1996
IFEA Chairman, Dick Nicholls, CFEE said it has been an honor serving IFEA and his friends in IFEA as a Director and Officer. He modestly said he can think of others who deserve this honor more than himself, but his record speaks otherwise.
As Executive Director of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, Nicholls has helped the festival evolve into a world-class event which has been a boon to the town and has poured more than $3 million into community coffers. Exceptional growth has also been part of Nicholl's legacy as IFEA Chairman, as he helped the association's membership numbers grow by nearly 100 percent.
Nicholls has served on many IFEA committees and was instrumental in helping start the IFEA Foundation. He has successfully initiated a five year re-marketing plan for his festival, targeting a more family-oriented audience. The Gilroy Garlic Festival attracts 150,000 people in three days, triple the amount of Gilroy residents.
Nicholls said he really values the friendships he's made through IFEA. "I can't express adequately how special these friendships are to me. I feel a special affinity to these people whom I have learned from and been counseled by." Editor's Note: Dick Nicholls, CFEE, passed away in 2005.