Members of the Ohio Automatic Merchandising Association (OAMA) gathered for the group’s 54th annual conference June 27 to 29 in Columbus, Ohio. This year’s event, hosted at the Cambria Suites Polaris, included a golf outing, cocktail reception, an educational networking session and a general membership meeting.
During the general membership meeting, guest speakers shared their views on a variety of topics. Jason Bainum, program manager for CareWorks, discussed workers’ compensation issues in Ohio; Doug Parsons, Area-wide Electronics & Refrigeration, presented the basics of credit card acceptance in vending; and Jeff Bayer, Vending Junction, shared new concepts in vending related products. Also, Lora Miller, OAMA’s lobbyist, provided an update on Ohio’s legislative issues and Sheree Edwards, NAMA regional legislative director, presented NAMA’s year-in-review.
“The last year has been very active for our industry in Ohio on a number of fronts,” said OAMA President Matt Ryan, in a prepared statement. “Vending has become a technology business, and new concepts in cashless and telemetry applications are growing rapidly, requiring us to reevaluate how we operate. Further, micro markets have become a huge part of our industry, and the sale of coffee, cappuccino, and fountain sodas were initially banned from sale in micro markets in Ohio. I am proud to say that with the help of our coalition partners, OAMA remained on the forefront in working with state agencies to develop more flexible rules for this emerging market. That was a huge achievement for our organization, and will benefit operators all across Ohio,” Ryan continued.
“From NAMA’s view, we are thankful for the time and energy that the OAMA spent to achieve the industry successes in Ohio this past year,” said Sheree Edwards. “OAMA and its leadership have a renewed focus and plan for the road ahead, and NAMA stands ready to support their endeavors.”