Picture of John Scardina

John Scardina

Class of 2013

John A. Scardina was born January 3, 1963, in Chicago to Letitzia and Frank. His brothers are Anthony, Frankie and Mike.

He graduated from Gordon Technical High School in 1981 and attended Wilbur Wright, Jr. College in Chicago, majoring in business.

At age 12, John began working as a stock boy and bagger for a small grocery, delivering purchases by shopping cart.

He joined plumbing wholesaler TSG Industries in 1983 as a warehouse worker and eventually became manager of the shipping department. In 1986, the Jorgensen Clamp Co. hired John as Assistant to the Vice-President of Sales, and two years later, he left to become National Sales Manager at LDR Industry.

John joined the Eby-Brown Co. LLC’s sales training program in 1990, beginning as a delivery driver and working successively in Customer Service, Field Merchandising and Route Sales. He later became a Buying Administrative Assistant and then a Buyer.

In 1994, he was promoted to Vice-President of Merchandising for Candy and Snacks. John became Vice- President of Merchandising for Other Tobacco Products, Health and Beauty Care, Supplies and Institutional products in 2010, and, soon after, Senior Vice-President of Merchandising.

Michelina “Missy” Drendel married John in 1992; they are the parents of Aaron and Courtney.

He was named Professional Candy Buyer of theYear in 2005, AWMA Candy Distributor of theYear in 2011 and received an NCA Confectionery Leadership Award in 2012.

John is on the NCA’s Convenience Store & Wholesaler Customer Advisory Committee, the AWMA Warehouse Delivered Snack Committee, and its Industry Affairs and Membership Committee, and was co-chair of the AWMA Industry Affairs Committee from 2007 to 2012. He has twice served on the NCA Sweets & Snacks Expo Most Innovative New Product Awards Panel, and is on the editorial board of Candy & Snack TODAY.

“Being involved in the industry gives you the ability to give back and to help guide and direct as well as learn,”John explains. “The experience stays with you and helps you grow beyond your work environment.”

His interests include golfing, cooking and fundraising for breast cancer research, and he is on the board of directors of the Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence.