CFESA: THE EARLY YEARS
In 1963, the Commercial Food Equipment Service Agencies of America (CFESA) was headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. The first meeting of CFESA’s Board of Directors was held on May 18, 1963, at the Tides Inn Motel, Chicago, Illinois. The association accepted William Eichenauer and Pete Di Pirro as the first new members and designated them as charter members along with incorporator status. The incorporators were: Philip Schoenberger, President; Jackson Hudgins, First Vice President; Elmer Schultz, Second Vice President; Ruth Lippert, Secretary; Spark Dixon, Treasurer; Peter Di Pirro, Vice President of Region 1; Otto McComb, Vice President of Region 2; Norman Blake, Vice President of Region 3; Michael Brino, Vice President of Region 4; Denton Lintz; along with other incorporators John Shea, Rudolph Dauber and Benjamin Hibbel. The meetings were held on a quarterly basis. The association set the initial dues structure at $100.00 per member and by the end of 1963 CFESA had 22 members.
CFESA’s very first members were: Ruth Lippert, Lippert Electric Company; Otto McComb, Mid-West Appliance Service; Jack Hudgins, Old Dominion Services; Elmer Schultz, Elmer Schultz, Inc.; Philip Schoenberger, Utilities Maintenance Service; J.E. Whitley, Whitley Electric Service; Douglas Winning, Winning Sheet Metal; John Campbell, Campbell Appliance Company; Robert Hamers, Commercial Kitchen Repair Company; George Racklyeft, E&G; Refrigeration; John Shea, Ace Service Company; Nathan Uretsky, Acme American Repairs, Inc; Thomas Lawrence, American Kitchen Machine Company; Rudy Daubers, Carl W. Daubers and Sons; Pete De Pirro, Pete De Pirro Company; William Eichenauer, Eichenauer Electric Service; Denton Lintz, Electric Repair Company; Norman Blake, Electric Motor Repair; John O’Shaughnessy, Equipment Service Company; Benjamin Hibble; Hibble Electric Services, Inc; Spark Dixon, K&D; Service Company; and Joseph Scheck, Kaemmerlen Electric Company.
In 1963, the National Appliance Service Association (NASA) proposed a merger with CFESA. However, after further review CFESA members decided they would maintain their autonomy and advised NASA of this decision. NASA introduced this proposal again in 1968, with the same results.
The first trade show that CFESA participated in was the New York Hotel and Motel Show (NYH&MS); in November 1963. The booth space was complimentary and was manned by the Board of Directors in 2-3 hour shifts.
In November 1964, the Board of Directors abandoned quarterly meetings and adopted a bi-annual meeting format. CFESA held meetings in May in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association (NRA) convention and in November in conjunction with the New York Hotel & Motel Show, in Chicago and New York respectively. At this meeting, Board Members discussed a “training program for maintenance mechanics for commercial food equipment” and agreed to research this project. It was at this meeting, that Board Members introduced warranty report forms for CFESA members.
At the May 1970 meeting, Board Members selected Marvin Lurie as the Association’s Executive Director. Until this time, CFESA had no Executive Director. The Board of Directors and voting members guided the organization through its early years.
FOUNDERS & CHARTER MEMBERS
Rudy Dauber Dauber & Sons
Washington, D.C.
William T. Eichenauer Eichenauer Services Inc
Decatur, Illinois
Harry R. Kauffman Electric Motor Repair Company – Baltimore, Maryland
Otho E. McComb Midwest Appliance Service
Columbus, Ohio
Elmer O. Schultz Elmer Schultz Services Inc
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Peter Di Pirro Pete Di Pirro Company
Boston, Massachusetts
Benjamin Hibble Hibble Electric
Hartford, Connecticut
Denton T. Lintz Electric Repair
Reading, Pennsylvania
Philip Schoenberger Utilities Maintenance
Detroit, Michigan
Nathan Uretsky Acme American Repair
New York City, New York
Spark L. Dixon K & D Service Company
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Jack C. Hudgins Old Dominion Service
Norfolk, Virginia
Ruth Lippert Lippert Appliance Service
Cincinnati, Ohio
John J. Shea Ace Service Company
Boston, Massachusetts
PAST PRESIDENTS
Utilities Maintenance, – Detroit, MI
Eichenauer Services Inc, – Decatur, IL
General Parts Inc, Bloomington, MN
Commercial Appliance Service, – Tampa, FL
Elmer Schultz Services Inc, – Philadelphia, PA
Commercial Parts & Service Inc, – Indianapolis, IN
A.I.S. Corporation, – Buffalo, NY
Commercial Appliance Parts & Service, – Tampa, FL
Refridgerated Specialist Inc. – Dallas, TX
Pinetree Food Equipment, Inc. – Gray, ME
NICK CRIBB 2022-2024
Sam Service Inc – Albany, GA
Old Dominion Services, – Norfolk, VA
Elmer Schultz Services Inc, – Philadelphia, PA
EMR Service, Baltimore, MD
Eichenauer Services Inc, – Decatur, IL
Krueger Inc, – Oklahoma City, OK
Stove Parts Supply Company Inc, – Ft. Worth, TX
Certified Service Center, – Cincinnati, OH
Key Food Equipment Services Ltd, – Burnaby, BC, CA
JOE PIERCE 2012-2014
Pierce Parts and Service, Inc. – Atlanta, GA
JOHN SCHWINDT 2018-2020
Hawkins Commercial Appliance Service Inc.
Elmer Schultz Services Inc, – Philadelphia, PA
Commercial Parts & Service Inc, – Indianapolis, IN
Authorized Factory Service Inc, – Coraopolis, PA
Golden State Service and Parts Inc, – Gardena, CA
J.L. Tucker Company Inc, – Omaha, NE
General Parts Inc, – Waukesha, WI
EMR Service, – Baltimore, MD
Bildon Appliance Parts and Service Inc, – Livonia, MI
Duffy’s Equipment Services – Sauquoit NY
KIRBY MALLON 2020-2022
Elmer Schultz Services Inc, – Philadelphia, PA