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<< back to the 2003 archive listing << Food Protection Trends President's Perspective “Sacred Responsibility” This is my first column as President of your Association. Again, I want to thank you, the members of IAFP, for electing me to the Executive Board four years ago. It is an honor and privilege to serve you in this manner. I want to extend my appreciation to the other members of your Executive Board – Affiliate Council Chairperson – Gene Frey, Secretary – Frank Yiannas, Vice President – Jeff Farber, President-Elect – Kathy Glass and Past President – Anna Lammerding. I particularly want to thank Anna Lammerding for her leadership during the past year. Our Association continued to grow stronger during her term and I pledge to you I will do my best to build on her successes. You have put your trust and confidence in all members of the Executive Board and I know each of us on the Board willingly accepts that charge with reverence and honor. I also want to express my gratitude and appreciation to the IAFP staff led by your Executive Director, David Tharp, for working with excellence every day to serve you with distinction. They are truly a great group of individuals who are professionals in the truest sense of the word. I am pleased to call them not only colleagues, but friends, as well. The mission of our Association is “…to provide food safety professionals worldwide with a forum to exchange information on protecting the food supply.” While each of us have our own reasons for joining IAFP, we have a common bond and goal – protection of our consumers. I personally believe that as food safety professionals, we have a duty and obligation to protect the consumer. I believe that by choosing a career in the food safety profession, we have assumed a sacred responsibility that transcends just working for our companies or institutions. We have a sacred responsibility to do our utmost to assure that the food supply is safe for everyone. It is our sacred responsibility to make prudent decisions on behalf of our consumers and to help educate those food producers, preparers, and manufacturers around the world who lack the skills or knowledge to make sound food safety decisions. In my opinion, IAFP is the premier Association enabling food safety professionals to live up to this sacred responsibility. From the Annual Meeting to the IAFP Affiliates to the Professional Development Groups to the IAFP Foundation to the two premier food safety publications (Journal of Food Protection and Food Protection Trends) and much more, your Association endeavors to help you succeed in meeting this sacred duty. The politicians in the United States like to say the US food supply is the safest in the world. While this may be true, we know that the burden of foodborne illness in the US, and indeed, around the world is too high. I believe that if each of us views our profession as a sacred responsibility rather than merely a job, we will ultimately reduce the burden of foodborne illness. It is up to you to take full advantage of your great Association. Become active in IAFP — join an Affiliate, volunteer for a Committee or PDG, attend the Annual Meeting, contribute to the Foundation Fund or ask a friend to join. Do something each day to fulfill your sacred responsibility and take full advantage of your Association to help you do the best you can do. Please e-mail me at Phall@kraft.com and let me know your thoughts. Until next month… |