IFMA announces the 2023 Silver Plate Award winners

The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) revealed the 69th class of the IFMA Silver Plate Award winners today at the association’s 2023 Chain Operators EXchange (COEX) in Tampa. This year’s recipients represent nine foodservice categories.

Since 1954, IFMA has recognized extraordinary operator executives with the IFMA Silver Plate Award. Winners are chosen from a slate of industry nominees by a distinguished jury of trade press editors and previous award winners. One Silver Plate honoree is selected by secret ballot to receive the industry's most coveted recognition—the IFMA Gold Plate. Presentation of the Awards will take place at the 69th Annual IFMA Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration in Chicago in May.

“The IFMA Gold & Silver Plate Awards call out extraordinary achievement from operators across all segments of our industry,” said IFMA President/CEO Phil Kafarakis. “The Awards celebrate the best of food-away-from-home leadership and we’re very proud of the longevity and industry-wide respect the Awards have maintained. I can’t wait to see which of these remarkable winners will receive the annual Gold Plate Award this May.”

In the four onsite dining categories naming awards, the winners were…

Healthcare: Randall J Sparrow, Director, Food & Environmental Services for ProHealth Care (Nominated by Ecolab and PepsiCo)

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Elementary & Secondary Schools: Jessica Shelly, Director of Dining Services for the Cincinnati Public Schools (Nominated by Nestlé Professional and P&G Professional)

Colleges & Universities: Jill Horst, Executive Director of Campus Services for the University of California, Santa Barbara (Nominated by BSI, Hobart, and Nestlé Professional)

Business & Industry/Foodservice Management: Sharon Eliatamby, Senior Project Manager for the The World Bank Group (Nominated by PepsiCo)

Other winners were… 

Independent Restaurant/Multi-Concept: Dickie Brennan, Owner & Managing Partner, Dickie Brenna & Co. (Nominated by Nestlé Professional)

Chain Limited Service: Rob Lynch, President & CEO, Papa John's International (Nominated by PepsiCo)

Chain Full Service: David Deno, CEO, Bloomin' Brands (Nominated by Ecolab)

Grocery, Convenience, & Specialty Retail: Mendy Meriwether, Director of Fresh Foods, Wawa (Nominated by Tyson Foodservice)

Travel & Leisure: Max Knoepfel, Executive Chef, Music City Center (Nominated by Basic American Foods)

The Gold Plate Award winner from among the Silver Plate recipients will be revealed at IFMA’s 69th Annual Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration, which will be held Saturday night, May 20 at the historic Chicago Union Station.

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