IFT News

Chicago Suppliers’ Night 2000 debuts new format
Instead of the usual seminars the Chicago Section offers at its annual Suppliers’ Night, it decided to try something a little different this year.

The section combined talks and presentations into a day-long symposium with one overall theme, Genetically Modified Foods: How and Why. The symposium was offered as a short course, giving the estimated 3,000 attendees something new to check out this year, Section Chair Norm Singer said.

The new format, as well as the 442 exhibition booths in the Rosemont Convention Center, combined to make the event a success, Singer said.

Attendance at the various sessions of the symposium ranged from an average 60 to 65 people throughout the day, David Witkewitz alternate councilor and symposium organizer, said.

“We were very pleased with the way it went, especially since we had a turnout of 80 to 90 people in the morning sessions” he said. “We were happy to see people come out early. We had a very good response, and people were very interested in the topic and the speakers.”

Speakers included Susan Harlander, president of BIOrational Consultants, Inc., who spoke about food safety assessment; Mark Mansour, a partner at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Keller and Heckman, who spoke about global aspects of food biotechnology; Steve Moose, assistant professor for maize functional genomics at the University of Illinois, who spoke about plant engineering and GMO detection; and Michael J. Phillips, executive director for food and agriculture at the Biotechnology Industry Organization, who spoke about science policy and government relations.

Other speakers included Douglas Powell, Torbert Rocheford, Charles Santerre, David Schmidt, David M. Tricoli, and Lila Vodkin.

Response to the new format has been supportive, Witkewitz said. If interest continues to grow, the section could make the symposium a permanent part of its annual Suppliers’ Night.

“Right now, the feedback seems to be positive enough that we would try to maintain this short course format at least for the next year and see how it goes,” he said. “And of course, we will always try to make improvements to the format and the speakers, so it gives more value to the attendees.”

Field services manager joins IFT staff
Gail Wiseman joined the IFT staff as field services manager.

In her new position, Wiseman will be responsible for IFT Regional Sections and Divisions. She will also work with the staff to implement recommendations from the consultant to strengthen the Regional Sections and Technical Divisions to better serve the needs of the members and IFT. She will report to Pamela Pierson, director of field services.

After receiving a degree in English from the University of Michigan, Wiseman spent 10 years as a travel consultant in Michigan and Illinois. She then joined the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, where she managed the certification program for health care professionals, served as liaison to various committees, developed and analyzed member demographics to assess membership trends, managed exhibit activities and registration for two national conferences and trade shows, and developed and analyzed customer satisfaction surveys.

Wagner honored for community service
Former IFT President Dr. Mary Wagner received a Women of Excellence 2000 award for her dedication to the community.

Award winners represent values that enhance self-esteem, motivation, and personal responsibility. The awards were presented at a benefit luncheon for the Learning for Life educational program, a subsidiary of the Orange County Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Wagner has degrees in bacteriology, food technology, and a Ph.D. in food science. She completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard University and is currently an adjunct professor in the department of food science at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Wagner is presently chief technology and quality officer for Taco Bell Corporation. Before working there, she was vice president of research and development and quality and regulatory operations for Gorton’s, a subsidiary of Unilever. She was also previously employed by General Mills in both research and quality.

In addition to her involvement with IFT, Wagner is active in several professional societies, regulatory committees, and community projects.

IFT FOUNDATION NEWS
The IFT Foundation Gives Thanks
The IFT Foundation would like to extend its sincere appreciation to all IFT members, corporations, and foundations for their calendar year 2000 contributions. A total of $160,000 was contributed by approximately 3,200 IFT members and six regional sections. New pledges and amounts received from corporations and foundations amounted to $350,000.

The IFT Foundation strongly believes that every dollar does count. In that regard, we are in the process of compiling a comprehensive database that will provide a donor’s cumulative giving history dating back to 1994. We anticipate completion in June of 2001 and will publish a cumulative tiered donor recognition list in Food Technology. At this time we are acknowledging calendar year 2000 contributors who gave $100 or more to the IFT Foundation.

—Rick Guardia, IFT Foundation Chair

Individual Contributors
Steve Abbey
Charles I. Beck
Frederick A. Bok
Marijan and Mary Boskovic
Malcolm C. Bourne
Elizabeth R. Boyle
Karl H. Brand
Fredric Caporaso
Michael R. Cernauskas
Walter L. Clark
Adolph S. and Janet Clausi
Jennifer Cloke
Jack L. Cooper
Elizabeth F. Cuff
Arnold E. Denton
Ronald and Connie Eitenmiller
Owen R. Fennema
Roberto Flores
Richard H. Forsythe
Daniel and Catherine Fung
Dee M. Graham
Enrique J. Guardia
Richard L Hall
Ivan D. Jones
Frederick W. Knapp
David and Linda Kragt
Gabriel J. Lauro
John H. Litchfield
Ching Chee Loo
Dicki Lulay
William G. Mays,
Mays Chemical
Kenneth W. McMillin
Arthur J. Miller
Donald Oberleas
Robert H. Olson
Henry J. Peppler
John and Irene Powers
Kailash S. Purohit
Joe Regenstein
Robert E. Ross
Harold and Frances Schultz
Steven L. Serfling
Robert L. Shewfelt
R. B. Sleeth
Bruce R. Stillings
Marilyn A. Swanson
Pamela D. Tom
Mary K. Wagner
Daniel E. Weber
Herbert Weinstein
Richard and Abbie Willits

IFT Section Contributors
Bluegrass Section
Chicago Section
New York Section
Oregon Section
Southern California Section
Washington, D.C. Section

Corporate & Foundation Contributors
Bestfoods
The Coca-Cola Foundation
Food Ingredients Specialists, Inc.
General Mills, Inc.
The Gerber Foundation
Givaudan-Roure Corporation
Grocery Manufacturers of America, Inc.
Haarmann & Reimer
H.J. Heinz Company Foundation
Kalsec, Inc.
Kraft Foods, Inc.
McNeil Consumer Healthcare
McNeil Speciality Products Co.
Monsanto Company
Nabisco Foods Group
Philip Morris Companies, Inc.
Pierson Associates, Inc.
Procter & Gamble Co.

by SARA LANGEN KAROTTKI
Assistant Editor