Richard is the Senior Engineer and Director of Education at the Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), an unbiased research facility that focuses specifically on commercial food service applications.

The FSTC works at all levels of the industry, from mom-and-pop restaurants to the largest chains, as well as with manufacturers, trade associations, utilities, and state and federal government.

Richard’s engineering background initially led him into the power generation business, but he happily changed course when offered a chance to join the Food Service Technology Center’s research team. Richard has been with the FSTC 17 years and currently focuses most of his efforts on technical outreach, translating the research into practical information. He has a dozen years of experience creating and presenting seminars on energy efficiency, and he also authors a regular column, "The Green Sheet", for the California Restaurant Association.

John Turenne, founder and President of Sustainable Food Systems, was one of the lead innovators in sustainable food practices during the creation of the Yale Sustainable Food Project. Realizing the impact of food service decision-making on the world around us, John transformed a conservative university food service model, of which he has 25 years experience, to create a sustainable dining program through careful planning, teaching and development.

John Turenne continues as a leading innovator in bridging the gap between conventional and sustainable dining programs working with the Culinary Institute of America, Harvard Medical School, The New Hampshire Department of Education, Kaiser Permanente as well as several public hospital and school systems.

John Turenne and Sustainable Food Systems continue to harvest national and international recognition.

Richard (Rick) Cartwright is the Vice President for the ITW Food Equipment Group of Illinois Tool Works. Based at its Troy, Ohio, office, he oversees the Hobart Weighing, Wrapping and Deli product lines. Rick has 29 years of experience in the foodservice and food retail industries.

Rick holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from the University of Dayton and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He presently serves as the Chairperson on the NAFEM Technical Liaison Committee. He is also a member of the NAFEM Data Protocol Steering Committee.

Michael Berning joined Heapy Engineering in 1979 while pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Dayton (UD). Michael entered UD with the goal to design solar energy projects, and this desire evolved into the study of building energy efficiency. Michael now serves as the Director of Sustainable Design for Heapy, responsible for managing the firm’s more than 125 LEED projects and is directly involved with the training of Heapy’s 64 LEED-Accredited Professionals. Heapy Engineering is the Midwest's leading sustainable design engineering firm.

Michael is a frequent lecturer on LEED and Green Building concepts and has written a number of articles on sustainable design. He was recently a speaker at the AIA National Convention in San Antonio (May 2007). He directed the effort to obtain the LEED-NC SILVER Certification for the Heapy Engineering headquarters.

Michael’s experience with sustainable (green) design projects in both the public and private sectors will show, when properly planned and executed throughout the entire design and construction process, that every project can be environmentally sensitive, energy efficient AND cost-effective.

Christine Schwartz is the Director of Dining Services at Bates College where she has been for the past 12 years. Prior to moving to Maine, Christine held collegiate dining positions at Lynchburg College, in Lynchburg Virginia, Sweet Briar College, in Sweet Briar Virginia and at St Mary’s Honors College in St. Mary’s Maryland.

Bates College is the only collegiate dining services to be awarded a ReNew America Award for its efforts in Sustainability and has been consistently recognized as a leader in this area. The operation is actively involved with MOFGA, The Green Restaurant, works closely with NASAP and has developed partnerships with many local growers. For the past six years Bates Dining has been listed among the top 20 food services by the Princeton Review. Most recently Bates Dining Received a 2.5 million dollar gift the proceeds of which are to be used to increase their local purchases.

This past year Christine lead the Bates Dining team through the conceptual, construction and move in phases of a new 20 million plus state of the art dining facility. This facility incorporates the latest in cutting edge technology and holds a LEEDS silver equivalent rating. This facility was designed to enhance Bates already strong commitment to the environment and local growing.

Scott is the Director of Dining and Hospitality Services at the University of California Santa Cruz. His responsibilities include residential dining, retail operations, catering, bakery, commissary, vending and conference services. Scott has 30 years of hospitality experience and has been active in the National Association of College and University Food Service (NACUFS) for the last 20 years. He is the current Pacific Region President, a Board of Director Member for the California Restaurant Association-Santa Cruz Chapter and serves on various industry and UC Office of the President Committees.

UC Santa Cruz Dining is widely recognized for their organic and sustainability initiatives. Some of the initiatives are trayless dining, composting and local organic produce, including the UCSC Farm and CAN Coffee (direct purchase from third world coffee farmers). What is unique about the dining program is the connection to academics with faculty involvement and core class credits. Additionally, UC Santa Cruz Dining has taken an extra step with its Green Business Certification, with nine restaurants certified.

Keith Martin was the first to receive the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS) $5,000 grant in 2007 and served as an HCFS fellow for one year. Martin is director of dining services at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA., a liberal arts-college of 2,400 students. In his position, Martin oversees every aspect of the food service for the college’s four dining venues – Main Dining Hall, Union Station, Café on College and The Underground – as well as the catering of the hundreds of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and receptions held every year at Dickinson. From small intimate dinners to a clambake for hundreds of alumni, Martin’s priority is to offer a range of quality foods to suit the tastes and culinary needs and expectations of a diverse college-vegetarian, vegan, organic, low fat, low sugar, fresh-baked desserts, themed and holiday dinners and special diets-all made with the freshest ingredients and when possible, grown at the college’s organic farm or by other local growers and suppliers.

Martin has been a “foody” since age 15 when he began working in a restaurant. His more than 30 years of experience include his 20 years at Dickinson during which he has gone “outside the lunch box” by ensuring sustainability (composting the remains of the day) and continuous improvement (The Napkin Board). The work of Martin and the dining services staff has received numerous accolades, which can be attributed to this enduring mantra, “This isn’t just food, it’s life.”