Tom Belot retired as president and chief executive after 31 years at Vollrath. Also this week: Hobart Corp., Traulsen, Baxter Bakery, OpenTable Inc. GuestBridge Inc., Phillips Food Inc., USA Rice Federation, Avendra, COEX 2010 and the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association.
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- After 31 years with Vollrath, president and chief executive Tom Belot resigned at the end of August. Belot joined Vollrath as director of management systems in 1978. He also served as the company's chief financial officer and president of Vollrath refrigeration Inc. He was named president and CEO of the company in 1989. Vollrath manufactures smallwares and equipment for the foodservice industry.
TROY, Ohio -- Hobart Corp. said it has redesigned its website, www.hobartcorp.com. The new site integrates the Hobart, Traulsen refrigeration and Baxter Bakery brands in one online environment and demonstrates the connection among the three brands, said Tom Szafranski, president of ITW Food Equipment Group - Commercial. The site also enables each brand to showcase its various offerings.
SAN FRANCISCO -- OpenTable Inc., the provider of online restaurant reservations and guest management solutions based here, has agreed to acquire substantially all of the assets and some liabilities of GuestBridge Inc., a supplier of guest management solutions. OpenTable said it will pay $3 million in cash for GuestBridge. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009.
BALTIMORE -- Phillips Foods Inc. has named Randy Spencer and Scott Miller to new sales vice president posts in the company. Miller, who was named vice president of foodservice distribution, will focus on managing foodservice distribution sales. Spencer, who was promoted to the post of vice president of foodservice sales, will address foodservice sales efforts through the company's corporate regional sales managers and network of foodservice brokers.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Texas Roadhouse Inc., the 300-plus-unit casual-dining chain based here, has been partnering with the USA Rice Federation through the month of September to showcase the chain's hand-cut steaks and U.S.-grown rice in the Great Steak of Texas Promotion. Texas Roadhouse has been featuring its signature seasoned rice with several of its popular steak dishes.
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Avendra, the procurement services company based here, said Scott Hollis, senior vice president of strategic contracting, and Bill Tilghman, deputy general counsel and vice president, will retire at the end of 2009. Both have been with the company since it was founded. Walt Sheffler, who was promoted to senior vice president of strategic contracting, will succeed Hollis. Jerry Kraisinger was named to the post of general counsel in May and has taken over leadership of Avendra's legal department.
CHICAGO -- COEX 2010 will take place Feb. 28 through March 3, 2010, at the JW Marriott in Orlando, Grande Lakes in Orlando, Fla. The event will be sponsored by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, or IFMA, and be chaired by Kevin Bechtel, senior vice president of purchasing/R&D and menu development for Shari's Management Corp. COEX will address such key issues as managing margins in a difficult environment, menu innovation with value approach, and nutrition and menu labeling.
