by Joseph RADDER
Clem Eckert is a humble man. When I played football for the old Bishop Fallon
High School we lost every game, he said. It took some probing, but we learned that
at 511 he was one of the biggest players on the team, and that it was the
first season for football at Fallon.
Clem Eckert is one of those Buffalo natives who spent considerable time working out of
town, but wasnt really happy until he came home.
Born in Buffalo in 1934, one of Clem Eckerts fondest moments was when his sister,
Mary, was born when he was age 10. He was in school at the time at Mt. St. Josephs.
I had a really good time there, he said. And I have lasting memories of
a very good education by the Sisters of the Order of St. Joseph.
Four generations: grandfather, James Fennell; great grandmother, Nora Fennell; mother, Mary and Clem. |
The Eckert family in 1948: dad, Clem, Sr.; sister, Mary; Clem, Jr. and mom, Mary. |
Holding his dads 1935 Ford from rolling. |
I was an extremely happy teenager, Clem says. The highlight of my young
life was the day I turned 16. I went right down and got my drivers permit. And I
went to work in Loblaws supermarket at 1439 Kensington that very same day.
Little did he know at the time that the food business in general and Loblaws in
particular would become his lifes work.
After college (Canisius and Bryant & Stratton) he continued to build a successful
career at Loblaws, working in all aspects of the business. Eventually, Loblaws
sent him to Syracuse to be their office manager there. But after three years he was
pleased to be back in Buffalo. During that time he also served nine years in the Air
National Guard at the Niagara Falls Air Force Base, achieving the rank of sergeant.
At graduation from Bishop Fallon High School in 1952. |
First car, 1949 Mercury, leaving for Niagara Falls Air Base. |
In the mid-70s all the Loblaws markets became Bells, a division of the
Peter J. Schmitt Co. Clem spent 14 years at Schmitt, starting in the produce department
and eventually becoming executive vice president.
Receiving his first volunteer award from Red Feather fund drive (now United Way) in 1960 in Syracuse, NY. |
In 1976 he was offered a position at Twin Fair which he accepted. However he was not
involved in the food department there, and by 1980 his desire to get back to the food
business was overpowering, so he joined Tripifoods as assistant to the president. He had
been at Tripi for three years when an opportunity arose in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I took the job, but I just didnt seem to fit in down there, he said. If
truth be told, he really wanted to come back to Buffalo, which he did in 1984, rejoining
the Tripifoods organization. I stayed there another eleven years, Clem Eckert
told us.
In 1995 I felt it was time to retire. Within a few months, however, I was bored and
found myself looking around for something to do.
It was then that his friend Ralph Kushner invited him to take a tour of the Food Bank, the
Food Bank is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the hungry with
nutritious food supplies and information on nutrition while educating the public on the
magnitude of the hunger problem.
Clem Eckert was so favorably impressed with the Food Bank that he took a position there
right away. In May 1997 he was appointed executive director of the organization.
A tour of the Food Bank on Holt Street in Buffalo is sure to overwhelm the first-time
visitor. We never expected to see such a large operation. Two or three huge connected
warehouses contain vast amounts of foods of every description. Walk-in coolers and walk-in
freezers are massive.
Demonstrating new high density pallet storage system. |
In a central area foods are made up into orders for 469 different agencies...food
pantries, soup kitchens, snack programs, group homes, adult and child daycare centers,
shelters, summer camps, kids cafes and faith-based pantries.
These organizations are assessed a shared maintenance fee averaging about 6 1/2 cents a
pound for whatever food they order, whether its packaged, canned, fresh or frozen.
This incredibly low assessment is made possible by large and frequent donations of food by
over 100 different companies...food processors, distributors, restaurants, manufacturers,
retailers and farmers. Additional food is purchased with donations and grants from
numerous sources, including foundations, the government, schools, professional sports
teams and the generous community of Western New York.
Kickoff, Buffalo Bills Cans from
fans fund drive. Hugo Kahn, |
One after another, all day long, agency trucks from the four counties of Cattaraugus,
Chatauqua, Erie and Niagara, back up to the Food Bank loading dock to pick up their
orders. Pick-ups are scheduled in advance to prevent traffic jams at the loading dock.
Clem Eckert is proud to say, Over 12 million pounds of product were distributed in
2000, and we expect to exceed that number this year.
He credits much of the success of the Food Bank to his mentor, E.W. Dann Stevens,
chairperson emeritus. He has been a tremendous help to me over the years, Clem
says, as is our board president, Rob Drago.
Press conference, Supermarket Check Out Hunger 2001 fund drive at the Food Bank. |
We owe so much to our founders, he said. If it werent for Angeline
Costner, John Di Biase, Burt Flickinger Jr., Dann Stevens, Mary Stevens, Ruth Kahn
Stovroff, Carolyn Thomas and Helen Wicher there would be no Food Bank as we know it today.
Our current board members and advisory committee keep us on the even keel established by
our founders.
Opening ceremony of renovated facility in 1999, unveiling Food Bank founders portraitAngeline Costner, John Palmer, Carolyn Thomas, Clem Eckert, Helen Urban, Dann Stevens and Helen Wicher. |
Clem is proud of the mission and vision of the Food Bank. |
Clem Eckert is almost as proud of the Food Bank as he is of his family. His daughter,
Susan Hughes, is a successful freelance accountant. Susans son, Aric, Clems
grandson, is a sophomore at Kenmore West.
Clem, grandson Aric, daughter Susan and
son-in-law Joe Hughes |
In 1990, Clem married Anne Horton, a teacher at Alden High School and chair of the
schools business department. She is also director of the Alden Teachers
Center. We met in January 1990, Clem says. And we were married on March
1, 1990. Incidentally, their New York State license place number is 3 ONE
90.
Clem and his wife Anne on their wedding day, March 1, 1990. |
Another activity worth noting is Clem Eckerts participation in Americas
Second Harvest, an organization dedicated to ending hunger in the U.S.
Always sharing credit for the success of the Food Bank, Clem Eckert wouldnt let us
leave without listening to praise for his staff. We have 38 dedicated people
here, he said employees and volunteers. Without their hard work and high
standards of integrity, we could not function.
Indeed, hundreds deserve credit for the success of the Food Bank, thousands depend on it,
and above all The Food Bank of Western New York depends on Clem Eckerts steady hand
at the helm.
Joseph Radder is a freelance writer.