IFT WORLD

Gillette becomes IFT President
Marianne Gillette, Vice President of Technical Competencies and Platforms for McCormick & Co. Inc., was chosen by the members of the Institute of Food Technologists to be President of IFT for 2009-10. She officially becomes IFT's 70th President when she takes office Sept. 1, 2009.

Gillette joined McCormick in 1977 and has held increasingly responsible roles in sensory testing, industrial marketing, product development, and research. She entered the food industry after receiving M.S. (1977) and B.S (1976) degrees in nutrition science from the University of California, Davis. She received an MBA in 1984 from the University of Baltimore.

A long-time member of IFT, Gillette has participated in many volunteer activities including IFT Executive Committee (1994-97); Maryland Section (Chair 1985-86, as well as Past Chair, Secretary, and Councilor); Sensory Evaluation Division (Chair 1987-88, as well as Past Chair, Secretary, Councilor, and Member-at-Large); Committee on Sections and Divisions Past Chair; Committee on Global Interests Chair and Past Chair; Committee on Exhibitor Advisory; Scientific Lecturer (1992-95); Award Juries (2000-08); Student Product Development Competition Judge; and College Bowl Judge.

Gillette has authored and co-authored several publications on sensory testing. In addition, she has given hundreds of presentations over a 30-year period to local schools, science programs, university food science departments, and professional associations on sensory science, herbs and spices, flavor trends, and product development.

Gravani chosen IFT President-Elect
IFT members have chosen Bob Gravani to be their next President-Elect. He will succeed Marianne Gillette, becoming IFT's 71st President when he takes office Sept. 1, 2010.

Gravani is Professor of food science and Director of the National Good Agricultural Practices Program at Cornell University where he is actively engaged in extension/outreach, teaching, and research activities. He received his B.S. degree in food science from Rutgers University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University. During his career, he has also served as Science Director of the Cereal Institute Inc. and as Assistant Director of the Institute of Food Science and Marketing at Cornell University.

Gravani has developed innovative programs for constituents in production agriculture, food processing, food retailing, and foodservice, as well as for regulatory agencies and consumers. He has published many scientific and popular articles, and developed numerous education programs for constituents.

His volunteer involvement in IFT is extensive and includes Chair, Certification Feasibility Advisory Panel (2008-present); Produce Safety Expert Panel (2008-present); Carl R. Fellers Award Committee (2005-07); IFT Student Association Fun Run Committee Faculty Advisor (2005-present); IFT Continuing Education Task Force (2006); Executive Board (2002-05); Chair, Media Workshop Task Force (2002-05); IFT Task Force on Board Leadership and Development (2005-06); IFT Task Force on Annual Meeting Scientific Program (2005-06); Expert Panel on Food Safety and Nutrition (1997-2000); Bernard L. Oser Award Jury (1999-2002); Quality Assurance Division, Executive Committee (1996-2000); Task Force on Communicating Advocacy (1998-1999); IFT/NRA Strategic Alliance Task Force (1998-2000); Food Microbiology Division, Executive Committee (1997-2000); Distinguished Service Award Committee (Chair, 2000; Member, 2001); Ad-hoc Committee on HACCP Activities (1995-2000); Continuing Education Committee (Chair 1992-93, 1984-85, as well as Past Chair and Chair-Elect); Advisory Council (1993-2000); Extension Division (1988-present, Chair 1991-92 as well as Past Chair and Chair-Elect); Food Service Division (Secretary 1986-87); Public Information Advisory Committee (1983-86); and Food Science and Technology Information Resource (1985-present).

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Ryan elected IFTSA President
Kelsey Ryan is the newly elected President of the IFT Student Association. She will take office on Sept. 1, 2009. Ryan is working toward earning her Ph.D. degree at North Carolina State University. Her research concentrates on the modification of whey proteins for use in beverages.

Ryan received her B.S. degree in food science and a minor in nutrition from the University of Minnesota and her M.S. degree in food science from Purdue University. As an undergraduate and graduate student, she worked in the University of Minnesota Sensory Center, participated in the Cornell Food Science Summer Scholars Program, and interned with General Mills and Heinz North America.

Join the IFT leadership team
Now is the time to take your IFT volunteer involvement to the next level. You have an opportunity to nominate yourself or a colleague for President-Elect or for a position as a member of the 2010-11 Board of Directors. It is quick and easy to submit a nomination online. For more information, visit www.ift.org. Nomination forms can also be requested by contacting Erin Carter in the IFT Executive Office at [email protected]. The deadline for submission is Oct. 1, 2009.

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 Richard Benson (British); Matt Hutchinson (Chicago); Larry E. Clement (Florida); Kurt Rosentrater (Great Plains Sub Section); Jack Beidleman, Kathy McBride, and Andy D. Pollard (Intermountain); Kathy Sargent (Kansas City); Beilei Ge and Miguel Gutierrez (Louisiana Gulf Coast); Stacy VanDenHeuvel (Maryland); Cherie Jones and Lisa Pannell (Minnesota); Sara McCormick (New York); Hank Van Driel (Nutmeg); Lisa Sanders (Ohio Valley); Barbara Brojack, Andrea Gerstle, and Haley Kaliser (Philadelphia); Megan Leifson, Thomas McLean, and Jim Sutton (Puget Sound); Scott Nichols (San Joaquin Valley Sub Section); Tung-Shi Huang, Corinne Thompson, and Martha Verghese (South Eastern); C.M. Barnes, Barbara Caldwell, Toni Gitter, Ana Gumabon, Christy Kadharmestan, Alan Kitsuse, and Dan Rosson (Southern California); Paul Angelino (Volunteer); and Chris DiPietro and Anthony Pavel (Washington, D.C).

This year's Outstanding Division Members of the Year are Jonathan Gray and Thomas Luallen (Carbohydrate); Grady Chism (Education); Pavinee Chinachoti, Ann Marie D. Craig, and Baraem (Pam) Ismail (Food Chemistry); David Golden (Food Microbiology); Don Schaffner and Gideon Zeidler (Foodservice); Diane Barrett (Fruit & Vegetable Products); Jochen Weiss (International); Jeremy Harvey and Joseph R. Stout (Marketing & Management); C. Patrick Dunne (Nonthermal Processing); Cesarettin Alasalver, Debasis Bagchi, Ron Pegg, and Fereidoon Shahidi (Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods); Kristen McNutt (Nutrition); Witoon Prinyawiwatkul (Product Development); and Sandra Pitts (Sensory Evaluation).

Section & Division meetings

Visit www.ift.org to view the Events Calendar, including listings for Section and Division meetings, and for information on how to list your event.

Profiling achievement: IFT Foundation scholarship recipient update

Danielle Lynn, a recipient of the 2009-10 Givaudan Flavors scholarship, is an undergraduate student studying food science and technology at Clemson University.

As a participant in a study abroad program, she gained first-hand experience in the process of grapevine cultivation, wine production, and sensory study of wine in Italy's Tuscany region.

Lynn is President of her university's IFT student chapter and a member of Clemson's Agriculture and Natural Resources Council.

For more information about IFT Foundation scholarships, visit www.iftfoundation.org or call the IFT Foundation at 312-782-8424. Scholarship applications for the 2010-11 academic year will be available online on Oct. 15, 2009.

This occasional article will provide an update on scholarship recipients.