The Rising Baker Award, recognizing future leaders in the wholesale baking industry.

The ASB Rising Baker program is designed to recognize young professionals who have made outstanding contributions to wholesale baking.  This is your opportunity to acknowledge a young professional in your network who has shown themselves to be a future industry leader. Nominate someone who has shown a dedication to their career in wholesale baking, attained outstanding achievement, and contributed significantly to the profession.

Industry young professionals can be nominated for this award as long as they meet the criteria outlined by the Young Professionals Committee.  Once nominations have been received the young professionals award committee will make their final selections based on merit.  This award represents one of ASB’s highest honors and is at BakingTECH each year.

Nominations Open for 2026 Award!

CLOSED FOR 2025 AWARD

Questions: membership@asbe.org

Award Recipients

Accepting Submissions for 2026 Award

CLOSED FOR 2025 AWARD

HOW TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION

  1. Review the award criteria and eligibility requirements.
  2. Complete the nomination form.
  3. Provide necessary background information citing why you believe this candidate deserves to be recognized as an ASB Rising Baker under 40.
  4. All nominations and documents must be submitted by Dec. 2, 2024 to be considered for the award.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO NOMINATORS

The ASB young professionals award committee is comprised of several wholesale baking industry professionals who may or may not be familiar with the candidate you are recommending.  To assist committee members in making the best selection, please consider the following key questions and include as much supporting material as possible about your nominee:

  • Why is this person particularly noteworthy?
  • Have they shown an aptitude for innovation, indicating their future potential?
  • How have they interacted with and improved our industry, beyond simply doing their job well?
  • What challenges had to be overcome?

The selection committee considers the nominee’s experience, innovation/future potential, accomplishments, industry involvement, and ASB participation. If possible, highlight these themes in your nomination.

Questions? Please email Joanna at jevoniuk@asbe.org using the subject line “ASB Rising Bakers Nomination question.”

  • Currently accepting nominations for 2026 Award.
  • Nominees must be employed with a baking organization, equipment or ingredient supplier, baking service-related company, or a post-graduate studies student.
    • If the nominee is not employed by a bakery, the nominator is encouraged to demonstrate how the nominee’s responsibilities/business directly contribute to wholesale baking.
  • Nominators must be a member of ASB for the submission to be considered.  For more information on membership, please visit asbe.org/membership.
  • Self-nomination is not permitted.
  • NEW: All nominees will participate in a 15 minute “meet and greet” virtual interview with the selection committee in December. If they are unable to participate live, they can submit a pre-recorded video answering 3 of 5 pre-defined questions.
  • Young Professional Awards Selection Committee Members are not eligible for this award during their active term on the task force.
  • To receive an ASB Rising Baker award:
    • The nominee must be 40 years of age or younger at the time of award presentation (late February-early March).
    • The nominee will be required to become an ASB member, if not already. For more information on membership, please visit asbe.org/membership.
    • All recipients must be present at BakingTECH to be recognized and receive their award.

2024
Catherin Herrera

2023
James Happ

2023
John Hinds

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Eric Lewis

Eric Lewis

Member since 2011

VP Supply Chain Quality,

Flowers Bakeries LLC.

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I started in this industry as a young professional and benefited from the early connections I made through ASB. It is rewarding for me after many years in this industry to see ASB recognizing and lifting our future industry leaders with this Award.

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