Stanley A. Rothstein

Class of 2000

Stan Rothstein was born in April, 1947, in Cleveland, OH. After spending most of his formative years in Southern California, his family briefly moved back to the Cleveland area where he graduated from Brush High School. Following graduation, he went on to earn a B. A. in international relations from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

Stan’s professional career began in 1970 as a business information analyst at Dun & Bradstreet. Later that year, he joined family-owned Redstone Foods, Inc. a Southwestern U.S. distributor of specialty confections founded by his parents. In 1972, he married Marilyn in Jackson, MS, and together the have raised three sons: Josh, Neal and Daniel. Describing his first day in the candy business, Stan says: My Dad handed me a legal pad and a pen and said, ’Get out there and sell candy!’

As president of Redstone, Stan credits his father for instilling in him high standards of business ethics and an appreciation of fine quality products. It is my dad’s love of business and his commitment of the highest standards of ethics and quality that I want to pass on future generations of my family, he says.

He advises business people to always place the needs of the customer first, noting that business is built on long-term relationships and a company is only as good as its ability to anticipate its customers changing needs. At Redstone, he says, we can be of optimum value to our customers by identifying and anticipating the changing interests and tastes of their customers, the end user. Otherwise, he says, a company is just another cog in the supply chain.

Among Stan’s many achievements, he cites the recognition of his peers as having the greatest meaning to him: My most memorable moment, and the most meaningful, was receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award from Professional Candy Buyer magazine because it represents being honored by my peers. Stan’s contributions to the industry and the respect of his peers is reflected here with his induction in the Candy Hall of Fame in 2000.