HFM Goes Home Again

John Lawn

Members of the National Society for Healthcare Foodservice Management (HFM) celebrated the organization's 20th anniversary with an inspiring look back and a thoughtful look forward at its annual leadership conference in late September.

More than 500 healthcare operators and industry suppliers gathered at The Homestead, a historic mountain resort in Virginia that also was the site of HFM's 10th anniversary a decade ago.

Themed “20/20: Extraordinary Vision,” conference speakers focused on helping attendees exercise long term visioning skills. The program was also interspersed with short, culture-building recollections by long-term members who recalled significant HFM events and leadership initiatives of years past.

In her President's Report, Ohio State University Medical Center's Mary Angela Miller noted advances HFM made in the last year to strengthen its brand, expand membership and provide improved marketing and operational tools to members.

Among other new initiatives, HFM this year joined with the NRA Educational Foundation to award $10,000 in scholarships to nutrition and culinary students with an interest in onsite careers. In 2008 HFM also joined with ASHFSA to co-produce a series of educational webinars.

(Later, incoming HFM President Bruce Thomas of Geisinger Medical Center alluded to such efforts saying that both associations were exploring strategic options for a closer working relationship. He said they had reached a “due diligence” period in which many options, up to and including a merger, could be on the table).

At its Awards Reception and Dinner, the organization presented its Angelo Gagliano “operator of the year” award to Past President Linda Lafferty. As HFM's most prestigious honor, it is presented annually to an operator who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the industry and HFM.

The John M. Cabot “Making a Difference” award went to Hobart's Richard Hynes; it honors an associate member who has demonstrated sustained and selfless service to HFM. The President's Award went to John Lawn, editor-in-chief of Food Management in recognition of his volunteer efforts on behalf of the organization.

In HFM's 4th annual culinary competition, the gold medal went to Tony Almeida and Sam Malek of Robert Wood Johnson Hospital. The event, sponsored by Tyson Food Service, also awarded Silver and Bronze Medal awards to Julie Spellman and Jamie Palenque, of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center and to Fran Cassidy and Jeffery Kloca of Cooper University Hospital.