Bill Maker of FoodSource dies at 45
Bill Maker of FoodSource dies at 45
Bill Maker III, a salesman at Monterey, CA-based FoodSource, died Aug. 6 at age 45 of an undisclosed cause. He was a resident of Salinas, CA.
Mr. Maker was born May 2, 1962, in Salinas. He left some impressive footsteps to follow for younger brothers Mike and Wyatt, the latter a commodity manager at Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms.
Mr. Maker was an all-Monterey Bay League football player at North Salinas High. At Hartnell College in Salinas, he anchored two consecutive state football championship teams as an all-conference center. He then helped the University of Rhode Island to two Yankee Conference titles as a center and outside linebacker. He graduated from URI in 1987.
Mr. Maker possessed a tremendous love of family and friends, great integrity and a passion for hunting and biking. After 20 years in the fresh produce industry, he left behind many friends in the business.
Mr. Maker joined FoodSource in 2000. Susan Tavilla of P. Tavilla Co. Inc. in Chelsea, MA, a wholesale produce company, began doing business with Mr. Maker six years ago.
"He was a friend," Ms. Tavilla said. "It's a great loss to me personally and professionally."
Rick Whitmore of Salinas-based Whitmore Distributing Co. Inc. met Mr. Maker through the industry. "I met him about 20 years ago. He was not only a customer but a real good friend," Mr. Whitmore said. "We talked three or four times a week. He had super high integrity. I miss him already."
Ray Griffin, general manager at FoodSource, said that Mr. Maker took on a management role as salesman on the procurement team. He said that Mr. Maker had a "wealth of knowledge," and as FoodSource grew to 65 employees, Mr. Maker mentored many of them.
Larry Bush, procurement manager for FoodSource, said that he and Mr. Maker had been friends since their late teens and that Mr. Maker's "loyalty was unmatched."
Mr. Maker began his produce career as a field inspector in the Salinas Valley. He went on to work for Amerifresh for 11 years, initially as a field inspector before moving into sales. He then joined FoodSource in 2000.
Among Mr. Maker's survivors are his wife of 13 years, Lisa Maker of Salinas; parents, Bill and Deannie Maker of Salinas; brothers Wyatt Maker and Mike Maker, both of Salinas; nephews Wyatt and Garrett Maker of Salinas; and niece Savanna Maker of Salinas.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Hartnell College Foundation in care of Bill Maker III Scholarship, 156 Homestead Ave., Salinas, CA, 93901.
Mr. Maker was born May 2, 1962, in Salinas. He left some impressive footsteps to follow for younger brothers Mike and Wyatt, the latter a commodity manager at Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms.
Mr. Maker was an all-Monterey Bay League football player at North Salinas High. At Hartnell College in Salinas, he anchored two consecutive state football championship teams as an all-conference center. He then helped the University of Rhode Island to two Yankee Conference titles as a center and outside linebacker. He graduated from URI in 1987.
Mr. Maker possessed a tremendous love of family and friends, great integrity and a passion for hunting and biking. After 20 years in the fresh produce industry, he left behind many friends in the business.
Mr. Maker joined FoodSource in 2000. Susan Tavilla of P. Tavilla Co. Inc. in Chelsea, MA, a wholesale produce company, began doing business with Mr. Maker six years ago.
"He was a friend," Ms. Tavilla said. "It's a great loss to me personally and professionally."
Rick Whitmore of Salinas-based Whitmore Distributing Co. Inc. met Mr. Maker through the industry. "I met him about 20 years ago. He was not only a customer but a real good friend," Mr. Whitmore said. "We talked three or four times a week. He had super high integrity. I miss him already."
Ray Griffin, general manager at FoodSource, said that Mr. Maker took on a management role as salesman on the procurement team. He said that Mr. Maker had a "wealth of knowledge," and as FoodSource grew to 65 employees, Mr. Maker mentored many of them.
Larry Bush, procurement manager for FoodSource, said that he and Mr. Maker had been friends since their late teens and that Mr. Maker's "loyalty was unmatched."
Mr. Maker began his produce career as a field inspector in the Salinas Valley. He went on to work for Amerifresh for 11 years, initially as a field inspector before moving into sales. He then joined FoodSource in 2000.
Among Mr. Maker's survivors are his wife of 13 years, Lisa Maker of Salinas; parents, Bill and Deannie Maker of Salinas; brothers Wyatt Maker and Mike Maker, both of Salinas; nephews Wyatt and Garrett Maker of Salinas; and niece Savanna Maker of Salinas.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Hartnell College Foundation in care of Bill Maker III Scholarship, 156 Homestead Ave., Salinas, CA, 93901.
