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<< back to the 2000 archive listing << Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation Commentary From The Executive Director By changing the Association name, we are not ignoring any segment of our
Membership population Many times throughout the year, we receive requests from Members wanting to become more involved with our Association. Sometimes the person is interested in serving on a Committee or a Professional Development Group (PDG) or they may be interested in giving a presentation at the Annual Meeting. This month, I thought we could cover ways in which you can expand your professional growth through the International Association for Food Protection. One item to point out before going any further is that the Association focus is just the same as when our name was the International Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians! By changing the Association name, we are not ignoring any segment of our Membership population. Just the opposite - we need and encourage everyone's continued involvement. Although we have a new name, our mission remains the same, "to provide food safety professionals worldwide with a forum to exchange information on protecting the food supply." The manner in which we carry out our mission is a direct result of our Members' involvement. The Association journals, Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation and the Journal of Food Protection, provide an excellent forum to exchange information on protecting the food supply. International Association for Food Protection Members submit articles to be peer reviewed and accepted for publication. Last year, we had a record number of submitted manuscripts for both journals and we commend each and every author for their active support of our journals and the Association. You are invited to submit articles and participate in "Advancing Food Safety Worldwide!" Another obvious way we fulfill our mission is through the Annual Meeting. More than 250 presentations on the latest developments in food safety and protection take place during the Meeting. Again, we rely on our Members and food safety professionals to provide cutting-edge scientific information to the attendees. This is an excellent way to expand your professional growth. During the Annual Meeting, the exhibit hall also is a resource for attendees to meet with equipment, laboratory and industry suppliers and provides a friendly environment to network with colleagues. Here again, we owe a compliment to so many people who come together to make the Annual Meeting an overwhelming success. If you find that you are unable to attend the Annual Meeting, or giving presentations during the Meeting is not your strong point, Committee service may be for you. We have a number of Committees and PDGs that meet at the Annual Meeting and conduct business throughout the year that you can volunteer to be involved with. What better way to share your knowledge with other food safety professionals? Feel free to contact the Association office for more information on Committee service. We welcome your involvement! As I said earlier, our mission remains the same although our name has changed. Both the journals and our Annual Meeting will continue to carry the most current topics in food safety that you have come to rely on. We are here to serve the information needs of our Members and without you, and your direction to us, there would not be a need for our Association! We believe changes are made for reasons that are well-thought out and all input is considered during the decision-making process. Our name change is but one example of the extreme analysis to which the Executive Board goes through before making decisions. Before we conclude for this month, let me cover one area where we are fortunate to have so many fine individuals willing to give of their time and be involved. That is of course, those who are elected to serve on the Executive Board. In this issue of DFES, the Secretary candidates for 2000-2001 are announced on page 132. By placing their names in the running for Secretary, the candidates have committed to serving the International Association for Food Protection for a period of five years on the Executive Board. This is a huge commitment and one that should be recognized by all Members. Reviewing the list of Past Presidents of the Association is like a "Who's Who" list of food safety professionals. This may be a lofty goal for you to set, but in the future, it could be your picture in DFES as a candidate for Secretary! It can happen if you resolve to become involved in the Association today! |