Fast-Forwarding the Way to San José

Above, University of Rochester’s Cam Schauf (c.) accepts the 2010 Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service Award from NACUFS past president Mark Kraner (l.) and outgoing president Sam Bennett.(r.)

The annual trek of the nation's top foodservice operators in higher education led to San José, CA in July, where the National Association of College and University Food Services convened its national conference.

“We wanted to give attendees the flavor of what the Bay Area does best — technology, sustainability and food — and combine that with what NACUFS does best — education, networking and best practices,” said conference chair Shawn LaPean.

The program certainly met that goal, beginning with a pre-conference sustainability “road trip” that included visits to nearby organic farms and a tour of operations at the University of California-Santa Cruz campus. Main agenda educational sessions covered better procurement practices, a fascinating anthropological look at student snacking behavior and an extended session on how trends in healthful menus and ethnic flavor enhancement are converging to make campus dining more interesting — and more competitive — than ever before.

Bennett presents NACUFS’ 2010 Richard Lichtenfelt Awards to Brigham Young University’s Dean Wright and Performance Food Group’s Haddon Reines.

In NACUFS' annual business meeting, Director of Dining Janet Paul Rice of Concordia College was installed as the 2010-2011 president and Director of Dining Nona Golledge, University of Kansas, was installed as president-elect. Shirleta Benfield, University of Oklahoma, will be the 2011 conference chair.

NACUFS' top honor, the Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service award, went to Cam Schauf in recognition of his many contributions to the NACUFS organization and its membership over the years.

NACUFS presented its Lichtenfelt Awards to BYU's Dean Wright and Performance Food Group's Haddon Reines; and the Daryl Van Hook Industry Award went to Hobart's Dick Hynes. Peg Lacey was recognized with the NACUFS Distinguished Lifetime Member Achievement Award.