Frederick J. Hintlian

Class of 2010

Frederick J. Hintlian was born in Boston, MA, to Vahan and Tarvis on June 25, 1953, and has three siblings, Andrea, Varney and Holly. He attended high school at Kimball Union Academy, in Meriden, NH, graduating in 1972.

He went on to Tufts University in Medford, MA. While in college, Fred was a four-year All-New England track athlete in all divisions, and a champion hurdler in Division III, earning National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American Track Athlete honors for both Divisions II and III, and in 1974 won the Ellis Prize as top student athlete. He graduated with a B.S. in geology in 1976.

Fred also completed Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, surviving boot camp at Ft. Bragg, NC.

In 1986, he married Alicia at St. Barnabas Church in Falmouth, MA. Together, they have three children: Sara, Andrew and Tarvis.

Fred was born into the industry, as his father and two uncles founded Deran Confectionery Co., a general line candy and nut supplier, in 1929. His father was chief engineer, and early on introduced Fred to the processing lines he had designed and installed in the plant. Fred began working for Deran, assembling and constructing machine parts for refiners during summer breaks from school, marking the start of his 40-year career in the industry.

The company was sold around 1973, and in 1978, Fred, along with his father and brother, founded Varick Enterprises, Inc., a firm that serves as sales representatives for several European equipment manufacturers. Today, Fred is both owner and president of the company.

He says the most memorable moment in his career was presenting the Kettle Award to Candy Hall of Famer Pat Hurley, of Spangler Candy Co., in 2000, during his tenure as chairman of the Kettle Committee. He recalls it was satisfying to give the award to such a well-accomplished and humble individual.

Giving back to the industry, Fred has presented technical papers at the American Association of Candy Technologists’ annual meetings. He has served on the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confectioners Association Program Committee, the National Confectioners Association All Candy Expo Committee and the NCA Supplier Advisory Committee.

Along with his mother and father, Fred says Francesco Rizzi, the owner of one of his supplier partners, helped shape his career, educating him on equipment and compelling him to learn Italian. He says that through mutually beneficial exchanges, each has helped the other understand their respective cultures and businesses.