CHICAGO (July 9, 2003) - The National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) elected Chris Bigelow of The Bigelow Companies, Kansas City, Missouri as president at the 2003 NAC Annual Convention & Trade Show held June 9-12 in San Diego.

Bigelow, FCSI, CFSP, president of The Bigelow Companies, will serve a two-year term as association president. He is a 30-year veteran of the food service industry, including positions at Canteen Recreation Services as vice president of sales & marketing, Volume Services, and ARA Services, now ARAMARK. In 1988, he formed The Bigelow Companies, a Kansas City-based consulting firm to sports, entertainment and convention facilities, providing both design and management advisory services to public assembly facilities.

Bigelow has served as a volunteer on the NAC Board as a director-at-large since 1993, and most recently as president elect. He is a past Chairman of the Board of Regents for the Public Assembly Facility Management School and also active in the International Association of Assembly Managers, Association of Luxury Suite Directors, the Stadium Managers Association, the Missouri Restaurant Association and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

He holds the title of Certified Food Service Professional (CFSP) from the National Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers, and is a Certified Consumer Arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau. He is also a professional member of Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI). He is a member of the Advisory Board of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kansas City.

Bigelow received his Bachelor's degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration from University of Nevada - Las Vegas. He takes over the NAC presidency from Gary Horvath of Ovations Food Services, Bethel, Conn., who will now serve a two-year term as chairman of the board.

The National Association of Concessionaires was founded in 1944 to serve the recreational and leisure-time food and beverage concessions industry as a network and resource for operators, suppliers, manufacturers and distributors. Association services include publications, educational seminars and training programs, convention and trade shows and other programs for the concessions industry.

Editor's note: A photo of Chris Bigelow is available upon request..