More than 100 snack food industry leaders, including snack food manufacturers and suppliers, attended the Snack Food Association’s 2006 Executive Leadership Forum held last month at the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, Calif.  

Each year, the SFA brings member company presidents and CEOs together to meet and discuss the latest issues affecting the snack food industry and hear from experts about business leadership. This was the 30th annual executive program, formerly known as the SFA Top Management Seminar, renamed to better reflect the purpose of the meeting.

This year’s keynote speaker was Peter Ueberroth, humanitarian, entrepreneur, former president of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angels, Calif., and former baseball commissioner. Ueberroth discussed how he identifies successful businesses in which he should invest, as well as what business leaders can and should do to contribute to a better society.

Ueberroth, who serves on the board of the Boys and Girls Club in Southern California, also presented SFA president and CEO Jim McCarthy and Snak King chairman and CEO Barry Levin, who was Chair of the 2006 Executive Leadership Forum, with a contribution to the Boys and Girls Club. McCarthy is a former board member of the Greater Washington Boys and Girls Club.

John Bridgeland, former assistant to President George W. Bush and now president and CEO of Civic Enterprises, a public policy firm that helps organizations, nonprofits, foundations, universities and governments develop and spearhead innovative public policies to strengthen our communities and country, discussed his experiences in the White House, including what took place on Sept. 11, 2001.  In his work at Civic Enterprises, Bridgeland works on issues ranging from homeland security and tropical forest conservation to education and civic management.

Scott Bornstein, Knowledge Management Systems, taught attendees how they can unlock the brain’s powerhouse abilities to recall names, faces and other crucial details-both short-term and long-term memory using Bornstein “Big 5” techniques.

Barry Glassner, author of seven books on contemporary social issues and professor of Sociology at the University of Southern California, discussed how America’s news, marketing strategies and politicians have fostered many of society’s misperceptions and false fears.

As part of the program, there was a special SnackPAC reception. Guest speaker Dick Castner, executive director of the Western Regional Office at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, briefed SnackPAC contributors about the upcoming election and what affect it will have on business. The SFA works closely with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on business issues and lobbying efforts.