Department of Marketing Outstanding Alumni Award

Frank Gambino, B.S.’77, Ed.D.’93

Professor of Marketing, Western Michigan University

Director of the Food and Consumer Package Goods Marketing Program, Western Michigan University

 

Frank Gambino has been a staple of Western Michigan University’s food and consumer package goods marketing program. During his 37-year tenure at the University, Gambino helped build the program in the Haworth College of Business. Housed within the business college since 1989, the major has become nationally recognized, with its students being awarded more than $3.5 million in scholarships and going on to claim positions with the top companies in the food marketing industry.

Gambino helped grow the annual Food Marketing Conference from a small regional event to a large, national conference, attracting some of the biggest names in the industry. In 2020, the conference recorded its highest attendance to date with more than 1,000 participants.

He has served on multiple committees including the Food Industry University Coalition, Kalamazoo Northside Community Association and the Category Management Association. Gambino has been a member of the Wakefern Food Corporation’s Board of Directors Site Development Committee and is currently on the SpartanNash Board of Directors.

He has received the WMU Alumni Teaching Excellence Award, the Michigan Food and Beverage Association Distinguished Service Award, the Haworth College of Business Student Leadership Advisory Board Advisor of the Year Award and was twice recognized with the Haworth College of Business Service Award.