NAC Names McMillin as 2019 Mickey Warner Recipient
The National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) announced at CinemaCon 2019 in Las Vegas that Brian E. McMillin, ECM, Concessions Manager at The Lexington Center Corporation in Lexington, Kentucky has been named the 2019 Mickey Warner Award Recipient. The Mickey Warner Award is bestowed upon an individual each year by NAC to recognize leadership and significant accomplishments in the non-theatre concession industry.The award honors the late Mickey Warner, the father of the NAC Concession Manager Certification Program and one of the greatest innovators and educators of the concessions industry. The 2019 award will be presented at the NAC Concession & Hospitality Expo in Chicago on Thursday, August 1 during the NAC Luncheon and Annual Membership Meeting at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park Hotel.
Brian McMillin has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the leisure-time food and beverage concessions industry. After an early career in Fast Food and Retail Management in Southwest Ohio and Central Kentucky, McMillin joined the Lexington Center Corporation Concession Department as Assistant Manager in 1990 and was elevated to Concession Department Manager in 1997.
He became an Associate Member of NAC in 1992 and assumed the Primary Membership for Lexington Center after June Johnson’s retirement. Almost immediately, he recognized the value and importance of NAC and its continuing education programs. McMillin earned his Concession Manager Certification (CCM) designation in 1996 and took the next step in 2007 when he successfully completed his Executive Concession Manager (ECM) certification.
An active advocate for the industry and for NAC, McMillin joined the board of directors as a Regional Vice President (RVP) and was promoted to Treasurer in 2018 where he serves to this day. He has been a regular attendee of the NAC Concession and Hospitality Expo and has contributed his expertise on various panels and workshops. In fact, he has only missed two NAC Expos since joining the organization.
Past recipients of the Mickey Warner Award include: Shelly Feldman of Shelly Feldman Associates (2002), Walter Dunn of the Coca-Cola Company (2003), Frank Liberto of Ricos Products Company (2004), Jeremy M. Jacobs of the Delaware North Companies (2005), Chris Bigelow of Bigelow Companies (2006), Phil Noyes of Proof of the Pudding (2007), Ken Young of Ovations Food Service (2008), Charlie Cretors of C. Cretors and Company (2009), Gary Horvath of Ovations Food Service (2010), J. C. Evans of Gold Medal Products (2011), Larry Etter of Malco Theatres (2012), Terry Conlon of the University of Illinois (2013), Gary Wattie of Centerplate (2014), Dan Kroeger of Gold Medal (2015), Charlie Neary of Spectra Food Services & Hospitality (2016), Joe Joyce (2017) and Jon Muscalo of Legends Hospitality Management (2018).
About NAC: The National Association of Concessionaires, in its 75th year, is the trade association for the recreation and leisure-time food and beverage concessions industry. Members are comprised of the owners and operators of facilities such as: Movie Theatres, Stadiums & Arenas, Zoos & Aquariums, Colleges & Universities, Foodservice Contractors, Park & Recreation Departments, Amusement Parks & Family Entertainment Centers, Ice and Roller Skating Rinks, Racetracks, Bowling Centers, Outdoor facilities, Convention centers and Performing Arts Centers. Our members also are the companies that provide products and services to these facilities, including: Suppliers, Equipment Manufacturers, Popcorn Processors, Jobber Distributors, Consultants and Brokers.
For more information:
Chris Dammann
Director of Communications
612-849-8418
cdammann@naconline.org
Category: News Releases