Two of the nation’s best experts in their respective fields, business performance and political analysis, will highlight the 2007 SFA Executive Leadership Forum September 30-October 2 at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Fla.

Industry chief executives attending the conference will hear Flip Flippen, a nationally recognized business consultant and coach, and Charlie Cook, editor of The Cook Political Report, one of Washington D.C.’s most astute political analysts. Both will offer insights and expertise available only to those who attend.

For more information, contact Liz Wells at 1-703-836-4500, ext. 202.  

The Snack Food Association’s third annual Wilbur A. Gould Total Quality Management Short Course for the Snack Food Industry has been expanded to feature three new critical topics and equipment companies, as well as a tour of the Wyandot snack food processing plant.

The course will be held September 10-14 at  The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Topics include: International Issues Facing the Snack Food Industry, Food Quality, and Shelf-Life and Dehydrated Potato Flakes in the Snack Food Industry.

Companies such as Konica-Minolta, Cold Jet and Unity Scientific will demonstrate the latest sanitation and testing equipment. For more information and to register, please contact Christopher Melchert 1-703-836-4500, ext. 211.

Sales and marketing and manufacturing/operations personnel should plan to attend the 2007 SFA Management Workshop October 21-23 at the Wyndham Gettysburg, Gettysburg, Pa.

Steven Bernard, founder of Cape Cod Potato Chips and Chatham Village Foods, Inc., and most recently, co-founder of Late July Organic Snacks, will be a featured speaker. He will discuss his entrepreneurial experiences and offer advice on spotting trends and needs — and then capitalizing on them.

Daryl Thomas, incoming SFA chairman and senior vice president of sales and marketing at Herr Foods, Inc., will address the topic, “The Snack Food Business — An Industry to be Proud Of.”

Clebe McClary, a motivational/inspirational speaker who suffered devastating injuries in Vietnam, will discuss “Giving What it Takes.”

For more details, contact Liz Wells at 1-703-836-4500, ext. 202.  

Dovetailing with that conference will be the Pretzel and Baked Snacks Seminar, October 23 and 24, at the same location. That conference will include practical informational sessions covering baked snacks, whole grains, oven systems and nutritional issues.

For details, contact Christopher Melchert at 1-703-836-4500, ext. 211.

Exhibit space is a hot commodity for SNAXPO 2008, the world’s largest show devoted exclusively to the snack food industry, scheduled for March 1-4, 2008, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Top snack food industry manufacturers and experts from around the world will be in attendance.

There still is time to make trade show floor space reservations. For information, contact the SFA at 1-703-836-4500 or visit www.snaxpo.com, where exhibitors can download logo artwork to promote their participation in SNAXPO.

Key reasons to exhibit:
• SNAXPO is the world’s premier event for the snack food industry.

• SNAXPO provides a unique opportunity to network with some of the best and brightest minds in the industry.

• SNAXPO exhibitors and attendees help define the future direction of the industry.

• SNAXPO presents the latest innovations, ideas, products and new ways to cut costs and build profits.

• SNAXPO attracts industry manufacturers from around the world, including Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Pacific Rim.