WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Bakers Association (ABA) is honored to name the recipients of the Vander Heide Award and 2017 Chairman’s Award for Safety Excellence.
The Vander Heide Award is presented every year at the Technical Conference to the Cookie and Cracker Academy’s Correspondence Manufacturing Course graduate who receives the highest score (or grade point average) for the year. The award was presented today to Benjamin Colon. A Food Scientist at D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Company, and Gulf War Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Colon achieved a grade-point average of 98.21. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Science from York College of Pennsylvania, worked for McCormick & Co. for 14 years, and has been working at D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Company since 2013.
“The Vander Heide Award is a legacy award of the Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing Course, and it recognizes some of the strongest food manufacturing professionals in the baking industry,” said Senior Advisor to the President & CEO: B&CMA Transition & Development Dave Van Laar. “On behalf of the American Bakers Association, I commend Ben for his diligence and commitment to strengthening his career, his company and the baking industry as a whole through education.”
The 2017 Chairman’s Award for Safety Excellence is part of the Safety Awards Program, which was established in 1988 to raise awareness for the importance of safety in the workplace. The safety awards recognize and reward those member bakeries that demonstrate a healthy and safe work environment.
The Safety Awards Program is based upon the Days Away, Restrictions and Transfers (DART) Incidence Rate. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics annually reports the total incidence rates by industry case types. This information is used to determine both the Safety Contest and Recognition Award winners. The Chairman's Award for Safety Excellence represents the best overall record among member bakeries.
The 2017 Chairman’s Award for Safety Excellence was awarded to the following companies:
- Bakeries with less than 200 employees for demonstrating an outstanding commitment and dedication to employee safety and excellence in achieving a DART incidence rate of 0 for the year 2016.
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- D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Company, Inc. – Cuba, N.Y.
- Newly Weds Foods – Erlanger Division, Erlanger, Ky.
- Bakeries with less than 500 employees for demonstrating an outstanding commitment and dedication to employee safety and excellence in achieving a DART incidence rate of 0 for the year 2016.
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- D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Company Inc. – Santa Ana, Calif.
- Kellogg Company – Wyoming Bakery, Wyoming, Mich.
- Newly Weds Foods – Cleveland Division, Cleveland, Tenn.
- A Bakery with less than 800 employees for demonstrating an outstanding commitment and dedication to employee safety and excellence in achieving a DART incidence rate of 0.407 for the year 2016.
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- Kellogg Company – Cary Bakery, Cary, N.C.
- A Bakery with more than 800 employees for demonstrating an outstanding commitment and dedication to employee safety and excellence in achieving a DART incidence rate of 0.306 for the year 2016.
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- Kellogg Company – Jackson Bakery, Jackson, Tenn.
“The Chairman’s Award for Safety Excellence recognizes facilities that demonstrate exemplary safety practices, and the American Bakers Association applauds these bakeries’ achievement and dedication,” said ABA President & CEO Robb MacKie. “These bakeries set the example for the industry, and ABA is tremendously proud to call them members.”
Recipients of the Award of Safety Merit and the Certificate of Safety Achievement were also recognized. See more information and all recipients here and here.
Mark your calendars for next year’s Technical Conference – October 28-31, 2018, Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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About the American Bakers Association:
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the Washington D.C.-based voice of the wholesale baking industry. Since 1897, ABA has represented the interests of bakers before the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory authorities. ABA advocates on behalf of more than 1,000 baking facilities and baking company suppliers. ABA members produce bread, rolls, cookies, crackers, bagels, sweet goods, tortillas and many other wholesome, nutritious, baked products for America’s families. The baking industry generates more than $153 billion in economic activity annually and employs more than 799,500 highly skilled people.
About the 2017 Technical Conference:
The Technical Conference is the largest conference designed specifically for cookie, cracker and baking manufacturing professionals to participate in hands-on training, strengthen skills and knowledge, and engage in powerful industry networking. The renowned Technical Conference, formerly produced by the Biscuit and Cracker Manufacturers’ Association (B&CMA), is part of the enhanced portfolio of services available to the new, unified membership, following the merger of ABA and B&CMA. Follow with #ABATechConference to join the conversation and stay updated.
Source: American Bakers Association