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26 FEDA News & Views just before him, presenting to Prison Foodservice directors with Gill Marketing, which represented both Servolift Eastern and Groen. Right before going on, both of us standing in the back of the room, Ira sensed my nervousness. In true Ira-ese, he whispered to me, "Look at everyone else presenting in this room—all eyes will be on you. You'll knock 'em dead!" I said, "Ira, my Dad gave me a joke to open with, but I'm not sure it's appropriate to tell in public." Ira said, "I'm sure this audience will love it." I told the joke…there was a slight gasp in the room at the punch line…and then fi nally from the rear came a slow, steady, high-pitched laugh—from Ira. Everyone else followed. Not only did Ira save me, but in his presentation he referenced my risqué joke with incredible kindness, making everything alright, as he always did. Following Ira on the road I learned early on that it was far better to open for Ira than to follow him! In my many years at Groen, onsite meetings with customers often occurred around industry shows and buying group meetings and, invariably, Ira and I had the same schedule of customer visits. Wherever he went before me, there on the customer's desk, a thoughtful gift sat: a book he knew they would love, a www.globefoodequip.com • 800-347-5423 More SavingS More CapaCity More ConSiStenCy More yield More peaCe of Mind More Convenient Sharpening More preCiSion More CoMfort More inforMation More aCCeSS More rooM More than the suM of its parts To learn More about Globe's all new S-Series premium slicers, visit us at NRA in booth# 3212! S-Series Slicers Industry Insights continued memento related to their hobbies, something unique for their children. Ira didn't just call on you, Ira knew you. The fi rst 15 minutes of every visit with those customers was about what Ira said, what Ira gave them, and how considerate and fun Ira's sales call was! I knew I was going to lose those minutes every time I walked in and saw a chair raised to its highest position across from the customer! Ira's trademark was playing off his shortness. Ira and Industry Events In the olden days, NAFEM, FCSI, MAFSI and FEDA had ban- quet dinner/dances with bands. I could learn more on the dance fl oor in one night with 20 different customers than I could playing golf in one foursome all day. Ira was a great dancer but after a few rejected offers, he clearly noticed that I turned him down because he was a manufacturer and not a customer. When we started Prime Advantage and Ira was a member, he jibed that now, fi nally, he could have a dance. Once my daughter, Sheila, and her girlfriends came from Georgetown to join me for a resort weekend following a FEDA event. All the kids stayed in my room, and I collected dinner tickets from attendees who didn't plan to go to the banquet so the girls could experience a real formal industry dinner. Guess who danced with Sheila and every one of the Georgetown continued on page 38