Farmington Hills — The Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers, Inc. (AFPD) recently elected Chris Zebari, of Canton, Michigan, as its Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Zebari has worked in the industry for 30 years in a variety of roles, starting out in his family’s Michigan grocery stores: Wagon Train Market in Detroit, Country Style Market of Livonia and New Hudson Food Market in New Hudson.  He became a wine salesman for J. Lewis Cooper, and then went to work for Pepsi Bottling Group for 15 years as key account manager, where he received the Pepsico President’s Ring of Honor for outstanding achievement.  Since 2004, Mr. Zebari has been employed by Lipari Foods of Warren, Michigan, where he is a sales representative.

A graduate of Farmington Hills Harrison High School, Mr. Zebari is a former AFPD treasurer and secretary.  He volunteers annually for the AFPD Foundation Scholarship Golf outing and he helped found the annual AFPD turkey drive, which is in its 27th year.  Mr. Zebari coaches youth hockey and baseball and has volunteered for the Detroit Chief of Police Children’s Foundation and Detroit Public Schools Mentorship program. 

The Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers is the voice of the food, beverage and fuel industries in Michigan and Ohio.  Representing nearly 4,000 retailers, wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers since 1910, AFPD’s executive offices are in Farmington Hills, Michigan with branch offices in Lansing and Dublin, Ohio.