at Jimmy’s Conference Center in Vadnais Hts.
The 2011 Midwest Expo was a huge success with record attendance and a huge number of exhibitors listed below.The day’s events started with an alcohol server training course called S.A.L.E.S. conducted by MLBA Associate Director Tony Chesak.The trade show began at 2pm with attendees sampling products from wine, beer and spirits manufacturers and wholesalers. Several point-of-sale vendors were at the show along with vendors representing ice, insurance, food manufactures, soft drinks, credit cards, ATMs and the list goes on.
After the trade show wrapped up, a fine dinner was served to the attendees. The dinner was sponsored by our friends at Illinois Casualty Company. Wine was provided for each table by Vinocopia. Once again all the ice for the event was provided by Ace Ice Company. Please use the contact information below to thank these fine folks and all the vendors!
The annual Hospy™ Hall of Fame Awards Celebration was held and several hospitality employee awards were handed out along with “Friends of the Retailer”, “On- and Off-sale members of the Year”, “Legislators of the Year” and 3 people were inducted into the Hospy™ Hall of Fame. Please scroll down to see all the winners.
The busy day wrapped up with a live auction for the MLBA Children’s Fund charity with great items donated by Anheuser-Busch, Miller-Coors and others. Keep an eye on the Children’s Fund article in the Nov/Dec PROOF magazine for a complete list of auction (both silent and live) contributors.
We look forward to making the 2012 Expo even bigger and better. Stay tuned to mlba.com and our publications for more information.
A special thanks to all our vendors (listed below):
 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey Carrie Nicklow 612-354-7792 www.2gingerswhiskey.com |
 4U2ROCK Stuart Gray 952-226-3878 www.4remarkable.com |
 Anheuser-Busch David Anglum 612-597-1967 www.anheuser-busch.com |
 ATM Network Mick Sletton 952-404-1022 www.atmnetwork.com |
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 Bacardi USA Jeff Lange 763-428-1048 www.bacardi.com |
 Beam, Inc. Rachel Frandrup 952-830-1131 www.beamglobal.com |
 Bernicks Beverages – Twin Cities Mike Brattensborg 651-334-8284 www.bernicks.com |
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 Cold Spring Brewing Mick Detviler 320-685-8686 www.coldspringbrewery.com |
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 Drink & Drive Intelligently Brian Peters 651-338-1425 www.youdrinkwedrive.org |
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 Fire House Pizza Robert Hanna 612-221-7491 |
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 Foodservice News Mike Mitchelson 612-767-3200 www.foodservicenews.net |
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 Foremost Business Systems Jason Johnson 952-920-8449 www.foremostpos.com |
 E & J Gallo Winery Casey Iaccino 651-659-2829 www.gallo.com |
 Gambling Control Board Tom Barrett 651-639-4000 www.gcb.state.mn.us |
 Heun Enterprises Amanda Thaemert 952-240-3528 amandathaemert@me.com |
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 Hospitality Minnesota Trish Stevens 651-778-2400 www.hospitalitymn.com |
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 Illinois Casualty Company Howard Beck 309-793-1700 www.ilcasco.com |
 KLB Insurance Kim Brown 651-730-9803 www.klbins.com |
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 Lieberman Companies Dan Lieberman 952-887-5303 www.liebermancompanies.com |
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 Pabst Brewing Jeff VanSchoick 612-281-1859 www.pabst.com |
 R.I.T.E. Gary Noble 888-267-RITE www.rite.us |
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 Schells Mike Lewis 507-354-5528 www.schellsbrewery.com |
 Shamrock Group Steve Kelly 612-824-9600 www.shamrockgroup.net |
 Southern Wine & Spirits Dan Daul 612-217-5197 www.southernwine.com |
 Total Register Systems David Putz 763-537-1906 ext 18 www.trs-pos.com |
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 Vinocopia Marion Dauner 612-455-4005 www.vinocopia.com |
 Watson Company Kevin Mattson 763-689-3722 www.watsonmn.com |
 Wirtz Beverage MN Paul Lorenzen 651-646-7821 wirtzbeveragegroup.com |
 WJ Deutsch & Sons Blair Brewer 763-404-8620 www.wjdeutsch.com |
2011 Hospy Hall of Fame Award Winners
MLBA President Bob Marget presents several awards at the annual Hospy Hall of Fame Awards Celebration.
 Hall of Fame Inductee Howie Zimmer Howie’s Sports Bar, St. Cloud |
 Hall of Fame Inductee Paul Morrissey Capitol Beverage Sales, Fridley |
 Hall of Fame Inductee Colin Minehart (center) Main Street Grill, Alden |
 Legislator of the Year Sen. Mike ParryDistrict 26 – Waseca |
Not Pictured Off-Saler of the Year Legislator of the Year |
 On-Saler of the Year Rick McArthurPlayer’s Sports Bar, Duluth |
 Friend of the Retailer Wayne Reinert (center) Shamrock Group |
 Friend of the Retailer Tom Hansen Comedy Gallery Talent, Inc. |
 Friend of the Retailer Jerry KernArctic Glacier Ice |
 Hospy™ Award Alison Burton (nominated by her employer Paul Hagedorn) Blue Moon Saloon, Milaca |
 Hospy™ Award Scott Jereska (left, nominated by his employer Brian Johnson, center) Bridge Marina Bar & Grill, Detroit Lks |
 Hospy™ Award Jerry Wellner (left, nominated by his employer Clayton Kretsch) Clay’s Drive-In Liquor, Springfield |