23Feb2011
Burris, Walker Enter Frozen Food Hall of Fame
At AFFI convention in San Francisco, Zerocrats induct six new members.
San Francisco – The Distinguished Order of Zerocrats on Saturday named two industry leaders to the Frozen Food Hall of Fame, and welcomed six new members to its ranks.
Named to the Frozen Food Hall of Fame were the late Robert D. Burris of Burris Logistics and A. “Ray” Walker of Patterson Vegetable Company. The inductees were honored during the annual meeting and awards ceremony of the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats, held in conjunction with the 2011 American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) Frozen Food Convention in San Francisco.
“We are proud to honor and celebrate the achievements of Bob Burris and Ray Walker,” said AFFI President and CEO Kraig R. Naasz. “Each of these gentlemen has contributed greatly to the continued growth and success of the frozen food industry through their leadership and dedication.”
Robert D. Burris began working for the family business at the age 12. He joined Burris Logistics on a full-time basis in 1966 following his graduation from the University of Delaware. In 1980, Mr. Burris became president of Burris Logistics, which today operates 17 distribution centers and a fleet of refrigerated transportation equipment throughout the Eastern United States. Mr. Burris also served on the board of directors of the then National Frozen Food Association from 1977 to 1982. He and his wife, Susan, have three children and eight grandchildren. Mr. Burris died Sept. 19, 2010, after a lengthy battle with cancer.
A. “Ray” Walker has dedicated the last 40 years of his career to the frozen food industry, having represented the industry in a variety of capacities. In 1985, he joined Patterson Frozen Foods as vice president of sales, and in 2000 was named chief executive officer. Ray became a member of Patterson’s board of directors following the sale of Patterson Frozen Foods to Patterson Vegetable Company.
Mr. Walker has also served on the boards of the California League of Food Processors and the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), and was AFFI chairman in 2009. He and his wife, Remo, have three children and nine grandchildren.
The Distinguished Order of Zerocrats is an organization of industry leaders whose mission is to promote the image and advancement of the frozen food industry. The Frozen Food Hall of Fame was established by the Zerocrats in 1990, with members of the Zerocrats nominating and voting on Hall of Fame inductees.
The evening’s ceremony also saw the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats welcome six new members to its ranks.
“It’s an honor to celebrate the achievements of the newest Zerocrats. Each of them has contributed to the success of our industry and we’re proud to welcome them into a group of their fellow industry leaders,” said Naasz.
The 2011 Distinguished Order of Zerocrats inductees are:
“¢ Mark Dunn, J.R. Simplot Co.
“¢ Wesley Eubanks, The Pictsweet Company
“¢ Robert Garfield, Safe Quality Food Institute
“¢ David Harlan, U.S. Cold Storage
“¢ Janice Scott, Commercial Cold Storage
“¢ George Smith, NORPAC Foods, Inc.
