! It’s always an awesome time getting to watch our friends showcase their hidden vocal talents.
M Chef Showcase!
We were able to attend the M Chef Showcase and let me tell you—my stomach has never been so happy. We had the best snacks and treats; this showcase gives our M Chef’s free rein to impress conference attendees with their culinary skills. Homemade bread, amazing sweets, and proteins with the most perfect Maillard browning were among the event’s standouts. The work, intentionality, and skill were certainly front and center from the ever so talented M Chef’s.
Breakouts and Keynotes!
We received a first-class education from the various breakouts and keynotes of the conference—being able to gather together in small and large groups to learn, discuss, and receive what the best of the best of foodservice has to offer is such a gift. The keynotes blew our socks off with topics such as AI integration, personal and professional mindfulness, foodservice industry experts, and stress management with a focus on neuroplasticity, which were among the standouts.
All in all, we had an amazing time as a team, bonding, learning, and growing together. We will certainly be attending MAFSI 2028 at the Omni in Ameilia Island, Florida!
