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The Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) board of directors and members honored Fred Ruiz during a reception and dinner held at the Four Season’s Hotel prior to the 2008 FMI Show held in Las Vegas. Over 50 leaders of the supermarket industry attended the dinner. Ruiz is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Ruiz Foods Inc., Dinuba, Calif.

Ruiz was recognized for his extraordinary achievements and for Ruiz Foods’ decades of supporting FMI as both an exhibitor and host to three board dinners. Tim Hammonds, president and CEO of FMI, and Steven Smith, CEO of KVAT and the FMI chairman, presented Ruiz with a congratulatory plaque.

Ruiz was honored for his company’s humble beginnings and for the years when he would attend the FMI convention with a simple card-table promoting his El Monterey brand products.

This official recognition for years of leadership and industry citizenship was attended by members of the third Ruiz generation—Kim Ruiz Beck, vice chairman, and Bryce Ruiz, president and COO. Fred Ruiz expressed his gratitude to FMI and to the retailers for their business as he spoke about the future of Ruiz Foods and the transition to the next generation.