The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) presented Steven D. Cobb, chairman and CEO of Henny Penny Corporation, with the 2013 William W. Carpenter Award.

The award was presented at the NAFEM Show on February 6 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

The William W. Carpenter Award is the association's highest honor, given to a foodservice industry professional who has continually contributed to NAFEM's success and to the enrichment of the industry at large.

"On behalf of NAFEM, I am pleased to present this award to someone who is recognized in the industry for his leadership," says Thomas R. Campion, NAFEM president and president of Franke Foodservice Systems. "His many contributions to NAFEM and his commitment to the end-user customer have provided direction and inspiration to all of us over the years.

Cobb joined the foodservice equipment and supplies industry and Henny Penny Corporation 25 years ago. His tenure with NAFEM lasted 13 years, highlighted by a term as NAFEM show chair in 1999 and as the organization's president in 2004-2005.

Among his many contributions to NAFEM is oversight of the business plan and financial model that was created when NAFEM became a self-operating organization. In addition, he was instrumental in retooling NAFEM's strategic planning process, thus charting a course for NAFEM's relevance and growth for decades to come.