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.