2. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
FDR – Inaugural Address 1932
In 1930 the US economy found itself in the grip of
the “Great Depression”. Robert M. Reeder, my
Grandfather was a hard nosed Pennsylvania farmer,
and decided the best way to prosper was to be self-
sufficient. He quit his job at his father’s hardware
store and purchased 45 acres of land in upstate
Pennsylvania. He began Reeder’s Poultry Farm. He
drilled his own well for water, raised his own grain
and corn for feed and built a modest poultry business
that was to last for forty years.
Reeder’s Poultry Farm – circa 1948
Above- Robert M. Reeder, a
hard nosed farmer.
Right – Grandma Reeder
feeding chickens on the farm.
3. “A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his
opportunities and an optimist is one who makes
opportunities of his difficulties.” – Harry S. Truman
When the Korean war broke out, Robert
“Bob” L. Reeder left his father’s poultry
farm to join the Air Force . Assigned to
the 85th
Food Service Squadron in
Germany, Bob learned food preparation
and service on a massive scale. He also
learned a skill he would practice the rest
of his life … meat cutting and retail meat
management.
Returning home to up-state
Pennsylvania after the service, he found
his father’s poultry farm scaling down
and diversifying as his father prepared
to retire. Bob went job hunting and he
met a man named David Javitch who
was starting a new supermarket chain
in Lewistown, PA and who needed meat
cutters. In 1955 he helped open the
new Giant store working as a butcher.
In 1959 with a baby son (Joe)
due, Bob set off to the
Philadelphia area in search of a
bigger and better opportunity in
the food business. He found it in
the Great Atlantic and Pacific
Tea Company or A&P.
The A&P was the largest retail food chain
in America. There he started a 35 year
tenure as a butcher - and later a meat
and deli department manager in one of
the chain’s highest volume stores. When
his son, Joe, turned 16 years old there
was no question that Joe was also going
to work part-time in the A&P meat
department while going to university at
Penn State.
The “Flying Frying Pan” of
the 85th
Food Service
The first GIANT in Lewistown, PA
4. “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose
and direction” - John F. Kennedy
By the time my job at the deli was done, I had
graduated Penn State University with a commission
as a US Army Officer and was assigned to the 11th
Armored Cavalry, patrolling the East / West
German border.
Never forgetting my food service background, I
volunteered for Mess Hall Officer, in the 1st
Squadron, as an additional duty. We worked closely
with supply and preparation staff to insure
wholesome meals were delivered to the troops in
both garrison and field environments.
Returning to civilian life, I sought out a career in
logistics and distribution. Working with companies
like Johnson & Johnson and CertainTeed I acquired
the fundamentals of materials management and
finance.
In 1989 I joined Keystone Foods, the
worlds largest global supplier to
McDonald’s restaurants. Keystone
Foods manufactured beef, chicken and
fish products as well as providing
consolidated multi-temperature
distribution services.
I was now able to meld my knowledge of food handling
and logistics, and as McDonald’s grew internationally so
did logistics opportunities, which I immersed myself in.
France was to become my
first international challenge
in food logistics and
production.
The French, known for their
fine food, high standards and
intricate law, posed new and
exciting challenges for me in
the food service business. I
also relocated to France and
lived as a local for nine years.
5. “How can you govern a country with two hundred
and forty six varieties of cheese?” – Charles deGaulle
L.R. Services - “Logistique Restauration
Services” was Keystone Foods French Division.
In 1991 McDonald’s France was opening
restaurants at the rate of 14 a week. Initially
acting as Operations Consultant for the Paris
distribution center, I was soon called upon to
create specifications, design, start and manage
our second Distribution Center in Lyon, France.
Lyon, France – McDonald’s Distribution Center
Distribution Center, Paris,
France
As growth continued,
diversification fromthe
core business of
McDonald’s also became a
priority.
Shell Oil presented an
opportunity as it was
looking fora full service
distributor for its Select
brand convenience stores
in Malaysia.
As the Project Managerfor this
endeavor, new skills and
methods had to be learned and
developed. Additional challenges
involved the Malaysian
infrastructure and tropical
climate.
Malaysia is over 127,000 square
miles in area and Shell has over400
convenience stores throughout the
country.
A typical Shell Select store in
Malaysia
Receiving bulk product per delivery and custom picking
into individual delivery cartons
6. “If an expert says it can't be done, get another
expert.” – David Ben-Gurion
Expansion into the Middle East and a
disastrous start to our distribution in Israel
saw the creation of a division of Keystone to
address the specific needs of that region. As
International Business Development Manager I
was tasked with getting things right and
keeping them going. New challenges soon
presented themselves.
Cultural, religious and dietary
sensitivities soon became as
important as financial and
operational issues. Kosher and
Halal, along with the particulars
involved with their handling,
became a priority.
While Keystone Foods had direct
involvement in countries such as Israel and
the UAE, McDonald’s requested my
expertise in markets where Keystone was
not yet involved. I was placed on loan to
start food distribution operations in Malta,
Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
The Burj Al Arab in Dubai
Petra in Jordan
7. “I haven't eaten at a McDonald's since I became
President.” – William Jefferson Clinton
South Korea,
Argentina,
Chile,
Venezuela,
Thailand,
Mexico,
France,
Israel and
around the
world….
Team training, motivation, transfer of best practices, support,
follow up and a commitment to quality are the foundations for
success.
Building a new DC in
South. Korea
A U.S. delivery
dispatches
100% beef
AIB, HAACP,
cleanliness and
safety standards
universally.
8. My Business Mantra.
FROM ME NOT A BOOK OR SOME CONSULTANT
P – Perseverance, you’ve got to stick
with it!
A – Autonomy, you can’t just sit on
your hands and wait to be told what to
do.
I – Integrity, your integrity is gold.
Never compromise it! People will not
follow a liar.
D – Direction. You gotta know where
point A is and point B is. It’s Ok to
check the road map along the way, but
know where you are going.
Do these four things and you will get;
P,A,I,D,
PAID
Joseph M. Reeder
