18
Women of Influence in the Food Industry
SHARON FALVEY
Imperial Distributors Inc. Years with company: 14 at
Imperial, 31 in the industry
Current position: Assistant Controller
Education, degrees and professional/volunteer organizations: I have a Masters Degree in Business Management from Anna Maria College and a Bachelors Degree in Economics from Worcester State College.
Mentors and how they have
The Griffin Report of Food Marketing
February 2014
assisted you in your career:
executives:
I have been one of the fortunate people to have had a number of mentors throughout my career. In the beginning of my career with the food distribution industry, I had a mentor who taught me to take each project to be completed and dissect it into small goals. Each hurdle became more of an achievement for all involved. I work with my current team with this concept in mind.
Work hard and do not sacrifice quality. Be patient and follow through on your commitments.
Hobbies: Golf, shopping and spending time with family and friends.
ANNA LISA FAMANIA
What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?
Mt. Pleasant Ice Cream
I, myself, have been able to coach individuals who started at entry-level positions and watch them over the years be promoted to management positions.
Years with company: 2½ Current position: Vice Presi-
dent of Operations
Education, degrees and professional/volunteer organizations:
Most challenging part of your job:
AAS Business Management LIU
The most challenging part of my job is to recognize the individual talents of my team. We utilize these talents to educate and guide our team to advance in their personal and professional career.
Mentors and how they have assisted you in your career: Jay Zweibaum (Aramark)Jay’s mentorship paved my career growth in foodservice
Advice for upcoming younger
in how to manage an operation with specific foundations of a well marketed program, with an emphasis on profitability while encouraging a team environment for company success. He infused a daily regimen to provide a strong associate award program to build collaboration for a successful guest experience in our restaurants. Owen Moore (NYU)-Owen always showed diversification in the workplace. He was influential in teaching me that branching out leads to personal growth in and outside of our daily environments. This also helps you build an ongoing networking community that fosters new experiences and leads to a well-rounded career path. Both mentors foster professional women to flourish and develop in the workplace.
What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? I am most proud of being awarded my current position. Upon being recruited into Mt. Pleasant it was a boutique distribution organization
that has grown tremendously competing in the arena of the larger broad-liners. Under the direction of the president and I, we have been listed as one of largest independent distributor in the Northeast for one of Dannon’s frozen product lines called YoCream.
Most challenging part of your job: The most challenging item in my current position is keeping up with company’s growth initiatives in the face of the ever-changing climate of the economy. Our business has been greatly affected by the environmental atmospheric change. We are evolving at a historic pace to stay ahead of competition.
Advice for upcoming younger executives: Build a strong network of colleagues and a support system.
Hobbies: Watching Food Network or the Cooking Channel with my family.
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Calise Bakery Congratulates all of the 2014 Women of Influence
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