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Food service distribution giant John Gordon Sr. remembered

John Gordon Sr. formal desk portrait
Gordon Food Service

John Gordon Sr. who, along with his brother Paul, transformed Grand Rapids-based Gordon Food Service into a multi-national leader in food service distribution has died after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

John Gordon Sr., Vice Chairman Emeritus of Gordon Food Service passed away at the age of 90. He began his career in the family business in 1953 following college and his service in the United States Army. John Gordon worked his way up the company ladder beginning in sales, purchasing, operations then grew into Secretary and Treasurer in 1965. By 1991 he was appointed Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. His commitment to showing up at the office continued after his 90th birthday.

John Gordon, along with his brother Paul, grew the family’s regional grocery supplier model into a multi-billion dollar business through innovation. With more than 20,000 employees across North America, John was the pioneering force behind company’s Employee Profit Sharing Plan.

Dave Gray, a member of the company’s Board of Directors expressed, “John loved the people of Gordon Food Service and never missed the opportunity to say thank you for their service. It is now our turn to say, ‘thank you’ to John for the wonderful business he has entrusted to our care.”

A company new release adds, “John was recognized for his business achievements with the Ernst & Young West Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2004. He also proudly served on the board of the Porter Hills Foundation and the Alma College President’s Advisory Council. John also served as a deacon and an elder of Eastminster Presbyterian Church.”

Patrick Center, WGVU News.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.