I started in the wholesale food industry in 1974 as a college student, when I worked at The Hirschfelder Company in San Francisco, CA. I was employed there for two summers, pulling orders and driving trucks while learning the ins and outs of the food business and food manufacturing. Immediately after graduating college, I accepted a position as an Assistant Purchasing Agent at Marin Food Specialties in San Rafael, CA. After about six months, I was promoted to managing the snack food manufacturing division of the company.
I lead the manufacturing arm for six years, learning much about manufacturing equipment, supplies, food quality, sanitation, and personnel. In 1983, I received an opportunity to move to Montana and assist in starting a food manufacturing operation in fruits and vegetables. Over the next six years I installed a variety of food processing operations in meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, and grain and herb production, all while operating a bakery.
In 1989, I transitioned into a variety of roles related to food manufacturing and equipment sales. During this time, I learned how to be a valuable resource to my clients due to my experience purchasing new and used equipment and running food manufacturing facilities. In 1991, I accepted a position with Western States Machinery Corp., headquartered in Pacific Grove, CA. I took over new equipment sales for the NW territory, selling food packaging and processing equipment, while representing over 30 different lines of equipment.
This experience was indispensable to my developing knowledge of food manufacturing...
After eight years there and over 20 years in the industry, I finally ventured out on my own and incorporated Loring Industries, Inc. initially as a contract dry packaging company and subsequently as a manufacturers rep company.
Within a year, I began selling for Belgian Electronic Sorting Technology (BEST) when they opened their sales activities in the United States through M. Parise & Associates. I would be remiss to not mention Mike Parise, President of MPA, for all the opportunities he has provided my company and for his mentorship and guidance along the way while I worked for BEST for 13 years, and later, TOMRA Sorting Solutions for 5 years.
Here at Loring Industries, Inc., we conceptualize our job as an extension of each customer’s engineering department, with expertise in helping our customers solve perplexing problems and design ways to save money and increase profitability. We are old-fashioned salespeople and truly enjoy our customers and the relationships we have developed over the years. I also want to take this opportunity to thank our many customers for the trust they placed in us and how contributing to their success has engendered our own. We are truly happy to be of service.
When I’m not working, you can find me telling stories and teaching children, designing small spaces, hiking in the Beartooth mountains, and reading about early American history.