Skip navigation
Foodservice industry benefits from a long line of trailblazers

Foodservice industry benefits from a long line of trailblazers

In the previous installment of our MUFSO at 50 retrospective, we presented an overview of the Pioneer Award. Inaugurated in 1981, the MUFSO Pioneer Award honors a veteran multiunit foodservice operator for professional dedication and contributions to the foodservice industry. That honoree also is saluted for sustaining innovation and creativity over the years.

Honorees are selected each year by the editorial board of Nation’s Restaurant News. Listed below are all 28 winners—a list that represents a virtual “Who’s Who” of the foodservice industry’s leading lights and trendsetters. All of them continue to inspire today’s culinary professionals and innovators. Where would the industry be without them?

Pioneer Award winners:

1981 – Colonel Harland Sanders, Kentucky Fried Chicken 1982 – J. Willard Marriott Sr., Marriott Corp. 1983 – Ray Kroc, McDonald’s Corporation 1984 – Alex Schoenbaum, Shoney’s 1985 – James W. McLamore, Burger King 1986 – Frank L. Carney, Pizza Hut 1987 – Robert Wian, Bob’s Big Boy 1988 – William Rosenberg, Dunkin’ Donuts 1989 – Joseph Baum, The Rainbow Room 1990 – The State of California 1991 – S. Truett Cathy, Chick-fil-A 1992 – Norman E. Brinker, Brinker International 1993 – Carl N. Karcher, Carl Karcher Enterprises 1994 – Ella Brennan and Dick Brennan, Commander’s Palace 1995 – R. David Thomas, Wendy’s International 1996 – Leon W. “Pete” Harman, Harman Management Corp. 1997 – R. Wray “Bob” Jones, RWJ Specialties, Inc. 1998 – John W. Teets, J.W. Teets Enterprises, L.L.C. 1999 – Thomas S. Monaghan, Domino’s Pizza 2000 – John Farquharson, International Food Safety Council 2001 – Joseph K. Fassler, Glacier Park, Inc. 2002 – Alan Stillman, The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group 2003 – Ted Balestreri, Restaurants Central 2004 – Jackie Trujillo, Harman Management Corp. 2005 – Joe Lee, Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2006 – The Ingram Family, White Castle System Inc. 2007 – James H. Maynard, Golden Corral 2008 – Glen Bell, Taco Bell

TAGS: News
Hide comments

Comments

  • Allowed HTML tags: <em> <strong> <blockquote> <br> <p>

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Publish