Frank Gambino: More than 36 years of teaching, industry connections and impact

DR. FRANK GAMBINO

Dr. Frank Gambino, professor of marketing, is the unquestioned heart and soul of the food and consumer package goods marketing program. With a 36-year tenure, his commitment to the program, its students and the food marketing industry is unparalleled. As passionate as ever about the program, Gambino looks forward to his retirement transition over the next two years and passing the baton to the strong team who will lead the program in the future.

But for a faculty member, the lessons never end. 

Gambino shares his insights on what he values most, the program’s milestones and his love for WMU.

Building the food and consumer package goods marketing program

Relevance—it is what the program has strived for since its inception. “We have always ensured that the course content being delivered in the classroom is relevant to industry,” says Gambino. “In our program staying relevant is having faculty members who are current in their research, actively engaged with industry, and listening to business leaders in order to give our students the best possible opportunities for career success. We also provide a number of settings where our students practice applying their skills—case competitions, role-plays, question-and-answer sessions with current professionals, research, conferences, community service, professional certification, an industry tour of Great Lakes businesses, marketing-focused study abroad trips to Thailand, Germany, the Dominican Republic, and more.”

The program, which celebrated its sixtieth anniversary in 2019, continues its strong relationships with the business community. The program’s advisory board has more than 40 members, representing leading companies in the food and consumer package goods spaces. These business partners work with faculty on curriculum development, research, community and alumni outreach, support for the annual Food Marketing Conference and other endeavors. 

“Beyond the relationships with industry, most students would agree there is a sense of family and belonging that is promoted by all our faculty,” says Gambino. “That takes time and effort, but the outcome is lifelong friendships with classmates, faculty and staff.”

Gambino’s favorite part of working with students

“I love watching the growth and development of my students from when they first step onto campus, maybe a little tentative, to their emergence as young professionals focused on a career upon graduation,” he says. “It is an amazing transformation that takes place in a relatively short time span. After graduation, I enjoy staying in touch with alumni and watching as their careers and lives develop. It is truly one of the most gratifying benefits of being a professor.”

Evolution and growth of the WMU Food Marketing Conference

This year the conference marks its 55th anniversary. Started in 1965 as a way to thank industry for support of the program, it was known as Industry Appreciation Day and was held in a classroom on campus. The event evolved over the years, and in 1977 was renamed the Food Management Conference. The program was moved to the Haworth College of Business in 1989 and housed in the Department of Marketing. In 1992, the conference was renamed the Food Marketing Conference. 

“My first involvement with the conference was as a student in 1974, then as an alumnus supporter until I joined the faculty in 1984, so my ties to the conference go back 46 years,” Gambino says. “In the early days, attendance might have been 60 people, and today we have more than 800 participants who attend the conference from all sectors of the industry. In 1994, the conference really began to take on national prominence. That year we outgrew the Fetzer Center with a program that featured the CEOs of Kmart, Meijer, IRI, the National Grocers Association and the editor of Progressive Grocer Magazine.” 

The conference eventually moved to the Radisson Plaza, in downtown Kalamazoo in 2004, and to the current location at the DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids, due to growth. 

“Today the most frequently mentioned reasons industry partners give for supporting the conference are access to future leadership talent in our students, the high-caliber content provided, and the excellent networking opportunities among trading partners,” says Gambino.

Don’t forget the fun

Spend a few minutes in Gambino’s presence, and his ability to incorporate fun into learning and life is evident. “One of the things I have always tried to do is to make learning fun,” he says. “A few years back, I found an electronic game board software that allows me to challenge students on classroom content in a game show format. Students have always remarked how this helped them learn and prepare for quizzes and exams. I also liked seeing the competitiveness that the gamification of the content can bring out.”

A rewarding career

A love for the Kalamazoo community underscores a career that has been rewarding on multiple levels for Gambino. “I love the connection between Kalamazoo and WMU.” 

As a faculty member, he notes the student-centered nature of Western attracts colleagues that put the student first and invest in discovery and student development. “Behind all these stellar programs are passionate and dedicated faculty and staff, and they really are the fabric of Western pride,” he notes.

Generations of students have benefitted from Gambino’s efforts to build the food and consumer package goods marketing program to one of the most highly regarded in the country. Alumni have pursued careers, they have been promoted, and they have lived their dreams. And that’s Gambino’s biggest reward.

What’s next?

“We have so many great things happening,” Gambino remarks. “We launched an Emerging Leaders Executive Development program which has been well received, Bob Samples, faculty specialist, is leading our efforts in this area. Our Food Industry Research and Education Center will be directed by Dr. Marcel Zondag, associate professor of marketing, beginning this semester. We also have plans for a Food Industry Innovation Center that Dr. Ann Veeck, professor of marketing, is spearheading, and we currently are in talks to build a packaging innovation center that would house national and international packaging archives. In addition, we soon expect to announce a new relationship that will bring virtual reality store design and shelf management capabilities to our program.

As for me personally, this is such an exciting time to be able to see so many great things coming together. We have a great group of faculty, staff and student leaders in place, and a solid succession plan to ensure that the WMU food and consumer package goods marketing program remains No. 1 in the country for the foreseeable future.”