December 2023 New Connections

Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Max Participants: 25 people
Price: $40 for Members, $45 for Non-Members
Location: Quincy Street Distillery
39 E Quincy St
Riverside, IL 60546

There is limited parking available on Quincy street.

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Must be at least 21 years old to attend this event.

Please arrive at 5:30PM, as the tour will start promptly at 5:45PM. Registration cost includes tour, tasting, food as well as a special batched drink just for us. Seats are limited so be sure to sign up soon.

Curious about how alcoholic beverages are distilled? Interested in meeting other professionals in the food industry? Join New Connections at Quincy Street Distillery in Riverside, IL on December 19th!

We will be taking a tour of the facility which will include tasting samples and a visit into the bonded area of the distillery where they produce and bottle spirits. Learn about distilling whiskey, operation of the still, making cuts, and storing spirits in barrels. Hear the history and stories behind their products.

We will end the tour in the Speakeasy Bar and Retail Shop where we will enjoy networking alongside a cocktail and heavy appetizers.

December 2023 End Of Year Celebration

Schedule – December 6, 2023
5:00 PM Doors Open / Registration
5:30 PM Remarks & Reflections
6:15 PM Q&A with Audience
6:30 PM Networking
8:00 PM Close

Location
Nixon Peabody
70 W Madison St, Suite 5200
Chicago, IL 60602

Pricing
$25 CSIFT Members (Use CSIFTcomp126 – cap sensitive)
$50 General Admission

This program qualifies for IFT Certified Food Scientist (CFS) recertification contact hours (CH). CFS Certificants may claim a maximum of 1.5 CH for their participation in this program.

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Join Us on December 6 for an End-of-Year Celebration

Chicago Section IFT & CFBN are closing out 2023 with a year in review of trends and learnings to help prepare members and guests for the year ahead.

You’ll hear remarks and reflections from a variety of Industry leaders, who will share with us their learnings from 2023, and their goals and prognostications for 2024.

Following the reflections there will be (as always) amazing networking along with festive food and drink that you can enjoy while overlooking the incredible views of Lake Michigan and Millennium Park provided by our hosts, Nixon Peabody.

Don’t miss saying goodbye to 2023 and celebrating with your industry colleagues and peers!

Bridget Hegg, RDN, MBA, Associate Director, Datassential

As a food enthusiast and dietitian, Bridget brings a unique point of view to the foodservice industry. She is an associate director at the market research firm Datassential who has developed strong supplier relationships by collaborating with chefs and industry leaders.

Datassential makes the food industry smarter, providing trend software, predictive analytics, and consumer and operator insights that help manufacturers, food retailers, and chain restaurants innovate and sell more intelligently.

This event is brought to you in partnership with

October 2023 Cultivating Community and Learning Event

Schedule
7:30-8:15 AM Breakfast & Networking
8:15-8:30 AM Welcome & Announcements
8:30-9:30 AM Speaker
9:30-10:00 AM Questions & Networking

Location
Summit Chicago
205 N Michigan Ave, 10th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601

Virtual Pricing
$15.00 Members
$25.00 Non-Members

In-Person Pricing
$25.00 Emeritus / Student Members
$50.00 Members
$60.00 Non-members
Unemployed Members can use voucher UNEMP-1010050 to save 50%
Member Prices increase after Tuesday, October 10th

No refunds as speaker presentation recording is available on demand

In-Person Registration

Virtual Registration

This program qualifies for IFT Certified Food Scientist (CFS) recertification contact hours (CH). CFS Certificants may claim a maximum of 1.5 CH for their participation in this program.

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21st Century Leadership - Vision, Culture & People The OTHER 5G Revolution

As technology, business, and our world change, “managing-forward” and “business-as-usual” no longer cut it. The critical challenge is to set a course and move forward— to lead.

How do you create your Vision? Develop and “live” your core values/culture? Develop the leadership within your organization?

Today is the first time in our history that we have 5 Generations in our workforce. The challenges of aligning those 5 distinct value structures and world views into a cohesive team are more art than science.

Attend this breakfast session and explore how to combine these foundational elements together to achieve the results your organization desires.

Speaker: Phil Gafka, CBC, Author, Speaker

Phil Gafka has traveled that path successfully and he is the point person helping enterprises to achieve the results and success they desire.

Capitalizing on his experience of leading successful companies and developing leadership performance at a variety of corporate levels, as a Certified Business Coach, Phil focuses on Strategic/Cultural Business Development, Executive Coaching and Leadership Development.

phil@leapcoaching.com
www.leapcoaching.com
www.linkedin.com/in/philgafka/

October 2023 New Connections

Join CSIFT New Connections as we take a behind-the-scenes tour behind The Plant. Come learn about Bubbly Dynamics’ creative approaches to reimagine what is conventionally considered “waste” as a valuable asset and see how tenant businesses collaborate and create amazing food products while striving to increase efficiencies of all types.

A repurposed industrial meatpacking facility, The Plant now serves as a living laboratory that demonstrates techniques for reimagining waste as a resource, achieving economies of scale and incubating small businesses.

After the tour we will Stop in to Whiner Beer Co.’s taproom to enjoy networking, drinks and Heffer BBQ’s Mexican-inspired Texas barbecue. Tour and appetizers are included in the cost. We hope to see you there!

Date: Thursday, October 19, 2023
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Max Participants: 30 people
Price: $15 for Members, $20 for Non-Members
Location: THE PLANT
1400 W 46th St
Chicago, IL 60609

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Getting There: The Plant is located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago at 1400 W 46th St.

We are close to transit: ~ 2 blocks from the #9 Ashland bus, which has an express option during rush hour, and 1 block from the #47 / 47th St. bus.

Ride your bike and park in the lobby, or park your Divvy at the bike-share station at 47th/Ashland.

Street parking is generally available in front of the building and along adjacent streets.

September 2023 Cultivating Community and Learning Event

Schedule
5-5:45 PM Networking in Auditorium Lobby, Cash Bar, and Heavy Appetizers
5:45-6:00 PM Welcome and Announcements
6:00-7:00 PM Panel Discussion
7:00-7:30 PM Networking & Dessert

Location
Carlucci’s Rosemont – Auditorium
6111 North River Road
Rosemont, IL 60018

Pricing
$25.00 Emeritus / Student Members
$50.00 Members
$60.00 Non-members
Unemployed Members can use voucher UNEMP-1010050 to save 50%
Member Prices increase after Tuesday, September 12th

No refunds as speaker presentation recording is available on demand

Event Sponsor

In-Person Registration

This program qualifies for IFT Certified Food Scientist (CFS) recertification contact hours (CH). CFS Certificants may claim a maximum of 1.5 CH for their participation in this program.

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Food Safety Culture - Learn from Industry Leaders

Join us at Carlucci’s in Rosemont and listen to the stories from top food industry leaders who have committed years to effectively establish food safety culture in their organizations. These tips and lessons will help you to understand the maturity of your food safety culture and how to sustain and further strengthen it.

It is now a top priority to implement a food safety culture as the foundation of producing safe food. But this is easier said than done! It’s challenging when you consider everyone across all aspects of the supply chain and involves a structured approach. Learn from industry leaders at our September 14 Kickoff event of the year!

Moderator

Cindy Jiang
Senior Director at McDonald’s
Retired July 2023

Cindy Jiang is celebrated for her global leading role in advancing food safety from farm to restaurants, bridging the gap between standards and implementation. During her tenure at McDonald’s, she championed the development and implementation of a comprehensive global food safety strategy. Her visionary leadership elevated food safety culture by creating initiatives like Annual Food Safety Week, using culture assessment data to develop strategy.

Cindy’s impact extended beyond McDonald’s, as she actively collaborated with industry, academia, and government bodies on food safety globally. Her involvement with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Board from 2008 to March 2021 demonstrates her commitment to driving change and setting high standards across the food industry.

With her keen focus on collaboration and knowledge-sharing, Cindy’s influence reached far beyond her organization. Her dedication to mentoring others within McDonald’s and the wider global food industry further solidifies her legacy as a catalyst for positive change in global food safety practices.

Speaker: Peter Begg, Senior Vice President, R&D, Quality and Food Safety, Hearthside Foods Solutions

Peter Begg is currently Senior Vice President, R&D, Quality and Food Safety for Hearthside Food Solutions (HFS). He oversees all aspects of product development, quality and food safety across the company including risk management, regulatory and food safety conformity and product compliance for the business. Hearthside Food Solutions provides contract manufacturing solutions across the food industry to numerous large CPG companies.

Peter joined HFS from Glanbia Nutritionals where he was Vice President of Quality and Food Safety from 2017-2020. At Glanbia Nutritionals, Peter led the Quality team across the entire network of ingredient plants including the Quality Control labs. Prior to Glanbia, Peter was Sr. Director of Global Supply Chain Quality for Mondelēz International from 2012-2017.

At Mondelez International, his responsibilities included Auditing, Supplier Quality, Sanitation and Hygienic Design, Lean Six Sigma for Quality, Distribution and Warehouse Quality, Policy and Training, and Quality Systems. Before that, Peter was the Director of Quality for Kraft Foods Europe from 2008-2011 and Director of Research, Development and Quality for the Kraft Foodservice (Away from Home) business in North America from 2005-2008.

Throughout his 28-year career, Peter has worked in a variety of business roles including Engineering, R&D and Quality. Peter also represented Mondelēz International on the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) board of directors from 2012-2017. Peter completed his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1994.

Speaker: Vijay Krishna, Global Vice President of Quality & Regulatory Affairs, Glanbia Performance Nutrition

Vijay Krishna is the Global VP of Quality & Regulatory Affairs at Glanbia Performance Nutrition (GPN). In this role, Vijay is responsible for planning, developing, and directing all quality assurance and regulatory policies, programs, and initiatives in accordance with global quality and regulatory guidelines and requirements.

Prior to joining GPN, Vijay most recently held the position of VP of Food Safety and Quality at Sargento Foods Inc. He was responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the Food Safety and Quality function and leads the organization in the areas of risk management related to food safety, quality systems, and regulatory compliance.

Prior to joining Sargento, Vijay held the role of Quality Director at Kerry Group, where he provided strategic and tactical support for continuous improvement of multi-site manufacturing facilities. He brings more than 20 years of hands-on experience in Food Safety and Quality Systems in the food industry.

Vijay earned his Bachelors of Dairy Technology from Gujarat Agricultural University, India and a Masters in Food Science and Technology from The Ohio State University, OH.

As a parent and a food safety professional, Vijay is very passionate about Food Safety and Quality culture and considers this more than “just a job” but more of a moral obligation. He currently lives in Chicago Area and enjoys traveling, road trips, being active in the community and spending time with his friends and family.

Speaker: LeAnn Chuboff, Vice President Technical Affairs, SQFI

LeAnn has over 30 years of foodservice experience specializing in supply chain food safety and quality assurance.

Currently LeAnn is the Vice President of Technical Affairs for the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Institute responsible for the technical elements of the SQF program including the development, maintenance, and technical support of the SQF Code and supporting materials.

Prior to working at the SQF Institute, LeAnn worked for the National Restaurant Association Solutions as the Director of Science and Regulatory Relations. In this role, she was responsible for the technical accuracy of the ServSafe food safety program and developed programs and services on food safety and food defense to fit with all segments of the restaurant industry.

LeAnn has also worked for Long John Silver’s and Boston Market in corporate quality assurance where she developed food safety and vendor approval program. LeAnn graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Food Science and is active with many organizations including GFSI, AFDO and the International Association for Food Protection.

Speaker: Michael Campagna, Vice President Quality, Food Safety, and Regulatory at John B. Sanfilippo & Son

Michael leads quality, food safety, and regulatory for John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Inc. Fortunate to have great assignments at General Mills, Mars-Wrigley, and Kraft Foods.

As a career long food scientist, I have focused my passion and energy to bring safe, healthy, sustainable, and enjoyable food to as many people as possible.

May 2023 New Connections

Join us at Synergy Flavors Inc. in companionship with the WFFC Chicago chapter for an educational session, to reconnect and network. Edward Fuchs, Senior Research Scientist for Synergy Flavors in Hamilton, Ohio, will cover a range of Coffee topics, beginning with some history, following processing, roast reactions, coffee quality grading, and ending with brewed coffee beverages.

The information provided will enhance your knowledge of Coffee and the various terms used by farmers, importers, and roasters. At the very least, the next time you see “Honey Coffee” in a coffee shop, you’ll know what it means and what flavor to expect (and it’s not honey).

A tour of Synergy flavors labs and commercial space will be included along with a buffet and beverage.

Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Time: 5:30 – 8:00 PM
Max Participants: 37 people
Price: $10 for Members, $15 for Non-Members
Location: Synergy Flavors
1500 Synergy Drive
Wauconda, IL 60084
All proceeds of this event through the IFT Chicago Section will be donated to the Chicagoland Food Science Foundation.

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Chicago Section IFT’s registrations are full so the link below will bring you to the WFFC website to register. Register Now

Edward Fuchs, Senior Research Scientist

Ed has worked in the flavor, fragrance, and food industry for over 15 years, with a wide range of experience including, flavor and fragrance manufacturing, coffee flavor chemistry, analytical chemistry, multivariate statistics, and distillation.

Ed is a certified Q-grader with a passion for coffee and natural products. He works on a variety of projects to enhance the quality and sensory attributes of coffee, develop and expand Synergy’s natural essence and extract portfolio, and create upcycled and sustainable ingredients.

May 2023 Tanner Lecture

Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Schedule
5:00-5:30 PM Social Hour / Networking
5:30-6:30 Dinner – Family Style
6:30-6:45 Announcements
7:00-8:00 PM Speaker and Questions

Location
Maggiano’s Little Italy
4999 Old Orchard Center
Skokie, IL 60077

Pricing
$15.00 Streaming / On-Demand
$25.00 Emeritus / Student Members
$50.00 Members
$60.00 Non-members
Unemployed Members can use voucher UNEMP-1010050 to save 50%
Member Prices increase after Thursday, May 4th

No refunds as speaker presentation recording is available on demand

In-Person Registration

Streaming / On-Demand Registration

This program qualifies for IFT Certified Food Scientist (CFS) recertification contact hours (CH). CFS Certificants may claim a maximum of 1.5 CH for their participation in this program.

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Biological activities of plant proteins and peptides: challenges and opportunities

Peptides produced from plant proteins have been reported to have multiple biological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The biological potential of peptide ingredients can be optimized by conducting in silico hydrolysis screenings and selecting enzymes whose specificity maximizes the number of bioactive peptides produced.

It is also important to select an enzyme to substrate ratio that allows for feasible peptide production within a reasonable time.

Proteins are subjected to hydrolysis by enzymes selected after optimization of bioactive peptide formation.

Hydrolysis of proteins is performed using optimal conditions for each enzyme and peptides are sequenced using tandem mass spectroscopy.

Protein concentration and composition influence the biological properties of peptides obtained.

Overall, the selection of processing conditions can be tested and optimized to produce peptides with desired biological activities.

Dr. Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia
Professor, University of Illinois

Dr. Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia investigates bioactive peptides and proteins in foods that promote health benefits for reducing inflammation, markers of type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease risk.

She identifies and characterizes the functional properties of food components, notably proteins and peptides in plant foods.

Her research group investigates the role of processing on the presence, concentration, and physicochemical characteristics of proteins with biological potential and their safety.

They also study the health benefits of cereals and pulses, particularly the molecular mechanisms underlying their biological effects on several chronic disorders. Her scientific studies introduce new materials to improve human health.

She has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles with her students and mentored 46 graduate students and many more undergraduate students. She is a University of Illinois Scholar, a Presidential Fellow, and an IFT Fellow.

March 2023 Trivia Night

Schedule – March 13, 2023
5:00-6:00 PM Networking & Taco Buffet
6:00-7:00 PM Trivia
7:00-7:30 PM Networking and Dessert

Location
Granite City
801 Plaza Dr
Schaumburg, IL 60173

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Pricing
$25.00 Emeritus / Student Members
$50.00 Members
$60.00 Non-members
Unemployed Members can use voucher UNEMP-1010050 to save 50%
Member Prices increase after Thursday, March 9th

$10 of every registration will be donated to the Chicagoland Food Science Foundation that creates awareness of Food Science and provides scholarships to students pursuing a degree in Food Science and Nutrition.

In-Person Registration

This program qualifies for IFT Certified Food Scientist (CFS) recertification contact hours (CH). CFS Certificants may claim a maximum of 1.0 CH for their participation in this program.

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Bring your A-game to a fun night of Food Science Trivia at Granite City in Schaumburg.

In addition to prizes, winners of trivia night not only get bragging rights for a whole year but also get naming rights to our winner’s traveling lab coat.

Last year, “Let’s Taco About Food” came out the winner!

When registering, identify your team members. If you do not have a team, we will find you one!

April 2023 New Connections

April 2023 New Connections– The Top Flavor & Fragrance Trends of 2023

Join us at Flavorchem to reconnect, network, and discover the top flavor and fragrance trends of 2023 with other professionals in the food and beverage industry.

Marketing Specialists from Flavorchem and Orchidia Fragrances will present their 2023 trend forecast findings while attendees’ taste and smell through some corresponding applications.

The event includes networking opportunities, snacks, and a tour of the SRS Center for Taste Innovation. We hope to see you there!

Date: Thursday, April 27, 2023
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Max Participants: 35 people
Price: $10 for Members, $15 for Non-Members
Location: Flavorchem SRS Center for Taste Innovation
1429 Centre Cir
Downers Grove, IL 60515
Parking: Visitor parking is available at the front entrance of the SRS building

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Food & Beverage Sponsored by ABT

April 2023 Student Day

Date: Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Schedule:
Expo: 11 AM – 5PM
Networking & Panel: 5-7:30 PM
Expo Price: $400 through February 24th
$450 beginning February 25th
Price includes: Booth, 2 chairs, lunch, network event and parking
Networking & Panel Price: $25 – Includes appetizers, open bar, and parking
Location: Illinois Tech’s Mies Campus
10 West 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60616-3793
312.567.3000

The Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FDSN) at Illinois Tech is excited to announce our partnership with BSI, Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network (CFBN), Chicago Section IFT (CSIFT), Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA), and the Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) as we host Illinois Tech’s first food focused Career Fair this Spring.

Students from all majors and multiple Chicago area universities will be attending, extending you and your business the opportunity to meet current students for potential full-time or internship hire. If you are looking to hire an excellent addition to your staff, you certainly won’t want to miss this event.

All food industry related companies are invited to participate. There are so many careers associated with “FOOD” whether your company is looking to hire in Agricultural, Culinary, Flavor Chemist, Food Science, Nutrition, Engineering, Business, Law, Computer Science, all majors will be present.

This event will allow you to meet many talented Illinois Tech and other university students from various departments who are seeking internships and new career opportunities.

Join us to meet your future employees from several disciplines. We hope you will join us for our First Food Focused Spring 2023 Career Fair!

Expo Registration

Networking & Panel Registration – $25

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5-6 PM Panel Discussion: Career Opportunities in and Around the Food & Beverage Industry

Hear from the following panelists:

Kimberly Bretz – Senior Executive Recruiter – Ingredients | Flavors | Beverage | – Miller Resources
Desmond Tetteh – Manager, Supply Chain Planning – Reynolds Consumer Products
Jonathan Zambrano – Senior Design Engineer – Epstein Architecture, Engineering & Construction
Patrick Kachelmeier – Senior Operational Quality Manager – Sargento
Katie Sudler – Community Education Director – McCormick FONA

Join Us on December 6 for an End-of-Year Celebration

Bridget Hegg, RDN, MBA, Associate Director, Datassential

This event is brought to you in partnership with

21st Century Leadership - Vision, Culture & People The OTHER 5G Revolution

Speaker: Phil Gafka, CBC, Author, Speaker

Event Sponsor

Food Safety Culture - Learn from Industry Leaders

Moderator

Speaker: Peter Begg, Senior Vice President, R&D, Quality and Food Safety, Hearthside Foods Solutions

Speaker: Vijay Krishna, Global Vice President of Quality & Regulatory Affairs, Glanbia Performance Nutrition

Speaker: LeAnn Chuboff, Vice President Technical Affairs, SQFI

Speaker: Michael Campagna, Vice President Quality, Food Safety, and Regulatory at John B. Sanfilippo & Son

Biological activities of plant proteins and peptides: challenges and opportunities

April 2023 New Connections– The Top Flavor & Fragrance Trends of 2023

Food & Beverage Sponsored by ABT

5-6 PM Panel Discussion: Career Opportunities in and Around the Food & Beverage Industry

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