US Food Industry's Response - Managing food production in a time of volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity
Speaker: Larry Keener CFS PA IFT Fellow
Larry Keener is president and chief executive officer of International Product Safety Consultants, Inc. (IPSC) based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1996, IPSC is a global leader in providing food safety and food technology solutions to the food processing industry for a broad client base of Fortune 500 food companies, academic research institutes and government agencies. IPSC is engaged in the conformity, risk assessment and food safety verification business. Larry is an internationally regarded microbiologist and process authority in the food industry. As such, his areas of expertise range from applied food microbiology, the development and application of novel preservation technologies, including high pressure processing (HPP), microwave and pulsed electric field (PEF), high powered ultrasound, atmospheric plasma and the design and implementation of food safety management and control systems and strategies. He is currently working with a leading international engineering firm to validate the use of low energy electron beam (LEEB) irradiation for food applications.
March 10, 2020 Dinner Meeting
Patricia “Trish” Zecca, Nutrition, Food Industry Champ; Public Health Expert Trish has over 20 years of experience in various areas of nutrition science including diet and disease prevention, maternal & child health, USDA Food and Nutrition Programs, diabetes education, and the food industry. Trish spent the last 10 years at the Campbell Soup Company leading Global Nutrition strategy and innovation for the Americas then Snack businesses. She and her team of experienced RDs and nutrition scientists helped bring to market nutritionally advantaged products such as Well Yes soup, V8 Hydrate, Veggie Goldfish, plant-based proteins products and helped reduce the sodium while increasing vegetables and whole grains across the portfolio.
Trish is the former Chairman of the Board for the Produce for Better Health Foundation, sodium committee of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) and active in influencing and shaping FDA nutrition policy. She received her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in nutrition science from the Pennsylvania State University, and is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics since 1984. Trish’s passion is to help others sift through the conflicting messages on diet and health, and enjoy delicious food to achieve their personalized health and wellness goals.
November 12, 2019 Dinner Meeting
Speaker Bio: Katie Pearmine
Growing up on a farm in the North Willamette Valley, Katie Pearmine has worked in agriculture since childhood. As the Strategic Sourcing Manager for Oregon Food Bank, Katie leads a team responsible for procuring food for people experiencing hunger in Oregon and Clark County Washington. Katie’s previous work includes: field work and outdoor education in rural Oregon, ten years in publishing and marketing, and five years with Oregon Department of Agriculture. Katie spends her free time on food access and land use issues, and is chairing Oregon State University, Food Innovation Center’s advisory board, and acting a Commissioner for Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development.
December 10, 2019 Dinner Meeting
In 1980, Seth Tibbott founded Turtle Island Foods, now "the Tofurky Company", on $2500 savings from his 8-year career as a teacher/naturalist. Many people, including his midwestern Aunt and fellow elementary school teachers, thought selling moldy soybeans to the meat centric American public was a very bad idea. For 15 years it appeared the naysayers were right as Seth pursued his dream while losing his shirt as a pioneer of the plant based foods movement making a fermented Indonesian soy product called Tempeh. With an income of only $300/month, Seth built a 3-story treehouse that he called home for 7 years. In 1995, also against the advice of his partners, Seth introduced the first nationally marketed vegan holiday roast named "Tofurky". The Tofurky brand now includes 35 different vegan products which are sold in 27,000 stores worldwide. Today Seth enjoys sharing the details of his “40-year overnight success” story while traveling the world cheerleading plant-based food entrepreneurs from London to New Delhi and beyond.
Other events:
Global Coffee Production: Aiming for More Sustainable, Productive Farms Vagabond Brewing, Salem, OR
Learn from Hanna Neuschwander about World Coffee Research and their work supporting sustainable, productive coffee farms around the world.
Join us for an evening of networking with food industry professionals, and enjoy tacos and locally brewed beer and cider. Our guest speaker, Hannah Neuschwander of World Coffee Research, will discuss how new and interesting data driven approaches in coffee farming across the globe can help drive profitability and lift millions out of poverty.
Speaker: Hanna Neuschwander Hanna is the communications director for World Coffee Research, a research nonprofit that works to secure the future of coffee. She writes and speaks globally about coffee science and agriculture. Her writing and commentary has appeared in the Art of Eating, Time Magazine, CNN, BCC, Portland Monthly, and many others. She is the author of Left Coast Roast, a guidebook to coffee roasters on the west coast.
Join us for a fun networking event and learn from Dr. Fred Caporaso from Chapman University as he demonstrates the art of evaluating a delicious glass of wine. His goal is to provide the first steps to becoming a wine connoisseur. Dr. Caporaso has 40 years of experience in sensory science and has been an expert witness in significant sensory testing litigation cases and appeared on the popular TV show Myth Busters.
Speaker: Dr Fred Caporaso Dr. Fred Caporaso is Professor of Food Science and Honors Professor in the Schmid College of Science and Technology at Chapman University. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Rutgers University and his Ph.D. from Penn State. Before coming to Chapman he was on the faculty at the University of Nebraska, and also worked as a research scientist for McGaw Laboratories in Irvine, CA (developing prescription only "medical foods" for hospital patients).