Miami — Patrick Murnane, executive vice-president of packaging firm the Murnane Companies, was presented with the NCA Supplier Member of the Year Award during the State of the Industry Conference.

Peter Blommer, NCA chairman and president and COO of the Blommer Chocolate Co., presented Murnane the award, which is given to an individual NCA supplier member who has shown excellence in their trade through significant contributions to the candy business and steady involvement in confectionery organizations.

The award winner’s industry partners and peers related gratitude for his dedication to the category, with one source noting: “No one is more fiercely loyal to his family, friends and customers than Patrick.”

Upon accepting the award, Murnane shared a story from his childhood of a Christmas-time drive past E.J. Brach’s Chicago plant and his father (a founder of the packaging company) told him that’s where “Brach’s makes confection.”

“I asked him ‘dad, what are confections?’ I knew Brach’s candy, but I didn’t know what confections were,” Murnane related. “He said, ‘son, confections will be your livelihood.’”