[vendtalk] NABM President Receives Prestigious Appointment

[Kevan Worley]

[CMYK_merchants]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Renee Nevius
Manager of Special Projects
National Association of Blind Merchants
(866) 543-6808, extension 10
renee.nevius at worleyenterprises.com<mailto:renee.nevius at worleyenterprises.com>

National Association of Blind Merchants President Receives Prestigious Appointment

Colorado Springs, Colorado (May 2, 2013) - National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) in Chicago, Illinois, has announced the appointment of Nicky Gacos to their Government Affairs Committee. Over many years, Mr. Gacos has served NAMA in a variety of capacities at the local and state level. He has worked for more than a decade to bring partnership and collaboration between the Randolph-Sheppard community and the vending industry, best represented by NAMA.

NAMA is the national trade association of the food and refreshment vending, coffee service and foodservice management industries including on-site, commissary, catering and mobile. Its Government Affairs Committee supports the development of NAMA's strategy, positions and advocacy actions in the government affairs arena.

Eric Dell, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, NAMA, said, "NAMA's government affairs committee is happy to welcome Nicky Gacos to its membership. Nicky's energy and strong sense of determination will be an asset to our advocacy efforts. His knowledge on issues related to the vending and refreshment services industry, specifically on government-owned properties, will enhance the Committee's effectiveness."

This is the highest position within NAMA ever held by a blind vending operator. Mr. Gacos said, "This is an honor. The Committee is comprised of the brightest leaders in the vending and concessions industry. I look forward to serving with them. I know my experience in grass roots advocacy in the National Association of Blind Merchants (NABM), and lessons I have learned from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), NABM's parent organization, will serve me well in this new position. I can bring some of the techniques practiced so successfully for generations by the NFB in our government advocacy effort to the work of the NAMA Government Affairs Committee. After all, no one carries the needs of their constituents to government as effectively as the NFB. That said," Gacos continued, "my job is to listen, learn and find ways to contribute."

Nicky Gacos has touched many lives. He served as Vice President of NABM throughout the last decade, before being elected to the presidency in 2010 and reelected in 2012. He has worked tirelessly to unite all blind vendors and to bring about innovative alignments with the private sector operators and buy-in groups. Gacos brings a unique understanding of the challenges posed by those who would unreasonably and illogically restructure currency, as well as from the "healthy vending" advocates. These challenges, left unchecked, "will eliminate customer choice and high paying jobs," Nicky explained.

Nicky, as he is called by his friends and colleagues throughout the industry, is regarded first and foremost as a man of heart and principal. He is held in highest esteem by blind vendors and others in the blind community. His passions are family, Braille education for blind children, the vending business, and college and professional sports, about which he is a walking encyclopedia. Gacos is a licensed blind operator and CEO of Colorado Cafe Associates, LLC, managing a vending cafeteria and Dunkin Donuts business at the United States Postal Service in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Learn more about the National Automatic Merchandising Association by visiting www.vending.org<http://www.vending.org>. Learn more about the National Association of Blind Merchants by visiting www.blindmerchants.org<http://www.blindmerchants.org>.

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About National Association of Blind Merchants
The National Association of Blind Merchants (NABM), a division the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), is a membership organization of blind persons employed in either self-employment work or the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program. We provide information regarding rehabilitation, social security, tax, and other issues which directly affect blind merchants. NABM serves as an advocacy and support group.

About National Automatic Merchandising Association
NAMA is the national trade association of the food and refreshment vending, coffee service and foodservice management industries including on-site, commissary, catering and mobile. Its membership is comprised of service companies, equipment manufacturers and suppliers of products and services to operating service companies. The basic mission of the association, to collectively advance and promote the automatic merchandising and coffee service industries, still guides NAMA today as it did in 1936, the year of the organization's founding.


At your service,

[cid:image001.jpg at 01CDBCF2.C07B8380]

Kevan Worley
Executive Director
National Association of Blind Merchants
kevanworley at blindmerchants.org<mailto:kevanworley at blindmerchants.org>
866-543-6808

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