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Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation Commentary From The Executive Director We will build upon the success of IAFP 2002 as we plan for the future and
IAFP 2003 The completion of IAFP 2002 brings both excitement and relief! Excitement in what has been achieved; relief for those involved in planning and execution of sessions, events and the meeting in general. Today we give thanks for the success of IAFP 2002 with over 1,400 attendees and the safe travel to and from San Diego for all involved. The energy and interaction among attendees really makes the Annual Meeting come to life! Socializing with colleagues at IAFP 2002 is very easy and is a huge benefit to those who take advantage. While striking up a conversation, you may find yourself talking with leaders in FDA, USDA or state government working on policy development (or leaders from non-US countries), lead researchers at universities around the world, or industry leaders in food safety. Many life-long contacts and friendships are initiated at IAFP Annual Meetings. These can be a very important resource for you during your career in dealing with food safety issues. This was definitely an exciting meeting as gauged by the interaction between attendees. An area where both excitement and relief can be recognized is the sessions presented in San Diego. Many session rooms were filled to capacity as interest ran high in the subject matter presented. The IAFP Annual Meeting makes it easy for attendees to reach the presenter after their presentation to ask questions and discuss the information presented. Excitement is contagious as our sessions go to break or conclude for the day while attendees continue the discussions. Relief is recognized by organizers and convenors (and staff) when the sessions end and all has gone well! The change of Officers for the Executive Board also provides an exciting setting. At the Awards Banquet, Jim Dickson passed the gavel to Anna Lammerding, our new President. Before doing so, Jim reviewed the accomplishments of the past year: Membership remains stable, Online renewal now available, Student PDG activities, increased submissions to both DFES and JFP, corporate challenge to grow the Foundation Fund, chartering two Affiliate organizations, and a record number of attendees and presentations at IAFP 2002! Indeed, it was an exciting year! As Jim relinquishes the Presidency, we want to recognize him for his year of accomplishments and also recognize Peter Hibbard for his one year of service and Jenny Scott for her five years of service to IAFP on the Executive Board. Jim, Peter and Jenny have helped to shape the organization into what it is today! Relief has come to all who were involved in planning and organizing the Annual Meeting! The relief comes in the form of joy and happiness, recognizing that their efforts over the past year culminated in the success of IAFP 2002. The Local Arrangements Committee of the Southern California Association for Food Protection (one of the new Affiliates this year), headed by Margaret Burton and Jennylynd James, helped us in so many ways prior to and during the Annual Meeting. Margaret told me about a week before the beginning of IAFP 2002 that she was now working “full time” for IAFP because of all of her responsibilities! I don’t doubt that she had 40 hours of time (actually most likely more!) devoted to IAFP, but I am also confident that she continued to carry out her responsibilities to her employer, Jack in the Box! I am certain that Margaret is relieved that the Meeting is over as are her colleagues at Jack in the Box. Thanks to all of the volunteers from Southern California who donated freely of their time — we couldn’t have done it without you! I also know that our staff is relieved to have IAFP 2002 concluded. Everyone works so very hard in preparation, especially during the four to six weeks prior to the meeting; then during the meeting itself, we are working literally 16-hour days. By the time Wednesday night and the Awards Banquet conclude we are certainly relieved! It is a proud moment when we can look back and say that we have done our best to provide the environment, the setting and the tools to conduct The Leading Food Safety Meeting in the World! My personal thanks to Lisa Hovey, Donna Bahun, Julie Cattanach, Bev Corron, Shannon Green, Donna Gronstal, Karla Jordan, Didi Loynachan, Lucia McPhedran, Beth Miller and Pam Wanninger for their dedication to the work they perform. Our staff operates in a truly professional manner and I am so very proud of each and every one of them! As I said, the completion of IAFP 2002 brings both excitement and relief. Relief that it is over and that it was a great success. Excitement in what was accomplished and from the new ideas discussed that will lead to new plans and projects. Excitement is also generated as we have already begun to plan for IAFP 2003 in New Orleans. We received symposium proposals for next year, the Program Committee made their first review of the proposals, and our staff held its first meeting to begin our timeline of preparations for next year! We will build upon the success of IAFP 2002 as we plan for the future and IAFP 2003! Thanks once again to everyone who helped IAFP 2002 to be a resounding success! |