Since 1958, NACUFS has supported the college and university foodservice market by providing members with the programs and resources they need to excel, from benchmarking and best practices to educational programming and professional networking. NACUFS was founded by a group of 20 college and university foodservice professionals from across the United States. The brainchild of Richard Lichtenfelt, then director of dormitory food services at Central Michigan University, NACUFS became the first association solely focused on foodservice in colleges and universities. The NACUFS institution members span across the U.S. and Canada who partner with industry members from the food, equipment, and consulting market segments. Institutional members include four-year and two-year colleges; self-operated, contract and hybrid schools; small and large campuses. Industry members represent a wide spectrum of international, national and regional companies. Since its inception, NACUFS has focused on its mission to promote and support excellence in collegiate dining.