IBIE - 2022 Special Edition & Show Preview - 37

ABA PERSPECTIVE
IBIE WELCOMES
A NEW ERA
Navigating the Big Picture issues for
the commercial baking industry.
by Robb MacKie, American Bakers Association president and chief executive officer
IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING the last IBIE in 2019,
the world was thrown into turmoil with a pandemicdriven
shutdown unlike anything experienced
before. Social and political conflicts, disruptions at
home, and attacks abroad - and yet, our industry,
our community, has prevailed and strengthened
despite these seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Despite the constant barrage of bad news in the
past several years, this year's IBIE welcomes us to
what feels like a new era for the baking industry.
We are starting to emerge from the chaos with an
even deeper appreciation for our critical workforce,
an accelerated adoption of new technologies and a
stronger bond with our global baking community.
We've been through a lot together.
Thanks to input from our valued members and
trusted industry partners, the American Bakers
Association (ABA), in partnership with BEMA and
Retail Bakers Association (RBA), helped guide this
year's IBIE programming, pivoting areas of focus
as the world quickly changed around us. With that
knowledge, we are confident that ABA and IBIE will
help address issues important to all of us.
Supply Chain Strategies
ABA's Lee Sanders, senior vice president of government
affairs, will join a group of industry leaders
for a session called Supply Chain Challenges: A
Panel Discussion. The discussion will focus on topics
including supply chain strategies, policy efforts
and future forecasts. Panelists will include Hayden
Wands, vice president of global procurement, commodities
for Grupo Bimbo, and Maggie Brown,
director of global supply chain for Kwik Lok.
Another ABA supply chain session is called The
New Rules for Leveraging Contract Manufacturing
Relationships, led by Carl Melville, managing partner
for The Melville Group, LLC. The
focus will be on ways to view and
manage supply chains - especially critical contract
manufacturing relationships - by absorbing lessons
from the pandemic.
Sustainability Enhancement
ABA's Rasma Zvaners, vice president, regulatory
and technical services, will lead a session
called Transforming a Traditional Bakery with
Sustainability. The discussion will include a baker's
perspective and highlight government programs.
Food Safety Focus
A session called ABA Monitoring Chemical Hazards
in Foods with Gina Reo, president of QAS, LLC., will
raise the profile of food safety issues for the baking
community. It will reference California's Proposition
65 and the Food Safety Modernization Act in
addressing topics such as material monitoring, risk
assessment, and compliance and testing.
ABA Hands-On Workshops
ABA will present two first-time IBIE workshops
geared to beginner- to intermediate-level professionals
who want to learn more about ingredient
processing. Both sessions will be led by Brian
Strouts, a technical advisor to ABA.
Come See Us
The ABA is one of the co-owners of IBIE along with
BEMA and in partnership with RBA. ABA helps
companies navigate these big picture issues. We
invite you to our booth in the West Hall Lobby to
learn how to become a member or speak with the
team to ensure your company is making the most
of your membership.
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INSIDE IBIE | 37
IBIE - 2022 Special Edition & Show Preview

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