About Us - Markee & Associates

Who We Are

Markee & Associates is a bit of a contrarian in todays’ REPWorld. This is by design. We stay on the smaller size. We represent a limited number of manufacturers. We take on only those manufacturers who we can represent well. We guarantee that every one of our manufacturers will receive our full attention and proper time representation to grow their business.

We don’t just collect manufacturers to have a 30+ manufacturer line card. We pride ourselves in knowing our products, inside & out. We train. How about this, Markee & Associates actually prospects. One of the essentials of being a good rep. In fact, to be a great rep. Prospecting can never be a dying art form. We like to meet new people, all the time. Especially younger people with new ideas who are coming into their own in Foodservice and Bakery from all walks of life. If we don’t have passion for a manufacturer, we do not represent them.

Markee & Associates represent foodservice and bakery equipment manufacturers in the traditional MAFSI 4 – Keystone (Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, & Delaware); and MAFSI 5 – Mid-Atlantic (Maryland, DC, & Virginia), even a few in MAFSI 3 – Metro New York (New York City, Long Island, Northern & Central New Jersey.

Our Philosophy – How We Think

Foodservice is really all about cycles. If you stick around long enough you see many, sometime full circle.

Conglomerate manufacturers vs. independents. Smaller vs. larger rep groups. Buying groups rise and fall. Specialized manufacturer reps vs. general manufacturer reps. Spec reps vs. commodity reps. But in the end selling is really all about your relationships.

Markee & Associates believe you must have a real passion for who we rep and our customers. They are really the ones that matter. Our involvement is nothing unless we make things better for those who we serve.

A sales rep must have a “heart-of-the-lion” for their customer. Their needs come first. This cannot be lip service. People can see that. You must always operate with uncompromising integrity. Never putting price above what is in your customers best interest. Never selling short-term. Being willing to say No when that is what should be said. Always putting into play our experiences to present best options for the customer. And yes frankly having rather “spirited” discussions when that is needed. We believe that it just does not work otherwise.

This is what Markee & Associates believes in and does.

Foodservice & Bakery Solutions

Our representation of our Foodservice and Bakery partners is an absolute direct result of our professional associations and lifetimes spent in the “mass feeding industry”. To quote the 1960’s MAFSI terminology once told us by one very old wise rep who just happened to know every MAFSI president since 1948. So, we have logged in our experiences, both good and bad, so that we are able to help others with their own foodservice & bakery equipment requirements. Those people who will ask many hard questions and need good, honest answers. Who need solutions that make sense. And who must have trust in a rep.

Markee & Associates works to achieve that for our clients.

Our Team

Jim Markee – Founder & Principal

Jim is the founder of Markee & Associates. He has been in the hospitality industry since he was 15. His foodservice/bakery journey began as a weekend baker’s helper at DeBaggis & D’Arico Bakery, in his hometown of Franklin, Massachusetts. During high school he was a weekend fry cook at the iconic brand Howard Johnsons on the Massachusetts Turnpike Framingham. Hated it but it taught him an essential work lesson. When the steakhouse craze overtook the country in the early 70’s, Jim jumped into it with York Steakhouse as a weekend management trainee. He jokes that simply Foodservice is in his blood… And, he still likes it. A lot. People in this industry make the difference for him.

Jim went West & received a B.S. in Restaurant, Hotel, Institutional Management, & Dietetics from Kansas State University. He started in BOH food & beverage operations management with Stouffer Hotels, moving on to Continental Restaurant Systems, Bloomingdales, & Restaurant Associates. He moved laterally to become a food facility design consultant with Cini-Little (Grissom) International. Then he made his major career move into Foodservice & Bakery equipment sales with The Conklin Group & Barrett Associates in the Mid-Atlantic. Manufacturer sales management followed with Arneg USA, Duke Manufacturing, Ameritek Refrigeration, TurboChef Technologies, Doyon Bakery Equipment, Elkay, Empire Bakery Equipment, QII Deck, Arcobaleno, & Angelo Po.

Alix S. Markee – Principal, Director of Administration

Alix is literally the glue that keeps Markee & Associates together. She manages all Inside Sales & Administration. She attended The Katherine Gibbs Institute & Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio. Alix worked in the high-pressure retail world for Bloomingdales as Retail Food Director. When she and Jim were residing in the Washington, DC area, Alix was Director of Administration for Frank S. Phillips, a well-known DC Beltway Mortgage Developer, based in Bethesda, Maryland. As that firm expanded, the principals of FSP offered Alix the opportunity to work with Russ Urban, a hotel development exec with Marriott, to help start-up Urban Hotel Corporation, a new division as Director of Development, FFE & Procurement. It should be noted that coincidently at the same time the Markee Tribe was getting ready to welcome first daughter Chase Markee & opening hotels was nothing short of a Herculean balancing act… Alix’s main “job” for many years was raising two amazing daughters, Chase & Yardley, who set the bar & are great human beings. Alix has recently assisted one of our manufacturers RETIGO supporting them as they entered the USA. Alix is affectionately our CDO (Chief Dog Officer) responsible for our latest additions in 2022 of two amazing rescue beagles, Elliott and Dottie. You will see them dotted scattered throughout the photo Gallery of this website. Alix is our go-to for everything. And boy, can she sell too.

Chef Donnell Craven Jones – Consulting Chef

Chef Donnell Craven Jones loves food. We love it when he works with us and does demonstrations. He is passionate & very creative. Chef Donnell is a hospitality food & beverage professional with over 35 years of experience. He is principal & culinary strategist with his firm Dondari Culinary Consulting Services.

Chef Donnell’s background & experiences include project management, various systems implementation, POS/computer, vendor relations, & menu design/development. He possesses an exceptional culinary skill set.

He has worked in many different venues – Healthcare, independent living, nursing facilities, upscale catering, film/media, QSRs, & mid-large service hotels. Chef Donnell has had exposure to media with published recipes, food blogging, food & wine articles. He has appeared on several media outlets providing cooking demonstrations & nutritional information.

Chef Donnell’s contracted work includes as a chef/culinary specialist for several clients in Metro Atlanta – Rosa’s Fresh Pizza, Bynum Hospitality (SOUTH, Relish, Warm Daddy’s & Green Soul) 48th Street Grille, TinyTowne – Norcross, Georgia, ByDeluxe Studios, Dennis Dean Catering, Food Management Magazine, Congregation Beth Shalom & Private Chef Services.

Chef Donnell is Simply Amazing, professionally & as a human being.

We Are Markee and Associates, And Very Happy To Be Of Service To You!

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