Dennis Williams

Class of 2025

Dennis Williams’ journey in the candy industry began when he was 13 and launched a student-run candy shop. What started as a simple fundraiser grew into a career spanning nearly four decades.

Born on August 31, 1964, in the Bronx, Dennis grew up one of seven children to Margaret and Laurence. From an early age, his parents instilled in him the values of hard work, dedication, and a love of God, country, and family.

He attended Cardinal Spellman High School, graduating in 1982 and later studying at Iona College in New Rochelle. Though college offered many possibilities, Dennis says his plans centered around getting married and building a family. After meeting Cecilia through a mutual friend, he knew he had found his partner. The two were married in 1985 and together raised three children: Michael, Stephanie, and TinaMarie.

His fascination with the appeal of candy began in grammar school when a teacher challenged the class to raise funds for the 8th grade graduation dinner dance. Dennis proposed selling candy during lunch. He set up a store in the school gym, organized classmates, and sourced product from a local supplier. The venture was a success and his fate was sealed.

After a brief stint on Wall Street, in 1987 Dennis purchased Amazing Discounts, a small distribution company in Westchester County, NY. For the next 10 years, he supplied candy, cigarettes, and tobacco products to retail stores in the area.

In 1997, he joined Harold Levinson Associates as Director of Purchasing, a role he held for more than two decades. The acquisitions of J Polep and Allen Bros Wholesale in 2020 formed National Convenience Distributors, and Dennis was named Executive Vice President of Procurement. In this role, he oversees operations across all divisions.

Among his proudest accomplishments are the development of secondary placement displays, multi-vendor endcaps, and the Maximum Accrual Program, all of which benefit independent retailers. He also championed expanding into seasonal products, innovative brands, and peg candy; creating a sales forecasting system to “pre-sell” displays and seasonal candy; and nurturing vendor and manufacturer partnerships.

Beyond his day-to-day responsibilities, Dennis has served on both the Government Affairs and Industry Affairs committees for the Convenience Distribution Association since 2019. He has also volunteered on the NACS Exhibitor Advisory Committee for three years and on the National Association of Tobacco Outlets’ Government Affairs and Finance committees.

Dedicated to giving back, Dennis volunteers annually at the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and supports local food pantries.

Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, playing sports, and spending time at the gym.

Dennis hopes to be remembered as fair, hardworking, and true to his values. He shares this philosophy: “Do not be afraid to fail. You just need to be right more than you are wrong.”