IAFP Announces 2022 Award Recipients

Des Moines, Iowa — The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) will present awards recognizing excellence in food safety to the following organizations and individuals at IAFP 2022, July 3-Aug. 3, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The IAFP Fellow Award is awarded to professionals who have contributed to IAFP and its affiliates with distinction over an extended period of time. This year’s recipients are David Blomquist, DFB Consulting, Hastings, Minn.; James Dickson, Iowa State University, Ames; Lynn McMullen, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; George-John Nychas, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece; and Manan Sharma, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland.

Katherine M. J. Swanson, KMJ Swanson Food Safety Inc. (retired), Mendota Heights, Minn., will be awarded the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award. This award, given at the discretion of the IAFP President, recognizes an individual who has made a lasting impact on advancing food safety worldwide through a lifetime of professional achievements in food protection.

The Honorary Life Membership Award will be presented to Zeb Blanton, SGS North America, residing in Longwood, Fla.; Leon Gorris, Food Safety Futures, Nijmegen, Netherlands; Dale Grinstead, Diversey (retired), residing in Highlands, N.C.; Paul Hall, AIV Microbiology and Food Safety Consultants, Inc., Lakeland, Fla.; Elliot Ryser, Michigan State University, East Lansing; and Edith Wilkin, Laprino Foods (retired), residing in Castle Rock, Colo. This award recognizes IAFP Members for their dedication to the high ideals and objectives of IAFP and for their service to the Association. 

The Harry Haverland Citation Award will be awarded to Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, University of Georgia, Griffin, for his years of devotion to the ideals and objectives of the Association. 

bioMérieux, Hazelwood, Mo., will receive the Food Safety Innovation Award, given for the development of Predictive Diagnostics, its innovative new approach to food safety and quality testing.

The International Leadership Award will be presented to Arie Havelaar, University of Florida, Gainesville, for his dedication to the high ideals and objectives of IAFP and for promotion of the mission of the association in countries outside of the United States and Canada. 

Ann Marie McNamara, U.S. Foods, Hoffman Estates, Ill., will receive the Food Safety Award in recognition of a long history of outstanding contributions to food safety research and education.

The Frozen Food Foundation Freezing Research Award will be presented to Jeff Farber, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. This award honors an individual, group or organization for preeminence and outstanding contributions in research that impacts food safety attributes of freezing.

The Maurice Weber Laboratorian Award will be presented to Kali Kniel, University of Delaware, Newark, to recognize her service for outstanding contributions in the laboratory and recognizing a commitment to the development of innovative and practical analytical approaches in support of food safety. 

Yaohua Feng, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., will be presented the Larry Beuchat Young Researcher Award. This award is presented to a young researcher who has shown outstanding ability and professional promise in the early years of his or her career.

The James M. Jay Diversity in Food Safety Award will be presented to Haley Oliver, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. This award recognizes an individual who has made exceptional contributions to enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion in the field of food safety.

Darin Detwiler, Northeastern University, residing in Los Angeles, Calif., is the recipient of the Ewen C.D. Todd Control of Foodborne Illness Award. This award recognizes an individual for dedicated and exceptional contributions to the reduction of risks of foodborne illness.

Charles Giambrone, Rochester Midland Corporation, New Hope, Pa., will receive the Sanitarian Award to recognize his dedication and exceptional service to the profession of sanitarian, serving the public and the food industry.

The Elmer Marth Educator Award will be presented to Lawrence Goodridge, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, to recognize his dedication and exceptional contributions to the profession of the educator.