SLIDESHOW: Kettle Award reception, Union League Club, Chicago
The reception and gala took place on May 23.
Kettle Award recipient Kirk Vashaw and nominees Sylvia Buxton and Douglas R. Dressman. All photos courtesy of: Cory Dewald
The Kettle Award Committee. Front row left to right: Jim Greenberg, Bill Copeland, Liz Clair, Denise Lansing, Kathy Koszuta, Cody Heinz, Mathew Rubinstein. Back row: Doug Peckenpaugh, AJ Khoury, Robert Dono, Chuck Castle, Scott Funk, Patrick Murnane, Tim Galloway, Rod Oringer.
Nominee Sylvia Buxton (center) arrives at the gala.
Barbara Dressman, Mike Koch, Tom Elsinghorst, Nominee Doug Dressman, Jorge Farber, Louis Curlee, and AnnMarie Koch.
Kettle Award Committee Chair Denise Lansing and Vice Chair Kathy Koszuta.
Committee Chair Denise Lansing presents the award to 2023 recipient Kirk Vashaw.
Kettle Award Committee Chair Denise Lansing, Kettle Award recipient Kirk Vashaw, and Vice Chair Kathy Koszuta.
Kettle Award recipient Kirk Vashaw addresses the room.
Nominee Douglas R. Dressman and wife Barb, and Kettle Award recipient Kirk Vashaw and wife Sarah.
Kettle Award recipient Kirk Vashaw.
Kirk Vashaw and his wife, Sarah.
Nominee Sylvia Buxton and her guests from Perfetti Van Melle at the Kettle Awards dinner.
Candy Industry Publisher Doug Peckenpaugh, Jordyn Krouch (Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate), Committee Member Kathy Koszuta, Committee Member Rod Oringer, and former Committee Member Jim Bourne and his wife Sandy.
The two other nominees, Douglas R. Dressman and Sylvia Buxton, each received a plaque commemorating their nominations.
The Esther Price Candies crew, including nominee Douglas R. Dressman, show off their chocolate at the Kettle Award dinner.
Spangler Candy goodies at the Kettle Award dinner.
Perfetti Van Melle treats, such as Mentos, at the Kettle Award dinner.
The 2023 Kettle Awards reception was a night to remember. Candy Industry magazine presented its 2023 Kettle Award to Kirk Vashaw, chairman and CEO, Spangler Candy Company, at the Union League Club, Chicago, on Tuesday, May 23.
The Kettle Award is the most prestigious award in the confectionery industry, and criteria requires superior achievement in the following areas: sales and marketing; education and personnel training; energy and environmental contributions; quality advancement; production and plant improvement; and research and product development.
The chair and members of the Kettle Committee, which consists of representatives from leading suppliers to the industry, presented the 76th Kettle Award to Vashaw at the gala, during the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago. The other nominees included Sylvia Buxton, president and CEO, Perfetti Van Melle North America; and Douglas R. Dressman, president and CEO, Esther Price Candies Corp.
See above for a slideshow of photos from the gala.
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