Blogs

AHF Mourns Passing of Former Association President Paul B. Deignan

By Leah Reily posted 16 days ago
2 people recommend this.
On Sunday, May 23, 2021, former ASHFSA (American Society for Healthcare Food Service Administrators) and HFM (Healthcare Foodservice Management) president Paul Deignan passed away. Paul B. Deignan, MPS, RD, DHCFA, 81, of Gettysburg, PA., died Sunday morning May 23, 2021 at his home. Born February 6, 1940 in Orange, NJ, he was the son of the late Joseph M. and Catherine T. (Driscoll) Deignan. He was the loving husband of Mary E. (Davis) Deignan to whom he was married for 58 years. In addition to his wife, Paul is survived by his four children, five grandchildren, a great grandchild and two siblings. Paul was a lifelong supporter of the industry having been a ...
0 comments

AHF Releases New Templates for Daily and Monthly Success

By Leah Reily posted 27 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
AHF's Self-Operated Project Committee recently released two brand-new resource documents designed to help operators with their daily successes and continued communication with their administrators and supervisors. These documents are available now to AHF members on our Self-Operated Project Committee page.  DOWNLOAD THE DOCUMENTS (NEW!) Monthly/Quarterly/Annual Reporting PPT Template: A PowerPoint template that is designed to be edited by operators. Operators are encouraged to download this new resource and use it to develop your monthly, quarterly, or annual report to your supervisors or administrators. Communicating your successes and challenges ...
0 comments

AHF Member Toni Watkins Wins 2021 Silver Plate Award for Health Care!

By Leah Reily posted 28 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
AHF is thrilled to congratulate Antoinette “Toni” Watkins, MS, RDN, Director System Nutrition at Riverside Health System for winning the 2021 Silver Plate Award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA). IFMA's annual Gold & Silver Plate Awards honors the nation's leading foodservice operator talent. Silver Plate winners are nominated by IFMA members and industry leaders, then selected by a distinguished jury including national trade press, foodservice experts and past Gold & Silver Plate award winners. Toni will be honored with her award virtually on September 14, 2021.  Toni joins a distinguished list of previous IFMA Silver ...
0 comments

Participate in AHF's Inaugural State of the Healthcare Foodservice Industry Report Study

By Mina Shin posted 29 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
2021 State of the Healthcare Foodservice Industry Report Participate in AHF's Inaugural Survey The Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF) is conducting a comprehensive survey on the healthcare foodservice industry with a focus on acute care hospitals. The findings will be gathered into a State of the Industry Report, available later this Fall. The findings will also consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on operations as well as look ahead to what operators are projecting in the future. The study will cover patient dining, retail, and future trends on the horizon. Participate in our 10-15 minute survey and choose to be entered in a chance ...
0 comments

One on One with Kendal's Ben Butler

By Leah Reily posted 29 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Mike Buzalka   |   May 21, 2021 | Food Management Ben Butler, vice president of culinary services for senior community operator Kendal, talks about its newest site and the special dining program planned for it. Pennsylvania-based Kendal, which operates over a dozen CCRCs around the country, is in the process of developing Enso Village, a $300 million continuing care retirement community in Healdsburg, California, in conjunction with Greenbrier Development and the San Francisco Zen Center. The company describes Enso Village as “a zen-inspired life plan community [that will] focus on mindful aging, the joys of nature, environmental stewardship, ...
0 comments

Hunterdon Healthcare’s E-Cafe2U Program Brings New Customers, Higher Checks

By Leah Reily posted 29 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
By  Amanda Baltazar  on May 24, 2021 | Foodservice Director Last month, Hunterdon Healthcare in Flemington, N.J., launched its new E-Cafe2U initiative with the goal of feeding more customers and offering greater variety. Director of Nutrition Services Angela O’Neill aimed to serve 40 people a day through the program—and she’s getting there, with numbers slowly climbing. Read the full article HERE.
0 comments

Heritage Community of Kalamazoo Prioritizes Fine Dining & Culinary Care

By Leah Reily posted 29 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Jennifer Crain   |   May 24, 2021 | Food Management When the Heritage Community of Kalamazoo, under the direction of Mark Hudgins, went into lockdown, the culinary staff got creative in order to meet the needs of its 400 residents. To make them more comfortable, deliver fresh meals, and promote community connections during the most restrictive months, they slimmed down their menu offerings and offered special snack deliveries. Read the full article HERE.
0 comments

Geisinger Health Named FSD’s May Foodservice Operation of the Month

By Mina Shin posted 05-20-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
Foodservice Director | Julianne Pepitone | May 10, 2021 See what’s in store for Steve Cerullo’s operation, Geisinger Health, which was named FSD’s May Foodservice Operation of the Month. Steve Cerullo is the Senior Director of Foodservice and incoming director at large for AHF's Board of Directors. The Q&A covers impacts of the pandemic, communication strategies, and goals for the upcoming year. Congratulations Steve and the Geisinger Foodservice Team!  Read the full article.
0 comments

AHF Lines Up Exceptional 2021 Conference Speaker List

By Leah Reily posted 05-06-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
AHF's 2021 Annual Conference taking place this August 23-26, 2021 in Dallas, Texas will be a much-needed reunion for the self-operated industry! The Association has lined up an exceptional list of innovative speakers and topics. Topics include fighting contractors, culinary trends, patient and customer satisfaction, retail and dining operations, industry benchmarking, effective communication, leadership, resilience and so much more. Each attendee will receive a copy of AHF's "Playbook" containing curated tips and handouts from its speakers to bring back to their operations. The conference will offer 16+ continuing education credits from ANFP, AND, and ACF.  ...
0 comments

AHF Announces Robert Darrah, CDM, CFPP, CHC As President-Elect

By Mina Shin posted 05-04-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
The Association For Healthcare Foodservice Announces Robert Darrah, CDM, CFPP, CHC As President-Elect Longtime Advocate for Self-Op Healthcare & Senior Dining Begins New Term In January 2022 Arlington, VA – May 3, 2021 – The Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF) today announced Robert Darrah as President-Elect of the Board of Directors.  His term as President-Elect begins on January 1, 2022; his term as President will begin on January 1, 2023. Darrah is the Director of Dining Services for Legacy Retirement Communities in Lincoln, Nebraska and has been serving on the Board of Directors for the past ten years.  Darrah is a longtime supporter ...
0 comments

AHF's Toni Watkins Talks to FM about "Caring for Caregivers"

By Leah Reily posted 04-29-2021
1 person recommends this.
Becky Schilling  |  Apr 26, 2021 | Food Management Toni Watkins on the importance of diversity in foodservice, righting wrongs and taking care of your employees. Listen to the full podcast here:  https://www.food-management.com/hc-demand/fm-demand-caring-caregivers
0 comments

How JPS Health Keeps Foodservice Humming During the Pandemic

By Leah Reily posted 04-21-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
Food Management | Jennifer Crain | Apr 16, 2021 JPS Health Network’s self-operated service stays strong through the pandemic. New systems and a wide variety of grab-and-go options keep food service at this Texas hospital humming.  Early in the pandemic, it became clear to Neal Lavender, executive director of food and nutrition at JPS Health Network, that his team would need to concentrate on two things in order to mitigate disruption in foodservice: tight systems and steady communication. READ FULL ARTICLE
0 comments

Centra Health System Director and Executive Chef Timothy Schoonmaker Demonstrates a Heart Healthy Recipe

By Mina Shin posted 04-19-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
WFXR News | April 13, 2021 Centra Health System Director and Executive Chef Timothy Schoonmaker, MBA, CEC, WCEC,  CCA, CDM, CFPP, MCFE, FMP demonstrates a heart healthy quinoa banana pancake recipe. This recipe is gluten-free, protein rich, and easy to make! Watch the 6-minute demonstration here. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make 12 quinoa banana pancakes: 1 cup of quinoa flour 1 teaspoon of baking powder ¼ teaspoon of baking soda ¾ cup of Greek yogurt 1 banana, mashed 1 tablespoon of honey 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon of almond extract (if desired) 1 egg, beaten ¼ cup of almond milk Blueberries, chocolate ...
0 comments

Honoring AHF’s Retiring Business Partner Leaders

By Leah Reily posted 04-14-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
Honoring AHF’s Retiring Business Partner Leaders AHF is honored to announce the retirement of three of our dedicated industry leaders: Barbara Kane (Ecolab Inc.) – Retired March 31 st Linda Cole (J&J Snack Foods) – Retired March 31 st Paul Childers (US Foods) – Retiring summer 2021 From ASHFSA and HFM to AHF, all three of these individuals have dedicated their long careers, as well as their personal time and efforts, to not only the foodservice industry, but to supporting AHF, its legacy associations, and its members. Their contributions to AHF and the industry have been vast, and we have incredibly big shoes to fill but most of all we’ll ...
0 comments

AHF Launches 2021 Leadership Elections

By Leah Reily posted 04-07-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
AHF Elections have now begun! Annually, eligible members vote during a 14-day period to elect the incoming officers, directors, and leadership development committee members. This year's elections will run between April 7 through April 21, 2021. Per AHF's bylaws, eligible voters include the primary operator at an Institution and retired members. Business partner, media partner, GPOs, educator, affiliate, and student members are not eligible to vote. It is a privilege to present this year's candidates. Each candidate has a background statement and priority statement available. The elected candidates will serve beginning  January 1, 2022. AHF is a volunteer-led ...
0 comments

Get Ready for your Virtual Joint Commission Survey

By Leah Reily posted 04-07-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
An AHF Interview with Julie Meddles, Director, Nutrition Services and Gift Shops Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Operators used to in-person survey from the Joint Commission are in for a brand-new experience as surveyors host pandemic-driven virtual surveys. Recently AHF Member Julie Meddles experienced her first virtual survey and took time for an interview with AHF about her experience. AHF asked Julie a series of questions about her survey to compile together the need-to-know tips and tricks for passing your virtual survey with flying colors. AHF: How were you notified of the survey? JM : The accreditation department was notified a few ...
0 comments

Brookdale Hospital Celebrates National Nutrition Month

By Leah Reily posted 04-01-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
Author: Patrick LaMont MBA, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, Brookdale Hospital and Medical Center | March 31, 2021 The Food and Nutrition Services Department of the Brookdale Hospital and Medical Center celebrated National Nutrition Month in March with the theme “Personalize Your Plate.” There is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health. Everyone is unique with different bodies, goals, backgrounds, and tastes! A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can tailor “healthful eating plans that are as special as you are.” As part of the celebration, the facility had weekly webinars focusing on relevant nutrition topics. Topics included ...
0 comments

AHF Launches 2021 Annual Conference Registration

By Leah Reily posted 03-18-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
AHF Launches 2021 Annual Conference Registration AHF launched its 2021 in-person conference registration on March 15th. The conference will bring the Association's members and industry together for 3 days of education, networking, and comradery. AHF is inviting operators, business partners, educators, retired members, affiliates, students, and non-members to join them for the 2021 Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas! Registering before the June 1st Early Bird Deadline provides a $100 savings.  Operators can also find other ways to attend for free or at a hugely discounted rate (see below).  The conference will center around its theme "Playbook ...
0 comments

AHF Celebrates Black History Month With Special Highlight

By Leah Reily posted 02-24-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
Black History Month is coming to a close, but AHF is committed to continuing to highlight, further, and champion the diversity of our membership and member teams. We want to celebrate by highlighting a few of our many diverse leaders and discuss how we can all continue to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of our organizations. We asked some of our leaders what Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) meant to them, and how leaders can increase DE&I in their staff team.  SPECIAL RELEASE: AHF is also pleased to release its Diversity & Inclusion session, recorded during our 2020 Virtual Conference, for public viewing until the ...
0 comments

AHF Member, Angelo Mojica, Recognized as Standout Leader in the Non-Commercial Food Service Industry

By Mina Shin posted 02-22-2021
Be the first person to recommend this.
Food Management Staff | Feb 18, 2021 Every year, Food Management’s sister site Nation’s Restaurant News names the top leaders in the food service industry, called The Power List. This year, the list focused on leadership, highlighting those in the restaurant industry who exhibited extraordinary guidance during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and social unrest. These 50 individuals were selected to showcase the best in leadership, inclusivity and progress during arguably the most trying time in the foodservice industry. In addition to the 50 named to the list, we ask our readers to name their leadership candidates to our Readers’ Picks program to recognize ...
0 comments