2008 Super Regional Presenters

Jeremy Carkner, B.A.Sc., P.Eng., LEED® AP, Associate, Project Manager
Morrison Hershfield Consulting Engineers

Jeremy Carkner is a Project Manager and Building Science Engineer in the Burlington office of Morrison Hershfield Consulting Engineers, and is an Associate of the firm. Jeremy’s expertise has been focused on the energy usage aspects of buildings, particularly the building envelope. Jeremy has accumulated significant knowledge of energy usage problems with existing buildings, the inter-relationship of the envelope and HVAC systems as they relate to energy usage, and implementation of energy usage improvements. This has provided Jeremy with an excellent framework for improving the design of new buildings to achieve the energy improvements essential to the process of sustainable design and green buildings. Jeremy has been involved in sustainable design aspects of the building envelope for over eight years, and is currently working with architects, developers, and building owners on several projects relating to LEED®, and sustainability in general. Jeremy is an active participant in MH’s internal “green team” discussions, and leads internal training of local MH staff relating to the LEED® Canada-NC 1.0 program.

Rod Collins, Principal
Rod Collins Associates

Rod Collins is the principal of Sonoma County, California based Rod Collins Associates, a firm serving operators, consultants, designers and specialized foodservice equipment manufacturers in the design, selection and proper application of equipment for efficient foodservice operations.

A 30+ year veteran of the hospitality industry, Rod is frequently cited and recognized for his far-ranging knowledge of all facets of foodservice. He was the first manufacturer ever elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Food Service Consultants Society International (FCSI) and is currently a member of their Allied Advisory Board. In addition, he is a past member of the Industry Advisory Board of the University of San Francisco Hospitality Management School and is currently an active member of several industry associations, including:

American Society of Healthcare Food Service Administrators (ASHFSA)
Healthcare Food Service Management (HFM)
Marketing Agents Food Service Industry (MAFSI)
National Association of College and University Food Service (NACUFS)
Society of Foodservice Management (SFM)

Rod received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington.

Edgar R. Farrera, Leed AP, Associate
Marmon Mok Architects

Mr. Farrera has been involved in sustainable building for over 15 years. He is a Project Manager with San Antonio based Marmon Mok Architects, and is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professional. Some of the projects that Marmon Mok and Mr. Farrera have helped green include The Sally Cheever Girl scout Leadership Center, the Randolph AFB Commissary for the Army Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES), and projects for Citigroup. Edgar has also designed and managed a variety of building types including schools, office buildings, civic facilities, and retail environments. He served as Marmon Mok’s project manager for the $180 million dollar terminal expansion project at the San Antonio International Airport. Last fall, the San Antonio chapter of the American Institute of Architects awarded a Design Citation to McCollum High School, a project on which Mr. Farrera was a project designer. Mr. Farrera has taught design at the University of Texas at San Antonio College of Architecture, and writes and lectures about sustainability issues. Mr. Farrera is currently teaching a series of seminars on Green topics to building owners and contractors in the San Antonio area.

Donald R. Fisher, President/CEO Fisher-Nickel, inc.
Manager, PG&E Food Service Technology Center

Don Fisher, President/CEO of Fisher-Nickel, inc. (FNi), manages the Food Service Technology Center (FSTC) in San Ramon, CA. This Center collaborates with the Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Laboratory (CKVL) in Wood Dale, IL to develop and apply standard test methods for evaluating the performance of food service equipment. The program is funded by California utility customers and administered by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. Don received a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering in 1972 and a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering in 1974 from the University of Manitoba.

Mark Freeman
Employee Services Senior Manager
Microsoft Worldwide Organization

Mark Freeman is responsible for the Microsoft Employee Services organization which provides Dining, Conference, A/V, Mail, Catering, Reception and Copy/Print services to Microsoft’s approximately 45,000 Redmond based employees and vendors. He also provides Global Dinning consulting assistance to the Worldwide Real Estate and Facilities Services organization.

During Freeman’s tenure at Microsoft, the employee service business has matured. He successfully launched such programs as “Local Brands” into the dining services business allowing 34 independent brands to reside on campuses across the US. He has implemented enhanced collaboration rooms and telepresence into the Conference room and A/V Services business and lead numerous sourcing activities to improve the supplier based services at Microsoft.

Before coming to Microsoft, Freeman led the Management Advisory Services department for the H. David Porter Consulting firm based in Baltimore, MD. He was directly responsible for assisting clients in college and university master planning, café design and construction projects, RFP sourcing services and market research.

Freeman holds a degree in business from The Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington and attended Washinton State University’s Hotel and Restaurant program. In his free time he enjoys hiking, outdoor activities and spending time with his wife Karin and their two grown children.

Jack Graves, Chief Cultural Officer
The Holland, Inc.

Jack Graves created the role of chief cultural officer for The Holland, Inc. in 2004. His responsibilities include serving as a steward of the company’s mission and culture, as a liaison between The Holland’s vendor partners and internal teams and ensuring that the company’s initiatives such as providing affordable health care and its commitment to sustainability are met. Graves also serves as the historian for The Holland and ensures that the company’s vision is fully integrated throughout the organization.

Graves joined The Holland in 1976 as general manager of Burgerville #16 in Centrailia, WA. Before creating the role of chief cultural officer, Graves held the position of director of operations and vice president of Burgerville operations.

Prior to joining The Holland, Graves spent more than three years with Arby’s restaurant where he served as general manager.

A true visionary of the industry, Graves has spent more than 30 years in the QSR industry. He has won several sales awards and is committed to the implementation of sustainable practices and affordable health care for all employees. Throughout his career Graves has spoken on various industry panels on sustainability and has most recently spoken at events such as the Northwest Environmental Conference & Tradeshow, Southwest Washington Sustainability Conference and Tradeshow, The Northwest Innovations Conference and the Sustainable Business Forum.

Nick Harbert, General Manager
Cedar Grove Composting
Nick has worked over 25 years in the solid waste industry with both Waste Management and Allied Waste prior to joining Cedar Grove Composting in Seattle. His time with Waste Management was in various markets both nationally and internationally, primarily in the Midwest and West Coast as well as in Europe and the Middle East. He functioned as a Regional VP, District and General Manager during his tenure responsible for all aspects of the business including collection, processing and disposal for recycling and garbage operations. He has been in composting with Cedar Grove for the past two years, and believes that composting is a crucial part of how we will be managing wastes in the near future. We have to shift from the traditional model of disposing of our wastes to thinking of them as a resource that can be reused.

Larry Iverson PhD, President
The Institute for Advanced Development

Since 1979, Dr. Iverson has personally conducted seminars and workshops for professional and college level athletes, corporate executives and their personnel, universities and government agencies.

His broad scope of work ranges from enhancing the mental performance of over 150 Olympic athletes, to strategic planning and assisting in the implementation of those plans for corporations and government organizations, to producing a highly rated television program “Strategies for Success”, to delivering keynote presentations, and developing training programs for profit and non-profit firms.

Dr. Iverson is a leader in the fields of Customer Partnership Strategies, Communication, Professional Effectiveness and Leadership. His expertise results from front-line involvement in retail, wholesale, and service businesses. This knowledge and ability to train others to use critical skill sets, attracts a wide range of audiences and organizations to him and the team at IAD. Their goal is to help you thrive in today’s competitive environment.

Christopher Koetke, CEC CCE, Dean
The School of Culinary Arts, Kendall College

Christopher Koetke has been a culinary instructor at The School of the Culinary Arts of Kendall College since January 1998. He was appointed Dean of the School of Culinary Arts in 2005. Christopher began cooking professionally in 1982, starting at local restaurants in his hometown, Valparaiso, Indiana. He soon moved to Chicago and procured a position at L’Escargot on Halsted. Eager to expand his knowledge of fine cuisine, Christopher traveled to France where he worked in some of the country’s finest kitchens: Pavillon Elysees, Pierre Gagnaire, Taillevent and Pierre Orsi. Upon his return to the United States, Christopher began a 5 year tenure at the world famous Le Français in Wheeling, Illinois. During this time, Christopher finished third in the U.S. finals of the Bocuse d’Or culinary competition. In 1992, Christopher became the Executive Chef of Chicago’s Les Nomades restaurant. He has a B.A. degree in French literature from Valparaiso University and a Certificat de la Langue Francaise from the Sorbonne in Paris. He is currently pursuing a MBA.

André LaRivière
Green Table Network
After a career in public broadcasting, André traded his passionate amateur status for that of professional chef at New York City’s French Culinary Institute.

He later combined his kitchen and media experience to explore Canadian food and restaurant industries for trade and consumer magazines. His restless appetite for sustainable homegrown foods has brought him face-to-face with growers, fishers and food industry experts across North America and beyond.

In 2007, Andre founded the Green Table Network, a mission-driven enterprise fostering sustainability in the foodservice industry, with more than 80 member operations around British Columbia.

Am’r Rusty Malik, AIA, LEED® AP, CEFPI, Associate Principal
Perkins+Will
With over 24 years of diverse architectural experience, Rusty Malik has worked on a variety of projects ranging from hotels, healthcare and educational facilities, many with significant food service components. As Associate Principal at Perkins+Will, he understands the challenge of integrating sustainable design into projects while maintaining fiscally responsible solutions. Mr. Malik’s particular strengths in educational facilities planning and design results from 18 years of focused practice in the education sector. Over the years he has built a reputation as a knowledgeable school facilities planner and client-focused principal. Well-versed in the planning and development of sustainable environments and their impact on educational facility design, he has lectured at local and regional educational facility conferences, elevating the awareness of educators, facility managers and design professionals on the impact of sustainable design and it’s relationship to student learning and the built environment.

Phyllis Ann Marshall, Principal
FoodPower, Inc.

FoodPower Founder Phyllis Ann Marshall has more than 40 years’ experience as a chef, restaurateur, consultant and coach in the restaurant industry. And she is unequivocally energized by the Power of Food.

Ms. Marshall graduated from Cornell University and studied in culinary schools around the world. Prior to co-founding and operating the award-winning Mr. Stox in Anaheim, California, she founded her own culinary academy in San Marino, California. Ms. Marshall founded the Restaurant Management Certificate Program at the University of California, Irvine, and lectures around the country. Marshall’s recent article entitled, “A New Look – How to Determine IF Your Restaurant Needs a MakeOver and Where You Should Start” was featured on the cover of the Restaurant Start-up & Growth Magazine in March. A current article on Acoustics is in process for the Nation’s Restaurant News. Her clients include restaurants of all sizes and shapes from independent restaurateurs to landlords of mega shopping centers.

Kris Schroeder, Director, Nutrition Services
Swedish Medical Center

Kris has over 20 years experience in healthcare food & nutrition. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Society for Healthcare Foodservice Management (HFM). Previous leadership roles in professional organizations include Chair of the Clinical Nutrition Management Dietetic Practice Group (CNM) of the American Dietetic Association, editor of Future Dimensions in Clinical Nutrition Management, and moderator of the CNM listserve. She is a frequent speaker on the topic of room service in healthcare and is a contributing author to the Room Service Chapter in the Successful Operations Guide published by HFM. She has received the Service Swedish Award for outstanding customers

Janine Sergay, President
The Sergay Group, LLC

Janine Sergay is the powerhouse behind The Sergay Group, Ltd. Janine’s expertise enables her to empower, develop and energize teams, team leaders, managers and CEOs across the United States and internationally. She helps improve productivity, processes, and working relationships for enhanced bottom-line results. She empowers individuals to enhance their own skills sets. Janine consults, facilitates, trains, coaches, and speaks on strategic planning, change, team building, leadership, human resources, and personal development.

Janine’s undergraduate degree in Organizational Psychology, English and Economics, her licentiate in teaching communications, her masters in Industrial Psychology obtained cum laude, coupled with her executive experience in retail, the service industry, and the largest utility in the world have prepared this dynamo well for her role in successfully developing and expanding her consulting operation.

Born in South Africa and living on three different continents, Janine brings a rich mosaic to her work. Thousands of people and leading companies in all manner of industries have benefited from Janine’s MBA lectures, training seminars, speaking forums, facilitated team sessions, and consulting.

Andrew Shakman, President and CEO
LeanPath, Inc.

Andrew Shakman is president and chief executive officer of LeanPath, Inc., a technology company providing sustainability solutions to the food service industry. LeanPath’s core offering, the ValuWaste™ System, enables hospitality and foodservice managers to reduce food waste and lower food cost. Previously, Andrew served as Managing Director of the Anacapa Group, a consulting firm, and as president and chief executive officer, of Nine Dots, a pioneering interactive consulting firm serving clients including Nestle, Quaker Oats, Dole Food Company and Molson Canada.

Andrew holds a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.F.A from the University of Southern California.

Cary Wheeland, Regional Vice President
Bon Appétit

Cary Wheeland celebrates 20 years with Bon Appétit Management Company in 2008, having joined Bon Appétit one year after Fedele Bauccio and Ernie Collins founded the company. As Bon Appétit’s longest serving RVP, Cary was involved from the beginning in developing Bon Appétit’s brand and reputation as the “fresh food company”.

As one of four RVP’s, one of Cary’s primary roles is to lead the company’s sustainability initiatives on a regional level. Cary worked closely with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers in California (CAFF) in 2006 to craft a pioneering agreement which serves as a model for Bon Appétit.

Carl Woestwin, Landscape Team Lead
Seattle Public Utilities

Carl Woestwin is a Senior Planner with Seattle Public Utilities, and currently the Acting Manager of SPU’s Resource Conservation Section, which focuses on residential and commercial waste prevention, water conservation and stormwater management programs. Carl manages the City’s commercial food recovery, and a variety of residential landscape management programs and he is on the City’s Food Enhancement Strategy Interdepartmental Team. Carl has degrees in Horticulture from Washington State University and English Literature from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

Richard Young, Senior Engineer / Director of Education
Food Service Technology Center

Richard is the senior engineer and Director of Education at the Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), an unbiased research facility that focuses specifically on commercial food service applications.

The FSTC works at all levels of the industry, from mom-and-pop restaurants to the largest chains, as well as with manufacturers, trade associations, utilities, and state and federal government.

Richard has been with the FSTC 16 years and he has over a dozen years of experience creating and presenting seminars on energy efficiency. He authors a regular column, The Green Sheet, for the California Restaurant Association. Richard is an electrical engineer with a background in both computers and power plant design.