New & Notable: Say Goodbye to Soggy Fries and AAA Five Diamond Winners

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine’s New & Notable column features new products and services as well as restaurant, food-service and hospitality company news and events. 

Send items to Barbara Castiglia at bcastiglia@modernrestaurantmanagement.com. 

Signature Room Turns 25

 

PicoBrew Launches Professional Brewing Line

PicoBrew, maker of the world’s first line of automated craft beer brewing appliances, launched the PicoBrew Z Series, their first professional-grade, all-grain brewing appliance line. The Z Series is targeted at restaurants, bars, brewpubs and craft breweries interested in producing small batches of custom craft beers and kombucha. Special discount pricing is available and it will begin shipping in June 2018.

The new Z Series builds on the pioneering technology created in 2013 for the award-winning PicoBrew Zymatic, the world’s first all-grain brewing appliance, and extends it with a blend of unique, data-center-industry inspired functionality to produce a family of modular, scalable brewing appliances. The upgraded fluid distribution and heating components work together with the new modular, rackable and stackable chassis components to create truly scalable brewing solutions. The new Z Series features stainless-steel, heavy-duty components and was designed with simplified maintenance in mind. The Wi-Fi-connected appliances can be used to create recipes that run brewing cycles with precise control over temperature, fluid flow and timing, or brewers can download and run existing recipes from PicoBrew’s extensive recipe library.

The Z Series gives brewers the capability to produce between 1 to 10 gallons of beer at a time, with each model increasing the output by 2.5 gallons.

“I’m super excited about the Z Series. It has the flexibility to let me brew pilot batches up to 10 gallons with the potential to sell them in my tasting room,” said Barry Chan, co-founder and brewmaster at Seattle’s Lucky Envelope Brewing.

 

“We have heard the demand for larger brewing-volume solutions from our customers loud and clear,” said Dr. Bill Mitchell, CEO of PicoBrew. “After almost two years of experimentation and prototyping, we arrived at the Z Series:  a modular solution that can meet the needs of advanced homebrewers, bar and restaurant owners and pro-brewers alike.”

 

Ron Zimmerman, proprietor of The Herbfarm restaurant and early adopter of the Zymatic, looks forward to the increased capacity of the Z Series and to sharing his recipes with beer fans worldwide: “Over time, the Zymatic has led me all over the beer world, through styles, ingredients, and eras. I’ve particularly enjoyed exploring the near-forgotten flavors of lost beers, the first of which was my Franklin’s Old Ale. For all-out versatility, nothing beats the infinite grain bills, hop additions, and mash schedules of the Zymatic,” Zimmerman said.

In addition to brewing with loose grains and hops, the Z Series appliances can also brew PicoPaks, biodegradable recipe packs that come filled with the water amendments, grains and hops needed to brew craft beers from more than 200 breweries around the world.

Founded in 2017, Ordermark provides technology to restaurants to simplify online ordering and grow profits. 

“We make it easy for restaurants to succeed at online ordering, so they can focus on making great food,” said Alex Canter, Founder and CEO, and fourth-generation owner of Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles. “We give restaurants the power to take orders from different online ordering services and send them to a single tablet and printer in their kitchen — and we handle all of the logistics for restaurants — acting as a single point-of-contact for their online ordering needs.”

Ordermark has partnered with Epson to provide high speed, ultra-reliable printers to its restaurant customers. “We’re very excited to be partnering with Ordermark,” said Tom Versfelt, EVP of Commercial Sales with Epson America. “This company was born in the kitchen of a restaurant and its founders understand extremely well what the real challenges are restaurants face and how to solve them.”

In over 150 countries and with thousands of mentors, Techstars accepts only 10 companies out of thousands of applicants.

“We’re extremely excited to have Ordermark join the Techstars family”, said Natty Zola, Managing Director of Techstars Boulder. “The restaurant industry is facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities and together we believe Ordermark will become the go-to partner to help restaurant operators navigate this change.”

AAA Five Diamond Winners

Eco-Products is expanding Regalia™ – a fully compostable line of products for caterers seeking innovative, environmentally friendly solutions for their events.   

 

The line will now feature half trays made from sugarcane and available in one-, two- and four-compartment sizes. A common lid – also compostable – makes stocking easy and drop-off catering even easier.

‘Regalia pieces offer tremendous quality and convenience,’ says Sarah Martinez, Director of Marketing for Eco-Products. ‘Caterers can pack up hot or cold foods, drop them off and then go, knowing that cleanup will be simple. Everything from leftover food to the containers themselves can go into the same compost bin.’

Eco-Products is expanding Regalia™ – a fully compostable line of products for caterers seeking innovative, environmentally friendly solutions for their events. The line will now feature half trays made from sugarcane and available in one-, two- and four-compartment sizes. A common lid – also compostable – makes stocking easy and drop-off catering even easier.

“These options are ideal for caterers because they’re good for their customers and good for the planet,” said Sarah Martinez, Director of Marketing for Eco-Products. “They make life better for everyone.”

The new half tray joins a variety of Regalia trays and bowls of multiple sizes, with lids to fit each of them. The line also features innovative accessories like a condiment insert for bowls, and the market’s first bagasse multi-format serving utensil. 

Regalia’s innovations include:

• Bases are made from sugarcane, a rapidly renewable resource;
• Lids are made from sugarcane or with Ingeo™ biopolymer, a plant-based plastic;
• All products are grease- and cut-resistant;
• Products made from sugarcane are microwave- and freezer-safe (The bowl and tray lids made from Ingeo are not microwaveable.);
• Each can be used with hot or cold foods;
• All feature molded construction designed for strength and style;
• The entire line is BPI certified and meets ASTM standards for compostability.

“Regalia pieces offer tremendous quality and convenience,” Martinez said. “Caterers can pack up hot or cold foods, drop them off and then go, knowing that cleanup will be simple. Everything from leftover food to the containers themselves can go into the same compost bin.”

RIPE Opportunity

Tropical Smoothie Cafe promoted Kristi Kingery to senior vice president of supply chain and quality assurance. In her new role, Kingery will oversee quality assurance, supply chain and culinary for Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s more than 635 locations nationwide. She’ll also be responsible for spearheading food safety and supply chain risk initiatives by implementing new processes for auditing supplier facilities and evaluating product needs for both suppliers and distributors.

“Kristi is an integral part of our team and greatly contributed to the brand’s success last year by optimizing our supply chain efforts,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. “Tropical Smoothie Cafe is one of the strongest fast casual concepts today and as we continue to grow across the country, Kristi’s leadership and expertise will aid in simplifying operations without sacrificing quality. Her extensive industry experience and innovative approach brings tremendous value to the company and we look forward to seeing the positive strides she’ll continue to make this year and beyond.”

 

Kingery joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in 2017 and in less than a year, made a significant impact on the brand’s supply chain by successfully developing and implementing a strategy to improve profitability for franchisees. These efforts resulted in savings of more than $3,000 per cafe, per year and reduced delivery case shortages by 78 percent. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Kingery began her supply chain career at ARCOP, Inc., the supply chain cooperative for Arby’s Restaurant Group, which supports over 3,200 franchise and corporate-owned restaurants. While at ARCOP, she was responsible for developing and overseeing new programs and processes to drive profitability and reduce costs for their restaurant system. Additionally, Kingery’s impressive track record earned her a seat on the Governing Board for the National Restaurant Association’s Supply Chain Executive Study Group, which addresses industry concerns and discusses best practices meant to benefit manufacturers, operators and distributors.

 

“Supply chain operations are a vital part of any business and Tropical Smoothie Cafe is committed to executing the most efficient processes to increase profitability for its franchisees,” said Kingery. “Over the last year, our team has focused on developing and implementing strategies that reduce costs, minimize risk and increase the rate of production, which ultimately contributed to the overall success of the brand and local cafes. Food safety is of the utmost importance so I look forward to continually elevating our standards and best practices that will ultimately drive the brand toward even greater success.”

 

Pitmaster Partnership

•   Brent Berkowitz, Senior Vice President of Operations

Berkowitz joins SRG to uphold operational excellence not only for the company as a whole, but within each restaurant concept across the country, while specializing in curating guest experience and maximizing revenue

• Gourav Patel, Senior Vice President of Finance

Formerly the Divisional Vice President of Finance, Patel steps into his new role to determine opportunities to drive profitability, provide F&B teams with business intelligence, model investment underwriting and more

• Jessica Werner, Senior Vice President of Growth & Business Development

In her new role, Werner oversees and leads all operational aspects of new business development, investment, acquisition, and transitions for SRG

• Meaghan Goedde, Senior Vice President of People Resources

Goedde is responsible for implementing the leadership brand strategy for SRG, executing training strategies and attracting and developing talent

• Rik Reinhardt, Senior Manager of Property Technology and Lauren LaFortune, Restaurant Systems Analyst

Both Reinhardt and LaFortune are tasked with project management and development, budget creation, vendor management, and more as it relates to hospitality information technology and telecommunications

2018 Kitchen Innovations® (KI) Award Recipients

The National Restaurant Association announced the recipients of the 2018 Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards, honoring progressive equipment that increases efficiencies and productivity for back-of-the-house operations and benefits restaurant operators. Each recipient and their product will be showcased in the interactive Kitchen Innovations Showroom at the 2018 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show®, to be held May 19-22 in Chicago at McCormick Place.

“The KI Award recipients are innovators in back-of-house operations and work tirelessly to improve the challenges faced by restaurant operators,” says Dickie Brennan, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2018 and owner/managing partner of Dickie Brennan & Company, whose restaurant group includes Tableau, Palace Café, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, and Bourbon House. “For fourteen years, the industry has admired KI Award recipients and their contribution to making our foodservice industry even better.”

The 2018 KI Award recipients reflect the trends and topics most important to foodservice operators today. The 22 selected innovations address operator concerns from labor, energy and water efficiency to food safety, sanitation, cross-functionality and space-saving. New software and new materials continue to make new solutions possible.
The 2018 Kitchen Innovations Award recipients are:

Air OasisBi-Polar Ice BPi200: Unlike ice sanitizing technologies that use UV light or other sources that create ozone, which can be hazardous to health, the patent-pending BPi200 uses a small electrical housing and carbon-fiber brushes to release airborne positive hydrogen and negative oxygen ions throughout the ice machine without creating ozone. The compact unit greatly reduces mold, yeast, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, enhancing sanitation and extending service cycles.
Alto-Shaam, Inc., in conjunction with Appliance InnovationVector™ F Series Multi-Cook OvenLast year the electric H Series introduced multiple cooking chambers independently controlled for temperature, fan speed and time, allowing simultaneous cooking of dissimilar menu items as well as patented Structured Air Technology™ high-velocity, focused heat for faster cooking. The new F Series builds on that with larger chambers to accept full size sheet or hotel pans AND a new, patent-pending innovation that adds the flexibility to combine two cooking chambers into one for larger items without disrupting the structured airflow design.

AntunesGST-1H Flatbread-Toaster: The new Flatbread-Toaster brings innovative capabilities to the flatbread-pita-tortilla category with wide-mouth loading and dual platens located inside dual conveyor belts to heat a variety of products consistently—up to 200°F—providing quicker throughput. For example, it heats uncooked flour tortillas to 160°F in seconds. The integrated landing zone is heated, too.
Astra ShunsukePeeling Machine: Fresh from Japan, this new machine automates labor-intensive fruit and vegetable peeling. Programmable for apples, kiwis, oranges, potatoes and more—nine different fruits and vegetables in all (and suitable for similarly sized items)—the unit allows different thicknesses of peeling. Comes in two sizes for smaller and larger operations.

Bizerba North AmericaGSP H & HD Illuminated Safety Slicers, Manual, Semi-Automatic and Fully-Automatic Operation: This slicer line, introduced to foodservice a little over a year ago, caught the judges’ eyes with its big emphasis on safety. These illuminated slicers use color-coded lights to indicate the machine’s status—solid green is safe mode, with blade removed, etc., for safe cleaning. Flashing red is for pre-run, and solid red indicates blade is spinning and ready to slice.

Evo, Inc.MultiZoneTM Plancha: Evo takes cooking-zone temperature control to the next level: Unlike anything else in the griddle or plancha category, the MultiZoneTM features three independent cooking zones, each separated with IsoBar™ technology. IsoBarTM is a recirculating fluid thermal barrier that effectively mitigates temperature carryover between zones for precise and variable temperature control across a continuous cooking surface.

FLAT® Tech Inc.FLAT® Equalizers: Wobbly tables plague the industry. Unlike other solutions, Equalizers replace a table’s existing screw-in feet with an adjusting, hydraulic compression and spring system; they also feature an ingenious locking mechanism (with patents pending) to create a rock-solid stance without any springiness. A rounded design allows for non-snag movement across floors and carpets. Easy to set and reset, too, for quickly aligning tables.

Garland, A Welbilt BrandInstinct™ Induction Countertop Line: Instinct is the first multi-sensor induction countertop line to incorporate cook and hold functions under one unit, measuring temperatures across the entire surface for increased accuracy. Duel-zone Instinct can adjust frequency on each cook zone to match pan requirements, adjusting for elements like ferrous content and pan quality; boosting performance and mitigating against temperature overshoots. A plug and play system with universal voltages.

Genius Pan, LLC: Genius PanHow much time do operators spend freshening customer-visible prep lines and salad bars? The Genius Pan uses an ingenious, patented threaded system that allows the bottom of the pan to adjust up or down in the well, keeping everything looking fresh, topped off and inviting, cutting waste and saving labor.

Hoshizaki AmericaKMEdge Ice Machine Series: Finally, an inventive redesign of the icemaker evaporator. The KMEdge utilizes a one-piece, dual-sided stainless-steel evaporator that envelops the oval-shaped copper heating/cooling tubing, optimizing surface contact area for optimizing energy efficiency. The result is harder, clearer ice, higher ice production in fewer cycles, longer product life and greater reliability.

MarkovLevel RF Oven: Say hello to the next wave—radio frequency cooking. Building on autonomous-vehicles technologies, the ventless Level RF Oven “learns” to recognize food items and direct RF energy to cook them to prescribed standards for internal temperature, surface doneness, etc. And there’s more: The Level can identify multiple dissimilar foods and cook each, simultaneously, to its own standards, to finish at the same time.

Marra ForniElectric Brick Oven with Open Mouth: This powerful electric brick oven, while not the only Italian brick oven on the market, creates a new category for itself with cooking temps up to 1000°F with an open mouth. Efficiency and heat retention come from Sorrento refractory brick walls AND deck that retain the heat, a low dome and balanced heat from all directions. Cooks a pizza in 45 seconds—up to 200 per hour.

Marra ForniRotator Deck Brick Oven with Double Mouth Opening: This first pass-through, rotating-deck oven uses two forced-air burners totaling just 84KBtu/hour to produce pizzas from both directions in under 90 seconds. Controls regulate heat, rotation speed from 0 to 180 secs, even separate temperatures for each side if so desired. An air screen keeps the heat in.

Multiplex®, A Welbilt BrandFreshBlender™: What’s better than the boom in smoothies, shakes and frappes? A self-serve system that lets customers create their own in less than two minutes. In just a 20” x 39” footprint, the FreshBlender™ integrates refrigeration, ice making, blending, dispensing and digital controls for hundreds of self-served drinks per day. Realistic payback in well under a year.

Omni-RinseIntegrated Rinsing System: This innovative warm-water rinse station for barware tins, jiggers and tools incorporates rinsing as a step within the drink-making process, saving time and eliminating the chronic problem of backlogged, unrinsed tools. The rinse process is hands-free and uses no electricity. The station mounts to a speed rack, wall or under bar.
Prince CastleModular Holding BinTrue modularity is easier said than done, but Prince Castle has done it with its Modular Holding Bins. This holding innovation features a master base, allowing the system to expand horizontally and vertically, distributing power and communications to set and maintain desired serving temperatures. Stack, add, subtract and move them to suit. Build exactly the configurations needed. Amazing versatility.

Sealed Air CorporationCryovac® FlexPrep™ EZ Dispensing: How much time and effort do staff members spend on BOH condiment systems? Conventional methods, from pails to paperboard containers, involve a lot of handling and wasted/lost yield. Sealed Air’s new system uses prefilled Cryovac pouches with frangible seals specially fitted to load into the operation’s dispensing equipment. Just pull the trigger. Less handling, better sanitation and better yield speed the payback.

Soda Gun Jetter LLCSoda Gun Jetter: Tired of dealing with sticky, unsanitary syrup residue and bar flies in and around the soda guns? Soda Gun Jetter is an automated system that includes a programmable control box, holsters and dedicated tubing to flush soda gun nozzles and drip cups during off hours with pressurized water.

Structural Concepts Corporation Foodscaping Wells: Creating attractive, unique buffet-style displays for a variety of foods and circumstances is always a challenge. Foodscaping Wells offer an imaginative modular system based on a refrigerated cabinet featuring a food well housing with multiple height-adjustable display platforms. The adjustability lets staff set food serving vessels at various heights for an eye-catching, inviting display.

Structural Concepts Corporation Reveal Frameless Glass Food Displays: Argon gas-insulated double glass panes have been used in other products to provide a thermal barrier and reduce condensation. Reveal Frameless Glass Food Displays now bring those advantages to foodservice in attractive merchandising cases with completely frameless vertical glass for a clean, uninterrupted view.

Vitamix Aerating Container: With emulsions, foams, whipped creams, meringues and other aerations becoming ever more popular, getting by with various chargers, whisks and mixers just isn’t enough. The Aerating Container’s specially shaped disc blade offers the solution, letting kitchen staff and bartenders fine-tune the texture of mousse, infusions and emulsions without pureeing.
Vulcan SonicSafe™ Ultrasonic Scale Prevention for Steamers: Limescale is early death to generator-style steamers. Filters and treatments work but require maintenance. Vulcan applies the same Ultrasonic technology to commercial steamers proven to combat scale build-up in large industrial boilers. Ultrasonic technology breaks up limescale particulates suspended in water, continuously preventing scale from adhering to heating elements and generator walls. 

New Emblem Tech

World Emblem, a developer of  decorations for hospitality apparel and merchandise, launched its domeX new emblem technology which offers brands a variety of colors and textures, including a 3D visual effect, within the same emblem.
DomeX is part of the company’s signature FlexStyle series, which gives emblems texture, detail and color like no other.

Keg Partners

“While focused on increasing the shelf-life and improving the quality of our technology, our team also strives to find innovative approaches to make KeyKegs an efficient solution for all of our clients,” said Anita Veenendaal, Chief Commercial Officer of Lightweight Containers.

Posiflex RT Series

Posiflex Technology, Inc. unveils an entirely new line of dynamic touch screen terminals that embodies a new era for Posiflex and point-of-sale hardware – the RT Series. With an elegant housing and a strikingly thin profile, the RT Series brings a modern aesthetic to the counter and makes a retail business look even more attractive.

Available in 15” (4:3) screen or 15.6” (16:9) widescreen, the RT Series provides multiple CPU selection from Intel Celeron all the way to Core i5 CPU to fit each unique need. The patented fanless technology allows the unit to run silently and perform in harsh environments that involves dust and liquid spills.

“POS terminal is no longer just a cold and hard business tool; it has evolved to be an extension of the brand offering a more dynamic in-store shopping experience,” said Owen Chen, President and CEO at Posiflex Technology, Inc. “The RT Series radiates simplistic elegance and looks flawless on the counter top without any screws to be found on its surface. Its modern and stunning design can blend into any store decoration, while the terminal still offers the quality, performance and long-term durability that our customers expect from Posiflex.”

The RT Series has an intelligently designed rear cover that can effortlessly be removed without tools for quick and easy serviceability. The base can house an expandable PoweredUSB or USB hub to support more peripheral options while retaining a neat and clean look.

Heavy-Use Aprons

Aprons by Jem has created a new line of aprons for the restaurant and catering industry.

They were created to withstand heavy use, but with a classic, clean design that works well for both the front and back of the house, as well as for florists, crafters, makers and home cooks.

The washable aprons come in a wide variety of fabrics with an adjustable antibacterial neck strap, side cord ties, and a reinforced 3-panel waist pocket. The double stitching and contrasting hem on the bib and at the bottom add strength and form to the design.

The aprons from the industry line come in a variety of different colors and lengths. Designed by a mother and daughter team and produced in New York and Dallas, JEM specializes in hand-crafted aprons in washable luxury fabrics.

Cabido Added to Herb & Wood Team 

Herb & Wood,  chef Brian Malarkey’s  restaurant in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood announced the newest addition to their already talented team of culinary experts, General Manager Patrick Cabido.

Hailing from some of New York City’s hottest destinations, including Le Charlot, GoldBar and The Soho House, Patrick joined the team at Herb & Wood in late 2017. He brings with him extensive food and wine knowledge, having worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. “We have the best GM in Southern California watching over your flagship restaurant. Patrick is an excellent addition to Puffer Malarkey Restaurant group and understands our vision,” says partner Chris Puffer.

Cook Your Way to Culinary School

Aspiring chef Nick Capone (17) is one step closer to making his dream of attending culinary school a reality. Capone, a senior at the Morris County School of Technology, from Denville, NJ, is the winner of Rachael Ray’s “Cook Your Way to Culinary School” competition and recipient of a $25,000 scholarship.

The runners-up, Jules Esposito, Alyssa Webster and Cloyce Martin, will each receive a $5,000 scholarship and Rachael Ray merchandise. All four finalists recently competed on the Rachael Ray Show and were required to show off their culinary talents by creating a dish in 40 minutes with only $40 to spend on ingredients they purchased from a local grocery store.

“Each and every one of these kids has an amazing story; they are all rockstars. They are truly amazing young people and their food is gorgeous!” said Rachael Ray, host of the Emmy-winning Rachael Ray Show and Founder of Yum-o!®, a nonprofit organization that empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking.

Jules Esposito, an 18-year-old high school senior from Wallingford, CT, who has had her sights set on culinary school since the 2^nd grade. She started a baking blog in middle school and is part of a culinary program that has allowed her to manage a food truck and cater events.

Alyssa Webster is a 17-year-old high school junior from Fresno, CA. Alyssa follows a restrictive diet because of an autoimmune disease, and hopes to pursue culinary education so she can open an allergen-free restaurant where others with food allergies and sensitivities can enjoy eating out.

Cloyce Martin, a 16-year-old high school junior from Villa Park, CA, studies culinary arts and is enrolled in the ProStart culinary arts and restaurant management program. He also works with a local French chef and had the opportunity to participate in summer apprenticeships at restaurants in France. 

The distribution and administration of the scholarship prizes provided by Rachael’s Yum-o! Organization will be coordinated with assistance from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), which is dedicated to training and advancing the next generation of culinary leaders.

The contest, launched in October 2017, attracted hundreds of submissions from all over the United States. Entrants were required to submit a video showing them preparing an original recipe dish and explaining why they feel they deserve to win the scholarship.

 Balestreri Honored at the Italian Heritage Society Annual Awards Dinner

Restaurant industry veteran Ted Balestreri, Chairman and CEO of the Cannery Row Company and co-owner of the Sardine Factory restaurant in Monterey, California was honored by the Italian Heritage Society at the Annual Honorees Dinner held at the Monterey Marriott on Friday, January 26. 

Since 2002, the Italian Heritage Society has recognized notable individuals connected to the Italian community at the Annual Honorees Dinner.  The honorees are those whose contributions and achievements have enhanced and improved Monterey for all residents. They have made the community an even better place to live, earning them a place in local history.  In addition to Balestreri, Italian Americans Erasmo Aiello, Marietta Marcuzzo Bain, and Rich Pepe were honored at the event.

Balestreri was introduced by friend and Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta who spoke about Balestreri’s humble beginnings, and his lifelong commitment and generous contributions to the restaurant and tourism industries. 

Tirelessly dedicated to the development of the hospitality industry both on the Monterey Peninsula and throughout the United States, Ted has served as President of the California Restaurant Association and Monterey County Hospitality Association.  He was Chairman of the National Restaurant Association, the U.S. Culinary Team Foundation and Chairman of Distinguished Restaurants of North America. 

Balestreri was appointed as a Commissioner of the California Travel and Tourism Commission and served through 2007, the longest-seated Tourism Commissioner in the State’s history.  He sits on the Board of the World Travel & Tourism Council.  In 2016 he was appointed to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, which reports to the Secretary of Commerce.

Balestreri’s contributions to the foodservice industry have resulted in many awards including the National Restaurant Association’s Inaugural Legends Award, the IFMA Gold Plate Award, The Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and induction into the Distinguished Restaurants of North America Hall of Fame.  He received Restaurant Hospitality magazine’s Hall of Fame Award and the Golden Plate Award from the Academy of Achievement, a non-profit group dedicated to the education and inspiration of youth across the country.  He was also voted one of the “50 Power Players in America” in the foodservice industry by top trade publication Nations Restaurant News.

His awards and achievements in the hospitality, business, and tourism industries are extensive, and include the prestigious Hall of Leaders Award given by the Travel Industry Association of America, as well as various humanitarian awards.

CSU Global Launches Hospitality Certificate

Colorado State University-Global Campus (CSU-Global) announced today that is has launched a specialization and a certificate of completion in Hospitality and Tourism Management, the largest service industry in the world.

CSU-Global’s Hospitality and Tourism Management coursework benefits students in any field by teaching skills needed to cultivate dynamic client relationships. With a curriculum focused on event and meeting planning, travel and tourism management, and sales techniques, students will be able to anticipate industry challenges and provide resolutions that benefit both the client and the organization.

“It’s truly a global industry. Tourism contributes to economic growth for towns, cities and countries worldwide,” says Dr. Greg Evans, Program Chair at CSU-Global.

Designed for working adults, CSU-Global is 100 percent online – facilitating flexible learning and focused on professionally relevant degrees aligned with fast-changing market and industry practices. Coursework in Hospitality and Tourism Management also fits within CSU-Global’s customized and personalized education tracks that complement degrees in business management,marketing, organizational leadership and other disciplines and foster career development.

UniFocus Appoints New Sales and Marketing Leadership

UniFocus, the Dallas-based provider of workforce management systems and tools, has bolstered its sales and marketing organization at both the top and support levels with three strategic appointments. Aline Riemenschneider, VP-marketing, and Michael Wayne Greer, VP-sales, each have strong managerial resumes spanning more than 20 years, respectively. Rounding out the team is new digital marketing coordinator Alex Coleman.

Aline Riemenschneider, VP – Marketing

Aline Riemenschneider joins UniFocus from Willow St. Agency, an innovative Dallas-based creative and digital advertising firm, where she served as vice president of account management. She brings more than 20 years of marketing and advertising experience to her position. Her strong leadership and team management skills have won new business, expanded existing business and driven revenue growth for agencies representing major accounts as diverse as Universal Studios, T-Mobile and BNSF Railway Systems. In addition to Willow St., previous agency experience includes USFI Advertising and Sullivan Perkins, both in Dallas, and Innovative Advertising in New Orleans. She holds a marketing degree from University of New Orleans.

Michael Wayne Greer, VP – Sales

Michael Greer’s new role at UniFocus is backed by more than 20 years of managerial-level sales experience. He has steered sales for companies during periods of significant change and growth, managing global sales teams and sales objectives of up to $250 million. Greer joins UniFocus from Elements, a premier stone supplier based in Dallas, where he served as director of sales and marketing. Before that, he was division sales manager for Whitmore, a CSW Industrials company, for eight years. Other positions include serving as Texas region sales director for Foxworth Galbraith, senior regional sales manager for DW Distribution, sales manager for Latham Stairs & Millwork, and central USA account manager for Moulding Associates. Greer is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Alex Coleman, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Alex Coleman was most recently a market development representative for ACTIVE Network, LLC, a Dallas-based software company. Her digital marketing experience includes internships at Flowserve, a valve manufacturer headquartered in Las Colinas, Texas, and Yokohama Tire Corp in Wakefield, Mass. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a major in English and minor in advertising.

Happy  ‘Pasta’versary

Riviana Foods Inc. announced the 25^thanniversary of its 186,000 square foot pasta manufacturing plant in Winchester, Virginia, which opened its doors as the world’s premier pasta manufacturing facility in 1993.

The plant currently produces 500,000 pounds of pasta per day under the well-known brands of Ronzoni^®, San Giorgio^®, Creamette^®, Prince^®, Light and Fluffy^®, No Yolks^®, American Beauty^® and Skinner^® which are distributed throughout the U.S.

“It is rewarding to make a product that has been a part of Americans’ dinner for generations. We continue to invest in our process and equipment to innovate and deliver the best to our consumers,” said Jeff Schryver, Director of U.S. Pasta Manufacturing.  “I’m amazed at what we can do at Winchester.  The employees make the difference: one team, all in, excellence in every case.”                                        

In addition to being the U.S.’ second largest pasta manufacturer, Riviana is the largest processor and marketer of rice in North America. Riviana has pasta brands that began as family-owned companies, many over a century ago.  Riviana has ten facilities manufacturing rice or pasta located across the U.S., including the pasta plant in Winchester.