Registration is open for the 52nd Candy Hall of Fame weekend, honoring 11 industry leaders who have significantly impacted the confectionery industry. The 2023 Candy Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday, October 21.
The Candy Hall of Fame inductions will take place during the National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA) Annual Meeting Weekend. The weekend will include a welcome reception on Friday, October 20, followed by the induction ceremony on Saturday, October 21. The ceremony consists of a gala dinner and presentations highlighting the honorees’ professional and personal lives. The event will conclude on Sunday, October 22, with a farewell breakfast.
“This year’s Candy Hall of Fame class is an exceptional group of leaders in the confection industry, each of them with a unique background that has helped advance the industry,” said Shelly Clarey, NCSA president. “We’re looking forward to gathering together to celebrate their incredible achievements this fall in Tampa.”
Eleven industry leaders will be inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame, receiving the industry’s most prestigious honor. The 2023 Candy Hall of Fame inductees include:
- Brad Carlin, C.A. Carlin
- Tony Frankenberger, McLane Co.
- Adolph Goelitz, Goelitz Confectionery Co. (now Jelly Belly Candy Co.)
- Mitchell Goetze, Goetze’s Candy Co., Inc.
- Susan Grassey, Harris Teeter Supermarkets, LLC
- Patrice Guy, The Walt Disney Co.
- Shawn Houser-Fedor, The Hershey Co.
- Rose Potts, Blommer Chocolate Co.
- Arne Sandberg, PPC Prototype Packaging LLC
- David Shaffer, Just Born, Inc.
- Brian Sisitzky, L.H. Sisitzky Sales, Inc.
Brad Carlin boasts 34 years in the confectionery industry, starting as a confectionery brokerage sales representative to becoming the chairman and CEO of C.A. Carlin. He has played a pivotal role in creating a leading sales agency specializing in consumer brands and has helped transform the business from its foundation of confection and snacks to providing service across all categories and regions within the CPG industry.
Tony Frankenberger, CEO of McLane Company, has been in the distribution industry for more than 40 years. He has served in many roles at the McLane Company, and in 2020, he became president of the company and has excelled in creating high-performance teams focused on extraordinary customer service.
In 1898, Adolph Goelitz founded his candy business at just 28 years old. The Goelitz Confectionery Co. later merged with German Goelitz Candy Co. to form Jelly Belly Candy Company. Goelitz, who is being inducted posthumously, worked in the confectionery industry for 47 years before passing away nearly 90 years ago. His legacy lives on with several of his descendants working in the candy business today.
With more than 35 years of experience, Mitchell Goetze is a fifth-generation candy maker at Goetze’s Candy Company, carrying on the tradition of his great-great-grandfather, who started the business in 1895. Goetze has demonstrated loyalty to supporting the confectionery industry through his dedication to building his family-owned company and his passion for growing and fighting for the confectionery industry.
Susan Grassey has been in the confection industry for 24 years, spending 17 years as a category analyst and category manager of confection at Food Lion before moving to Harris Teeter, where she has been instrumental in the growth of its specialty confection selection.
For 45 years, Patrice Guy has been an employee of The Walt Disney Company, joining the buying team at Epcot for several categories, including candy and snacks in 1989. Under her leadership and utilizing her creativity, all category brands have been updated and right-sized, and new graphics and confections and product types have been introduced.
Born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Shawn Houser-Fedor has always had chocolate in her blood. Houser-Fedor is the senior director of chocolate and packaging research and development for The Hershey Company, where she is responsible for leading new products, package designs and technology developments for chocolate confectionery and snack cakes. She has worked for Hershey for more than 25 years, helping contribute to the confection category and providing new growth opportunities for Hershey and the overall category.
Rose Potts has worked for Blommer Chocolate Company for more than 35 years, where she has performed multiple functions, including cocoa bean inspector, sanitation supervisor, and quality control supervisor. She is currently corporate manager sensory & product guidance, working as part of the research and development team emphasizing sensory evaluation.
Arne Sandberg is vice president of new business development at PPC Prototype Packaging LLC and has been in the confectionery industry for more than 20 years. He has worked with hundreds of confectionary companies helping to develop prototype packaging to bring new concepts to retail.
David Shaffer is a respected industry leader who followed in his father’s and uncle’s footsteps, growing Just Born Quality Confections into the 10th largest candy company in the United States. Shaffer officially joined Just Born Quality Confections in 1978, and in 1992, he and his cousin Ross became co-presidents of the company.
Brian Sisitzky has been in the confectionery industry for more than 43 years, and his family brokerage firm, L.H. Sisitzky Sales, has grown to one of the largest in New England. Sisitzky has been a steward of the confectionery industry and steadfastly supports small businesses, iconic brands and the premium segmentation categories.
“Each member of this diverse group brings more than 20 years of dedicated service building and strengthening the confectionery industry,” said Joe Melville, chairman, NCSA. “We’re pleased to welcome all 11 established individuals into the Candy Hall of Fame and join the ranks of likeminded industry leaders.”
Each inductee will receive a Candy Hall of Fame plaque and pin at the ceremony to commemorate their induction.
Attendees who register by Monday, August 28 can take advantage of Early Bird rates. For more information and to register for this year's event, click here.
For more details about the NCSA and the Candy Hall of Fame, visit candyhalloffame.org.
