On June 19, the food industry lost a food-safety icon. Dave Theno, 66, unexpectedly died after being struck by a large wave while snorkeling with his grandson in Hawaii.

This month, to wrap up the magazine’s coverage of its 125th Anniversary, the editorial team decided to take on a bigger challenge: Select 25 individuals we expect will change the industry over the next decade or two.

In conjunction with the coverage of The National Provisioner’s 125th Anniversary, we chose to honor 25 icons who made their mark on industry since 1991.

Just as music radically changed during this twenty-five year span, so did American consumers — and particularly their demand for meat products.

Satisfying America’s meat needs during The National Provisioner’s (NP) first 50 years (1891-1941) in publishing was a monumental task.

In 1954, I launched my career in the meat industry when I accepted the newly created position of Extension Meat Specialist at Michigan State University.

The following dates reference some industry and publication highlights during The National Provisioner’s second 25 years in business.

Within 10 minutes of arriving at The National Provisioner office (on Huron Street in Chicago) for my first day of work as an assistant editor with the publication in August 1985, I had my first assignment.

As The National Provisioner (NP) entered its second 25 years in trade publishing, America’s population was booming while the meat industry continued automating to help meet growing demand.

Two months after the Dalton Gang’s first train-robbery attempt of Southern Pacific No. 17 near Alila, Calif., the premiere issue of The National Provisioner (NP) was published April 11, 1891, by Ganz & Marx in New York.