Baking & Snack - July 2006 - 8

EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL STAFF
Executive Editor
Laurie Gorton
lgorton@sosland.com
Editor

Go Fish
hat," you might ask, "does fishing have to do with baking?" Other than marine
life being a common source for omega-3s, nothing. And yet, everything.
Before you declare me crazy and skip ahead to our information-packed
issue, which includes the annual salary survey, let me explain.
Every month we have the honor and pleasure of visiting bakeries around the country and
writing about the history, innovations, challenges and successes of companies that make up
our collective industry. While each has its unique story to tell and has achieved success using
a variety of means, the commonality of each success comes down to people - the backbone
of any industry. Without people focused and engaged in their work, you have problems too
numerous to mention here, and you don't need me to depress you with what they are.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending part of my day at DeIorio's Bakery in
Utica, NY. Under the leadership of Ben DeIorio and his management team, this 82-yearold company has met challenges and persevered, including making the strategic decision in
1990 to shift from making a mix of branded fresh-baked products and frozen dough items
to only frozen dough, thus giving up its brand name and corporate identity.
"Do what you must to survive," was the advice of Pat DeIorio, Ben DeIorio's understanding uncle and one of the co-founders of the company. The company has achieved doubledigit growth ever since.
Again, what does this have to do with fishing? For DeIorio's, everything. While everyone
should learn and teach by example from leaders within our industry, we must also look
"outside the box" to other leaders, whether they are corporate moguls or fishmongers.
Yes, fishmongers.
How many times have you asked or been asked what you are doing to keep employees
energized in an admittedly non-glamorous environment like industrial baking? A few years
ago, the management at DeIorio's hooked onto a philosophy of conducting business that
addresses employee retention and morale challenges facing our industry.
What DeIorio's reeled in was a new way to look at the work environment. I am sure you
have all heard of, or even seen, the famous throwing fishmongers at Seattle's Pike Place Fish
Market. Through four simple but highly effective building blocks - choose your attitude,
play, make someone's day and be present - these fishmongers turned a boring, mundane,
thankless job of peddling dead fish in an open-air market into an exciting, fun and rewarding
career. Their success has been adapted in a book, appropriately titled "Fish!"
Through a bit of self reflection, imagination, creativity and top-down support, DeIorio's
cast its own line into the Fish culture and is already reeling
in the benefits of improved morale and corporate results. It
might well be worth the effort for each of us to take a fishing
lesson of our own.
- Steve Berne, Editor
sberne@sosland.com

10 / BAKING & SNACK / July 2006

Steve Berne
sberne@sosland.com

Managing Editor

Holly Bradley
hbradley@sosland.com

Associate Editor

Jennifer Barnett Fox
jfox@sosland.com

Contributing Editor

Dr. Clyde E. Stauffer

Contributing Editor

Richard F. Stier

Contributing Editor

Donna Berry

Contributing Editor

Hallie Forcinio

Contributing Editor

Rebeca López-García

DESIGN STAFF
Design Services Manager

Sadowna McClun

Designer

Jennifer Cheek

Manager of Advertising Design
Classified Ad Layout

Becky White

Christina Sullivan

PUBLISHING STAFF
Chairman
Charles S. Sosland
Vice-chairman
L. Joshua Sosland
President
Mark Sabo
Publishing Director
G. Michael Gude
Publisher
Paul Lattan
Vice-President,
Chief Financial Officer
Melanie Hepperly
Audience Development Director Don Keating
Advertising Manager
Nora Wages
Ad Materials Coordinator
Debbie Maniez
Digital Systems Analyst
Marj Potts
Circulation Manager
Sheryl Morrow
Marketing Communications
Coordinator/ Reprint Manager
Carrie Land
Editorial and Midwest Sales Office
4800 Main St., Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64112
Phone: (816) 756-1000; Fax: (816) 756-0494
E-mail: BakingSnack@sosland.com
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Baking & Snack - July 2006

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