IFDA Learning Exchanges

Don’t take our word for it – this is what participants in previous meetings are saying:

“IFDA Learning Exchanges are an invaluable experience in a peer driven setting to discuss the successes, struggles and new ideas within the food industry. Ultimately, these sessions show the power of shared knowledge along with the dedication to learning from other professionals in the industry. I highly recommend these sessions as a tool to see what fresh ideas are out in the industry and how they can help combat the many struggles throughout our everyday operations.”

• – Vincent Yancigay, Operations Manager, DiCarlo Distributors, Inc., in Holtsville, NY

“The IFDA Learning Exchanges are a fantastic way to meet others doing the same job and solving the same challenges that we face every day. It’s an opportunity to network and have discussions that may open your mind on a new or better way to handle a problem or a process. I have attended 6 meetings so far and I have ALWAYS come away with new ideas to take back to my team.”

• – Christopher Holmberg, Vice President of Human Resources, Curtze Food Service, in Eerie, PA

“With knowledge of the food distribution industry limited to my experience at my current company, I found this Learning Exchange incredibly eye-opening.  I was able to gain deeper insight into how I can help my company perform at a higher level through the strong connections I formed with professionals from all over the country who have overcome the challenges that I am currently facing. Additionally, I left with renewed motivation to find innovative ways to increase efficiency in all areas of our operations. I’m thankful for IFDA’s commitment to providing its members with opportunities such as these Learning Exchanges and for always pushing us to strive for the best!” 

• – Mitch Harris, System Administrator, CRS OneSource, in Owensboro, KY

“As someone who is new to the foodservice industry, I found [these meetings] incredibly beneficial. In my day-to-day, I don’t see the issues faced by Operations and IT. I was able to learn what challenges are present in that area and learn how other companies are addressing them. It was also great to meet other Finance individuals to begin to build a network of individuals who face some of the same challenges that we do.”

• – Brenda Schwickerath, controller at Martin Bros. Distributing Co., Inc., in Cedar Falls, IA

“I have to say, that my owners didn’t mention that the size of the share groups would be as comfortably small as they were, but it was a refreshing surprise to be able to be heard ‘by’ my peers, as well as ‘from’ my peers in such a direct way. We were able to share best practices and procedures on many of the topics that were affecting us all on a day-to-day basis. Things from like, finding the right employees for the job, keeping our staffs motivated and engaged; to using the right computer system to fit our needs and its operational fit. Whether we have 70 employees or 700, we all had the same recurring issues and concerns for our businesses and that was encouraging to know we are not alone with these issues in Food Distribution and Operations.”

• – Chris Murray, Director of Human Resources at Schiff’s Food Service, Inc., in Scranton/Taylor, PA

“[These meetings] are an excellent opportunity to discuss best practices, pain points, and fresh ideas with your peers in a more intimate setting. The moderated discussion keeps the schedule on point, while also broadening the topics with knowledge from the industry. You can expect to walk away with a greater sense of how your KPIs line up industry wide, and new ideas to bring back and implement.”

• – Jim Hoss, Vice President, Transportation & Operations, Cash-Wa Distributing, in Kearney, NE