Ira Fingerman, far left, newly elected Chef &
Child Foundation chair, with volunteers at the 2011 Chef’s
Outreach to the Community Service Day in Dallas, July 22.
Joseph Kraft, CEC, CCA, AAC, left, newly elected
Chef & Child Foundation vice chair, at the 2011 Chef’s
Outreach to the Community Service Day in Dallas, July 22.
Press Release
ACFEF Chef & Child Foundation Names Chair,
Vice Chair for 2011–2013
St. Augustine, Fla., September 21,
2011—The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation
(ACFEF) Chef & Child Foundation (CCF), which focuses on the
nutritional development of America’s children, has two new leaders
at the helm. Ira Fingerman of Tyson Food Service, Springdale, Ark., is
chair, and Joseph Kraft, CEC, CCA, AAC, corporate executive chef at
Morrison Management Specialists, Tucson, Ariz., is vice chair. Fingerman
and Kraft will each serve a two-year term, 2011–2013, which began
July 27.
“As chair, I will continue the positive work that we have
started over the last couple of years,” said Fingerman. “In
this new term, CCF will focus on three key areas: focused fundraising;
thinking outside of the box to develop creative new programs and
initiatives; and national networking with like-minded organizations to
position CCF as a nationally recognized organization in the fight
against childhood obesity.”
As vice chair, Kraft says he will draw on his experience in health
care foodservice and as a volunteer for the Chefs Move to Schools
program to help CCF have an even greater impact on children’s
lives throughout the country.
“My intent is to carry on the best practices and successes of
the Foundation,” said Kraft. “I will also lead the
Foundation in developing ideas that will promote nutritional awareness
and educate our nation’s children and those who influence
them.”
During the past 25 years, Fingerman has held various sales and
management positions in foodservice at Tyson Foods, Inc. He is currently
responsible for sales and marketing of Tyson’s Lady Aster®
gourmet brand, which is designed and sold primarily to hospitality and
lodging channels. Prior to joining the staff at Tyson, Fingerman owned
and operated fast-food and full-service operations in Chicago, and held
sales positions at various manufacturers and food brokers. He has been
actively involved with CCF since 2004 and served as vice chair from 2006
to 2011.
At Morrison Management Specialists, Kraft provides culinary support
and training, maintains financial goals and helps the company meet
customers’ needs and exceed expectations. Prior to joining
Morrison, he worked as executive chef for Hilton Hotels and Radisson,
and as director of operations at Apropo Services, Schiller Park, Ill. He
holds an associate degree in restaurant management from Triton College,
River Grove, Ill. Kraft has been active in CCF for many years, and has
served as chair.
The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) Chef
& Child Foundation (CCF) was founded in 1989 to educate children and
families in understanding proper nutrition through community-based
initiatives led by ACF members, and to be the voice of the culinary
industry in its fight against childhood hunger, malnutrition and
obesity. CCF offers chefs numerous resources and programs, including
“Chefs in the Classroom” for preschoolers through
fifth-graders; “Cooking for Kids,” for third- through
eighth-graders; and “Hit a Homerun for Nutrition.” Each
year, on October 16, CCF and ACF chapters nationwide celebrate Childhood
Nutrition Day. Chef’s Outreach to the Community Service Day, which
is held annually in conjunction with the ACF national convention, is
another anticipated community outreach event. CCF also offers many free
resources to the public, such as monthly “Culinary Nutrition
News” and “Ingredient of the Month” articles. For more
information, visit www.acfchefs.org/CCF.
The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the
premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With
more than 20,000 members spanning 225 chapters nationwide, ACF is the
culinary leader in offering educational resources, training,
apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation. In addition, ACF operates
the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United
States, with the Certified Executive Chef® designation the only
culinary credential accredited by the National Commission for Certifying
Agencies (NCCA). ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official
representative for the United States in major international culinary
competitions, and to the Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to
promote proper nutrition in children and to combat childhood obesity.
For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org.
# # #
Editor’s Note: To request an
interview or for a high-res photo, contact Leah Craig at (904) 484-0213
or lcraig@acfchefs.net.
Contact: Leah Craig
Communications Manager
(904) 484-0213
lcraig@acfchefs.net