Fare magazine and Foodservice at Retail Exchange (FARE) have announced the second-annual honorees of the Leaders in Retail Foodservice awards.
The awards honor operators who are helping develop innovative and inspiring foodservice-at-retail concepts, while furthering the foodservice-at-retail industry as a whole.
This year's Leaders in Retail Foodservice are Kris Klinger, director of hospitality for the University of Southern California (pictured below, left); Jennifer Vespole, director of foodservice for Quick Chek Corp.; and Angelo Mojica, director of food and nutrition services for UNC Healthcare.
[image-nocss] "Foodservice at retail is evolving along with consumer needs. It's these operators who are creating compelling meal solutions for them," says Abbie Westra, executive editor of Fare magazine. "They shrewdly balance culinary creativity with a greater business plan. We look forward to showcasing their ideas at FARE."
An awards ceremony and panel discussion with the 2011 Leaders in Retail Foodservice will mark the beginning of FARE, held June 28-30 in at the Westin Kierland in Scottsdale, Ariz. The honorees will also be spotlighted in the cover story of the August issue of Fare magazine.
Kris Klinger joined USC Hospitality in October 2009. Just prior, he served as corporate director for Strategic Alliance Group, where he oversaw a cross-section of accounts for contract foodservice company Compass Group. Returning to his alma mater, Klinger has lead USC Hospitality in strategy development and customer service programs, while continuing to revitalize the dining program both on- and off-campus.
Klinger works with campus partners at all 42 dining concepts on USC's two campuses, as well as off-campus restaurants such as The Lab and URBNMRKT. He successfully spearheaded the development and selection of the wide-ranging dining options for the 192,000-square-foot Ronald Tutor Campus Center, which opened fall 2010.
Angelo Mojica, MPH, RD, CEC, is responsible for the foodservice and clinical operations at the University of North Carolina Hospitals. His team consists of 30 registered dietitians and more than 200 hourly team members who are responsible for close to $9 million in retail operations, as well as the nutritional needs of patients in this 800-bed acute-care hospital system.
Mojica has worked for over 15 years in contract foodservice management. This experience has allowed him to guide his team's approach to foodservice in a holistic manner as a manager, a nutritionist and a chef. Mojica also serves as associate professor, department of nutrition, at the UNC School of Public Health.
Jennifer Vespole is director of foodservice for Quick Chek Corp. The 125-store, New Jersey-based chain is a market leader in foodservice, with exceptional coffee and fresh food programs. The chain also leads in innovative marketing and customer-service programs.
Vespole has more than 20 years experience in the convenience-store industry, specifically focused in foodservice and dispensed beverages. She has participated in several food industry panels, speaking on topics from home meal replacement to foodservice in the convenience-store industry. She has had her menu recognized by CSP magazine (sister publication of Fare) in the Blue Ribbon awards and has been a member of the FARE Advisory Council since 2008.
Learn more these Leaders in Retail Foodservice and their innovations in the field at the fourth annual FARE conference, June 28-30 at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. FARE features more than eight hours of education, unique networking opportunities and a Food Pavilion of the latest food and equipment products. For more information, visit www.foodserviceatretail.com.
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