Page 56 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2015

DINING this bud’s for you
THE
story by Lynn Lofton
BUD
A workplace injury led Kip Schloegel into the hospitality industry where
he’s known as the Bud Man. He
started working for Rex Distributing Company 25 years ago when he could not continue
his job at Mississippi Power. At Rex he began as warehouse manager before becoming on-premise sales director 15 years ago.
“I have probably the best job in the world,” he says.
“I deal with bars, restaurants and casinos and I get to spend time with bartenders and managers. I can sit and talk with them and hear their stories.”
Maybe Schloegel was destined to work in the beverage industry. He recalls being part of a group of students at Ole
Miss that was
paid to go out
and promote
Budweiser,
and he liked it.
The Gulfport native has been involved with the
Gulf Coast Chapter of the Mississippi Hospitality
& Restaurant
Association for
more than 20
years and a board member for 12 years. “I enjoy being involved with the events we do every year and hope to be able to help for many years to come,” he said. “It’s a great group of people.”
Schloegel, 50, lives in Gulfport with his wife, Tanja, and they’re the parents of a son, Kip Jr.
Kip Schloegel
SEAFOOD AT ITS BEST
FAMILY FRIENDLY WITH GREAT ITALIAN FOOD AND FRESH LOCAL SEAFOOD. LARGE GROUPS (10-50) WELCOME! CALL FOR RESERVATIONS.
1712 15th Place, Gulfport, MS 228.864.2500 • www.saluteitalian.com •
56 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • July 2015 FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net