IFT WORLD

IFT Leadership Election results announced
Congratulations to the following individuals who won the 2008 IFT National Leadership Election: Marianne Gillette, President-Elect; Barbara Blakistone, John Finley, Russ Flowers, and Julie Ruder, Board of Directors; and Ellen Bradley, MaryAnne Drake, and Scott Lineback, Nominations & Elections Committee members.

They will take office on September 1, 2008.

The 2008 IFT National Leadership Election was held March 10–April 10, 2008.

We appreciate all of our candidates’ involvement in this election during such an exciting time for IFT.

Pedaling professor bikes to end hunger
On May 31, Thomas Montville will begin biking more than 3,800 miles from San Francisco to New Hampshire—a 52-day journey—to raise critical funds for Elijah’s Promise emergency family feeding program.

Montville, an IFT Fellow, IFT Professional Member, and Professor of Food Science at Rutgers University, has been involved with Elijah’s Promise for more than 20 years. The organization provides meals, social services, health screenings, and job training to people in central New Jersey. Its Promise Jobs Culinary School offers full-time job training for employment in the food service industry.

Montville is an international expert in food safety whose current research examines resistance mechanisms of foodborne pathogens. He has served in leadership positions in IFT’s Food Microbiology and Biotechnology Divisions and contributed to IFT’s Expert Report “Antimicrobial Resistance: Implications for the Food System.” He trains by riding more than 5,000 miles each year and has raised more than $15,000 for charity through his rides. To learn more, e-mail Montville at [email protected], or visit www.elijahspromise.net.

Kramer wins Macy Award
Donald Kramer, Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks, recently won the IFT Minnesota Section’s 2008 Harold Macy Food Science and Technology Award for his more than 40 years of outstanding service in translating scientific findings in the area of seafood safety and quality into practical, transferable knowledge and technologies.

For 27 years, Kramer has conducted outreach work in seafood science to the industry, regulators, and the public. His humanitarian efforts include teaching and assisting Alaskans living in rural villages, often by traveling to remote communities via small planes, sleeping on the floors of public buildings, and teaching in a cross-cultural environment. He has helped these people improve the quality of their seafood for use as an economic resource, and, in turn, this has helped to improve the quality of life of many people.

Kramer is a Professional Member of IFT.

Established by the Minnesota Section in 1981, the award honors Harold Macy, former Dean Emeritus of the University of Minnesota and a Founding Member of IFT. Its purpose is to advance the profession and practice of food technology.

For more information about the Macy Award, visit www.mnift.org.

Developing future IFT leaders
More than 150 established and emerging volunteer leaders from within IFT’s membership, including many student members and young professionals, gathered in Rosemont, Ill., March 27–29, 2008, for the second annual IFT Strategic Leadership Forum.

The forum featured an agenda filled with sessions designed to inform, inspire, and foster leadership development. Time to network and to provide input into IFT’s Strategic Plan also was built into the schedule. Among the sessions that generated considerable conversation was one titled “Embracing Open Innovation,” which featured presentations on initiatives by Kraft Foods and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.

Speaker Richard McGregor, Associate Director of the Open Innovation Team at GSK, shared highlights of the company’s foray into open innovation, which was launched late in 2006 to help stem a pattern of declining sales growth. The results were dramatic and quickly apparent, McGregor reported; sales were up 15% in 2007 vs an increase of just 2.4% in 2005.

Steve Goers, Vice President of Open Innovation and Investments at Kraft Foods, said the company is still “early in its open innovation journey,” but has already begun to reap benefits as evidenced by creative product rollouts such as new Kraft Bagel-fuls, frozen bagel sticks filled with Philadelphia cream cheese.

Another highlight was an after-dinner speech by Philip Nelson, 2007 recipient of the World Food Prize, awarded in recognition of his breakthrough technological achievements in the area of bulk aseptic food processing and packaging. Nelson, a Purdue University Endowed Professor and former IFT President, delivered a lively—and sometimes emotional—look back at his own professional path as well as tips for shaping a meaningful career.

Look for a more detailed report on the Strategic Leadership Forum in the June issue of Food Technology.

New York section awards scholarships
Several students from Rutgers University recently won 2007–08 scholarships and poster competition awards from the IFT New York Section as part of its Student Awards Program. The scholarships and awards represent the section’s commitment to the development of future food scientists.

Mohamed Badaoui Najjar, Silvia A. Dominguez, Kasi Sundaresan, and Xuntao Zhu each received a $1,500 graduate scholarship. Reuben Gutierrez received a $1,000 undergraduate scholarship.

Students were also encouraged to present their research in the section’s poster competition. Monetary awards were presented to Najjar (first place, $500), Dominguez (second place, $300 ), and Yassaman Shafaie (third place, $200 ).

For more information about the section’s Student Awards Program, visit www.ift.org/sections/nyift.

Green appointed Director
POS Pilot Plant Corp., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, named Rick Green Director of Technology.

His responsibilities include project management, administration, supervision of staff, and technical support to departments throughout the company, as well as oversight of project leader activity. He will also continue to develop lab and pilot-scale processes for extraction and purification of proteins, oils, starches, and secondary plant metabolites such as polyphenols.

Green, a Professional Member of IFT, earned his Ph.D. degree in food and bioproduct sciences from the University of Saskatchewan, specializing in phenolic antioxidants.

Richardson named IFST Fellow
Terry Richardson of Richardson Researchers Inc., Oakland, Calif., has been elected a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, London, UK. He currently teaches courses on chocolate and confectionery at the University of California– Davis. He is a Professional Member of IFT.

AACC names board members
AACC International recently named four IFT members to its board.

Bernard Bruinsma, Technical Director, Innovative Cereal Systems, recently began his term as president of AACC. An active member of the organization for more than 30 years, Bruinsma has served as an editor for Cereal Chemistry and secretary of AACC International and has been an active member of many committees. He is a Professional Member of IFT.

Mary Ellen Camire, a professor in the University of Maine’s Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, is the new president-elect. A member of AACC International for 19 years, she currently serves on the board of directors and finance committee, has chaired the nutrition division, and has been a member of several committees. She is a Professional Member of IFT.

Maureen Olewnik, Vice President of Audit and Technical Services, AIB International, is a new director. She has served as an associate editor for Cereal Chemistry, secretary and chair of the milling and baking division, chair of the Check Sample Committee, and secretary, treasurer, program chair, and section chair of the Manhattan Section. She is a Professional Member of IFT.

Sergio O. Serna Saldivar, a professor in the Food Science and Technology Dept., Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico, is a new director. He currently serves on the International Executive Council and the Excellence in Teaching Award Committee and has served on the Cereal Chemistry editorial board. Saldivar is a Member of IFT.

Wayne joins Oregon Fruit
Oregon Fruit Products Co., Salem, Ore., hired Jo Ellen Wayne as New Product Development and Technical Sales Support Manager. Her responsibilities will include helping to develop a steady stream of innovative products. She is a Professional Member of IFT.

Eurofins promotes Russell
Eurofins Scientific, Nantes, France, recently promoted Michael Russell to President of the U.S. Food Division. This division consists of Eurofins Scientific Inc., Eurofins Genescan Inc., and Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratories Inc. He will be based in the U.S. corporate headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa.

Since 1998, Russell served as President of Eurofins Genescan, New Orleans, La., where he was responsible for its business development and operations management.

He is a Member of IFT.

Pruitt named Food Safety Director
Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis., named Gary Pruitt Food Safety Director in recognition of the role he plays on the quality systems team, supporting and educating customers on Sargento product safety.

In his new role, Pruitt, a Professional Member of IFT, will continue to function as the technical lead in formulating and implementing company policies and operating procedures and goals related to minimizing food safety risk.

Most recently in his 12-year career at the company, he was a senior food safety principal within quality systems. He also served as Associate Director of R&D, Director of R&R, and Senior Technology Principal.