FEMA 2011 Annual Convention
Committee Speakers:
ATTC Committee Meeting
Sunday, May 6, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Janet Scalese
Chief, Nonbeverage Products Laboratory, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
 

Janet Scalese

Janet M. Scalese is the Chief of the Nonbeverage Products Laboratory in the Scientific Services Division of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and in that capacity oversees the work of chemists and support personnel in the areas of Nonbeverage Drawback Alcohol and Specially Denatured Alcohol (SDA).

Ms. Scalese joined the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in 1983 as a chemist in the Beverage Alcohol Laboratory. After several months of employment, she moved to the Nonbeverage Products Laboratory as part of the Laboratory’s cross-training program. She worked as a chemist processing formulas and analyzing samples submitted for SDA and drawback of tax. In that capacity, she had daily contact with industry representatives.

As the Nonbeverage Products Laboratory Chief, Ms. Scalese continues to have extensive contact with industry members and possesses in-depth knowledge of industry practices and manufacturing processes. She recognizes the importance of customer service and embraces TTB’s philosophy of promoting voluntary compliance through openness with industry members.

Ms. Scalese holds an A.B. degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and is the past recipient of Employee of the Year and EEO Awards.

Vanilla Committee Meeting
Sunday, May 6, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Ambassador Brian Donaldson
Patron, The Madagascar Development Fund
 

Brian Donaldson

Ambassador Brian Donaldson, former British Ambassador to Madagascar (2002-2005), is the principal fund raiser for the Madagascar Development Fund (MDF).

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries on earth.  More than 70% of the population of 20 million live on a family income of around 80 cents a day, and only a minority have access to clean water and sanitation.

The Madagascar Development Fund was created to identify sources of finance for small developmental projects in all parts of Madagascar.  It replaced a similar Fund that was managed by the British Embassy in Antananarivo – before the Embassy closure as an economy measure in 2005. 

MDF’s supporters include Rio Tinto, the Australian Government, charitable institutions, schools, and a growing number of wealthy, generous, and compassionate individuals. 

MDF’s main focus is on installing simple gravity-fed, safe, clean water systems and increasing access to primary education by building and renovating state primary schools.  But funds have also been found to support income-generating schemes, build health centres, and even the occasional bridge.

All projects are initiated by poor communities themselves or local organisations and charities working with them. And MDF insists on local community participation – in the form of free labour and the supply of locally available building materials – such as sand, gravel and rocks. 

MDF prides itself on its transparency, providing good value for money and generating positive publicity for its supporters – where appropriate.  Bank statements and complete lists of expenditure appear in MDF’s Annual Activities Reports; a three-classroom primary school can usually be built and furnished for around $18,000 and clean water supplied to hundreds of villagers for less than $8,000; and the photographs and human interest stories MDF can provide on each of its projects are invaluable material for in-house magazines and Annual Reports.

If you would like to know more about what MDF does and how it does it full background can be found on MDF’s website at www.maddevfund.co.uk

Science Committee Meeting
Monday, May 7, 10:00am - 11:20am
Purnendu C. Vasavada, Ph. D.
Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin-River Falls
FDA-ORISE Fellow
Coordinator, Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance
 
Vasavada Dr. Purnendu C. Vasavada is the FDA- ORISE Fellow and the Coordinator of the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance. As a Professor Emeritus of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Food Safety and Microbiology Extension Specialist, Dr. Vasavada is recognized internationally for his teaching, applied research, innovative training programs and active consultations in Food Science and Technology, especially, Food Safety and Microbiology, Rapid methods and Automation in Food Microbiology, Food Quality Assurance, Milk quality and mastitis, Food Nutrition and Consumer issues, and Food Science Education.  As the Principal and managing member of the PCV & Associates, LLC, Dr. Vasavada provides consulting and assistance to the food industry in planning, development and management of special projects involving food safety and microbiology, GMP, HACCP, and food quality assurance and is involved in developing and presenting seminars and conferences on contemporary topics of interest to food industry and consumers.

Dr. Vasavada is active in several scientific and professional organizations, including the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP), the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and the Wisconsin Laboratory Association (WLA).

He is the author or co-author of over 100 publications including peer reviewed papers technical abstracts and book chapters. He has received the Joseph Mityas Laboratorian of the Year Award (1987) from WLA, the Educator award from the IAMFES (1997), the Sanitarian of the Year award from the WAMFS (1998), the UW Extension’s Program Innovation Award (2010), and the Harry Haverland Citation Award (IAFP) (2011). He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (1991), the Institute of Food Technologists, IFT (2009) and the International Association for Food Protection. IAFP (2010).