Thank You for a Year of Unforgettable Progress

This past year is one I shall not forget. This was a year of great achievements within IFT, the IFT Student Association (IFTSA), and Feeding Tomorrow. Together, we have made outstanding progress toward our mission of advancing the science of food and its applications.

We began the year strong with our four promises—to develop, network, innovate, and advocate—firmly established. These promises, along with our core values—community, integrity, passion, progress, and respect—have and will continue to serve as a guide for our institute and have informed my tenure as president of IFT.

Our values define us, and our promises propel us. When I began my work this year as president, the members of the IFT board joined me in asking: Are we sure we know our community—our first core value, and one that all our strategic initiatives rest on? Were we sure IFT provided all the tools needed to help advance our mission and achieve our respective professional goals?

We then went directly to our community via our first annual Member Needs Survey. Sent to 10,000 current members, 10,000 former members, and 10,000 prospective members, the survey asked you to tell us about your work environment, your professional challenges, why you joined IFT, and what you need to advance in your career. The level of feedback we received was outstanding and will be critical in helping us continue to support our members. We have now set forth to implement changes based on the survey results to ensure that every IFT program is driven by the needs of its members and the value they receive. Programs that do not meet these criteria will be eliminated.

The perspective I have gained through this member survey has been greatly complemented by the extraordinary visits I have made to the South African Association of Food Science and Technology, the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, several of our North American and UK Sections, and to Greece to participate with the Nonthermal Division at its joint meeting with the European Federation of Food Science and Technology.

President John F. Kennedy once said that “leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” This has certainly been my experience this year, especially gaining a greater appreciation of the many parts of our distributed volunteer leadership and its importance in pursuing our mission, delivering on our promises, and in reaching out to more than 17,000 members.

Reaching out personally to our vast network of members and partners has been both a personal mission and one of the IFT staff’s. Executive Vice President and CEO Christie Tarantino-Dean and IFT senior staff have made a commitment to personally visit sections, divisions, companies, and universities in a greater effort to learn more about our challenges and opportunities.

I have had overwhelming support from the board and the IFT staff during my presidency. These talented individuals are committed to assisting this community in advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system. I am truly thankful for their dedication to our members, our mission, our profession, and our field of study.

Along with the data from our member needs survey, we have focused on aligning the strategic plans of IFT, Feeding Tomorrow, and IFTSA. We feel that by creating synchronicity among these programs, we can strengthen our community and provide the most value to the members and participants in all of these parts of our institute. For each plan there is an annual rhythm of reflection, assessment, and renewal by their respective boards.

I am excited to end my presidency with a touch of glamor by seeing the film Food Evolution being completed. A few years back, as a part of our 75th anniversary and FutureFood 2050 initiative, IFT commissioned Academy Award–nominated director Scott Hamilton Kennedy to tell a story that will inspire, entertain, and spark conversations about the science of food, and he has done exactly that. I am honored to have been able to watch as Scott and his team crafted a story focused on our profession that will surely engage our community and the public in highlighting the essential role that science must play in the future food supply.

As I move into my new role within IFT, I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to connect with our members; collaborate with our fantastic partners, volunteers, and staff; and grow both personally and professionally. As we progress in our mission, I am confident in this magnificent community’s ability to provide the thought leadership needed internationally to ensure a safe, nutritious, and sustainable food supply now, in 2050, and beyond.

Thank you all for a most enjoyable and incredibly rewarding year!

Colin Dennis, CBE, PhD, CFS, CSci
IFT President, 2015–2016
Chairman, IFIS Ltd., Reading, United Kingdom
[email protected]