Mary Molt Receives Prestigious Gold Plate Award

CHICAGO, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mary Molt, Ph.D., RD, LD, Assistant Director, Housing and Dining Services at Kansas State University, received the esteemed Gold Plate Award at the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration, May 7 in Chicago. Nine outstanding operator executives were eligible for the award after receiving the IFMA Silver Plate Award in February.

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Molt's passion to help students reach their goals has been her greatest motivation. She hopes to instill commitment to success in her students the same way she says others have done for her early on in her career. 

"College and university foodservice is about serving good food to students but is also about being their home away from home. No other sector of the foodservice industry gets to claim credit for the success of their customers," said Molt.

The Gold & Silver Plate Awards, often called "the Academy Awards of foodservice," have been recognized as the most coveted operator awards in the foodservice industry since their creation in 1954. IFMA presents Silver Plate Awards to leading professionals representing nine segments within foodservice operations. These awards pay tribute to winners' contributions to the advancement of their segments and the foodservice industry as a whole.

The recipient of the Gold Plate award, announced for the first time at the Celebration, was determined through a secret ballot by a jury of 2011 Silver Plate Award winners, national trade press editors, other foodservice experts and the chairperson of the International Gold & Silver Plate Society. The ballot was tallied by BDO USA, LLP and kept confidential until the Gold Plate winner's name was announced during the Celebration. The Selection Jury was chaired by Bill McDowell, Vice President/Editorial Director, Plate.

The Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration draws hundreds of leading foodservice executives across the foodservice channel. This year's Celebration was held at the Great Hall at Chicago's historic Union Station and hosted by Ralph Brennan, New Orleans restaurant legend and 1997 IFMA Gold Plate winner. It featured a tantalizing appetizer showcase from Chicago top chefs Carlos Gaytan of Mexique, Lee Ann Whippen of Chicago q and Kevin Ives of Francesca's Restaurants. Guests also enjoyed samplings from the chefs of tomorrow, Kendall College students.

The 2012 Silver Plate winners and nominees for the 2012 Gold Plate include: Cheryl Bachelder (Chain Fast Service), Ricky Clark, CDM, CFPP, CFSM CCFP (Specialty Foodservices), Phil Fahrenbruch (Independent Restaurants), Mark Freeman (Foodservice Management), Lyman Graham (Elementary & Secondary Schools), Dan Henroid, MS, RD (Health Care), Mary Molt, Ph.D., RD, LD (Colleges & Universities), Clarence Otis Jr. (Chain Full Service) and Frank Weber, (Hotels & Lodging).

For more information on the Gold & Silver Plate Awards, go to www.ifmaworld.com or contact John Lehmann at (312) 253-4683.

About International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA)
IFMA is a leading trade association comprising more than 300 of the world's most prestigious food, equipment and supply manufacturers in the $600 billion foodservice industry, as well as related marketing service organizations, trade publications, distributors and brokers. IFMA's mission is to serve as a business partner to its members by bringing them relevant, actionable services that are fundamental to their business assessment, planning and execution.

SOURCE IFMA