Food Protection Trends - February 2009 - 70

from the executive director “COMMENTARY” T his month, we have reached a milestone in IAFP’s history. We have now 100 companies and organizations that support IAFP through the Sustaining Membership program! This is no small feat as just four years ago, we only had 67 Sustaining Members; so in that time, we have seen a 50% increase. In addition, we increased our Gold Sustaining Members from three up to seventeen in the same time period. When you review the listings on page 65 to 67 you will notice numerous companies and organizations who lead food safety efforts around the world. There are many companies operating globally that recognize the difference that IAFP is making by providing food safety information for their personnel in several differing countries. We have also seen a number of companies from outside of North America join IAFP in the Sustaining Member program. What does this mean for IAFP? It means a lot! The Sustaining Member program provides support, not only to IAFP, but also to our Foundation and the Speaker Travel Support program. Each Sustaining Member’s annual dues are split among the three different funding mechanisms. Some portion goes to the IAFP Foundation, a second segment funds our Speaker Travel Support program and the remainder helps the general operations of IAFP. The Speaker Travel Support program provides funding to offset travel expense for selected speakers who otherwise might not be able By DAVID W. THARP, C AE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR “The leadership provided by IAFP’s Sustaining Members is priceless” to be with us to present their much needed information. In the eight years this program has been in existence, more than $75,000 has been expended for more than 140 speakers. This would not be possible without the support of our Sustaining Members! The IAFP Foundation has also benefitted from the increase in Sustaining Members through additional funds received. Over the years, the Foundation has now grown to a fund balance of just more than $600,000. There have been a number of larger contributions over these years, but by and large, the Sustaining Members have been the steady force continuing to provide funding for the many Foundation projects. Those include the Ivan Parkin Lecture and the John H. Silliker Lecture (both at IAFP’s Annual Meeting), IAFP’s Audiovisual Library of training materials, the Developing Scientists Competition and our Student Travel Scholarships. I have told all the wonderful things that Sustaining Members do for IAFP, but what about benefits provided to IAFP’s Sustaining Members? IAFP provides publicity for our Sustaining Members by printing the company or organization name in each issue of Food Protection Trends and the Journal of Food Protection along with an online listing linked directly to the company’s or organization’s Web site. There are also discounts available to those Sustaining Members who exhibit with IAFP at the Annual Meeting. For those companies and organizations who do not regularly exhibit with IAFP, the Board approved doubling the allotted number of Members at each Sustaining Member level, thus providing additional benefits for our supporters. We are proud of the fine companies and organizations that support IAFP through the Sustaining Membership program. The leadership provided by IAFP’s Sustaining Members is priceless. If 70 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | FEBRUARY 2009

Food Protection Trends - February 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - February 2009