NSF announces expert panel for awards programme

This awards programme recognises individuals and organisations that demonstrate exceptional leadership in foodservice safety.

The Food Safety Summit will be held 27-29 April 2009, with the award winners to be announced during the opening reception at the Washington DC Convention Center on 27 April. Nominations will be accepted through 2 February 2009.

“For over six decades, NSF International has strived to be a leader in the food safety industry,” said Anna Schmitt-Reichert, NSF director of corporate communications. “The Food Safety Leadership Awards, now in its sixth year, is our opportunity to recognise those individuals and organisations that have joined us in our efforts to protect and improve public health and food safety.”

The expert juror panel that will select the winners includes:

• Mary Adolf, former president and chief operating officer, National Restaurant Association Education Foundation.
• John Farquharson, founder and president of the International Food Safety Council, Executive Emeritus for Aramark Corporation, 2004 FSLA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner.
• Ernest Julian PhD, chief of the Office of Food Protection for the Rhode Island Department of Health, past chair of the Council of Public Health Consultants for NSF International.
• Ellen Laymon, staff supervisor for the Oregon Department of Agriculture Food Safety Division and member of the AFDO board. Ms Layman has also served on the Western Association of Food and Drug Officials board of directors as liaison to the AFDO Board of Directors.
• Vickie Lewandowski, president elect, International Association for Food Protection, associate principal microbiologist for Kraft Foods Global Inc.
• Jim Mann, founder of the Handwashing Leadership Forum and creator of Handwashing for Life, Winner of the 2005 FSLA Lifetime Achievement Award for Service.
• Donald Schaffner PhD, extension specialist in Food Science and professor at Rutgers University, member of the International Association for Food Protection, the Institute of Food Technologists, the Society for Risk Analysis and the American Society for Microbiology.
• David M Theno PhD, CEO of Gray Dog Partners Inc. Foods Consulting Business, former senior vice president of Quality and Logistics for Jack-in-the-Box and member of the US Department of Agriculture National Advisory Committee on microbiological criteria for foods. Jack-in-the-Box was awarded the 2005 FSLA Award for Systems Improvement.
• Ewen CD Todd PhD, director of the Food Safety Policy Center at Michigan State University, professor at MSU’s National Food Safety & Toxicology Center, former director of the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, chair of the committee on Control of Foodborne Illness of the International Association for Food Protection.
• Frank Yiannas MPH, vice president of Food Safety, Wal-Mart Stores Inc, former director of Safety & Health, Walt Disney World Co, former president, International Association for Food Protection, recipient of 2007 FSLA Lifetime Achievement Award.