Molt, Freeman, Henroid, Graham named Silver Plate winners

Feb. 17—Five non-commercial foodservice operators are among the winners of the 2012 Silver Plate Awards, sponsored by the International Food Manufacturers Association. The awards will be presented by IFMA May 7 in Chicago, during the National Restaurant Show.

Mary Molt, assistant director, Housing & Dining Services, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., was selected in the Colleges and Universities category. Molt is a 38-year veteran of the foodservice industry. Among her accomplishments is being the author of Food For Fifty, considered by some to be the bible for non-commercial foodservice.

Mark Freeman, senior manager of global employee services, Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash., was recognized in the Business & Industry category. Freeman, who has worked for Microsoft for the last seven years, oversees a $140 million operation that employs 2,500 foodservice workers and serves 91,000 meals per day.

Dan Henroid, director, Food & Nutrition Services, University of California at San Francisco Medical Center, was honored in the Healthcare category. Among Henroid’s recent achievement is the $8 million renovation of his campus’s foodservice operation.

Lyman Graham, foodservice director for three school districts in the Roswell, N.M., area, was the winner in the Elementary & Secondary Schools category. Graham, who was the director of foodservice for Dexter Consolidated Schools, was hired six years ago to take over operations at neighboring Roswell Independent School District and Carlsbad Municipal Schools. In that time he has doubled lunch participation and more than quadrupled breakfast participation.

Ricky G. Clark, training and development coordinator and supervisor for the Academy for Staff Development, Virginia Department of Corrections, Crozier, Va., was selected in the Specialty Foodservice category. A correctional foodservice director for many years, Clark is responsible for training all support services staff who work for the Virginia DOC. He also is the current chair of the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice professionals (formerly the Dietary Managers Association).

In the commercial restaurant categories, the winners were:

Independent Restaurants: Phil Fahrenbruch, executive chef and manager, The Bavarian Inn, Frankenmuth, Mich.;

Chain Fast Service:  Cheryl Bachelder, president and CEO, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen/AFC Enterprises, Atlanta;

Chain Full Service:  Clarence Otis, chairman and COO, Darden Restaurants, Orlando, Fla.,

Hotels & Lodging:  Frank Weber, vice president, food and beverage operations, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Azamara Club Cruises.