(L-R) Keith Breen of Perlmart; Nicholas Lewandoski of ACME Markets; Jessica Reiley of FoodCircus; Paula Coltriano of Acosta Sales and Marketing; Phil Scaduto of FoodCircus; Todd Ferrera of Wegmans Food Markets; Mike Nelson of Wegmans Food Markets; NJFC President Linda Doherty; James Hazlett of Bimbo Bakeries and NJFC Board Chair Judy Spires of Kings Food Markets
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray addresses the group prior to the graduation ceremony
The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) recently celebrated the graduation of its 2016 Leadership Development Class at a reception hosted by Wegmans Food Markets in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Launched in 2014, the Food Council Leadership Development Program provides training for future leaders who have a passion for working in the food industry, possess an interest in the dynamics and trends of government, and want to make a difference in the direction of the industry.
Featuring speakers from Federal and State governments as well as the food industry, the program combines elements of mentoring, organizational education, leadership training, policy trends, and guided experiences. This year, Scott Coffina, Senior Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor’s Office, and Al Murray, New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, were keynote speakers for the final session of the program.
Each year, NJFC member companies have the ability to nominate potential candidates for participation in the program. NJFC’s Leadership Development Team then selects those individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the New Jersey Food Council and who have great potential for growth and advancement in the food distribution business.
Senior Deputy Chief Counsel Scott Coffina addresses the group prior to the graduation ceremony
“We really enjoyed working with this year’s class of rising stars in the food industry,” said NJFC President, Linda Doherty. “One of the main goals of this program is to educate future leaders on public policy areas that impact their business and the food industry’s bottom line. We were fortunate to have key policy leaders from the Governor’s Office and the Department of Agriculture work with this group and explain the inner-workings of state government and the importance of advocacy.”
“The training and mentoring they received throughout this entire program will not only help advance their careers, but also ensure the food industry continues to flourish,” Doherty continued. “We applaud the group for their hard work and commitment to the program and we look forward to their continued success.”
Below are the individuals in this year’s graduating NJFC Leadership Development class:
- Antonio Acosta – Kings Food Markets
- Keith Breen – Perlmart
- Paula Colatriano – Acosta Sales & Marketing
- James Haslett – Bimbo Bakeries USA
- Nicholas Lewandoski – Acme Markets
- Michael Nelson – Wegmans Food Markets
- Jessica Riley – Food Circus Super Markets