The National Automatic Merchandising Association has bestowed on Barbara Russell its prestigious 2020 Coffee Legend. Russell is vice president of sales and marketing of Holiday House Distributing, a leading parts supplier to office coffee, vending and point-of-use water equipment operators. The company is based in Land O’ Lakes, Florida.
NAMA’s Coffee Legend is a pioneer, innovator, leader and visionary who is passionate about office coffee service and willing to share that passion to educate and help others succeed. The coffee legend, the association noted, is a fixture and leader in their community, possess a willingness to expand conventional practices and follow ethical business standards in accordance with the NAMA code of ethics.
“We are thrilled to announce Barbara Russell as the 2020 Coffee Legend,” said NAMA chief executive Carla Balakgie. “Not only is she a fixture in the NAMA community and the coffee industry, but she is also a pioneer in her field. She was one of the original founders of the association’s Women in the Industry (WIN) group.”
Most notably, Russell is NAMA’s first female recipient of the Coffee Legend award.
Russell has been involved in the office coffee service industry since 1985 as both an operator and a supplier; the majority of her career was spent at Holiday House. She recently spearheaded the Holiday House Foundations in OCS, the company’s first educational summit, where participants got a closeup look at the best practices for operating a successful OCS business. More than 150 industry members took part.
The 2020 Coffee Legend serves on NAMA’s Coffee Services and Trade Show Advisory Committees. Through her work at Holiday House, she supports the Fisher House Foundation, which helps military families in need of medical help. After Hurricane Michael hit the Florida in 2018, she helped establish Operation Secret Santa. Additionally, Russell and her family support the local Sheriff Office Night Out, the Hurricane Safety Expo and fundraising for their local fire department.
Russel resides in Land O’Lakes with her husband Rich and their three children, Meagan, Richie and Jimmy.
Founded in 1936, NAMA is the association representing the $31 billion U.S. convenience services industry. With nearly 1,000-member companies , including many of the world’s most recognized brands, NAMA provides advocacy, education and research for its membership.
