Thank you to all of our exceptional speakers!
Chef Robert Danhi, CCE CEC CHE CCP
PMA’s Consulting Chef, Robert Danhi, is an expert in the cuisines of Asia, specializing in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. His book, The Flavors of Southeast Asia, is scheduled for release in October 2008. Danhi graduated from the CIA, and returned as a Chef Instructor. He continues to teach at the CIA and other schools across the globe. In addition, he heads up his consulting group, Chef Danhi & Co. in Los Angeles, and leads culinary immersion tours for food professionals that seek a better understanding of the cuisines and cultures of Southeast Asia. Visit www.chefdanhi.com for more information, recipes, videos and photos.
Harry Balzer, Vice President, The NPD Group
Harry Balzer and The NPD Group have been tracking the eating and drinking patterns of Americans for nearly 30 years. He is the author of The NPD Group’s Annual Report on Eating Patterns in America, now in its 22nd year. More than 90 percent of the nation’s food and beverage manufacturers and restaurant operators rely on Harry and NPD data. Balzer is widely known within the industry as a consistent source for information on actual consumer eating habits … not just what they say they are doing … but what they really do.
Jim Perkins, President, ÚLATAM™ Solutions Group (ÚSG)
Jim Perkins is the author of Beyond Bodegas: Developing a Retail Relationship with Hispanic Customers. Jim, who is bilingual and bicultural, learned many of the lessons he shares with his clients from his experiences in Spain, South America, Mexico, the Caribbean and the streets of Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami. As founder and President of ÚLATAM™ Solutions Group (ÚSG), Perkins helps companies understand the importance of cultural considerations and consumption patterns when attempting to reach the Hispanic consumer. For more information, visit: www.ulatam.com.
Kevin O’Connor, CSP, Corporate Consultant, Kevin E. O’Connor and Associates
Kevin E. O’Connor and Associates is a management consulting firm specializing in leadership development, team building, and creative problem solving for management teams. Kevin works with clients including Motorola, Ameritech, Cigna Healthcare, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Blue Cross-Blue Shield, and dozens of others. Based on his extensive research of sales executives and professionals, O’Connor helps executives create and implement the right solutions for today’s business climate.
Saul Gitlin, Executive Vice President of Strategic Marketing Services, Kang & Lee Advertising
Kang & Lee was ranked as the #1 Asian multicultural agency by Advertising Age in May 2005. Saul has directed the agency account planning teams for clients including AT&T, Sears, Allstate Insurance, New York Times, and many others. As a nationally recognized strategist in the field of multicultural marketing, Saul is heavily published and quoted in the media (see www.kanglee.com ‘Newsroom’). Prior to joining Kang & Lee in 1997, Gitlin worked for multinational corporations in China, Israel and the United States. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Hebrew, and French.
Kimberly Yorio, co-founder, YC Media
Kimberly is a creative marketer specializing in the development of strategic publicity and promotions campaigns for cookbooks, restaurants, chefs, and other food-related personalities and products. As the founder of Yorio, Inc., she represented a range of publishers and achieved impressive media placements. Yorio gained her experience at William Morrow with successful book promotions for bestsellers including Baking with Julia by Julia Child and Louisiana Real and Rustic by Emeril Lagasse. She is co-author of The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business. In 2001 she co-founded YC Communications.
Caitlin Friedman, co-founder, YC Media
Caitlin Friedman is a public relations and marketing professional with more than ten years of consumer, food and beverage, publishing, and television-production experience. She is the co-author of the best-selling business book, The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business. In 1999, Caitlin formed Caitlin Connelly Communications, a lifestyle public relations and marketing agency and was enlisted by Amazon.com to launch their new Kitchen Store. In 2001 she partnered with Kimberly Yorio to form YC Media, a full-service public relations and marketing firm.
Steve Lutz, Executive Vice President, Perishables Group
Steve Lutz helps organizations understand and utilize consumer and supermarket sales data to develop innovative growth strategies and category best practices for the produce industry. He has worked for more than 25 years in all areas of marketing and management. As a well-respected industry leader, Steve has been a top-rated speaker at the Food Marketing Institute, Produce Marketing Association, Canadian Produce Marketing Association and other meetings throughout the world. In 2002, Lutz was named Marketer of the Year by The Packer Newspaper for his leadership, vision and courage.
Tim York, President, Markon Cooperative, Inc.
Mr. York has thirty years experience in the produce and foodservice industries. He began his career in 1977 at H. Hall & Company, a grower/shipper of strawberries and mixed vegetables. Mr. York joined Markon—a purchasing, marketing, and logistics cooperative serving North America’s leading independent foodservice distributors—in 1985 as Purchasing Director. He was promoted to his current position of President in 1997. Mr. York has held numerous committee and task force positions, including Member, USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Council, Chairman of the Produce Marketing Association (2002), Director of the PMA, 1993-1996; Chairman of PMA’s Foodservice Division, 1994-1996.
Bonnie Fernandez Executive Director, The Center for Produce Safety (CPS), University of California, Davis
Fernandez recently became the first director of the new CPS, bringing to the position a wealth of knowledge and practical experience in agriculture. She will guide the center’s efforts to develop workable, science-based solutions to safeguard the nation’s produce supply and strengthen the produce industry. She holds a master’s degree in business administration for California State University, Sacramento, and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Dr. Robert Whitaker, Chief Scientific Officer, Produce Marketing Association
In his new position with PMA, Whitaker will direct creation of PMA’s new science-based programs and services at a time when food safety, traceability, sustainability and other science-based issues are taking immediacy in the produce industry. Whitaker has worked in the produce and agricultural industries since 1982. His background includes food safety, security and quality, new product development, product and process innovation, production, operations, research ranging from consumer testing to plant breeding, grower and industry outreach, and planning and training. Whitaker holds Ph.D. and Bachelor of Science degrees in biology from State University of New York, Binghamton.
Scott Horsfall, Chief Executive Officer, California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA)
Immediately prior to joining the LGMA, Horsfall was a Management Supervisor at MeringCarson, a leading advertising agency based in Sacramento, CA. From 2002 through 2006 Horsfall was CEO of the Buy California Marketing Agreement, the organization that created and aired the successful “California Grown” advertising and promotion campaign. Horsfall has actively served on several industry boards and committees. He served as chairman of the United States Agricultural Export Development Council (USAEDC), was a member of the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee (ATAC) for fruits and vegetables and is a past chairman of the Produce Marketing Association’s International Trade Conference.