Automatic Merchandiser recognizes our 2024 40 Under 40 Award winners

Stephanie Beerman is the western regional sales manager for Barcel USA. She has served the industry for more than 13 years and quickly made a name for herself through innovative solutions and a strong passion for growing brands. As a young professional navigating an industry rich with seasoned experts, this recognition is owed to the mentors who guided her along the way. From 12 years at the Atnip company, where she gained invaluable wisdom, to growing Barcel in the West with immense support from her leaders, Stephanie remains grateful for the collective efforts of those who shaped her journey. Stephanie has a relentless drive to excel and is inspired to continue pushing boundaries, innovating and driving impactful change. This recognition fuels her commitment to excellence and continuous improvement on her journey.

Taylor Bibikan

Taylor Bibikan has a skill set that encompasses operations, customer satisfaction, leadership and mentorship. With 13 years of industry experience, Bibikan utilizes her role within the WIN Advisory Board and Emerging Leaders to gain insights and bring her perspective and influence to the industry. She has grown her role from leading installations and implementation to building a complete lifecycle customer success model. This growth highlights her vision of building a best-in-class execution and customer satisfaction team. Bibikan is passionate about driving success and innovation internally and externally with a focus on achieving her and her company’s goals. Bibikan is excited about the future of the industry and appreciates the honor of being nominated for 40 under 40.

Sarah Blaine

Sarah Blaine is a seasoned professional in the CPG industry, specializing in new product development and commercialization. With her experience in brand strategy and market entry, Sarah has successfully launched numerous products, drove their growth and enhanced brand visibility. Throughout her career, Blaine has demonstrated expertise in strategic product development and partnerships across the food and beverage industry and is known for her dynamic leadership and strategic vision. At Automated Retail Technologies LLC, dba Just Baked Smart Bistro, Blaine leads cross-functional teams to bring new food products from concept to market. She excels in identifying market opportunities, managing product lifecycles and executing strategic plans that align with business objectives. Her comprehensive approach ensures successful product launches, from initial development to full commercialization. During her tenure at ART LLC, she has worked collaboratively to 10x grow Just Baked Smart Bistro’s footprint, launch national distribution via a partnership with Vistar and partner with leaders in the industry such as Nestlé to bring their beloved brands to food deserts.

Mac Bolak

Mac Bolak has been starting companies in the artificial intelligence space since he was a teenager, including a venture capital-backed company that used AI to edit basketball footage autonomously for basketball coaches. In 2019, he founded Panoptyc, a leading micro market theft detection and security company. In 2022, Panoptyc was a recipient of Automatic Merchandiser’s Readers’ Choice Products of the Year Awards in the technology category. Panoptyc works with industry leaders and is in more than 6,000 micro markets across the United States, Canada and Europe. Panoptyc uses AI software and smart cameras to decrease theft in micro markets and save operators time reviewing footage. As a young and determined visionary, Bolak knows the industry inside-out and is continuously looking to improve Panoptyc’s services while also exploring new opportunities within the industry.

Shane Burleigh

Shane Burleigh is a “people’s champion” with a tenacious commitment to growth and innovation. His passion for building and developing highly engaged teams that consistently deliver energizes him. Burleigh embraces opportunities to give back as an industry mentor, co-hosting education sessions for NAMA and serving a term on the CAMA board. Recently promoted to vice president of partner operations at Compass Group, he continues a 15+ year commitment to the industry. His experience includes vice president of Canteen Technology Canada, responsible for the team innovating foundational tech infrastructure supporting scalable growth; vice president of business solutions, offering leadership of strategic priorities, acquisitions and operational excellence; vice president of operations for GM City Coin Vending; and leadership roles at Coca-Cola. He is a proud graduate of the Bisset School of Business at MRU and the MSU-NAMA EDP program. His unwavering commitment continues to inspire and lead our industry toward further excellence.

Tim Cox

Tim Cox is a seasoned food and beverage professional with more than 15 years of experience in the food service industry, specializing in coffee. His career has spanned roles in multi-unit retail management, restaurant ownership, equipment servicing and product development for one of the largest convenience store chains. Cox honed his expertise across multiple channels, including specialty coffee, quick-service restaurants and convenience. Throughout his career, he has amassed extensive knowledge and is dedicated to teaching others and advancing the industry by collaborating with industry partners. In 2023, Cox joined Franke Coffee Systems as marketing manager, where he led market research and coffee competency initiatives. He also serves on the National Coffee Association’s Next Generation council; was a panelist for VendingMarketWatch.com’s OCS SOI webinar in 2023; and presented at the National Coffee Association Convention in 2024. He also has contributed to several industry publications and podcasts.

Ryan Curtis

Ryan Curtis is the chief operating officer at Pot O’ Gold Coffee Service, a family-owned company in the Puget Sound area. In his 2.5 years in this role, Curtis has improved operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Working closely with Blake Jones, vice president for Pot O’ Gold Coffee Service, Curtis has helped uphold the company’s mission — established by founder Larry Jones in 1986 — of delivering excellent coffee, equipment and service to offices. Their leadership has made Pot O’ Gold the largest independent office coffee service in Washington State, providing a range of breakroom supplies, including carbonated water coolers and snacks. Curtis is committed to continuous improvement and technological advancement, driving the company’s growth and excellence. His focus on building strong relationships and offering personalized service has been key to the company’s success. Passionate about innovation, Curtis ensures Pot O’ Gold remains a leader in the industry.

Ali Day

Ali Day has dedicated 16 years of hard work and commitment to the vending industry. Starting as an office administrator and route driver at S&L Vending, Day seized every opportunity for growth. Moving to BestFit Vending, she pursued her associate degree in management and accounting, eventually rising to the position of chief operating officer. Transitioning to Vistar, Day furthered her education, earning a bachelor’s degree in business management while excelling as a customer services manager. Now, as the admin and accounting manager at Vistar Phoenix, she looks forward to celebrating 10 years with Vistar in November 2024. Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds fulfillment as a devoted wife and mother of four. In her spare time, she serves as the president and coach of our local Little League, sharing my passion and expertise with the community.

Rob Dody

Rob Dody is a senior engineering manager at Structural Concepts Corp. working in new product development and lifecycle management in the refrigeration and electrical engineering department. Dody leads a team of engineers to design cutting-edge refrigerated merchandisers; developed the first open-air refrigerated merchandisers for micro-market applications; and developed and the Autonomous Retail Merchandiser (ARM) refrigeration system.

Brennan Druhot

Brennan Druhot is the purchasing manager at Maumee Valley Group in Defiance, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Toledo in 2021 with a degree in operations and supply chain management, and business law. His journey with Maumee Valley Group began during college when he worked in all areas of the business, and he developed a fascination for this diverse industry. Once Druhot graduated, he started as a purchasing manager, and he quickly gathered more hats to wear within the company. He highly enjoys helping the company push forward and helping to solve any problems that arise within the industry. He is eager to see what comes next.

Emily Galant

Emily Galant is the senior customer manager at Mars Ice Cream US, where she leads the unattended retail business and drives strategic growth initiatives for the frozen category. With six years of experience at Mars, Emily has built strong relationships with operators, suppliers and the Mars Wrigley team. She is passionate about delivering exceptional service and innovative solutions, and her dynamic leadership style combines a results-driven approach with a deep commitment to her team and customers. Emily has pioneered new display vessels and merchandising strategies for frozen products in the micro market and office coffee service (OCS) spaces, enhancing product visibility and sales. Her expertise in product positioning and market expansion, particularly within the ice cream sector, has made her a key figure in the industry. Emily's enthusiasm for the business and her innovative mindset continue to drive success for Mars Ice Cream in a competitive market.

Joshua Giambra

Joshua Giambra, owner of Giambra Vending, has been serving the Florida panhandle since 2005. He focuses on providing excellent refreshment services while building meaningful, caring relationships with those in the community. Giambra takes pride in the company’s ability to offer a range of services to meet the needs of all customers. He partners with both national companies and locally owned and operated businesses to provide a unique array of products. Giambra is committed to his community and frequently supports local schools and other nonprofit organizations. It is because of these values and partnerships that Giambra and the company have received multiple national recognitions. Giambra’s ability to stand by his core values —integrity, versatility and excellence — has led his company to 30% revenue increases year over year for the past two years. He tirelessly works to develop bonds and continues to be innovative in vending, markets and pantry services.

Detlev Goedbloed

Detlev Goedbloed received his master’s degree in business administration in Europe before moving to Morocco to gain experience in the field. His success in Morocco led him to a job in China, where he oversaw sales in Asia-Pacific. During this time, he received his MBA from the UBC Sauder School of Business. In 2018, Goedbloed moved to Australia to work as a major accounts manager and management consultant and improved the logistics and operations of companies from all types of industries. Throughout the many countries he has worked in, Goedbloed noticed similarities in the inconvenient, inefficient and unsanitary methods that food was made available to the public. During his quest to solve these problems, he discovered food robotics in Europe and introduced this in North America. After a successful launch, Goedbloed joined Structural Concepts and oversees NPD and product lifecycle. Since he joined Structural Concepts, the company has successfully launched Autonomous Retail Merchandiser (ARM) autonomous vending solutions.

Sam Hagan

Sam Hagan is the self-proclaimed business development manager at Quality Vending & Coffee Co., but his responsibilities reach far beyond that title. While a large part of his job is maintaining relationships with current clients and fostering new ones with prospects, his role also includes pioneering advancements in technology for the company, managing QVC’s website and social media presence, working with vendors and suppliers, and leading a team of more than 25 employees within the family’s business. With less than 10 years in the industry under his belt, Hagan has already made a lasting impact at Quality Vending & Coffee Co. and on the industry. This is reflected by his second 40 Under 40 recognition (2022, 2024) and being featured on Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast. Quality Vending & Coffee Co. truly appreciates Sam’s contributions and looks forward to his, and the company’s, continued success.

Evan Jarecki is a tech entrepreneur based in Atlanta, and the co-founder and chief executive officer of Gimme, a company launched in 2014 after he earned an electrical engineering degree from Georgia Tech. At Gimme, Jarecki develops software and hardware solutions for the unattended retail and traditional retail sectors. Gimme’s flagship product, Gimme VMS, enhances operational efficiency for vending, micro market and office coffee service operators. They also offer the Gimme Key Pro, a wireless DEX device that streamlines data transfer and invoice processing. Jarecki was named one of Automatic Merchandiser’s Pros to Know in 2017 & 2019 and 40 Under 40 in 2021. During multiple years, he has spoken years at industry events such as the NAMA Show and SEVA, and he has attended the NAMA Fly-In as an industry advocate. Jarecki participates in numerous webinars and podcasts hosted by VendingMarketWatch.com.

Bridger Keally

Bridger Keally joined Panoptyc as sales director in 2021 with a strong sales background but little knowledge of the vending industry. After consulting with industry experts and operators, he quickly realized the stress that theft, outdated cameras and labor shortages were inflicting, and the lack of a solution. That knowledge compelled him to share Panoptyc’s theft detection and camera offerings with as many operators as possible. Keally focuses on understanding and addressing operators’ challenges such as inventory management, theft deterrence and client communication. He aims to build strong relationships and trust with customers. As new technologies emerge, he strives to integrate them seamlessly, maintaining Panoptyc’s core competencies in camera and data solutions so that operators can get back to focusing on growing their business. Keally graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021 with degrees in marketing, corporate strategy and entrepreneurship.

Mollie Krupp

Mollie Krupp, chief of staff for 365 Retail Markets, works closely with all senior leaders in the organization. She drives alignment across strategic initiatives, inspires cross-functional teams and champions employee development. Her exceptional ability to connect with employees and her unwavering commitment to fostering a positive work environment have proven to inspire collaboration and innovation within the company. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Krupp is known for her mentorship and guidance, making her an invaluable asset to the 365 organization.

Brandon Kuss

Brandon Kuss, the founder and president of Innovative Vending, holds a master’s degree from the Eli Broad School of Business at Michigan State University and is a senior certified professional with the Society of Human Resource Management. With an extensive background as a human resources leader, Kuss is positioned to leverage his professional networks to expand the footprint of Innovative Vending. Kuss has been able to work directly with human resources professionals to showcase the impact bespoke vending solutions can have on the overall employee experience. Under his leadership, Innovative Vending has expanded into 10 states. Kuss’s commitment to vending extends beyond business growth. He is a dedicated coach and mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs eager to make their mark on the vending industry. His dedication to fostering innovation and nurturing new talent underscores his impact as a leader in the industry.

Katie Marino

Katie Marino has worked for Red Bull for more than 14 years, eight of which have been in and around the vending channel. She has held numerous positions during this time such as regionally managing Compass Group/ Canteen; nationally managing Aramark and Sodexo; as the director of vending; and, most recently, as vice president of non-commercial key accounts. During her tenure, her team has won Vistar’s Marketing & Insights Partner of the year, OPCO President Award and Sales Team Excellence Award.

Matthew Anthony Maas

Matthew Maas built the Maka Mia Pizza robotic pizza company, with 45 locations throughout six states, in the last decade. Running a pizza vending business requires life over the road, a strong desire to win and a strong constitution. Maas went to work on the Mia V4.5 robotic pizza system two years ago. He built the nuanced Mia V4.5 system paired with a small footprint MMP location. The company’s pilot location is launching in the fall at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. A native of North Bend, Ohio, Maas is married to an “amazing wife” and a proud father of three children.

Margaret Nyamumbo

Margaret Nyamumbo is the founder and CEO of Kahawa 1893, the first nationally distributed Black, and woman-owned coffee company in the United States. Nyamumbo is a graduate of Harvard Business School and Smith College. Kahawa 1893 sources specialty-grade coffee beans from woman-owned farming cooperatives in Africa and gives back to support them. Nyamumbo grew up on her grandfather’s coffee farm in Kenya and saw firsthand that women provided about 90% of the labor, but they were not always compensated. Kahawa 1893’s packaging contains a QR code that enables consumers to digitally tip the farmers, enabling them to invest in their businesses, families and community. Kahawa 1893 has been featured on Shark Tank and The Today Show, and the company’s products can be found in retailers like Target and Sprouts. Kahawa 1893’s compostable soft pods and frac packs are now available to OCS operators nationally through a partnership with Alliant Coffee Solutions.

Scott Parker

Scott Parker is no stranger to pushing the envelope and going big, with experience winning awards for “Most Canadian Marketing Initiative.” He also helped design Canada’s largest vending machine. Currently, Parker leads the micro market segment for Habco. He is proud to be a part of the Habco team, which revolutionized the cooler scene more than 50 years ago with its cassette technology and the quality and reliability of its products. Parker is working with the company on prototypes “to shake things up” in the micro market industry and says his goal is “to have a Habco Smart Cooler or Micro Market on every corner, much like you see in Japan.” Parker acknowledges his life coach, Kmiller, for helping him grow this far.

Josh Pena

Josh Pena is the category manager for frozen/refrigerated/fresh/bakery suppliers within Vistar. During his time in the dynamic vend/micro market space, he began at Vistar on the procurement side of the business four years ago and transitioned into his current category management role two years later. Pena’s category generates more than $600 million in sales within the vend/micro market/OCS space, marking a remarkable growth of over $40 million year-over-year. Pena credits the trajectory to the Vistar team’s relentless pursuit of innovation as they continuously bring in and champion new and inventive suppliers. At the heart of success lies the genuine relationships that the company cultivates with our suppliers, customers and associates, and a culture of diversity and collaboration. Vistar’s dedication to these values propels the company forward, driving its continuous improvement and sustained success in the industry.

Eric Rochon Larson

Eric Rochon Larson is the “go-to guy” for the education department at NAMA. As senior manager of education, he is responsible for the development and execution of a variety of programming, including webcasts, online courses, and educational sessions at the NAMA Show and CTW. Through collaboration with volunteer speakers, Rochon Larson has prepared hundreds of in-person and virtual learning opportunities for NAMA’s members. In addition, highlights of Rochon Larson’s responsibilities include preparing and managing the NAMA Show’s call for speakers; reviewing supplemental learning materials; working with member committees; and preparing cross-industry educational collaboration. Rochon Larson will always be thankful for the collaborative spirit of the countless leaders who have volunteered their expertise in NAMA’s educational programming. In 2022, Eric was recognized by Automatic Merchandiser as a Pro to Know. He graduated from George Mason University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and a minor in business.

Savannah Rosier

Savannah Rosier is cofounder of Mr. Munch Box Vending, a new women-owned startup serving Albany, New York’s capital region. She has demonstrated a capacity to rapidly scale and grow her mother/daughter family vending services business. She is dedicated to learning and mastering all aspects of this exciting and thriving industry. She operates with a high level of integrity and enthusiasm for the vending industry. She is honored to provide vending services to businesses in the community in which she serves.

Richard Russell

Richard Russell is the southeast regional sales manager for Holiday House Distributing and has been with the company for more than eight years. As a member of NAMA’s Emerging Leaders Network, Russell has been greatly involved with networking and always staying connected to the office coffee industry.

Elijah C. Schmunk

Elijah C. Schmunk began his career in the vending industry in the Pacific Northwest with Royal Refresh in 2020. As a recent college graduate, he was excited to join a company focused on growth and technology. During his tenure as operations manager, Royal Refresh took its place on the Inc. 5000’s list of the fastest-growing companies in the United States, made the Portland Business Journal’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies in Oregon, and navigated a successful rebrand. In 2023, Schmunk joined Moran Refreshments in Tyler, Texas, where he leads a team of people on a quest to refresh East Texas. In the first half of 2024, his team has installed 40 micro markets. As a “typical Portlander,” he has focused heavily on expanding healthful options in the Texas markets in 2024 and has had success scaling the company’s healthy subsidy program in efforts.

Heather Scott

Heather Scott took on the role of national sales director of the Southeastern division at the Ellis Coffee Co. almost three years ago. Her background in education provided a solid foundation for her success in the refreshment services industry. In her position, she is responsible for driving new business and maintaining existing accounts in the Southeast. Scott’s dedication to excellent customer service and her servant-like approach have been instrumental in propelling the region’s growth. Her meticulous attention to detail and assertiveness with her customers truly set her apart.

Michael Sheehan

Michael Sheehan graduated from the University of Dayton in 2016. He joined Sheehan Brothers in 2019 as an operations manager. Sheehan Brothers has proudly served customers since 1956 when it was founded by his grandfather and great uncle. In 2022, his father Dan Sheehan retired, and Michael and his brother Patrick took over. Michael is currently the vice president of Sheehan Brothers focusing on the day-to-day operations. Since joining the company, Michael Sheehan has helped grow the company exponentially. This year, Sheehan Brothers opened their first branch in northern Kentucky. Sheehan Brothers plans on continued growth, and they are excited for the future.

Devin Smith

Devin Smith grew up working summers at his family-owned and operated business in southeastern Michigan. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2008, Smith went back to Port Huron and accepted the position of purchasing manager at the family business. Having always been interested in technology, Smith pushed to have All Star Services as one of the initial companies to integrate micro market kiosks into vend management software. Currently, as vice president of technology, Devin leads the service and maintenance departments at All Star. Smith continues to be a catalyst that pushes All Star to be an industry leader. The industry values his input on development and often reaches out to him for feedback on new and emerging technologies. Smith and his wife Ashley have 9-year-old twins. When not at work, Smith enjoys teaching and playing golf with his family. He has coached youth hockey and helps out with youth soccer and basketball.

Susanna Twarog is a co-founder of SOS, a beauty and wellness products vending company, and has helped build a network of vending machines in iconic locations such as Ulta Beauty, Fenway Park, T-Mobile Arena and Rockefeller Center. Each SOS machine contains up to 10 premium beauty and wellness products from best-in-category brands as well as complementary period care items. SOS machines deliver the reach and effectiveness of out-of-home advertising with the data-driven interactivity of e-commerce, and the convenience of traditional vending machines. SOS successfully combines technological innovation, machine design and a modern customer experience creating a unique way for brands to connect with today’s consumers. Recently, SOS won Best of Boston in the service category and continues to expand, providing exceptional service to both brand partners and customers.

Robina Verbeek is a co-founder of SOS, a beauty and wellness products vending company, and has helped build a network of vending machines in iconic locations such as Ulta Beauty, Fenway Park, T-Mobile Arena and Rockefeller Center. Each SOS machine contains up to 10 premium beauty and wellness products from best-in-category brands as well as complementary period care items. SOS machines deliver the reach and effectiveness of out-of-home advertising with the data-driven interactivity of e-commerce, and the convenience of traditional vending machines. SOS successfully combines technological innovation, machine design and a modern customer experience creating a unique way for brands to connect with today’s consumers. Recently, SOS won Best of Boston in the service category and continues to expand, providing exceptional service to both brand partners and customers.

Max Weisbrod

Max Weisbrod is the vice president of product for Panoptyc, which he joined in 2022. He has worked to reinforce the company’s position as a leader for unattended retail loss prevention technology ever since. Panoptyc’s suite of tools provides a solution to theft, labor shortage and tech fragmentation with an integrated suite of cloud services and storage, remote-controlled cameras, and a mix of AI and human monitoring. Max is described by his colleagues as an intense and exacting leader. A graduate of Cornell University, he has 12 years of progressive experience working on digital transformation and data warehousing projects across national politics, advertising and technology. As Panoptyc’s technology leader, Max has guided the technical organization through tremendous growth as it continues to enter thousands of markets at an increasing pace. Max uses advanced statistical methods and artificial intelligence to make industry best practices in loss prevention ubiquitous, effective, and affordable for all operators.

Ross Winston