Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - September/October 2024 - 42

MES S A GE
FROM THE
chair
Hello ANFP Family. I hope you had
a wonderful summer. Now it's time
to begin preparing for fall and the
upcoming holiday season.
I wanted to take a moment to reflect on
an inspiring ANFP Annual Conference
& Expo (ACE) that took place this
past June 10-13 in Reno, Nev. The
Grand Sierra Resort, set amongst the
picturesque Sierra Nevada mountain
range, was the perfect setting to host
our group.
It was great to see more than 300
members, volunteers, exhibitors,
and industry stakeholders attend
the four-day conference. I had many
wonderful conversations with old
friends as well as new ones. While the
agenda was jam-packed with education
and networking activities, I always
manage to leave ACE feeling refreshed,
motivated, and ready to return to
work with an excess of ideas I can
implement immediately.
If you were able to make it to Reno, I
hope that you had the same experience
I did. If you weren't able to attend, I
wanted to share a few highlights from
my time at ACE.
Our opening keynote address was
given by April Simpkins, who spoke
on the topic of employee engagement
BY FELICIA SMITH, MHA, CDM, CFPP
ANFP ACES ANNUAL CONFERENCE
IN RENO, NEVADA
FELICIA SMITH, MHA, CDM, CFPP began serving the second year of her term as ANFP
Chair of the Board on June 1, 2024. She shares impressions from ANFP's recent Annual
Conference & Expo (ACE) here.
and retention. She gave us many tips
on how to help employees feel a sense
of belonging, which in turn, leads to
higher workplace satisfaction and
lower turnover. This is surely a timely
conversation as staffing is a challenge
for many in our industry.
Over the next few days, we attended
sessions covering subjects such as
Gala. While the food was tasty and the
attendee outfits were fantastic, seeing
our fellow colleagues recognized for
their innovative, trend-setting work
was an inspiration. As CDM, CFPPs,
we work hard, and to see individuals
honored for their commitment to
excellence motivates me in my career.
" IT WAS GREAT TO
SEE MORE THAN 300
members, volunteers,
exhibitors, and industry
stakeholders attend the
four-day conference. "
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion;
Advocating Your Professional
Value; Building Negotiation Skills;
Empowering Productivity; Professional
Development; Food Safety; and much
more.
One of the conference highlights was
the Denim and Diamonds Honors
42 NUTRITION & F OOD SER VICE EDGE | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024
I'd like to bring attention to a specific
award, the Legacy Award. The Legacy
Award honors an ANFP member with
proven dedication, not only to the
organization, but also to the mission
and CDM, CFPP credential. This year,
we honored Sharon Vermeer, CDM,
CFPP. Sharon has a long history of
volunteering with both the Iowa
Chapter and at the National level.
She served as a Director at Large on
the ANFP Board of Directors and rose
to the position of Chair in 2018. She
currently serves on the Leadership
Development Committee as a Past
Chair. She has a passion for helping
others both within the industry
as well as her community. Sharon
and her employer are currently
helping refugees find training and
employment within our healthcare
systems to help fill the staffing
shortages.
Her continuous work with ANFP is the
definition of leadership and what it
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - September/October 2024

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