September 8, 2004
Purdue to recognize Outstanding Food Science Award honorees
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University's Department of Food Science will recognize 10 professionals on Friday (Sept. 10) during this year's Outstanding Food Science Award ceremony.
"This class of 10 honorees completes our four inaugural years planned for the Outstanding Food Science Award," said Suzann Nielsen, head of the Department of Food Science. "These individuals include members from industry and academia, and all have brought honor to Purdue."
Faculty and staff nominate candidates for the awards, and the department's promotions committee vote on the award recipients. This year's recipients include:
Richard "Dick" Heron, of Danville, Calif. Heron is currently a senior process engineer with Del Monte Foods. In 1982, he became a principal process engineer for Del Monte Foods. During his tenure at Del Monte, he led the successful implementation of an $18.9 million plastic fruit cup line using their first robotics system. He oversaw the implementation of a $9.1 million aseptic packaging line for pudding, which included responsibility for the line's engineering, packaging, production, marketing and regulatory affairs. He also led a successful start-up of an aseptic processing system in the Soviet Union. Heron received a bachelor's degree in agricultural and biological engineering from Purdue and went on to earn a doctorate from the same department in 1972. He also worked as postdoctoral assistant in Purdue's horticulture department.
Alan R. Kimbell, of Indianapolis. Kimbell is currently chairman of the board for Distribution Management Associates, an exclusive distributor to the grocery trade in Indiana and Michigan for Morton Salt Company's water softener salt. Kimbell has served as deputy executive director for marketing for the Indiana Department of Commerce, where he led trade missions to Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and East Asia. In 1989, he became a member of the Washington-based Agribusiness Promotion Council and Emerging Democracies Advisory Council for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kimbell has been instrumental in furthering Purdue food science through his industry and government contacts and has interacted with several members of the department.
Mark E. Kimmel, of Modesto, Calif. Kimmel is currently senior vice president of Stanislaus Food Products, where he is responsible for product development and production operations. Kimmel has been active with the California League of Food Processors, National Food Processors Association, Research Chefs Association and Institute of Food Technologists. He has represented Stanislaus on Purdue's Food Science Industrial Associates Advisory Board for the last six years, providing leadership and guidance. Kimmel received a bachelor's degree in animal science from Purdue in 1974.
John S. Morgan, of Austin, Ind. Morgan is the owner of Morgan Foods, a family-run business that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1999. He has used his business skills to help Morgan Foods evolve from a cannery to one of the largest contract packing companies in the United States. Morgan Foods' extensive support of Purdue's Department of Food Science has included membership in the Industrial Associates, scholarship funds, research, sponsoring internships and hiring graduates, and the Morgan Boardroom in the Food Science Building is named to honor the company's support during construction. Morgan completed a bachelor's in business administration from the University of Cincinnati in 1969.
Marshall Myers, of Sarasota, Fla. Myers worked for McCormick and Co. Inc. until he retired in 1998 as corporate vice president of research and development. His early research included soy protein foods and beverages and various new dairy products, and he received patents for a rice processing technique and for flavor encapsulation. Myers has several publications in the areas of flavor chemistry, soy protein processing and research and development management, and has served on various Institute of Food Technologists committees. Myers received a bachelor's in food science from the University of Minnesota and a master's in food science from Purdue 1963. He also studied nutritional biochemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received a doctorate.
Gary W. Naab, of Plymouth, Minn. Naab is currently a director of operations/engineering supply chain for General Mills Inc.. Since joining General Mills, Naab has served the company in a number of capacities, including assignments in Iowa, California, Georgia, Minnesota, England and the Netherlands. He has spent the later part of his career leading technical initiatives and supporting new product introductions, and has established major research and development programs between General Mills' operations and research and development, and research faculty at Purdue. Naab also has been active with the Krannert School of Management's alumni board of directors, and he received the school's Distinguished Service Award in 2001. Naab completed his bachelor's in industrial management from the Krannert School 1967.
Brian L. Reichart, of Frankton, Ind. Reichart is the CEO of Red Gold Inc., a family-owned tomato processing company headquartered in Orestes, Ind. Red Gold, the largest tomato processor/supplier in the Midwest, distributes tomato products in all 48 continental states and exports to 16 countries. Reichart joined his family at Red Gold in 1972 as plant manager and chief engineer. In 1983 he became president and CEO and began the task of growing Red Gold into one of the nation's leading tomato product companies. Reichart has focused the company on operational excellence, service and quality, and in the last eight years under his leadership, Red Gold has grown from 170 to 1,100 employees. In 1998 the Mid-America Food Processors Association named him Person of the Year, and he currently serves on the board of directors for the National Food Processors Association. Reichart received a bachelor's degree in industrial management from Purdue's Krannert School of Management in 1972.
Richard A. Roop, of Lowell, Ark. Roop is vice president of food safety and quality assurance for the Food Service and International Divisions of Tyson Foods. Roop contributes to the food industry through numerous organizations. He is the current president of the Ozark Food Processors Association and is on the Government Affairs Committee of the International In-Flight Food Service Association. He also is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists, National Food Processors Association and U.S. Poultry Association. Roop received dual bachelor's degrees in biological and physical sciences from Purdue in 1977, and he received a doctorate in food science at Purdue in 1981.
Sharrann Simmons, of Wayne, N.J. Simmons is currently vice president and general manager of Colloides Naturels Inc., a company that produces, processes and ships gums and other carbohydrates around the world. She leads product development for the U.S. market of this French company. Simmons has been an active participant in the Department of Food Science, sitting on the advisory board for the Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research. In 2003 Simmons received the Distinguished Agriculture Alumni Award from Purdue's School of Agriculture. Simmons received bachelor's and master's degrees in food science from Purdue in 1977 and 1978, respectively. She also completed an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
James Swi-Bea Wu, of Taipei, Taiwan. Wu is currently head of the Department of Food Science and Technology at the National Taiwan University. He has served in this capacity since being named director of the then-institute in 2000. Wu also has been the leader of the Taiwanese-equivalent of the US-AID program for the food industry in the republics of Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador. He has been a member of the National Agricultural Standards Technical Committee and the National Food Standards Committee, both of Taiwan. Wu also serves on the Scientific and Technical Commission of the International Federation of Fruit Juice Producers. As leader of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Wu developed and received permission for his institute to offer an undergraduate degree in food science and headed construction for a new facility. Recently under Wu's leadership, the institute evolved into a new department at the National Taiwan University. Wu received a doctorate in food science at Purdue in 1979.
Writer: Jennifer Cutraro, (765) 496-2050, jcutraro@purdue.edu
Source: Mike Reckowsky, Department of Food Science administrative director, (765) 494-6303, mreckowsky@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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Note to Journalists: Media can attend the Outstanding Food Science awards ceremony, which will begin at 2:30 p.m. Friday (Sept. 10) in the Purdue Memorial Union Anniversary Drawing Room.
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