www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/buffaloerie/story/221269 -
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Published on: 12/4/2007
Last Visited: 12/4/2007
Thomas R. Heine will succeed Clem Eckert at the end of the year.
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Heine, director of procurement and merchandising for Wilson Farms Convenience Stores, has spent more than 40 years in the food industry.
"The biggest challenge with me coming in is holding the base, then growing the base that Clem and his people have established," Heine said.
Heine mentioned a new fundraiser last year, where patrons sampled desserts from area restaurants, as the kind of approach that helps bring in new blood to the organization.
"We sold over 600 tickets, and we got a lot of new, younger people to attend," he said."They became aware of the Food Bank."
Heine said he would also like to solicit broader support from the general business community.He said that the local grocery stores have been very generous but that he would like to see other businesses get involved as well.
"The Super Dupers and the Bells . . . those are gone," Heine said."Hunger touches everybody in the community, and we've got to continue to grow support from everybody in the community."
Donations are down, and the need continues to rise, both Heine and Eckert said.