CHICAGO (Oct. 13, 2015) – Two individuals who have advanced the nation’s food safety will be named “Food Safety Heroes” at an interactive fundraising event during the Food Safety Consortium on November 17, 2015.
Hosted by STOP Foodborne Illness and sponsored by Chemstar Corporation and Food Safety Tech, the event will raise funds to support a positive food safety culture and education efforts. Guests will enjoy lively entertainment, a silent auction, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and more at The Renaissance Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. The Food Safety Consortium conference is a national conference for Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) industry experts and government officials.
“The guests coming to the fundraiser are all food safety heroes in our eyes,” said Deirdre Schlunegger, Chief Executive Officer of STOP Foodborne Illness. “Everyone at this consortium has made incredible contributions towards improving our nation’s food safety and preventing foodborne illness outbreaks. We’re proud to be a part of their efforts to increase public awareness and find solutions.”
The fundraiser will honor:
· Nancy Donley, who will accept the STOP Foodborne Illness 2015 Legacy Tribute in honor of her son Alex. Alex died in 1993 from an E-coli outbreak, and since then Donley has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of foodborne illness and provide information and support for to the 48 million people who get sick from food each year; and
· Frank Yiannas, Vice President of Food Safety, Walmart, who will receive the STOP Foodborne Illness 2015 Industry Advocate Hero award. Yiannas is a pioneer in creating the food safety culture, and goes far beyond his role overseeing the safety of the world’s largest food retailer to lead food safety coalitions, build unique partnerships and innovate approaches to food safety.
STOP Foodborne Illness (STOP) is a national, nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens. STOP achieves its mission by advocating for sound public policies, building public awareness and assisting those impacted by foodborne illness.