Since 1981, not long after the organization began, Brian Sharoff served as president of the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA). He died May 23 after a brief illness.
Over his nearly four decades leading the association, he oversaw its tremendous growth. The Private Label Trade Show in Chicago, for example, began in 1980, growing from an event with around 50 exhibitor booths to a massive event with 3,000 booths, thousands more in attendees, educational sessions and networking events.