2023 Program

Adam has been involved in the food industry for 25 years. His career began in retail and food service roles which eventually landed him in quality and research/development roles at several major food companies before finding his home at the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. As the Vice President of Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory Compliance at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Adam works with Wisconsin dairy industry partners to provide education, training, strategy, and support in the areas of research, food safety, quality, regulatory compliance, sustainability, and crisis communications.

Adam has extensive product and process knowledge in natural cheese, frozen appetizers, dairy and non-dairy-based sauces, dairy ingredients, seasoning blends, and both fresh and frozen meat products. He is also knowledgeable in the areas of new product development, dairy product food safety, process improvement, analytical and microbiological laboratory techniques, and supplier management.

He is a proud Phoenix (University of Wisconsin Green Bay - Chemistry) and Wildcat (Kansas State University – Food Science).  He is also a Certified Food Scientist, ASQ Certified Six Sigma Green Belt, ASQ Certified Quality Process Analyst, ASQ Certified Quality Auditor, and Preventive Controls (PCQI) Lead Instructor.

He is currently on the Board of Directors of the American Cheese Society and is a former Chair of the Regulatory & Academic Committee. He is also Chair of Wisconsin Dairy Rules Advisory Committee, Chair of the Wisconsin Laboratory Association, Treasurer for the Wisconsin Association for Food Protection, and Chair of the Wisconsin Agro-Security Resource Network.
He has been married for 17 years, has 4 children, and In his spare time, he coaches youth sports and supports local FFA and Master Gardener programs in the state of Wisconsin.

Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D, CHE, CRC is Professor in the Department of Food and Hospitality Management in the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University. He is the Founding Program Director of Drexel’s Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs. He is the Vice President of the Upcycled Food Foundation and previously was the inaugural James Beard Foundation Impact Fellow, leading a national curriculum effort on food waste reduction for chefs and culinary educators. He was named a Food Waste Warrior by Foodtank. Before moving to Drexel, Deutsch built the culinary arts program at Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York (CUNY) and the Ph.D. concentration in food studies at the CUNY Graduate Center and School of Public Health. At Drexel, he directs the Drexel Food Lab, a culinary innovation and food product research and development lab focused on solving real-world food system problems in the areas of sustainability, health promotion, and inclusive dining. He is the co-author or -editor of eight books including Barbecue: A Global History (with Megan Elias), Culinary Improvisation, and The Anti-Inflammatory Family Cookbook, and numerous articles in food studies journals, public health and hospitality education. He earned his Ph.D. in Food Studies and Food Management from New York University (2004), his culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America (AOS, Culinary Arts, 1997), and is an alumnus of Drexel University (BS, Hospitality Management, 1999). A classically trained chef, Deutsch worked in a variety of settings including product development, small luxury inns and restaurants. When not in the kitchen, he can be found behind his tuba.

Luis Carlos Chacón leads the BusinessCase team, a global boutique consultancy that works with multinational FMCGs to identify emerging and future business opportunities. Also, he has been a columnist for Forbes Latin America for several years (being nowadays top-rated) and currently finishing a postgraduate degree in Global Business at the University of Oxford (where he previously graduated in Strategy and Innovation); his educational background includes studies in Design Thinking of Stanford, and Futures at The University of Manchester, and Houston. In business, he has worked for more than nineteen years for the operations of Fortune 500 Companies such as Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, LVMH, Diageo, Kellogg’s, Unilever, Dannon, and AbInbev, among many others. Behavioural economics enthusiast (understanding the cross between needs and contexts) and believer in connecting the distant (linking the disconnected but inseparable) under the influence of socio-cultural changes in industries and consumption.

Miri is an economic and organizational sociologist at Northwestern University, specializing in food consumption in the US and Western Europe markets. Highly accomplished academic and winner of the emerging scholar award from the food studies research network in 2021. In addition to her academic career, Miri is a Senior Research Analyst At Euromonitor International, researching the food and beverage industry in the US.

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Neil Coole is a BSI subject matter expert who has more than 25 years of experience working in the standards development, testing, inspection and certification industry, who has presented on the important topic of food defense and cybersecurity, and how standards can be used to proactively identify risks and vulnerabilities, to leverage best practice frameworks.

Neil rejoined BSI in 2018 from BRC Global Standards, as Food & Retail Supply Chain Director of the Americas, Neil and his team have been actively supporting organizations throughout the food beverage and retail industry to use standards to implement the necessary best practice frameworks to protect their reputation, manage risks, and improve trust.

Brian Perry is an award-winning food safety and quality assurance expert with 25+ years of experience directing and refining food safety and quality, driving innovative R&D processes, leading risk prevention, and refining operational standards for Fortune 500 companies. His management experience spans across multiple business units, facility locations, and organizational initiatives with specialized knowledge of HACCP and other food safety guidelines, a range of key food technologies, and various food types.

Through a successful tenure with Treehouse Foods Company, Brian has progressed through roles as Senior Director of Quality Systems and Vice President of Food Safety & Quality, and currently holds the title of Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance & Food Safety. With intent focus on directing the build out and establishment of the organization’s food safety and quality system, Brian was instrumental to generating growth through M&A while ensuring food safety and quality through the integration process. His strategic guidance has resulted in reduced recalls and overall supply chain risk; increased efficiency and compliance of nutrition labeling; elimination of waste and increased effectiveness of sanitation processes; and maintenance of vital regulatory requirements, certifications, and company and industry standards. 

Prior, Brian was Director of Quality for ConAgra Foods’ frozen foods business. He was a key member of the team that developed a microwave oven center of excellence that ultimately drove the industry-wide shift of NRTE food processing to meet the safety and quality standards of RTE products. Brian also led the launch and commercialization of major product lines, doubling the size of ConAgra’s Arkansas plant. He also co-developed Key Concepts of Food Safety and Quality System aligned with GFSI and SQF code requirements and led Focused Improvement projects and Kaizen events that drove a continuous improvement mindset across the organization. His previous roles with ConAgra included Manager of Operations Quality and various management positions.

Brian’s earlier career experience includes roles as Quality Assurance Manager for R.L. Ziegler Co, Inc. and Quality Assurance Technician for Zartic Foods.

Brian earned a Bachelor’s degree in Animal and Dairy Sciences and Meat Science from Auburn University. He is an SQF Practitioner through the Safe Quality Food Institute and holds HACCP Certifications in Seafood, Juice, and Food through the FDA.

A respected advisor and industry thought leader, Brian is a board member for University of Nebraska’s Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP), and active committee member of FMI the Food Industry Association, and a member of the Tracegains® Executive Advisory Board. He has delivered numerous speaking engagements at the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting and Food Safety Summit and is an expert contributor to a variety of industry publications.

Sara Jane has led R&D, quality, and regulatory teams throughout the NPD lifecycle from innovation to commercialization. She has over 10 years of experience in the natural foods industry and an educational background in Nutrition Science and International Food Law and Regulations. Her professional designations include Lead Instructor for the FSPCA Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQI), BRCGS Professional, and Certified Food Safety and Quality Auditor (CFSQA) through the American Society for Quality (ASQ). She works as a Networked Ingredients Functional Consultant for TraceGains guiding our Strategic Accounts through continuous improvement projects and streamlining their quality and R&D initiatives.

Arnie Sair serves as the Head of Quality & Food Safety for Bunge, the world’s leader in oilseed processing and a leading producer and supplier of specialty plant-based oils, fats and proteins.  Arnie joined Bunge in 2018 and brings 20+ years of quality, food safety and regulatory compliance expertise to the company.

Bunge’s purpose is to connect farmers to consumers to deliver essential food, feed and fuel to the world.  With more than two centuries of experience, Bunge’s products are used in a wide range of applications such as animal feed, cooking oils and flours, as well as bakery and confectionary, dairy fat alternatives, plant-based meat and infant nutrition.  Bunge also has an important role to play in using its crop infrastructure to help fuel renewable energy solutions.

Before joining Bunge, Arnie spent 5 years as Head of Quality and Regulatory Operations with Signature Brands, the world’s leading manufacturer and distributor of decorating and confectionary products.  Prior to that Arnie spent 12 years in Quality & Regulatory Operations leadership positions with General Mills Inc, including experience with milled grains, boxed and frozen meals, and dry cereals.

Arnie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Illinois, a Master’s degree in Food Science from Michigan State University, and his Ph.D. in Food Science from North Carolina State University studying foodborne viruses and molecular methods for their detection. 

Arnie serves on the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils Technical Committee and the National Oilseed Processors Association Food/Feed Safety & Quality Advisory Group.  Throughout his professional career, Arnie has always strived to be an influential leader who has worked to build a culture that facilitates the development of high performing teams, foster positive customer and consumer relations, and develop external vendor partnerships that drive business results.

Erin began her food safety career in regulatory working for county health departments to ensure environmental health protection. She then transitioned to quality assurance where she conducted audits of retail and manufacturing facilities. Now, as a Food Safety Scientist with Taco Bell, she manages programs and always looks for ways to improve the brand.