The 2016 Baking Hall of Fame will welcome five new honorees at the American Society of Baking (ASB)’s BakingTech Conference in Chicago, Feb. 29 to March 1. These inductees are people who shaped the baking industry as it is known today.

Bob Albers, Franz Bakery, Portland, OR, took a small family bakery and made it into a regional powerhouse. Joseph Baker and Jacob Perkins, Baker Perkins, with headquarters in Peterborough, UK, and US offices in Grand Rapids, MI, established technology that would transform the baking process. Pat Callaghan, Pepperidge Farm, Norwalk, CT, spearheaded new product innovation. John Shellenberger, Kansas State University championed bakery science education.

“It so happens that all of these recipients have proven themselves to be innovators whose efforts, ideas and contributions have led to sustained, long-term growth,” said John Del Campo, chair of the ASB Baking Hall of Fame Evaluation Committee and president of Brandywine Ingredient Technology, Wilmington, DE.

Established in 2006, the Baking Hall of Fame recognizes the baking industry’s most influential players, those that left their mark on the industry. The committee evaluates nominees based on their professional achievements, impact on the industry, their work history and other criteria.

This year, ASB brought on sponsors to support the Baking Hall of Fame. Sponsors for 2016 include Bundy Baking Solutions, Urbana, OH; Burford Corp., Maysville, OK; Grain Craft, Chattanooga, TN; LeMatic Inc., Jackson, MI; The Long Co., Elmhurst, IL; and Mother Murphy’s, Greensboro, NC.

“We started the sponsorship program this year to respond to the increasing costs associated with the Hall of Fame awards,” Mr. Del Campo explained. These costs include plaques, portraits and the Hall of Fame reception at the BakingTech Conference. “Although these costs were relatively modest, it didn’t seem fair to burden the society to absorb them,” he continued. “We chose to reach out to the industry for support and limit the amount of sponsors for simplicity as a large fundraising campaign was not needed.”

The support of these and future sponsors will ensure that ASB can continue honoring the founders, leaders and innovators in the baking industry.

 Those honored represent all areas of the baking industry: bakeries, allied equipment and ingredient suppliers, schools, service organizations and publishers.  With the class of 2016 inductees, the Hall of Fame will boast 71 individuals so honored. This past year saw nearly two dozen nominations to the Hall of Fame.

“Magnificent leadership characterizes each of these individuals,” Mr. Del Campo said. “They represent the best qualities of compassion, forward thinking and personal judgment. We are honored to have looked at their accomplishments as we considered their nominations. They inspire our future by their examples.”