Adam Boren was one of the three founders of Adamatic Equipment, a manufacturer and importer of baking equipment. Born in Poland, Adam survived three concentration camps and participated in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising before immigrating to the U.S. in 1946, the only surviving member of his immediate family. Adam started Adam Equipment Corporation, later named Adamatic, in 1961 in partnership with Gilbert Schapiro and Herbert Freedman.

Adam was an innovator and leader in automating bakeries, from large wholesalers to in-store supermarkets. When Adam realized the European bread and roll equipment he imported did not fit the needs of the American market, Adamatic began designing and manufacturing its own equipment, making Adamatic the first company to manufacture automatic bread and roll lines in America. Adam also brought the rack oven concept to the U.S., which allowed bakers to mass produce in smaller spaces at lower prices.

Adam was instrumental in early automation of in-store bakeries using his U.S. manufactured Combi Line, along with rack ovens and proof boxes. Many equipment concepts accepted today as the norm were introduced by Adamatic. Adam developed one of the first bakery-cafe concepts showcasing live baking to the customers, promoted computerized proofers/retarders in the 1980s, and was an early advocate of automated spiral mixing systems now standard for large artisan bakers. Adam was a longtime member of ASB, BEMA, ABA and IBA, and supported AIB by donating equipment and guest speaking.

Very involved in his community and charitable organizations, Adam was an active officer in the International Warsaw Ghetto Resistance Organization, the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, and the Jewish Federation. He spoke frequently about his Holocaust experience at schools, museums, and to the military. After selling Adamatic and retiring, Adam published his Holocaust memoir Journey Through the Inferno in 2004. He died in 2009.

Click on the images below to view .pdf files of the inductee’s biography and plaque.