Word to the Wise
Power Buying Group, a 700-school nutrition purchasing consortium, one of the largest in the nation.
“There were too many questionable practices,” said Hollenbeck. “ The purchasing environment was not as controlled as it is today. Industry and some directors did not always make ethical decisions. As more state and federal regulations have been put into effect, there is more scrutiny and control, which needed to happen.” Another observation Hollenbeck makes, “There was no technology. Even IT didn’t have personal computers. Their computer took up an entire temperature- controlled room. We were excited to have programmable cash registers and an IBM Selectric typewriter! Food service was the first department to get personal computers because we had so much data.” Hollenbeck went on to say, “I think all of us who have recently retired are thankful for the younger generation of leaders. School nutrition has taken a quantum leap with innovations in social media and market research. Now, entire companies base their business on the technology needs of school nutrition programs.” What has not changed? These retired directors are still as passionate as ever, taking on the role of mentor, coach, trainer, and advocate for school nutrition. We simply have the freedom to impact school nutrition on a larger scale.
How the industry has changed through the years.
but the skilled staff were proud of their contributions.” As labor expenses increased and skill levels decreased, there was a demand for more prepared items. Hedine, who recently retired as the Director of Food and Nutrition Services in Pasco County Schools, Florida, indicated that the lack of consistency between schools became a real problem. “Some of the schools had terrific food, but at other locations, the food was embarrassing.” Hedine shared that one of the highpoints of her job in Pasco County was working with manufacturers to develop products that mimicked freshly made products. Some of the innovations in her program were born of necessity. “I remember when the Fire Marshall disallowed open cooking of rawground beef because we didn’t have fire suppression system.” Thinking quickly, Hedine had the ground beef backhauled and converted into beef crumbles and taco meat. “It may be difficult to conceptualize in today’s environment, but USDA Foods processing did not exist. Big blocks of cheese, huge frozen blocks of raw 8-cut chicken, and salsa made A common theme among the directors was that we all had to make unpopular decisions. Removing French fryers, taking French fries off the daily menu…as a vegetable choice…telling students that milkshakes would no longer qualify as a milk replacement, even removing giant-sized cookies that resulted in letters of protest from students and local newspapers, were part of the uphill battle to improve the nutritional integrity of the program. The ensuing changes to the meal pattern did not present a significant challenge, since most of the changes to incorporate healthier food items were made by these directors prior to the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. Industry came alongside us as we made the changes. Rae Hollenbeck started her career in school nutrition at the Department of Education while she was still a college student. from canned tomatoes were simply a part of life in school nutrition.”
Consultant Beverly Girard, PHD, MBA, RD, SNS
“How has the industry changed since you started in school nutrition to the time you retired?” was the question asked of three, no, make that four retired Florida directors who started their school nutrition careers in the mid-1980’s. Rae Hollenbeck, Mary Kate Harrison, Julie Hedine, and I share our views of how industry support and response has changed over the years. Oh yes, we remember the good old days. The school nutrition programs we were introduced to in the 80’s have changed so dramatically that many parts of the program are nearly unrecognizable. One of the most noticeable differences is a greater tendency of industry members to listen and respond to the needs of the customer. Industry more deliberately approaches school nutrition professionals as partners and valued customers vs. treating each interaction as a “sales event”. Industry members, especially the more informed, are interested in the thoughts and feedback of customers.
The author is the past Director of FNS, Sarasota County Schools, 1991-2019, and Area
Supervisor for Palm Beach County Schools, 1985-1991. All four of the individuals mentioned in this article joined the school nutrition ranks soon after, or even before, the Omnibus
Reconciliation Act of 1981 that wreaked havoc on school nutrition program finances, nationwide. Severe cuts to Federal funding and decreased student participation by over one million meals nationwide left many districts financially devastated.
“You’ll never buy that,” Mary Kate Harrison was told when she first requested whole muscle chicken products. “There was a perception among manufacturers and brokers that we would not be willing to invest in quality.” Harrison began her career working for the Florida Department of Education in 1983, became the Director in Indian River County in
More Examples of Industry Changes
BEFORE Men predominately represented industry & females were the school nutrition customers
1988, and retired as Director in Hillsborough County in 2019, one of the ten largest school districts in the United States. “I inherited an old school system, with minimal food choices, very little menu variety, and cost was more important than quality.” What improvements has Harrison seen? “I love the fact that product development and testing became an important part of the equation. Industry started to ask questions about what we wanted instead of developing new products with very little input. They respected our emphasis on making healthier foods more appealing, and finally understood, after a lot of convincing, that we were willing to pay for quality foods.”
Beverly Girard is a leader and mentor in child nutrition. Beverly was the Director of Food and Nutrition Services in Sarasota County Schools, Florida for 28 years, and previously served as an Area Supervisor for Palm Beach County Schools. She has presented at numerous local, state, and national meetings, and played a key role in Child Reauthorization in 2015. She is a certified facilitator and mediator, and many of her 60+ previous dietetic interns currently hold key positions in school nutrition and the K12 industry. Under Beverly’s direction, Sarasota County Schools was awarded many state and federal grants, including two separate $100,000 USDA Farm to School Implementation Grants. Beverly’s practical experience and sense of humor will bring your training to life!
She became an Area Supervisor in Palm Beach County Schools in 1979, and I joined Rae when I became a Palm Beach Area Supervisor in 1985. Rae went on to become the Director of Martin County, Florida in 1998, and Osceola County in 2011. After retirement, Rae assumed the Executive Director’s position with the
Julie Hedine joined Mesa School District, Arizona in 1983 as a Nutrition Educator. “I remember employeesmaking everything from scratch. Pinto beans were soaked overnight and made into the most delicious burritos with fresh delivered tortillas. It was labor intensive,
Beverly Girard PhD, MBA, RD,SNS
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