Welcome to PMCA, the Professional Manufacturing Confectioners’ Association
Learn. Connect. Grow.
PMCA is an international association that enhances the companies and careers of confectionery and snack professionals through inspired learning and the building of long-term personal connections which empowers our members to create products that bring people JOY.
Founded in 1907 as the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confectioners’ Association by candy manufacturers located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, PMCA, as it is now known, includes members worldwide.
Our three-fold mission is to promote the long term success of the confectionery industry by:
- Providing interactive forums for the open exchange of information
- Promoting and directing basic and applied scientific research
- Educating and training current and future confectionery technical and manufacturing personnel
PMCA Staff
Yvette Thomas, Chief Operations Officer
Ms. Thomas is the administrative director for PMCA where she is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the association as well as the management of major conferences and technical training courses. Prior to PMCA, Ms. Thomas was the first executive director of the Electronic Code Management Association (ECCMA) and led the organization through its initial five years of growth and development. Before that she was a marketing programs manager at Dun & Bradstreet in their Supplier Evaluation and Management Services Division and previously human resources administrator and marketing manager at Victoria Vogue. Ms. Thomas has a BA degree from the Pennsylvania State University and an associate’s degree in business administration.
Brandy Kresge, Project Manager & Operations Assistant
Brandy has been working with PMCA since the spring of 2004. She earned her BS in Applied Sciences from the Northampton Community College in 2005. Her position began as an administrative assistant and she has since worked her way to her current position as Project Manager & Operations Assistant.
Brandy handles the everyday membership and accounting of PMCA including maintaining the PMCA Member Portal. She assists with various aspects of the annual production conference, and has helped to run the Student Outreach Program since its inception in 2007. She assists with activities of the Research Committee including the production of the PMCA Research Chat Podcast that launched in 2020. Brandy also assists with the design of email communications including the PMCA Sweet Network News, which is sent out monthly to members along with surveys and PMCA-related materials.
Rachel Halkias, Marketing Projects Manager & Operations Assistant
Rachel started with PMCA in August 2014. She assists with the creation, development and enhancement of various marketing, promotional and communication materials across all PMCA committee activities. She creates, manages and assists with digital marketing initiatives and prepare content for social media on a regular basis.
Rachel collaborates with staff and volunteers to plan events throughout the year, including confectionery technology courses and the annual production conference, and attend those events to assist onsite.
In addition to maintaining and editing our websites, she also acts as liaison with our IT team, managing an ongoing task schedule to maintain current structures, implement new projects and enhancements and troubleshoot problems.