Craig White was a school chef and entrepreneur, with the idea to sell pizzas as a fundraising product. Bob Lindner was a social worker and part-time farmer with green ideals, looking for a place to sell his organic produce. A friendship born in T’ai Chi class developed into a business partnership in 2001 and a seasonal pizza fundraising program based out of the Community Kitchen of the Franklin County Community Development Corporation in Greenfield. Each member of their families has played a role in the development of Hillside Pizza as well. Two of Bob’s children, Jack and Kim, became part-owners as the restaurant business expanded from its first location in South Deerfield (2006), reaching Hadley (2009), Bernardston (2012) and most recently, Hillside Pizza Café at Yankee Candle in South Deerfield (2019).