If you play your music loud, pretty soon you draw a crowd

Joyce Fassl

It may seem like we are patting ourselves on the back a bit, but once in a while you just have to tout your own horn! If you have attended the Food Automation and Manufacturing Conference & Expo in the past few years, you know what a great event it is in terms of learning how to solve tough issues and making the right industry connections.

If you have never attended one of Food Engineering's conferences, this is the year to do it. For 2005, we have a powerful line-up of speakers from manufacturers such as Kraft, Hershey, Berner Foods, Sara Lee and Beef Products Inc. to name a few.

The speakers will cover topics such as lean manufacturing, food safety, tracking and tracing as well as automation, systems integration and dealing with the demands of mass merchandisers. All segments of food and beverage manufacturing will be covered by thought leaders in frozen foods, dairy, bakery, confections, beverage and meat and poultry processing.

In addition to annual conference highlights such as an expo of 50 equipment and service providers as well as the Solutions Theater, two new conference exclusives will be unveiled. An audience interactive session led by FE Contributing Editor Jim Getchell, retired VP Engineering, General Mills, will allow conference attendees to "Ask the Experts" about any manufacturing or operation challenges. The panel includes experts from Keystone Foods, McCain, Hershey and Campbell Soup. Another new and exclusive highlight of the conference will be a virtual plant tour by a major beverage supplier.

Turn to page 26 to see the full line-up of speakers, topics, and activities we have planned and get registration and hotel information. Of course, all of this information can also be found on www.foodengineeringmag.com.

Register before March 11 to receive an early bird discount. Team discounts are also available. Take the lead from other manufacturers who have registered a team as an add-on to existing training programs or as a thank you to employees for a job well done in 2004.

As the late composer and lyricist Peter Allen wrote, "If you play your music loud, pretty soon you draw a crowd." With more than 200 attendees in 2004, we hope you will join Food Engineering for the Food Automation and Manufacturing Conference & Expo, April 10-13, 2005, at the Sheraton Sand Key in Clearwater Beach, FL as we break new attendance records and bring food and beverage industry leaders together in a truly unique event.

Food Engineering

Editorial Advisory Board David Watson
Vice President, Engineering
Pepperidge Farm, Inc.

Kevin Mellor
Director, Processing Center of Excellence
ConAgra

John Eberle
Innovation Group Manager
Frito-Lay

Dave Plinski
Director, Dairy Foods Eningeering
Land O' Lakes

Dave Gemellaro
Director, Sector Engineering
Kraft Foods

Peter Migchels
Director of Engineering, Fresh Bakeries
Maple Leaf Foods

Tom Wolters
Senior Manager Technology
Pepsico Beverages & Food

Carl Krueger
Senior Manager, Global Engineering Services
H.J. Heinz

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Joyce Fassl has spent most of her career in magazine management. As the former editor-in-chief of Food Engineering, Fassl has directed the magazine’s editorial staff since 1986, except for a two-year stretch where she oversaw content direction for the debut of Packexpo.com. Her expertise is creating dynamic print and online content, building top-notch editorial teams and managing innovative custom publishing projects and live events. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State University. In addition to supervising all Food Engineering content, Joyce is Program Director for the Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference.