In Pursuit of Our Dreams

By John Kinsella, CMC, CCE, WGMC, AAC

Now that our national convention is over, the board and I will be working on the expansion of the American Culinary Federation. It's time to continue our progression in growing this federation. By this time next year, we will be bringing to your chapter presidents major changes that will come out of our strategic-planning and survey task forces.

Some issues and proposals will surface, which will mean changes we never conceived at the beginning of the process. As a member, I am reminded that I represent everyone who lays down his or her hard-earned money for ACF membership. I am also reminded that the ultimate decision on changes will be made by the board of directors and board of governors. So, participation in your chapter meetings and following the information trail will give you a chance to have more input. Also in the coming year, we will conduct a second survey to ensure that we are on track. We will continue with our annual surveys to monitor our progress.

It is vital to recruit junior members and retain them with innovative programs and cost-effective dues. We are already moving forward to accomplish this goal. In 2007, Johnson & Wales University students will graduate with an ACF membership and certification, powered by Tyson Foods, Inc. We will seek out opportunities to continue this program with other culinary schools.

In the next 10 years, we will see one out of three chefs working in healthcare, serving our aging population. One of the other growth positions is in home-meal replacement. Another growing employment opportunity is found in casual dining, where new concepts and menu offerings demand greater training. Increasingly, a bachelor's degree will be required, as will many more classes for two-year degree programs. No longer will just learning to cook and taking basic managerial classes suffice to satisfy our employers and our educational institutions.

To meet these needs, we are going to have to change our educational outreach programs to serve our members. As we are an education-based membership federation, we must to be able to offer dynamic professionaldevelopment classes. The old ACF is gone; today, we serve the members of the 21st century. In the new ACF, we must affiliate ourselves with sister organizations, and create partnerships with as many sponsors and educational institutions as possible to assist us in our goals.

Yes, the future is bright, but it will take all of us to grow this federation. I can assure you that your board and staff will work hard to facilitate these great goals. By remembering the famous quote from Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers--"All for one and one for all"--we, the members, will look back and say, "Look what we have built."

I look forward to serving you.