The National Association of Concessionaires has named Dan Kroeger of Gold Medal Products as the 2008 NAC Bert Nathan Memorial Award honoree. The award presentation will be made on March 12 at a breakfast sponsored by Nestle during the ShoWest theatre exhibition convention in Las Vegas.

We are pleased to honor Dan for his longevity and leadership in the theatre concessions industry as well as his continued and steadfast support and work on behalf of NAC,” stated NAC President Maria Angles, ECM, Cinemark Theatres. Kroeger will mark the third honoree for this award from Gold Medal Products Company; the previous two were J.C. Evans and John Evans, Jr.

Kroeger has spent nearly his entire professional career at Gold Medal Products, a manufacturer and distributor of concession equipment and supplies. He joined the company in 1979 as an assistant zone sales manager. He held the positions of zone manager, national sales manager and vice president of sales before his promotion to president in 1991. In 2000 he was named president and chief executive officer.

Kroeger has been an active member of the National Association of Concessionaires for 12 years, and serves on the NAC Duffer’s Day at ShowEast Golf Tournament committee, securing sponsors and attendees. The popular First Timers Mentor program at the NAC Annual Convention was his idea, and he has served as a mentor every year since its inception.

Kroeger is extremely active in the industry and in local and regional business, as chairman of the Employers Resource Association, treasurer of the Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA), a member of the Trade Show Space Allocation Committee of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), member of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. He is also a past president of the Evendale Chamber of Commerce.

Married to Janet Kroeger for 32 years, the couple has three grown children: Andy, Tony and Jenny, and reside in the Cincinnati area.

Previous winners of the Bert Nathan Memorial Award are Maria Angles, Norman Chesler, Charlie Cretors, Gina Troutman DiSanto, Larry Etter, J.C. Evans, John Evans, Jr., Evan Gordon, Wally Helton, Ron Krueger II, Jack Leonard, Peter Leyh, Frank Liberto, Libby Mauro, Mike Mosher, Bruce Proctor, Bill Rector, Krista Schulte, Robert Scribner, Skip Stefansen, Bruce Taffet, and the late Bill Chaplain, Len Marsh and Bert Nathan.

 The award is named for the late Bert Nathan, a past president, leader and great supporter of NAC and the concessions industry. The award is given annually based on nominations from NAC members and a vote of past award recipients. Criteria for the award include involvement in NAC, providing positive leadership direction; significant contributions to the development and professionalism of the concessions industry; and current involvement at the executive level.

The National Association of Concessionaires, founded in 1944, is a trade association representing the recreation and leisure-time food and beverage concessions industry. NAC is comprised of owners and operators of all types of public assembly facilities including movie theatres, stadiums and arenas, colleges and universities, amusement parks, park and recreation departments, ice and roller rinks, and other leisure-time foodservice operations, as well as the companies that provide products and services to these facilities.