Hall Of Fame Inductees

TICA is proud to present the Hall of Fame inductees. 

2024 Inductees

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2023 Inductee

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Hoss Rafaty

From a difficult journey to America and with humble beginnings, Hoss Rafaty and his partner grew Yumi Ice Cream from a small mobile vending operation to one of the largest full-service ice cream distributors in the United States. Hoss Rafaty joined TICA in 1986 and has since served in several leadership roles including Chairman of the Safety Committee (1992-1995, Creating four different safety videos in English and Spanish), Chairman of the Legislative Committee (1996-1997), Treasurer (1999-2000), and President (2001-2002, 2015-2016).

For the past four decades, Hoss has unselfishly dedicated himself to TICA. It was Hoss who carried the association through the troubled times surrounding 9/11 and brought in a new approach to the budget, process, and mission. Hoss has been an Adviser to Nestle, Blue Bunny, and Unilever creating Yumi University and sharing best practices with over 100 companies from the United States and Europe.

2022 Inductee

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Bruce Ginsberg

Bruce Ginsberg has been a servant leader of TICA for more than two decades. In addition to serving two terms as President, he served numerous terms on the Board of Directors and as Annual Convention Chair.  

Bruce created a vision to enable the association and our industry to sustain and grow for future years. He inspired others to become engaged and shared the vision so vividly, it became the vision of others. Thanks Bruce's inspiration and leadership, TICA will remain healthy and relevant for many years.

2019 Inductee

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Alan Drazen

Alan Drazen has been a dedicated member of TICA for decades. In addition to serving two terms as President, he has served on the Board and as Annual Convention Chair for more than 20 years. An innovator, he was a driving force in officially welcoming distributors to the Association, thus renaming IAICV to IAICDV. Some of Alan’s other pivotal contributions include the creation of the Perpetual Fund platform and TICA safety videos. Alan is most well known as the creator of the universally recognized, Choco Taco. 

2016 Inductee

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Carl S. Long III

Carl Long has been an industry leader in safety, having produced the first comprehensive safety video for mobile vending while President of Delight Wholesale Company. This became the foundation for the original TICA safety video. He spearheaded development of safety signs and equipment, and was a leader in background checks for mobile vendors. After two decades with Delight Wholesale Company, Carl formed Frosty Treats in 1991.

Carl Long served as President of the Association for four years and Treasurer for ten. Over the years, Carl has been the ultimate advocate for ice cream vending. Whether it be working with fellow TICA members, suppliers, legislators or others, Carl has always worked to better the industry.

2014 Inductees

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Earl Barish

Earl Barish joined the Association’s Executive, then the National Association of Ice Cream Vendors (NAICV) in the early ‘80’s. After several positions on the executive, he became President for two years – 1993 and 1994 – and along with his wife Cheryl, guided the association through its 25th Anniversary – a memorable event. The Association changed the ‘N’ in its name to an ‘I’, referring to the word ‘International’ as Earl was its first Canadian President.

Earl and his brother Sid owned and operated Dickie Dee Ice Cream in Canada – a mobile 3-wheel pedaled bike operation. It began in 1959 in Winnipeg, Canada with eight bikes and grew to 1,500 as well as 5,500 ice cream cabinets in retail outlets from coast to coast in Canada.

Earl was voted one of Canada’s top 80 Entrepreneurs and was referred to as the ‘King of the Vendors’.

Sid Barish 

Earl in Western Canada and Sid in Eastern Canada, developed new products in their ice cream operations as well as many new and unique ice cream novelties that were sold from the ice cream bikes. In 1988 the introduction of the gourmet boxed ice cream bar known as the “Richard D’s” bar appealed to a market that had previously never experienced a bar of that quality. Despite its higher retail price, the “Richard D’s” bar, gradually took off and became a highly popular item across Canada. The bubble cabinet was then developed to house and market the gourmet bar along with other unique products which were part of its planogram. In the early 1990's Dickie Dee was sold to Unilever International-Good Humor/Breyers. 

Sid served as Vice President for TICA and was a driving force for the industry in Canada.

Eric Walsh

Eric was responsible for the acquisition of the Klondike, Breyers and Ben and Jerry Brands into the Unilever Portfolio. He is an icon in the Global Ice Cream Industry and was responsible for making Unilever Ice Cream the first Ice Cream Division to reach $1 billion in sales.

2012 Inductees

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Stephan Feldman

Steve played an important part in shaping and guiding TICA into the strong organization it is today. He is responsible for developing funding initiatives that raised significant revenue when needed for the association. He helped grow the association by promoting the importance of safety on the ice cream vending industry.

2011 Inductees

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Jim Roberts

Jim was drawn to TICA sometime in the sixties, involved in a case that went to the Supreme Court in Alabama regarding independent contractor status. From that point on, he helped protect the ice cream industry and the association with his legal guidance and support as Legal Counsel from 1974-2021. Over the decades, his wisdom and judgment have been instrumental in effectively solving business and individual problems for many vendors across the United States. 

He joined TICA out of his sense of service in the early 1980s and served as an Honorary Director and member of the Executive Committee. In 2011,  he was inducted into TICA's Hall of Fame.

Jim was a great man. Considered a mentor by many. We will miss him and be thankful for his friendship and generosity to TICA.

Robert Holder

Bob Holder has a rich history in the ice cream industry, and a particular impact on the Mobile Vending Channel of Trade. In his first endeavors in ice cream at Merritt Foods in Kansas City, he actively supported the mobile vending industry through his insistence of listening to the customer. When Merritt announced the decision to liquidate its assets, and trademarks, Bob simultaneously gained the support of the Wells family to acquire those assets. The program that Bob, Wells and several distributors created – the Master Distributor Program – created a new beginning for an industry that was struggling to remain relevant.

Since these events that occurred in 1991 – 1992, the Mobile Vending channel of trade has seen much evolution, with fleets and independent vendors working to remain strong, while push carts, and new opportunities are expanding the reach to consumers. Bob has always been on the forefront of new endeavors, and was in the lead in understanding the needs of the new vending vehicles, and promoted a readiness to evolve, and answer to those needs.

2009 Inductees

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Doc Abernethy

In the ice cream industry, the name "Doc Abernethy" is synonymous with creativity and vision. During his thirty-six years in the business, Doc introduced a string of novelty innovations, from the Bomb Pop introduced in 1958, to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. By the 1980s, the country was ready for a good fruit and juice bar, so Doc created it - launching the Dole Frozen Dessert Business. Next came Pink Panther, Ghostbusters and the hugely successful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles program. 

As a charter member of TICA, Doc was a key figure in the Association's development, and a devoted supporter of the Association. In 1990, a scholarship was established in his name, supported by an initial grant from Doc's colleagues at Merritt Foods. In 1991, Doc was named an Honorary Director of TICA and awarded the prestigious Mickey Schwartz Award. His kindness, charisma and creativity will be greatly missed, but not forgotten.

CLICK HERE to read the article, Success With Serenity: A Self-Study and Clinic on Sales and Marketing Gleaned From 42 Years in the Ice Cream Business.

Manny Ginsberg

At 15 Manny Ginsberg started selling ice cream from a shoulder box on Revere Beach. By the time he was 17, he purchased his first ice cream dipping stand. At 19 he became the youngest Howard Johnson Franchisee ever. Manny had a vision that more ice cream could be sold by taking his products to where people where. Dissatisfied with the traditional ice cream jump truck being used at that time, Manny innovated a new mobile vending truck, which he called the “inside sales” vehicle. Manny’s invention, enabled his company and the ice cream vending industry to experience rapid growth. Manny built and sold over 10,000 ice cream trucks throughout the world and along the way, he helped countless people get started in business. Manny was an inspirational entrepreneur who believed in the benefits of hard work and mutuality. Manny was an original Founding Member of the IAICV.

Bill & Jim Conway

Jim Conway - seated left; Bill Conway - standing in center

Bill and Jim started Mister Softee, one of the largest ice cream fleets in the United States. The company was an innovator in soft ice cream vending.  From humble beginnings in West Philadelphia, Mister Softee now has some 650 trucks operating in 18 states and a separate venture in China. In 2016 the company will celebrate its 60th anniversary.

Albert T. Reynolds, Jr.

Mr. Reynolds worked 42 years at Good Humor and retired as a Vice President. Mr. Reynolds also served his country in World War II in the 94th infantry.

He was one of the founding members of TICA and brought the support of Good Humor/Unilever to the association in it’s infancy. He served two terms and a total of four years as TICA president starting in 1974. He loved our association and was active in attending our meetings until 2002. Wearing his Good Humor Sport Jacket he would go around the room at our general session and mention the name of everyone in the room, many he may have only met once. He was the consummate Professional and had class in everything he did. Through his efforts in supporting safe and professional practices in Mobile Vending the first safety program was developed in 1971.

Jay Schwartz

Jack & Jill Ice Cream began selling ice cream in 1929 from a wooden box carried over the shoulder. Their first truck was purchased in 1938. The company was founded on a commitment to provide great customer service and quality products.

Jay Schwartz, the founder’s son, saw great opportunities in wholesale distribution and began distributing leading regional and national brands in the Delaware Valley. In the early 1980's, the JACK & JILL® brand of novelties was introduced.

By the mid 1980's, the JACK & JILL® ice cream product line grew beyond classic novelties to premium ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and water ice. Jay expanded Jack & Jill Ice Cream's distribution area expanded to Baltimore and Washington, DC.

As the marketplace continued to change, the company focused more on impulse and out-of-home ice cream markets. This further expanded their presence in the Mid-Atlantic region. Under Jay’s guidance, Jack & Jill became the premier ice cream distribution company in the United States.