Joel Kolen
Living Tribute Fund
Established 2007
Joel Kolen was the president of Empress International. He also served as president of the National Fisheries Institute and chairman of the Seafood Industry Research Fund board. Joel was pivotal in rebranding the Fisheries Scholarship Fund (FSF) to now the Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF). Joel retired from his SIRF chairmanship position in 2012.
Peter V. Cardone
Living Tribute Fund
Established 2007
Pete Cardone founded Harbor Seafood in 1975. He started his career as a general food brokerage in Canal Street and eventually grew his company into an international seafood importer and exporter. Pete used his extensive experience as a chef to become a successful and respected food broker. He discovered a passion for seafood after working with the Wakefield line and moved Harbor Seafood away from brokerage, into importing and packaging seafood. Pete served as chairman of NFI from 1990 – 1991, and a long-time supporter and board member for SIRF.
Wallace R. “Wally” Stevens
Living Tribute Fund
Established 2006
Wally Stevens is an outstanding leader of 47 years in the seafood industry. His seafood career includes the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), Slade Gorton (over 17 years), Ocean Products, and Booth Fisheries. Before entering the industry, Wally served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era, assisting with transporting men and materials to and from Southeast Asia. He was an integral part of GAA’s growth as well as the expansion of its Best Aquaculture Practices certification program. He served as NFI chairman in 2001, co-founded the NFI Future Leaders Program, and was inducted into the Boston Seafood Hall of Fame.
Robert P. Brubaker
Living Tribute Fund
Established 2006
Robert P. Brubaker, a veteran U.S. Air Force Pilot, began his career in the food industry at General Foods Corporation in New York. In 1967, he moved to Georgia to serve as VP of Marketing for King and Prince Seafood and rose to Director in 1971, President in 1980, and then CEO and Chairman of the Board in 1995. From 1981 to 1992 he was involved with the National Fisheries Institute where he served as Chairman. He retired from the company in 2004 to spend time with his family.
Joseph R. Lee
Living Tribute Fund
Established 2005
Former chairman and CEO of Darden Restaurants, Joe Lee was named to this position on May 29, 1995, when Darden Restaurants split from General Mills Restaurants. Mr. Lee began his career at General Mills in 1967 as a member of Red Lobster’s founding team and manager of the first Red Lobster in Lakeland, Florida. When General Mills bought the fledging seafood chain in the 1970s, he was named president and CEO.
Wally M. Gordon
Memorial Fund
Established 2005
Wally Gordon was the president of Mid-Atlantic Foods. He owned a seafood cannery in Pocomoke City, Maryland. Mr. Gordon was described as extremely outgoing and lots of fun by his wife Jackie. He played a big role in the original concept of the Discovery Center & Museum and truly believed in what it would do for the city of Pocomoke. Wally Gordon had worked for Quaker Oats and other food companies before deciding to start his own outfit.
George J. Davidson, Jr.
Memorial Fund
Established 2004
A seafood industry leader for over 25 years, George started his career with Shamrock Fisheries. In 1983, George established Rainbow Seafood Incorporated. George is well known in the seafood industry from north to south and east to west. He believed that work should not be stressful and while his philosophy was to do a good job, he encouraged folks to have fun every day.
Rich Catanzaro
Memorial Scholarship Fund
2004
Rich Catanzaro passed away in 2004 at the age of 49. Born in New Jersey, Rich moved to San Antonio, Texas when he became Director of Seafood Procurement and Merchandising at H.E. Butt Grocery Company. Rich led the H-E-B Seafood department for nine years in which time he tripled sales. He was an innovator in marketing seafood within grocery stores.
Rich was a leader on the National Fisheries Institute Executive Committee and active in the Special Olympics, National Shrimp Processors, International Shrimp Processors, Gladys Porter Zoo, and the Blessing of the Fleet. He contributed to “Seafood for Dummies” and “H-E-B’s The Cooking Connection’s Seafood Recipe Collection”. He also helped rebuild the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles in the Gulf Coast.
The scholarships associated with the Rich Catanzaro Memorial Scholarship Fund are used to better understand the market dynamics of selling fish and seafood – an area in which Rich was an innovative leader.
Richard F. Gutting
Memorial Scholarship Fund
2014
Died December 24, 2013 in Alexandria, VA. He was 70. Mr. Gutting graduated from Stanford University and Stanford Law School in 1968 to pursue a 45-year career of law, government service, writing and teaching. He was President of the National Fisheries Institute and partner with the law firm of Redmon, Peyton and Braswell.
Mr. Gutting also served as general counsel for fisheries of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, counsel for the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation of the U.S. House of Representatives and as legal advisor to the President’s Council on Environmental Quality. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Jimmie B. Cook, his son David J. Gutting and his wife Monica of Santa Rosa, California, his daughter Gretchen E. Curtis of Menlo Park, California, four granddaughters Alondra Gutting of Santa Rosa, CA, Linnea Gutting of Santa Rosa, CA, Natalie J. Curtis of Menlo Park, CA, and Stella M. Curtis of Menlo Park, CA. He also leaves one sister Anne L. Gutting of Huntington, NY. His family thanks Richard’s many friends and neighbors for the extraordinary love and support as he battled his final illness.
2008
Abbot Weitzer was born in New York City on January 31, 1920. He proudly served in the South Pacific with the Army in World War II. Abbot was the President of Arista Industries, Inc. in Wilton, CT for many years. Upon retiring, he volunteered his considerable business skills to SCORE, an organization based in Norwalk dedicated to helping people open their own businesses. He was first President of the Couples Club of Congregation Agudath Sholom of Stamford. He and his wife have been very active members of Rolling Hills Country Club for many years. Abbot had a great love of life, of golf, of dancing and celebration and, most of all, an unsurpassed devotion to his beloved wife of 58 years, Sylvia, his son Stephen Weitzer and his wife Grace of Fairfield, and his daughter Laurie Gnolfo and her husband Tony of Shelton. He adored his five grandsons, Alan, Joseph and Robert Weitzer and Jake and Ben Pistor.
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