Built for the Role: Joe Durham Ready to Lead FEDA
Blending industry insight, technical expertise, and a member-focused leadership approach, FEDA’s incoming CEO aims to build on the association’s momentum while advancing new opportunities for distributors.
Long before he was helping shape industrywide data initiatives, Joe Durham was learning the fundamentals of distribution in his family’s small business. That early experience, combined with his work advancing FEDA’s most forward-looking programs, has made him a natural choice to lead the association as its next CEO.
Durham will step into the position on July 1, but the transition has been years in the making. Since joining the association in 2024, he has played a central role in advancing the FEDA Data Portal Project, an initiative aimed at making standardized, reliable product data easily available across the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. He then took on expanded responsibilities as chief operations officer. In that role, Durham has helped develop key initiatives such as the Future of Distribution and Emerging Distributors councils — member-led groups focused on solving industry challenges and creating needed business resources.
This work has positioned Durham at the intersection of technology and distribution, two areas that are becoming increasingly intertwined as companies look to streamline processes, improve supply chain visibility, and create more value for customers. That perspective is rooted not only in his professional experience and education — he has a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Dayton — but also in a lifelong connection to the distribution business.
Like many of today’s FEDA distributor leaders, Durham came up through his family’s distribution business, a seller of rubber parts and O-rings to a range of industries. “Growing up in my family’s distribution business gave me a real appreciation for the complexity of what distributors do every day,” he said. “You’re managing relationships on both sides, balancing inventory, keeping customers happy, and doing it all while the market shifts around you. That perspective informs how I think about FEDA’s purpose: to create opportunities that strengthen distributors’ position across the industry.”
While his family background and education gave him the knowledge he needed, it was his coaches and teammates that developed Durham into someone capable of leading FEDA. Durham spent five years as a defensive end for the University of Dayton Flyers football team. “I’ve been on every side of leadership, from the freshman looking to be led to the guy people looked to when adversity hit,” Durham said. “Football makes you tough physically, but even more so mentally. What it really taught me is that a good leader responds to adversity, but a great leader elevates everyone around them to respond together. That’s what I carry with me and that’s how I plan to lead FEDA.”
Durham’s continuing leadership development has been shaped by close collaboration with outgoing President and CEO Tracy Mulqueen, who will retire in June after nearly a decade of leading the association. Under Mulqueen, FEDA formed new partnerships, launched new member leadership groups, and introduced mentoring and talent attraction programs that are creating a more effective workforce. Her vision for a more forward-looking organization led to the reimagining of the association’s annual conference and a sharper emphasis on FEDA’s legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts.
The result is an organization that effectively positions distributors for long-term sustainability and growth. Durham is eager to continue feeding that momentum, and he credits Mulqueen’s mentorship with preparing him for the transition. Over the past several years, he has worked alongside her to better understand the operational, strategic, and member-facing aspects of FEDA, gaining insight into what it takes to lead a modern trade association.
“Tracy is one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around,” Durham said. “What she’s done for this association and this industry is remarkable, and I’ve learned so much from her — not just in what an association should do, but how to lead, how to treat people with respect and courtesy, and how to create something that lasts. I’m also grateful to the FEDA Board of Directors for ensuring a smooth transition and trusting me with this opportunity. My goal is to build on the foundation she’s established and guide FEDA forward.”
Looking ahead, Durham sees opportunities for FEDA to continue evolving alongside the industry it represents. That includes expanding its technology initiatives, evolving existing programs, and identifying new ways to deliver actionable insights that help members make informed business decisions. “FEDA is the unified voice for distributors in this industry,” he said. “We are tackling challenges that every distributor faces, and the work we’re doing through our councils and initiatives isn’t for show. We’re having substantive conversations, driving meaningful work, and building solutions that move the industry forward. That’s what sets FEDA apart, and that’s what I’m going to keep driving.”
These efforts come at a particularly important moment for the industry, as many distributors are looking for ways to balance long-standing expertise with new ideas and emerging technologies. “We have an incredible generation of leaders in this industry with decades of knowledge,” Durham said. “Exciting things happen when you pair that knowledge with the fresh perspectives and new technology that the next generation brings to the table. That combination is going to drive innovation in ways we haven’t seen before, and FEDA is creating the space for that to happen through groups like our Emerging Distributors Council, Young Industry Leaders, and new peer mentorship program.”
With a proven framework in place and a clear roadmap for the future, Durham’s transition represents both continuity and opportunity. As he prepares to step into the CEO role, he is most energized by the opportunity to deepen FEDA’s engagement with its members. “I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity and where FEDA is headed,” he said. “We have real momentum behind programs that are going to make a difference for distributors across this industry. I want our members and the broader industry to see that value, be part of it, and know we’re responding to their challenges and delivering what they need. That’s what drives me.”