IFT WORLD

Floros becomes President
John D. Floros, Professor and Head of the Dept. of Food Science at Pennsylvania State University, was chosen by the members of IFT to be President of the Institute of Food Technologists for 2007–08. He officially became IFT’s 68th President on Sept. 1, 2007.

Floros holds a Ph.D. in food science and technology from the University of Georgia and M.S. and B.S. degrees in food science and technology from Agricultural University of Athens.

He began his career at Asteris Inc. and held positions at the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, Agricultural University of Athens, University of Georgia, Purdue University, and Nestlé’s Connecticut R&D Center. He has served as Professor and Head of the Dept. of Food Science at Pennsylvania State University since 2000.

An active member of IFT, Floros has served on a number of national committees, including the IFT Foundation Board (2005–07); Strategic Development Task Force (2005–07); Nominations & Elections Task Force (2005); Communications Management Committee (2003–07, Chair 2005–06); General Communications Committee (2003–05, Chair 2003–04); National Awards Jury (2002–06); New Business Opportunities Task Force (2002–03); Strategic Planning Task Force (2002); Council of Food Science Administrators (2000–06, Chair 2004–05); Frontiers in Food Science—Summit Conferences—Task Force (2000–04, Chair 2000–02); Diversity Committee (1998–2001); Executive Committee (1998–2001); Councilor (1996–99); Annual Meeting Committee (1996–97); National College Bowl Competition Judge (1993); Annual Meeting Technical Program Committee (1990–97, Chair 1996–97); and Graduate Student Paper Competition Judge (1990).

He has also been active in the Food Packaging Div. (Scholarship Awards Committee, 1991–95; Executive Committee, 1993–96; Chair, 1996–97); Food Engineering Div. (Scholarship Awards Committee, 1989–94; Chair, 1991–93; Executive Committee, 1993–96); and Indiana Section (Treasurer, 1989–91; Chair, 1992–93).

Schellhaass chosen President-Elect
IFT members have chosen Sheri Schellhaass to be their next President-Elect. She will succeed John D. Floros as IFT’s 69th President when she takes office on Sept. 1, 2008.

Schellhaass is Vice President of Research and Development for General Mills, Inc. She began her career with General Mills in 1983 after receiving her Ph.D. in Food Science from the University of Minnesota, the same university where she earned her B.S. in Food Science a few years earlier.

Schellhaass has served on a number of national committees, including the IFT Foundation Board (2005–present); Strategic Development Task Force (2005–07); Task Force on Governance (Chair, 2004–07); Management Committee on Life-Long Learning & Careers (Chair, 2003–05); Publications Committee (2002, 1997–98); Annual Meeting Management Committee (2001–03); Exhibitor Advisory Committee (2000); Executive Committee (2000–03); Annual Meeting Management Committee (2000–01); Task Force on Enhancing Publications (Chair, 1999–2000); Publications Committee (Chair, 1999-2000); Functional Food Pavilion Task Force (1999–2000); IFT Committee (Chair, 1999–2000, 1997–98); Executive Committee (1999–2003); Publications Committee (1998–99); Long Range Planning Subcommittee (1998); Annual Planning Subcommittee (1996–97); and Freshman/Sophomore Scholarship Jury (1988–91).

Yaniv elected IFTSA President
Yifat Yaniv is the newly elected President of the IFT Student Association. She took office on September 1, 2007. She graduated from Israel Institute of Technology and is currently working on her Ph.D. degree at North Carolina State University. Her research is on microstructuring of gel networks for low-fat confections.

Yaniv was born and raised in Haifa, Israel. After graduating from high school in 1997, she joined the Israeli Defense Forces and served two years as a math and biology tutor in a military academy.

Section and Division volunteers recognized
The IFT Sections and Divisions rely on the work of numerous volunteers, with some going truly "above and beyond." This year’s Outstanding Section Members of the Year are James Swartwood (Bluegrass); Margaret Daskis (British Columbia); Sophie Holbrook (Central New Jersey); Mona Reinhard (Chicago); Deborah Anderson (Dogwood); Susan Thomas (Great Lakes); Robert L. Olson (Iowa); Krista Ditzler, Johnathan Stahl, and Linda Wright (Keystone); Matthew Silvaggio and Gary Britting (Lake Erie); Kayanush Aryana and Amrish Chawla (Louisiana Gulf Coast); Laura Burant (Minnesota); Gerri Cristantiello (New York); Sharon Cook Roesler (Northern California); Nadya Antoniades (Nutmeg); Jennifer Kaiser (Ohio Valley); L. Dann Barnard (Oregon); M. Lynne Rousseau (Ozark); Catherine Davies (Philadelphia); Kathy Wojcik, Jill Golden, and Dan Rosson (Southern California); and Polly Koepp (Wisconsin).

This year’s Outstanding Division Members of the Year are Pamela Tom (Aquatic Food Products); Joan King, Ya-Jane Wang, Koushik Seetharaman, Svetlana Zivanovic, and Kerry Huber (Carbohydrate); M. Wes Schilling, Carolyn Fisher, Eunok Choe Lee, Yeonhwa Park, and Hyunjung Kim (Food Chemistry); Cristina Sabliov and Stephen Min (Food Engineering); Kurt Deibel and Robert C. Williams (Food Microbiology); William Baran and O. Peter Snyder (Foodservice); Alfred Bushway (Fruits & Vegetables); Robert P. Bates (International); N. Rukma Reddy (Nonthermal Processing); Fereidoon Shahidi, Debasis Bagchi, Cesarettin Alasalvar, Ron Pegg, and Jack Losso (Nutraceutical and Functional); Susan Berkow (Nutrition); Edward Aylward and Nurhan Dunford (Product Development); Daniel Carlin, Lester Wilson, and Lawrence Platt (Quality Assurance); Daryl Lund (Refrigerated and Frozen Foods); and Carolyn Corbett and Gregory Stucky (Sensory Evaluation).

Visit www.ift.org for more information about joining and participating in Section and Division activities.

Join the IFT Leadership Team—Run for office
IFT invites you to become a leader by running for office and by making a difference in your professional organization and profession.

"If you are passionate about helping to shape the future of IFT, let us know!" said Michele Buchanan, Chair of the IFT Nominations and Elections Committee. "Our Committee seeks candidates like you for key national-level Board positions."

Candidates for the Board of Directors must be Professional Members who are passionate about furthering the mission, vision, and strategic goals of IFT, have previous IFT volunteer experience, possess exemplary leadership qualities, and have a professional background in food science and technology.

The Leadership Positions. The Board of Directors, IFT’s primary governing board, sets the future direction of IFT and aligns resources of the organization to support IFT’s strategic direction and mission. As the chief elected officer and chair of the Board of Directors, the IFT President is the primary steward of the strategic vision and plan leading IFT forward.

The President, President-Elect, Past President, Treasurer, Executive Vice President, 12 elected representatives, Chair of the IFT Foundation, and the President, President-Elect, and Immediate Past President of the Student Association constitute the 21-member Board of Directors. Each of IFT’s elected leaders serve three-year terms to ensure continuity and oversight, and to provide for measurable progress in his or her important volunteer work. The Board of Directors meet face-to-face three times a year: in March, at the IFT Annual Meeting, and in October. Ongoing communication continues throughout the year as policies and programs are implemented.

To learn more about "IFT’s Strategic Plan" and "What it Takes to Become an Exceptional IFT Board Member," visit the Committee page at www.ift.org.

The Nominations Process. You have an opportunity to nominate yourself or a colleague for President-Elect or for a position as a Member of the 2008–09 Board of Directors. Visit www.ift.org and login to "Member Center" to complete the Volunteer Leadership Nomination Form. The form can also be requested by contacting Heather Lang in the IFT Executive Office at [email protected].

Completed forms for nominees to the offices of President-Elect and Representatives to the Board of Directors for the term beginning September 1, 2008, are due October 11, 2007. All completed nomination forms are confidential and reviewed by only the Nominations & Elections Committee to develop a final slate of nominees for election.

Food Summit to deliver new applications
Learn about the latest issues facing the global food industry at the 2007 IFT–CIFST Food Summit "Better Living Through Food Science, Food Safety, and Food Standards" in Hangshou, Zhejiang Province, China, on November 11–13, 2007. Presented by the Institute of Food Technologists and the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, the summit will present information about traceability; technical, ethical, and business issues of food safety errors; and food safety harmonization opportunities for the United States and China. For more information, visit www.foodsummit.cn or e-mail Amanda Perl at [email protected].

IFT to host Webcast
IFT’s Knowledge & Learning Center will host an educational Webcast, "Marketing Products to Children—Profitability vs. Ethics?" on September 27, 2007, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Central Time.

The Webcast will provide an overview of marketing to children and discuss the opportunities and challenges of self-regulation.

For more information about this session and upcoming Webcasts and to register, visit www.ift.org/knowledge.