In this episode, Bill Cornelius, Senior Commercial Banker at M&T Bank speaks with Alex Baloga, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association. They talk about what food industry issues the PFMA is prioritizing this year and the cautious optimism of their fall legislative conference.

In this episode, you will hear about

• PFMA's three pillars of advocacy, education, and communications.
• How they connect members with PA laws and legislators, similar to NJFC in NJ.
• How changes in consumer behavior have affected the food industry.

Speaker Bio

Alex Baloga became PFMA President and CEO on July 1, 2017. After joining PFMA in 2013 as director of government relations, he was promoted to director of government and public relations in 2014 and to vice president of external relations in 2015. Baloga leads PFMA's day-to-day operations and helps implement its strategic vision, working with the board of directors, of which he is a member. He leads PFMA’s government relations efforts at the local, state and federal levels. He also manages PFMA’s federal, state and Philadelphia Food PACs along with PFMA’s Legislative, Pharmacy and WIC Stakeholder’s committees. Read Alex's full bio


.

Welcome to Season 3 of the NJFPA Stradley Ronan Food Forum! NJFPA member Whitepenny is a brand strategy and digital communications powerhouse. At our 2021 virtual conference Travis Coley, Managing Director at Whitepenny, and co-founder, Jon Cofsky talked about how their relationship with the Severino Pasta Company has grown and developed. Today they sit down with Alyssa Davis from Advanced Food Products and Pete Severino from Severino Pasta Company to see how the landscape has changed.

Alissa Davis, MBA, Head of Marketing & Business Development at AFP
Alissa‘s love for the food industry started at St. Joseph's University with her undergrad in food marketing, as well as my MBA with a focus in food. From St. Joe's she has worked at a number of leading NJ and Philly area food processors including J&J Snack Foods as vice president of Marketig. In her current role as Head of Marketing & Business Development at Advanced Food Products. 

Welcome to the eighth episode of Season 2 of the NJFPA Stradley Ronon Food Forum Podcast. In this episode, Bill Cornelius, Senior Commercial Banker at M&T Bank speaks with Coryanne Mansell, Client Services Strategist at the Center for EcoTechnology (CET). They talk about their services matching businesses with solutions, NJ laws to be aware of, and how easy it is to get started making changes today.

Guest Bio:

Coryanne Mansell is the Client Services Strategist at the Center for EcoTechnology (CET). Cory supports CET’s Wasted Food Solutions efforts by leading stakeholder engagement processes and providing on-site technical assistance to businesses and institutions. She currently serves as Chair for the Outreach Committee for the Young Professionals of the US Composting Committee, and the Chair for the Education and Outreach Committee for the NJ Composting Council chapter. 

Coryanne has a B.S in Environmental Policy and a B.A in Planning and Public Policy from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and a Certificate in Sustainable Business from McIntire Business Institute.

Listeners will hear: 

• CETs 40 year history as a non-profit helping organizations save time, energy, and money. 2:29
  
• The public goals and grants that help them offer consulting services for little to no cost to businesses. 4:12
  
• NJ’s current food waste laws may not apply to you now, but planning ahead can put you ahead of the game. 5:21
• Success stories of how organizations are seeing changes and savings in their business. 10:25
• The matchmaking they do between businesses and service providers. If your business provides services that support ESG goals (recycling, solar, waste, etc) make sure CET knows about you. 16:24

Download the Edited Interview Transcript (with links to resources)

Welcome to the seventh episode of Season 2 of the NJFPA Stradley Ronon Food Forum Podcast. In this episode, Nicole Stover, Employment Lawyer and Partner at Stradley Ronon, speaks with Melissa Eckstein, District Career Facilitator, Gateway 2 Careers. They talk about relationship building for workforce development, innovative partnerships, and inspiring success stories. 

Guest Bio:

Melissa is passionate about developing symbiotic relationships between education and workforce.  Having cultivated partnerships with 150 businesses and counting, she has created career opportunities for students, as well as workforce development prospects for companies.

Melissa proudly serves as Vice-Chair for Mid Atlantic States Career & Education Center, Gloucester County Workforce Development Board, and on the NJFPA Education Committee. 

Listeners will hear: 

• The Gateway 2 Careers approach to career planning across 7th to 12th grades.
• What false stereotypes about workforce issues could be holding your company back.
• What key partner you need to find new talent and how to rethink your job postings.
• Strategies for long term talent retention and growth.
• Success stories from her students and companies doing it right.
• Shift your mindset to selling your company to gain a workforce.

Download the Edited Interview Transcript

Welcome to the sixth episode of Season 2 of the NJFPA Stradley Ronon Food Forum Podcast. In this episode, Bill Cornelious, Senior Commercial Banker at M&T Bank, speaks with Christina Renna President & CEO at the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. They talk about CCSNJ’s work in Trenton, connecting business communities across regions, and her forecasts for the food and beverage industry in South Jersey.

Guest Bio:

Christina Renna currently serves as President & CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. In this role, Ms. Renna oversees a nine person staff and has direct oversight of the Chamber’s work in public policy, membership growth, member retention and overall member experience. Ms. Renna joined the Chamber in 2007 and served as Director of Government Affairs through early 2010. She returned in 2014 as Vice President, then rose through the ranks as Senior Vice President before taking over the helm of the organization in January of 2020. 

Ms. Renna’s past work experience also includes government affairs and communications work at South Jersey Industries and as a legislative aide to former- Assemblyman John C. Gibson of New Jersey’s First Legislative District.

In 2010, Ms. Renna was proud to be named as one of SJ Biz Magazine’s first-ever list of rising stars in the South Jersey business community. Additionally, in 2019, 2020 and 2021, Ms. Renna was listed on NJBIZ’s Power List as one of the most powerful people in New Jersey’s business community. In 2020 and 2021, she was also named to the ROI-NJ Influencers Power List of statewide association leaders, and in 2021 she was named to the first-ever ROI-NJ Women’s Power List among the top 50 most powerful women in business in New Jersey.

Listeners will hear: 

• The benefits of association membership and the wide variety of programming they offer.
• CCSNJ’s expertise in lobbying Trenton and what might change with the new Senate President.
• How connecting small and large businesses in the region together is a win-win for the NJ economy.
• What changes she has seen in the business landscape of the last few years - COVID, new businesses, the great resignation.
• The rising trend in the South Jersey food and beverage industry.
• How it is possible to get a degree both from St Joe’s and Villanova.
• How Christina stays current on important issues in NJ.

Download the Edited Interview Transcript

Welcome to the fifth episode of Season 2 of the NJFPA Stradley Ronon Food Forum Podcast. In this episode, Craig Peck, Senior Manager of Business Development at Rutgers Food Innovation Center, speaks with Jessica Schwabach, co-founder and CEO of Sundial Foods. They talk about cutting-edge technology, plant-based foods, and unexpected entrepreneurship.

Guest Bio:

Jessica Schwabach is the CEO of Sundial Foods. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. She combines her love of scientific exploration and her desire to help food systems sustainably meet protein demands to create healthy, innovative meat alternatives.

Listeners will hear: 

• How a chance meeting and class project turned into cutting-edge technology and a new business.
• The strength of academic incubators in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Technology and food innovation are exciting, but the foundation of a strong company is people.
• How Sundial is building their company and culture of innovation.
• The surprise of coming from the California biotech world to the practicalities of food safety at Rutgers FIC. 
• Advice she would give a new entrepreneur and where Jessica gets the latest news on plant-based food industry news.

Download the Edited Interview Transcript

Welcome to the fourth episode of Season 2 of the NJFPA Stradley Ronon Food Forum Podcast. In this episode, Bill Mandia, Partner at Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, speaks with Luke Bowen, co-founder and president of Evil Genius Brewing. They talk about the many surprises and pivots along his professional journey.

Guest Bio:

An article on BreweriesInPA.com starts off by saying that “when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade; Evil Genius Beer Company founder Luke Bowen did just that when he took the economic crash of 2008 and created a brewing company. Bowen fell in love with beer from an early age as he was exposed to quality craft brewing through his father, an avid beer fan himself.

After going to college and securing a job Bowen was safe and financially stable, but wasn’t fulfilled – “I had my degree and the fancy job after college that you’re supposed to get and I just wasn’t happy at all” the article continues.

Today, Evil Genius is one of top 250 breweries by volume in the US, with distribution in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Outside of Evil Genius, Luke has Co-Authored Academic Papers which have been published Internationally on Advertising Strategy, Market Research Best Practices, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Listeners will hear: 

• How recessions can be the best time to start a business. 
• How COVID changes affected packaging, distribution, and supply chain.
• Luke’s biggest surprise at what his MBA didn’t prepare him for. 
• The benefits of switching from glass to aluminum.
• How he is planning on taking advantage of this “transitional time” to strengthen his business.
• That the human side of the business is just as crucial as the nuts and bolts. 

Download the Edited Interview Transcript

Welcome to the third episode of Season 2 of the NJFPA Stradley Ronon Food Forum Podcast. In this episode, Bill Mandia, Partner at Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, speaks with Shawn Knechtel, director of the New Jersey region for Smith Brothers Insurance and current NJFPA secretary- treasurer. They talk about recent changes in the insurance market and the potential for insurance to be an investment through group captives.

Guest Bio:

Shawn Knechtel began his insurance career in 1992 with the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. In 1998, Shawn joined Widerman & Company as Vice President, earning into a principal position with the organization within a few years, partnering with Bob Widerman to grow and lead the agency. His responsibilities include working directly with customers to assist in their risk management and financing efforts, heading the commercial insurance division and general agency management duties. Widerman & Company became part of the SmithBrothers Insurance family in 2017. Shawn is now Director of the New Jersey Region and a Principal of Smith Brothers.

Shawn received his bachelor’s degree from Franklin & Marshall College. He has earned his Associates in Risk Management designation (ARM) and is a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC). He’s also a longstanding Board Member of the NJ Food Processors Association.

Listeners will hear: 

• The difference between the traditional insurance market and alternative captive markets where businesses take a larger role in managing their insurance experience. 
• The roles of the different players: the reinsurers, the guarantors, and the independent insurance broker.
• The governance of captive insurance programs, where the ownership lies with the members, the businesses who are sharing in the risk. 
• The pros, cons, and risks of joining a group captive insurance plan and how long it takes to see the full benefits. 
• Viewing insurance as an investment rather than an expense. 
• What factors (not just COVID) Shawn says are behind current high insurance prices.

Download the Edited Interview Transcript