Paul King

Articles by
Paul King

Page 27
Operations

In memory of Ernie Collins

I don’t know how true it is that opposites attract, except in magnetism, but when opposites are attracted to one another, they can be very successful together. Ernie Collins and Fedele Bauccio are proof of that.

Operations

One goal, two voices

School foodservice operators might consider Ann Cooper and Janey Thornton to be polar opposites. They’d call Thornton, deputy undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a former school foodservice director, the traditionalist, working the system and trying to effect change from within.

Beginning with our February issue, you will see a slight change to our annual Industry Census reports. In years past, we have surveyed directors from 50 to 100 of the largest institutions and companies. This year, for the first time, we have included a mix of large, medium and small school districts, and will do the same for colleges, hospitals and corporations later in the year.

Back in the 1980s, when “The ‘A’ Team” was enjoying a run as a hot TV action series, George Peppard, who played ‘A’ Team leader Col. John “Hannibal” Smith, had a stock phrase: “I love it when a plan comes together.”

The challenges and opportunities are myriad as operators prepare for the coming year, many hoping for a change in fortune.   For many foodservice operators—and magazine editors and publis...

I am amazed at how quickly this year has flown by. It seems that each year moves a little faster than the one before—although I was done with my Christmas shopping a full week before the holiday.

I have always been skeptical of claims that the quality of foodservice is a determining factor in a student’s choice of college. When I was considering my higher education, cost and academics were my main measurements and food never entered into the equation.

Despite what our expense reports might suggest, my staff and I don’t get out of the office enough. But I did get the opportunity to visit with a few readers last week when I traveled to the University of New Hampshire.

Returning to the office after the Thanksgiving break, I found two news items regarding school foodservice that suggest the battle over healthy food in school cafeterias may intensify in the coming months.

Measuring foodservice success often depends on the type of facility being measured. In a university setting, success can be based on revenue, or the amount of money returned to the university. In senior living, the X factor can be as simple as forging a bond between staff and residents. That certainly has been true at Pennswood Village, in Newtown, Pa., where Mary Cooley, R.D., has been the foodservice director for the past two years.

In the December issue of FoodService Director, our cover story will take a look at 2010. We polled operators to see what challenges and opportunities await them in the coming year, along with the trends that figure to have the most impact on their operations. You will find a representative sampling of their responses in the feature.

I was saddened last week to hear of the death of Walter Griffin, the foodservice director at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire for nearly 20 years until his retirement in 2004, at the age of 64.

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