Memphis, TN -- Larry Etter, Sr Vice President of Concessions, will be honored with the 2012 National Association of Concessionaires' Mickey Warner Award on Thursday, June 21 at the Membership Luncheon during the NACAnnual Convention & Trade Show in Tampa.

"We are fortunate to have someone with Larry's expertise and stature within the industry, heading up our food service operations. He is a valuable member of the Malco team and we are proud of his accomplishments", said Bobby Levy, Malco Executive Vice President.

Larry Etter, CCM, has over three decades of professional experience in the foodservice industry, encompassing major hotel companies, foodservice contractors and his current position as senior vice president of theatre services for Memphis-based Malco Theatres. His responsibilities include concession operations, foodservice marketing and development, purchasing and digital signage.

Prior to joining Malco, Etter served as vice president at regional foodservice contractor Midland Food Services, where he was responsible for food and beverage operations at amusement parks, universities, convention centers, stadiums & arenas, motorsports, water parks and zoos. He has also held positions with Hyatt and Peabody Hotels.

His creativity led to numerous industry awards, including Amusement Business' 1982 Innovator of the Year, Restaurants & Institutions' 1988 Silver Plate Award, Food Service Directors' 1989 Research Advisory Panel, Tyson Foods' 1989 Gold Medal Award, and Tennessee Healthcare Association, Memphis District 1990 Dietary Manager of the Year. He has served as president of the Tri-State Independent Theatre Owners Association and was the recipient of their Outstanding Leadership Award in 2001, and continues as a Board member.

Etter has been an active member of the National Association of Concessionaires, elected to the NAC Board in 1994 where he served as regional vice president for the southeast region, president elect, president, and chairman of the board. In 2002, he was honored with the NAC Bert Nathan Memorial Award, which recognizes leadership, significant contributions to the development and professionalism of the concessions industry and accomplishments and longevity in the theatre segment of concessions. With the Mickey Warner Award, he becomes one of only five people to receive both of the association's highest honors. He earned his NAC Certified Concession Manager (CCM) designation in 2000.

In 2011 he was named director of education for NAC, only the second person to fulfill that role in the association's history. He teaches the NAC Concession Manager Certification Program, the association's premier educational program, which boasts over 900 graduates worldwide, as well as the new Concession Management 101 course.

He has been involved in the United Way Campaign, President of the Exchange Club, Adopt-A-School, Character Counts, and served as an elementary school volunteer art teacher. He and his wife Gwen reside in Memphis, and he is the parent of five children and grandparent of four.

About the Mickey Warner Award:
The Mickey Warner Award is named for the originator of the NAC Concession Manager Certification program, and a great innovator and educator for the concessions industry. Etter is the eleventh person to be honored with this award; previous winners are Shelley Feldman, NAC director of education; Walter Dunn, The Coca-Cola Company; Frank Liberto, Ricos Products Company; Jeremy M. Jacobs,Delaware North Companies; Chris Bigelow, Bigelow Companies; Phil Noyes, Proof of the Pudding; Ken Young, Ovations Food Services, Charlie Cretors, C. Cretors & Company; Gary Horvath, Ovations Food Services, and J.C. Evans, Gold Medal Products Company.
The inspiration for the award, Mickey Warner (1920-1995) had a passion to give recreational foodservice its professional place. His passion led to the innovation of certification programs, an industry textbook, and an NAC university chair. In the early 1980's, Warner discussed the idea of fundinguniversity-level research and teaching with then-NAC president Shelley Feldman. The NAC Board established a chair at Florida International University's, School of Hospitality Management.

In 1985, at the age of 65, Warner entered a doctorate program at the College of Education at FIU to perform research in recreational foodservice management.

Within two years, he completed the entire required curriculum, passed the comprehensive examination and presented his research topics on the competencies of a recreational foodservice manager to the dissertation committee. He wasturned down because of a lack of "body of knowledge."

Not to be defeated, Warner set out to establish a "body of knowledge" by producing an all-encompassing textbook, Recreational Foodservice Management, which is the cornerstone of the NAC certification program today. During thebusy summer of 1988 Warner wrote the textbook, established an undergraduatecourse at FIU, and established a new, one-level certification program for NAC. The next fall Warner represented his request for research to the doctoral committee and was approved.