Class: 1967Inducted: 2005
Seven years after graduating Asbury Park High School in 1967, Reggie joined Kraft Foods, Inc, the largest food company in the world. He has 30+ years of experience interviewing, employing, managing, training and promoting people for increased responsibilities within the organization. As a Retail Manager, he has had responsibility for sales groups covering New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York including Staten Island. He has also been a recipient of the most prestigious awards given to sales managers in the Kraft organization, including Vice President awards, The Jerry Dow Retail Sales Managers Award, ''Circle of Excellence'' team awards, as well as Sales Leadership Awards for leading his organization to record breaking sales as many as 6 years running.
Mr. Fenter represented Kraft Foods in Asbury Park High School''s "Partnership For Success" program for 5 years from 1993-1998. He acted as a mentor for seniors. His objective was to encourage students to further their education, to learn the culture of the corporate world and to learn how to become significant contributors in society. This was accomplished through discourses to the entire Senior class during APHS''s yearly "Career Day", attendance on field trips such as the trip to Wall Street, and speaking engagements to individual classes at APHS.
At the tender age of 8 years, Mr. Fenter, the oldest of 10 children, began his trek in the work force. He began getting coffee for a then Springwood Ave. business merchant before heading off to school. He ''graduated'' to setting up vegetable and fruit stands. At age 10 he began servicing the customers. At age 12 he worked at picking up and cleaning laundry for Asbury Park, Neptune and Belmar residents. At age 16 he was employed at Chicken Delight where he cooked and delivered. He feels that, in addition to the influence of caring adults, these early experiences contributed immensely in helping him build a solid foundation, one that helped assure the success he has enjoyed. Growing up without a father in the house and having to work to help the family make it through hard times taught him that no negative circumstance can keep a person from succeeding if success is truly what they aspire to.
Mr. Fenter is married and has 7 children. His objective has always been to help people improve the quality of their lives. He strongly feels when you put people ahead of yourself, you will always reap the rewards of satisfaction and success.
He epitomizes the quote that inspires him, Ecclesiastes 11:1 "Send out your bread upon the surface of the waters, for in the course of many days you will find it again."