Baking & Snack - September 2018 - 18

C.H. Guenther & Son buys
Cookietree Bakeries

KSU's Grain Science
Department seeks greater
visibility to attract students
Established in 1905, the Grain Science and Industry department at Kansas State University (KSU) has catapulted the careers of many in the milling and baking industry. It is the only
university in the US that offers degrees in baking, feed or milling science and management and holds a 100% job placement
rate - with students typically receiving multiple job offers
upon graduation.
Although its resume is teeming with positive features, the
program still faces some challenges. Despite increasing demand
for qualified students, departmental enrollment has not substantially grown for about seven years.
"I would tell you no one - including me - thinks that number is right," said Gordon Smith, PhD, head of the Grain Science
Department, KSU. "The industry could hire twice as many students out of the department easily."
But finding students who are familiar with the program and
sector is a struggle. Saddled in the small town of Manhattan,
KS, it remains a hidden gem. Made up of three undergraduate programs - Bakery Science & Management, Feed Science
& Management, and Milling Science & Management - plus a
graduate program in Grain Science, the department is dedicated to cultivating a well-rounded curriculum that prepares students for the workforce. By operating in tandem with its faculty
and advisory council, it continuously reinvents itself to meet
students' evolving needs.
At the forefront of the program is its hands-on training and
technical preparation the faculty provides. Throughout all disciplines, professors prepare students with the technical expertise they need to be successful. From research and analytical
laboratories to processing equipment, students learn about the
latest advances in grain science in a functional setting.

18 Baking & Snack September 2018 / www.bakingandsnack.com

C.H. Guenther & Son, San Antonio, TX, has acquired Cookietree
Bakeries, Salt Lake City, UT, a producer of premium thaw-and-serve
cookies, bake-and-serve cookie dough, and fully baked brownies
and scones.
Founded in 1981 by Greg Schenck, Cookietree supplies quick-service restaurants, fast-casual restaurants, club stores and retailers from
its manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City. The business will operate
under the Cookietree brand out of its existing facility.
"Greg and his team have built Cookietree into a market leader in
the dessert space," said Dale Tremblay, CEO of C.H. Guenther & Son.
C.H. Guenther & Son manufactures branded and private-label food
products for foodservice clients and consumer markets. Its brands include Pioneer, White Wings, Sun-Bird and Cuisine Adventures. The
acquisition of Cookietree grows the company to more than 3,000 employees in 21 food manufacturing locations in the US, Canada and
Western Europe.

In Memoriam
Marvin "Sonny" Gladfelter, age 82, of West
Manchester Township, York, PA, died July 21,
2018 at Sentara Hospital in Norfolk, VA.
Mr. Gladfelter was employed by the former
Teledyne Readco and Readco Manufacturing
in York for 42 years. Mr. Gladfelter's Masonic
affiliations included White Rose Lodge No.
706, Free and Accepted Masons; York County
Gladfelter
Shrine Club, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Zembo Temple Shrine
Club; York Commandery No. 21, Knights Templar of Pennsylvania;
and Harrisburg Consistory.
Vince Pasquini, employed for 25 years at
Reading Bakery Systems (RBS), passed away
August 17, 2018. He was 57 years old.
Mr. Pasquini began career at Reading Bakery
Systems in 1993. He held positions including
design engineer, project manager and pretzel
and snack technical sales specialist. According
Pasquini
to an RBS company statement, Mr. Pasquini's
ability to envision mechanical solutions for the most challenging
applications enabled him to excel at machinery design. He created
the foundation of many of the machine designs used in the current
RBS product line. He earned a mechanical engineering degree at
Penn State University. Before coming to RBS, he worked at Edco, a
machinery design firm. Mr. Pasquini was a member of St. Joan of Arc
Church, Hershey, PA, served as coach and board member of the former Hershey Baseball Association and current Hershey Little League.

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Baking & Snack - September 2018

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