Most of us learn early on the importance of being on a good team.

This is especially true in an industry such as food and beverage processing. No matter how technologically advanced your operation may be, it’s still people who are getting the job done. Those people are often trusted to do their jobs with minimal supervision, and when something breaks in the middle of third shift, it’s a team effort to get the operation back up and running again.

It’s certainly true in publishing as well. While you see my face and name at the front of the magazine every month, there are so many people working behind the scenes to make it a reality. Even more teams are added for events such as webinars or our annual Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference. We have a number of great teams that make all those things happen, even in the face of a challenge, such as having to take this year’s conference virtual, which we did just last month.

It’s a pretty great feeling when a team is hitting on all cylinders, and I’m happy to say that I get to announce another great team that will help us continue to serve you by providing coverage of the topics and issues that you want to read about. Our editorial advisory board is a group of industry experts who give us feedback and provide insights on the challenges and opportunities that food and beverage processors face, helping us make informed coverage decisions.

We made a few changes to the board earlier this year, but I’m honored to announce our new, expanded board. The Food Engineering Editorial Advisory Board consists of:

• Anthony Doss, MBA, P.E., Senior Vice President, Engineering, Tyson
• Samara Heaggans, Corporate Director—Process and Product Development, KDC Sustainable Infrastructure
• William R. Aimutis, Ph.D., Executive Director, NC Food Innovation Lab
• Dan Stauft, Director, Operational Technology, SugarCreek
• Hugh Roddy, Vice President, Global Engineering & Project Management, Chobani
• Christie Lagally, Founder and CEO, Rebellyous Foods
• Todd Wilson, Senior Vice President, Information Technology, Clif Bar & Company
• Bob Wolpert, MBA, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Golden State Foods

Our board is a group of industry experts I have been fortunate enough to work with in one capacity or another, and their knowledge and insights will help us understand the challenges you're facing and how to tackle them. It’s one heck of a team, and I can’t wait to see what we’re going to accomplish together.