Mario Guadalupe-Daqui, is a Food Science PhD candidate at the University of Florida (UF) studying about yeast fermentation and working under Dr. Andrew MacIntosh supervision. Mario is from Ecuador, where got his bachelor’s degree in Food Engineering. His career had been defined by a constant work in the food industry and academia. He is researching on the barometric modification of yeast fermentation and currently, he is advocated to explain the mechanism of vacuum fermentation while fulfilling his duties as the lead Teaching Assistant of food processing and engineering. Mario the team captain of UF at the American Society of Baking Product Development competition 2020 along with other graduate students, getting the second place. He also serves as a student representative of the IFT Education, Extension and Outreach division and the IFT Florida section. Mario will join General Mills as a R&D Scientist II in the Summer of 2021.

Product
Pokara Wafel

Victor Cedeño was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, where he grew up before moving to Colombia to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad de La Sabana, obtained in 2017. After graduation, Victor worked in chocolate maker and was later awarded a scholarship to pursue a Master’s in Food Science at the University of Florida (UF), graduating in December 2020. Victor worked under Dr. Andrew MacIntosh in the Food Processing laboratory, studying the thermomechanical characteristics of High Oleic Palm Oil (HOPO) and how this can be used as a novel ingredient in food products.  Victor has volunteered for the FSHN Department activities and IFT Florida Suppliers Night. Beside this, he has a strong interest in sustainability, participating in the Future of Food Forum at UF, and in food innovation as a member of the team that represented UF in the American Baking Society’s national product development competition in Chicago, IL.

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Pokara Wafel

Vicnie Léandre completed her bachelor’s in food science and Engineering at Tianjin University in China. Upon returning to her country, Haiti, she worked as lead food scientist in aflatoxins decontaminating of peanuts, corn, and sorghum. She recently graduated from the food science master program at University of Florida, where her research focused on the development of a gluten‑free sorghum pasta while improving cooking time, nutrition, and sensory attributes. Inspired by her experience in the U.S, she wants to start a food incubator in her country that will help food entrepreneurs to create and launch successful and healthy products. Vicnie and her teammates placed second in the Product Development Competition at the ASB BakingTech 2020 with their Luwa Cracker product. Vicnie’s passion for baking tarted baking at a young age from watching her mom and enjoys baking in her free time

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Pokara Wafel

Devanshu Mehta is a 3rd year food science PhD student under the guidance of Dr. Andrew MacIntosh at University of Florida, Gainesville. In 2014, he graduated as a Master’s in Food Processing from Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. After graduation, he worked in the food packaging industry at Bemis Company (now Amcor) in Neenah, WI as a Sr. Product Development Engineer for three years before joining University of Florida in 2018. He is currently examining the fundamentals on yeast behavior (flocculation) in an ongoing fermentation process. Apart from academics, Devanshu is passionate about cooking. He is fond of traveling to new places and experimenting various local delicacies of the world. He also likes to play and watch soccer, cricket, and chess.

Product
Pokara Wafel

Since joining CFS in 2016 she has supported the strategic consulting and training programs that CFS offers to the food industry. Cari is focused on the Baking and Snack industry, as well as developing training content and leading CFS training programs.

Prior to joining CFS, Cari worked at Kraft Foods for 11+ years in Research and Development and Quality Management roles. In her time at Kraft she commercialized several new products including new line installations and product quality specifications, and helped facilities develop and implement food safety/quality programs.

Cari has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Food Science.

With her passion for food safety and quality, Cari enables food manufacturers to achieve their food safety improvement goals.

Presentation
The Use of External Resources in Training Programs
Thursday, February 18
2:10 pm – 2:45 pm CT

Enrique Andaluz is Director of Digital Innovation Strategy at Microsoft.  He partners with client’s C-Suite and Senior Executives to improve margins and bring to life new business models.

Enrique blends technology and operations expertise to help clients innovate on their enterprise strategy.  He leads large-scale programs with virtual teams with track record delivering business value.

Enrique is an industry thought leader keen on industrial IoT (IIoT) and advanced technologies, like artificial intelligence and mixed reality.  In previous roles at Microsoft, he had global responsibility for the strategic direction of IIoT solutions in the Manufacturing Industry sector.  He has also guided some of the world’s largest companies into mastering the adoption of digital capabilities.

Enrique is a frequent speaker in international conferences in the fields of Operations, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Precision Agriculture and Business Transformation.  He is a graduate of Georgia Tech, with a master’s degree in Operations Research.

Presentation
Intelligent Bread
Thursday, February 18, 2021
1:30 pm – 2:05 pm CT

Javier holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Autonomous National University of Mexico, and an MBA from Diego Portales University, in Chile. He graduated from the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and, in 2010 he joined the Breakthrough Program for Senior Executives at IMD Business School in Switzerland.

He has over 40 years of experience in Grupo Bimbo, where he has held different top positions such as: Senior VP for Latin America, Senior VP of Bimbo, President of Barcel, and President of Bimbo. He also served as Chairman of CONMEXICO (Consejo Mexicano de la Industria de Productos).

He currently holds the role of Executive Vice-President of Grupo Bimbo, being in charge of operations for Mexico and Canada, and the new business unit: Bimbo QSR.

Susana Socolovsky, Ph.D., CFS is a Doctor in Chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires. Susana has devoted 20 years to full time to scientific research and teaching at the University of Buenos Aires. She was awarded the Argentine National Biannual Prize on Organic Chemistry in 1985. In 2018, she was honored as an elected Fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology. Dr. Socolovsky is a Certified Food Scientist by the Certification Institute of the Institute of Food Technologists.

Susana has lectured in more than 200 Conferences in 20 countries, and dictated courses in 14 Latin American countries. She has authored multiple scientific papers, reviews, book chapters and magazine articles.

Dr. Socolovsky is the immediate past President of the Argentine Association of Food Technologists as well the President of the 2019 Latin American and the Caribbean Congress of Food Science and Technology.

She is a member of the Argentine Nutrition Society and has served as a member of the International Scientific Committee of the 21^st International Congress of Nutrition 2017. She is a member of the Editorial Council of the Journal  Actualización en Nutrición, published by SAN.

Professional Member of the Institute of Food Technologists, an IFT Food Science Communicator , active collaborator of ALACCTA and IUFoST. She has served on the IFT Jury for the Food Innovation Awards for Latinamerican FS&T associations.

Dr. Socolovsky has worked as an International Technical Consultant in Regulatory and Scientific Affairs and Food Innovation for the last 30 years.

Since 1992, she acts as a non-governmental representative at Mercosur regulatory meetings and is member of the expert panel of the Argentine National Program for Healthy Eating and Prevention of Obesity since 2016.

Alan has been providing workshops and economic analysis seminars for thousands of business owners and executives in various countries for the last 30 years.  He is one of the country’s most sought-after economists.

As the chief economist for numerous US and international trade associations, it has been remarked that Alan’s “insight into our business, a track record of accurate forecasting, and unparalleled knowledge of global markets has earned him the respect and appreciation of key business leaders in our industry.”

Alan and ITR Economics™ have shared their insights through various media outlets, including: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Knight Ridder News Services, Business Week, the Associated Press, The Washington Times, CBS Radio, CNN Radio, Sirius talk radio, and numerous other outlets.

Keynote Presentation
Wednesday, February 17
10:10 am – 11:10 am CT

Tom Rees is an Industry Manager at Euromonitor International with a focus on food and nutrition. Based in London, he has more than 15 years of experience in the industry. Tom is responsible for the direction and quality of Euromonitor’s content covering Fresh Food and Staple Foods and provides global expertise, forward-thinking insights, and identifies key market trends. Tom advises clients across Fresh Foods and Staple Foods and is an in-demand speaker at high-profile events. He provides wide-scope analysis and is the author of reports, including The Future of Meat and The Impact of COVID-19 on Fresh and Packaged Food.

Presentation
Strategic Themes in Food and Nutrition: Coronavirus Update
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
1:00 pm – 1:35 pm CT