HENDERSON, Colo. — Birko, a leader in providing food safety solutions to the produce industry, today announced that its produce specialist, Ian Bessell, has been named to the 2014 class of 40-Under-40 by Produce Business Magazine.
“Ian has made a substantial contribution to Birko’s success in providing food safety help to the produce industry,” said Mark Swanson, Birko’s CEO. “We’re very proud of him.”
The winners will be honored during a reception at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit, Oct. 17-19, 2014, in Anaheim, Calif.
Bessell, Birko’s director of business development and food safety for produce,
is also a part-time lecturer for Northeastern University College of Professional Studies Master’s in Regulatory Affairs of Food and Food Industries program. He is
HACCP certified and a graduate of the Emerging Leaders Development Program, sponsored by the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association.
Bessell also serves on a number of produce industry committees, including the United Fresh Produce Association’s Food Safety and Technology Council. Bessell formerly served on the Produce Marketing Association’s Produce Safety Science and Technology Committee and the Produce Safety Alliance Working Committee. He earned a master’s of agribusiness and a bachelor’s degree in food and resource economics, both from the University of Florida.
View the article here.
About the Produce Business 40-Under-40 Awards Program
Winners of the Produce Business 40-Under-40 awards program were chosen by industry mentors. The search for top, young industry leaders was extensive, involving background interviews with members of both the buying and selling communities as well as consultants, associations and universities.
About Birko
Birko is a leading provider of food safety solutions to the produce, meat and beverage industries. Birko manufactures concentrated chemical formulations used in plant cleaning and sanitation, as well as antimicrobial interventions used to reduce pathogens from the manufacturing process of food. Birko’s equipment division, Chad Equipment, LLC, designs and manufactures chemical dispensing systems and state-of-the-art washing systems as well as equipment used for food safety protection in meat and produce processing. Founded in 1953, Birko is ISO 9001 certified. It is also a WBENC Certified Women’s Business Enterprise and was awarded Supplier of the Century by the National Meat Association.
Source: Birko