Healthcare Caterers International Elect New Chairman
August 2005, HCI Headquarters, St. Charles, Illinois:
The board of Healthcare Caterers International (HCI), the rapidly expanding collaboration of national healthcare catering & foodservice associations from across the globe, unanimously elected Alison McCree as their new Chair at their recent board annual meeting held in Washington D.C. from 24-28th July, 2005.
Alison, who also chairs the UK’s ‘Hospital Caterers Association’ is a highly respected healthcare caterer with 20 years experience and takes on the challenging HCI post from Colleen Zenk, a previous chair of the USA’s Dietary Managers Association.
Now into its second year, HCI is growing rapidly with a global membership approaching 25,000 healthcare caterers across 7 countries. Alison’s experience, both as chair of Hospital Caterers Association, and from her full time post as Associate Director of Estates & Facilities at one of the UK’s largest acute care trusts, will be truly valued by the collaboration as they move forward with their goal of ‘sharing healthcare catering & foodservice common practices and information world-wide.’
One of Alison’s key tasks during her chairmanship will be to host the 3rd annual HCI meeting, which will run alongside next years Hospital Caterers Association Annual Conference in Birmingham, England, April 2006.
Supporting Alison will be Dean Cox, as vice-chairman. Currently Chair of the Canadian Society of Nutrition Managers (CSNM), Dean will assist Alison throughout the remainder of 2005 and into 2006, until he succeeds Alison in April, following the Birmingham meeting.
Following Alison’s appointment, HCI’s Executive Director, Mr William St. John said ‘I am delighted that the board has elected Alison. We were steered admirably during our inaugural year by Colleen Zenk, and I’m sure that Alison will continue Colleen’s excellent work in similar vain’
On HCI, and her appointment, Alison commented ‘It’s amazing how far HCI has moved forward and developed in such a short period of time. The board is made up of dedicated, like-minded people with years of experience, and this is reflected in the progress made. I’m delighted to be taking over from Colleen and I really hope that I can help move HCI forward at a similar rate. At the end of the day, every one of the 25,000 individual members has common goals, issues and interests. My core aim will be to enhance the sharing of knowledge and experience between each one of them through the tools that we’ve already set up like www.hciglobal.org; and the forthcoming e-newsletter.’