Film Journal January 2018

This month, we remember a legend of the concession
industry, Frank Liberto. Frank passed away in early
November from a lingering illness, and the concession
industry lost “the King of Nachos.”
Frank lived his life with zest and vigor. He was a great
entrepreneur and a mentor to many of his colleagues and peers.
Of Italian decent, he credited his father for his discipline and
dedication to work. Everyone who met Frank has a story to tell,
since he was always willing to give advice and consultation for the
betterment of their lives. While his father, Enrico, and grandfather,
Rosario, were the founders of the family business, Liberto
Specialty Company, and gave him guidance and direction, no one
could have taught Frank the devotion and keenness he had for the
concession industry.
Frank himself founded Ricos Products in 1977. He was a
leader at NAC and served as a regional vice president of NAC for
over 20 years, creating many a concession seminar and educational
program for the people of Texas and the Southeast. He will always
be remembered for wearing his yellow ascot cap with the red
Ricos logo.
Frank was a third-generation leader of Liberto Specialty
Company. He is also credited with inventing concession nachos,
which were unveiled at Texas Arlington Stadium in 1976. While
the family business focused on distribution of food items and
concession equipment, he had an entrepreneurial spirit that led
him to add to the snack offerings at the concession stand. His first
attempt was when he approached the stadium food and beverage
manager at Arlington Baseball Stadium, suggesting he give nacho
cheese with tortilla chips a chance. The manager was reluctant,
but Frank would not take no for an answer and delivered 35 cases
of canned cheese to the stadium anyway. Legend has it that the
stadium sold all 35 cases in one day and the manager called Frank
asking why he didn’t deliver more cases. Frank said he responded
with an expletive, stating, “I told you it was a winner.” Nachos
as we know them today were born from that “Never take no”
attitude. That was Frank Liberto: strong, dogged and persistent
until he got his way.
“Our father, Frank Liberto was a man of integrity,” Ricos
president and CEO Tony Liberto asserts. “He led our company
with an entrepreneur spirit and a passion that had an impact on
his employees, customers, business associates and friends.” Frank
could hold an audience by telling stories and anecdotes about
his early days in sales. He oftentimes had a raw way of discussing
matters, but nevertheless you knew Frank was filled with ardor for
the business. He was driven by a desire to succeed.
A driving force of the National Association of Concessionaires,
as president and board member, Frank never gave up on the idea
of helping young prodigies in the industry. He often took the lead
in creating educational forums that protected the integrity of the
industry and assisted in networking efforts for young managers.
He consistently sponsored NAC events, regional meetings and the
national convention. He contributed countless dollars to offset
the cost of scholastic programs. In 1997, he was awarded the Bert
PEOPLE
REMEMBERING FRANK LIBERTO
A Look Back at the Life
of ‘the King of Nachos’
Nathan Award by NAC, recognizing him for his contributions to
the concession channel of business. He remains one of just three
honorary lifetime board members at NAC.
Liberto received many awards and accolades over the course
of his life. He was charitable both at work and in the community.
He was presented the 1988 Distinguished Alumni Award from
St. Mary’s University and in 1994 was named one of the South
Texas Entrepreneurs of the Year, while Ricos Products was named
the Texas Family Business of the Year by the Hankamer School
of Business at Baylor University. 2005 saw Ricos named a Top
20 private business in San Antonio, Texas by San Antonio Success
magazine.
Frank Liberto advocated for many local and national
organizations in the fields of education, health and human services,
the arts, the military and multiple political organizations as a
donor and supporter. He served with the Knights of Columbus,
the Oblate School of Theology and the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation, just to name a few. He truly gave back to society as
much as society gave to him.
Frank was the kind of guy you always wanted to meet, offering
a huge smile, barrel laugh and great stories. If you worked for
Frank, beware: He was driven, competitive and never accepted
less than perfection. Yet nearly every person who was under his
employ has gone on to excel in business. “Some of my fondest
memories and lessons learned came from Frank Liberto,” states
Charles Gomez, VP of specialty markets at Ricos. “Outside of my
parents, he was the biggest influence in my life. He gave me a work
home when I desperately needed one and was always supportive
of my efforts. He was a pioneer in the concession industry and
instilled in me the value of treating people well. Frank enjoyed life
and we will all miss him.”
Anita Watts Largent, an early hire in sales for Ricos, fondly
recalls her relationship with Frank at Ricos and his personality
that required everyone on his staff to have the same commitment
and resolute attitude. “I was very lucky to work with Frank at
the beginning of my career and he gave me an extraordinary
opportunity to hang myself or fly, and I will always appreciate
it. There were times when I could just strangle him, and other
times when we would drink a scotch and I realized what an
amazing life he had lived. In the end, we should all hope to have as
much living in our story as Frank Liberto,” Anita recalls.
The reality is that Frank Liberto treated everyone the
same. He was not particular in his expectations, nor biased—he
expected everyone to have the same dedication and devotion to
the business, regardless of status, position or relationship. This is
what made him a leader and a success. “That’s our Frank” was a
common phrase among his peers. No one could deny his love for
the concession business or his appreciation of what could be.
Frank Liberto will always be remembered as the father of
nachos, a global empire he built. Those of us who knew Frank
intimately will remember him as a friend and symbol of the
concession channel. A promoter, for better or worse, he loved his
family, his business and his friends.
—Larry Etter
CONCESSIONS
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