Members cap off the 2025 convention with a wave toward 2026.
Fall Myrtle Beach Convention Celebrates Scholarships
The annual gathering of top southeastern food companies and their suppliers was a celebration of record-breaking support to the children of its member’s employees. With nine students awarded scholarships through either the SFPA Food Science or Employee/Child Scholarships, $15,000 was shared for their education.
SFPA board members make final arrangements before the start of this year’s convention.
“Education is an important mission of our organization and this year’s applicants were truly impressive,” says Cecilia Brock, the association’s president. Brock headed the scholarship committee for many years and two of this year’s recipients were children of her employer, Sauer Brands.
Scholarship winner Ben Moorman helps Jack Haddock pick winners in the annual raffle.
One recipient, Ben Moorman, a senior of Bowling Green State University and child of a Beckman & Gast employee attended the convention and helped during the annual banquet by drawing tickets during the raffle to replenish the scholarship fund. Learn more about this year’s scholarship winners in this Food Forum.
General Sessions Abound With Learning
Executive leadership is an essential element of continued growth for SFPA members. That is why the first day of this year’s convention’s general sessions was dedicated to leadership skills.
Members voted to install fellow members to the organization’s board of directors as follows:
SFPA Board Of Directors For 2025–2026
Officers
- Cecilia Brock, Sauer Brands – President
- Rose Timmer, Rose Timmer & Associates – 1st Vice-President
- Gerald Lambert, Garner Foods – 2nd Vice-President
- Calen Butler, Garner Foods – Treasurer
Board Members
- Greg Wildman, Mt. Olive Pickles
- Mike Williams, Tarheel Paper & Supply Company
- Gray Sherrill, MG Newell Corporation
- Ron Sonntag, Boone Brands
- Craig Jonkers, Liventus
- Autumn Humphrey, Bush Bros.
Board Advisors
- Tony Treadway, Creative Energy
- Dr. Scott Whiteside, Clemson University
Executive Director
- Kay Rentzel
Leadership Learning
Rich Schlentz shares important tips for building a high-performance culture through leadership.
Rich Schlentz, founder of Greensboro NC-based EXTRAordinary Communications led the session on the essential elements of crafting cultures within organizations to become highly-efficient machines of growth.
One fun exercise was on listening skills when interacting with team members.
“Coaching employees is not quick or efficient, but is a defining skill of leaders,” Rich told the group. He provided a roadmap of creating an engaged culture within a company. By developing a team identity that uncovers the values, impact, and purpose of an organization it can discover, embrace, and utilize its strengths to maximize collective results. Coaching teams to gain buy-in and drive accountability is the skill Schlentz shared.
Exhibitors Connect With Top Decision Makers
Multiple opportunities to grow business relationships occurred for associate member exhibitors during the convention.
A record number of exhibits by processors and suppliers saw business connections grow between potential buyers and sellers. A total of 11 new associate members joined the SFPA prior to the convention to be able to make new connections to some of the top brands in the southeast.
The President’s Spotlight
Cecilia Brock gives general session attendees the story of Sauer Brands as part of the President’s Spotlight.
Returning as an SFPA Convention tradition was the President’s Spotlight. This presentation enabled current president Cecilia Brock to highlight the achievements of her member employer, Sauer Brands.
Founded by a 21-year old Richmond pharmacist in 1887, Conrad Frederick Sauer, the company purchased Duke’s mayonnaise in 1929 and never looked back. Today, the company is thriving with the fastest growing brands in both the mayo (Duke’s) and salsa (Mateo’s) categories.
A Day Of Golf
It was classic Myrtle Beach autumn weather for this year’s annual tournament’s 56 golfers. It was another occasion for fun and skill testing for participants at the Arcadian Shores Golf Course. This year’s winners include:
Winning team members celebrate their victory.
1st Place Team
Ruben Villarreal, Patrick McKinney, Peter Perry, Kyle Burke
Heyward Garner picks up his team’s honors for second place in the tourney.
2nd Place Team
Felix Ho, David Beaty, Heyward Garner, Alexa Vaughn
3rd Place Team
Colin Moore, Frank Aitoro, Scott Franke, Mike Cabanski
Longest Drive
Peter Perry
Closest To The Pin
Scott Franke
The Economy, AI, And New Product Marketing Skills
Day two of the general session was filled with insights into the economy, what’s looming in artificial intelligence (AI), and the path to successful product launches for food brands.
Noted economist Chris Kuehl, Armada Corporate Intelligence, told members the economy continues its slow, but steady growth of 3% primarily driven by consumer purchases. Inflation currently stands at 2.9%. He noted an oil glut driven by Russia may negatively impact the economy in the coming year.
Marketing expert Mike Ganey on how to successfully launch new food products.
Former vice-president of marketing and consultant Mike Ganey shared multiple examples of failed new product launches based on corporate mistakes. The lack of custom consumer research to properly understand market dynamics and consumer needs were key root causes of those failures. Ganey then offered a roadmap for proper new product development and launches to identify unarticulated needs in the marketplace. Launches must include an emotional story behind it and relevant features that address needs within the culture.
Dr. Chris Parker says integrating some elements of artificial intelligence is not an insurmountable task.
Dr. Chris Parker of the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia followed with an overview of different types of AI and their applications by food manufacturers. Parker noted available technology for selected tasks can be relatively easy to implement such as inventory management, research, and preventative maintenance.
A Fun Celebration To Conclude This Year’s Convention
The Garner Foods Team takes a minute to remember the night’s fun.
With a picturesque view of the Atlantic, members dressed up for the annual silent auction, raffle, and banquet at the Black Drum restaurant’s Seaside Vista. Emcees Jack Haddock and Tony Treadway welcomed members and their spouses and recognized the passing of long-time member John Mento of Old Mansion and the upcoming retirements of Todd Schultz of Bush Brothers and John Hennessee of Sonoco Metal Packaging.
Kay Rentzel keeps an eye on auction bidding and raffle ticket sales.
As the raffles of a rifle, jewelry, and special bottle of Smith & Wesson bourbon began, SFPA Scholarship winner Ben Moorman helped with the drawings. Craig Jonkers set an extraordinary recent raffle record by winning both the rifle and jewelry. Overall, the silent auction and raffles raised $15,000 to replenish the scholarship fund for future winners.
It all wrapped up with continued celebration at the SPFA Hospitality Suite followed by hugs and sweet farewells ahead of next year’s convention set for the Sonesta Resort at Hilton Head Island, in October.
Food Forum Processor Spotlight
Mt. Olive Pickle Company
Nine Outstanding Recipients Of SFPA Scholarships In 2025
One Food Science Scholarship and eight Employee/Child Scholarships were awarded a total of $15,000 in 2025 after review of their applications. Here is this year’s honor roll.
Chelsea Afful,
Food Science
University of Georgia
Joshua Black,
Health & Exercise Science
Bridgwater College
Sauer Brands
Grace Smith,
Nursing
Elon University
M G Newell
Christopher Weller,
Information & Supply Chain Management
UNC Greensboro
Garner Foods
Scott Dunlap,
Business Administration
Georgia Tech
Bush Brothers
Donnovan Huez-Flamenco,
Welding Technology
Forsyth Technical Community College
Garner Foods
Johnny Lackey, Business Administration
Anderson University
Sauer Brands
Ben Moorman,
Systems Engineering
Bowling Green State University
Beckman & Gast
Katelyn Ruff,
Elementary Education
UNC Charlotte
M G Newell
2026 scholarship applications will open next spring with a deadline for submission being May 15, 2026.
SFPA U Webinar Coming In February On FSMA 204 Rule
SFPA University is back with the first free webinar of the new year, set for February 11, 2026, 2–3:00 pm ET. The important topic is an update to the government’s Food Safety Modernization Act Rule 204 covering traceability standards. The webinar will cover tracking and tracing of food products to address safety risks and contamination sources and more.
The webinar will be hosted by Presented by Hilary Thesmar, PhD, RD, CFS with Food Marketing Industry (FMI) Association. When registration becomes available, members will be notified by e-mail. This is another benefit of membership to the SFPA.
Check Out The NEW SFPAFood.org
“It’s our open door to potential new processor members and your online gathering place for important information,” says SFPA Executive Director Kay Rentzel. “It is a key element for our continued growth and is an important hub of information for our members.”
The new website launched just prior to this year’s convention. The site now outwardly shares the significant brands who are part of the organization as well as a full list of processor and associate members.
The site includes the SFPA’s leadership, by-laws, and is home to finding current and past issues of Food Forum and registration for all SFPA sponsored events.The site was developed by the SFPA’s Communications Committee of Cecilia Brock, Rose Timmer, Jack Haddock, Kay Rentzel, and Tony Treadway. Treadway’s firm, Creative Energy developed the concept for the new site including copywriting and programming. Visit SFPAFood.org and follow social media posts on Facebook and LinkedIn.