Larry Oberkfell will step down as CEO of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) and its educational arm when his contract expires at the end of the year, ending a 12-year run as head of the restaurant industry’s supplier advocacy group.
Larry Oberkfell
Oberkfell indicated in IFMA’s announcement that he intends to return to the manufacturing sector.
"I have made the decision to return to the industry that I love and to begin my path on a new journey," Oberkfell said in a statement. "Serving the foodservice manufacturer community for the last twelve years has been an extremely rewarding experience for me personally and professionally."
He took the job in 2008 after holding high-level executive positions at a number of foodservice suppliers, including Schwann and Anchor.
Membership has surged during his tenure, and IFMA has updated such signature programs as its Silver Plate banquet and the Presidents’ Conference.
Oberkfell said he will assist IFMA’s board in finding a successor. “Rest assured, I will not leave until the transition occurs smoothly with the Board-selected new CEO,” he said.
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