More than 200 attendees participated in the Southeastern Vending Association (SEVA) Convention held last week in Destin, Fla. The meeting featured networking and educational opportunities, as well as speakers, including NAMA Board Chair Pete Tullio and Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Eric Dell.
Tullio and Dell updated attendees on NAMA’s Positioning for Growth campaign. Dell also presented important federal and state legislative and regulatory issues, reviewed NAMA’s recent legislative successes and discussed upcoming challenges SEVA members may face in the Southeast.
“I was impressed with the SEVA Convention and the hard work and dedication of Greg Breland, chair of the convention,” Dell said in a prepared statement. “The issues we discussed impact the entire vending and refreshment services industry, and attendees recognized the value of NAMA’s advocacy efforts.”
The convention featured wide-ranging presentations on health care reform, coffee stations and business etiquette. Breland, who received an award in appreciation of his years of service to SEVA, was assisted in the planning of the convention by SEVA members Pam Beals, Dan Carroll, Lance Hall, Dod Hamre, Mike Laurer, Paul McManaway, Scott Plaisted and Kelly Saad.
Two scholarship recipients will attend NAMA’s Executive Development Program (EDP) at Michigan State University later this year. Linda Saldana of Southern Refreshment Services received the Alan Plaisted Fund Scholarship. Susan Terebo from Vendors Supply received the Georgia Automatic Merchandising Council Scholarship. Both scholarships pay for tuition, travel and lodging.
“The SEVA convention was outstanding,” Tullio said. “As an operator myself, I found it to be very educational. Greg Breland and his team did a great job and I’m thrilled NAMA was involved.”
