(PMCA — July 2, 2015 – Bethlehem, PA) — PMCA’s Production Conference Program Committee has named Mark Kline, The Hershey Company, as the nineteenth recipient of the Marie Kelso Memorial Award. Mr. Kline presented a paper on the topic of Natural Pasteurization of Tree Nuts and Peanuts during the 69th Annual Production Conference on Wednesday, April 15, 2015.
PMCA’s Marie Kelso Award Chair, Steve Genzoli, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, will present the award at the Tuesday Evening Banquet during the 70th Annual Production Conference, April 12, 2016 at the Marriott Lancaster at Penn Square. Mark Kline joins the ranks of the eighteen previous award winners; Edward S. Seguine, Mars Snackfood, Susan L. Hefle, Ph.D., University of Nebraska, Marlene B. Stauffer, Blommer Chocolate Company, Harold H. Schmitz, Ph.D, Mars Snackfood, Nicole Staniec, Firmenich, Inc., Bill Dyer, Blommer Chocolate Company, Greg Ziegler, Pennsylvania State University, Jeffrey Fine, AAK USA, Joe Smillie, Quality Assurance International, Inc. (QAI), Cindy Cosmos, Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., Richard Hartel, University of Wisconsin – Madison (awarded twice), Tracey Duffey, World Cocoa Foundation, Kurt Muentener, Keymount GmbH, Abdoulaye Traore, Mars Chocolate, Jordana Swank, The Hershey Company, Joseph Bell, Joseph Bell Consulting, Inc. and Kerry Kaylegian, The Pennsylvania State University.
PMCA’s Board of Directors established the award in 1997. It is given each year to the author of the paper presented at the previous year’s annual production conference that most significantly contributes to industry knowledge, thus honoring the memory of Marie Kelso and her faithful dedication and unwavering belief in the value of the production conference for the industry.
Marie Kelso served as secretary to the Production Conference Committee for 38 years, and indeed her name became synonymous with the event itself. In her youth she was secretary to Hans Dresel, a salesman for Felton Chemical Company in Philadelphia, Pa. As her boss worked tirelessly to organize and promote the PMCA Annual Production Conference as well as AACT events, she organized and managed tirelessly as well. After she left her job at Felton Chemical, the production conference became her life’s work. Marie was also active for many years in the Philadelphia section of AACT. Marie Kelso passed away in September 1995.
PMCA is a non-profit international trade association in the confectionery industry whose goals are to provide interactive forums for the open exchange of information through its annual production conference, to promote and direct basic and applied scientific research through its research program at leading universities and to educate and train current and future confectionery technical and manufacturing personnel worldwide through its short course program. The organization was originally founded in 1907 as the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confectioners’ Association.