ASSOCIATIONS IN ACTION By Jim Forlenza
Food-Service Security Annual Conference T
he National Food Service Security Council (NFSSC) recently completed its 33rd annual conference at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore, August 5 – 8, with more than 250 attendees and 65 vendors exhibiting products and services aimed at keeping restaurant workplaces safe and secure. The event was highlighted by executive keynotes from Charlie Strong, U.S. division president of McOpCo, and Bill Boddie, president and CEO of Boddie Noell Enterprises. Strong spoke to the importance of loss prevention professionals in the quick-service restaurant industry and specifically noted the role of LP in the success of all McDonald’s operations. “Without the efforts of professionals in this room,” stated Strong, “McDonald’s could not continue to move forward with confidence.” Boddie’s remarks focused on the importance of helping employees succeed, and the role that LP plays with this effort. “We empower our people to make decisions and to help others make good choices,” stated Boddie, whose North Carolina-based company runs multiple restaurants, including Hardee’s, Café Carolina & Bakery, Texas Steakhouse, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and others. Industry leaders presented on a number of key topics, including identity theft, credit card and gift card fraud, guns in the workplace, social media and the impact on restaurants, mobile commerce in the restaurant,crime prevention networks, exception-based reporting, and smart safes among other topics. Many of the sessions can be viewed at the association’s website, NFSSC.com. LP and risk management professionals who attended the event expressed appreciation for the quality of the agenda and networking opportunities. “This was my first conference with NFSSC and comparing it to other related conferences, this event offered excellent value with its restaurant-specific educational sessions,” noted Anne Sullivan, director of loss prevention for CKE Restaurants, which owns, operates, and franchises restaurant brands Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Green Burrito, and Red Burrito. “It’s important that we provide an opportunity for all our members to make themselves better professionals and better practitioners,” added James Brussow of Dave & Buster’s, and newly installed president of the association. “The NFSSC annual
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Forlenza is executive director of the National Food Service Security Council (NFSSC), an association that brings together loss prevention, security, and risk management professionals from the major casual-dining, quick-service restaurant, and food-service chains for educational networking, benchmarking, and professional development opportunities. NFSSC members include most of the twenty largest U.S. quick-serve chain restaurants. Forlenza can be reached at 240-252-5542 or jim.forlenza@nfssc.com.
meeting provides education and networking in a truly unique atmosphere. We have worked hard to create an environment where both members and vendors can engage, exchange, and learn from each other. I believe that is what makes this meeting successful.” “As a person who spent the bulk of my life in the restaurant industry, I found the purpose of the group and interactions to be the most refreshing of any such association,” said Ted Whitaker, executive vice president of Identity Stronghold. As executive director of the association, we are extremely excited about the continued growth of NFSSC and the annual conference. This is the fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth for our meeting, and it really underlies the quality education we offer through a number of exciting speakers. Education is the key to our organization and our community.
Bill Boddie, president and CEO of Boddie Noell Enterprises, spoke to NFSSC conference attendees about helping employees succeed.
Other activities at the conference included the introduction of the 2013 board of directors, led by Brussow. Other board members include Winston Griffin of McDonald’s, Chris Manning from Wendy’s, Ted Polensky of Boddie Noell Enterprises, Joe Verber from Taco Bell, and Vince Vittatoe with Bob Evans Farms. Through the efforts of the NFSSC member and vendor participants at the meeting, a check for more than $3,000 was donated to the Maryland Food Bank, a member of the Feeding America program. Next year’s annual meeting will be held August 4 – 7, 2013, at the new M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information about NFSSC membership and activities, visit the association’s website, NFSSC.com.
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2012
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