
Director of Strategic Innovation at The Turover Straus Group, Inc.
Springfield, Missouri Area

Director of Strategic Innovation at The Turover Straus Group, Inc.
Springfield, Missouri Area
Food industry executive with more than fifteen years experience in food innovation consulting. Adept at developing long-range, consensus-based new product plans for teams and filling the pipeline with new products. Specialty in consumer trend tracking, brainstorming / ideation, prototype development and high-energy group process facilitation.
Dynamic professional speaker, experienced journalist, and leading food / consumer trends expert who has consulted with dozens of leading food companies and restaurants.
Trend presentations, brainstorming facilitator / moderator, innovation consulting, food industry expert, media source, speaker, new product development, consumer trends, restaurant trends, futurist, journalist, food executive, foodservice, grocery
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Publishing industry)
November 2008 — Present (1 year 1 month)
Freelance reporter/journalist for QSR Magazine's marketing-related features on the quickservice restaurant industry.
(Food & Beverages industry)
January 2006 — Present (3 years 11 months)
My work focuses on Culinary Strategy and Innovation Consulting for the CPG and restaurant segments of the food industry. I travel the country and tap into multiple research sources to develop strategic insights for manufacturers and restaurant chains, and work with chefs and food scientists on culinary prototyping projects for companies including Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Starbucks, Checker's, Tyson Foods, and Interstate Bakeries.
I also design and facilitate high-energy strategic and product-oriented brainstorming processes for these clients. Several times a year I am invited to speak at food industry conferences on consumer and culinary trends.
(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)
August 2007 — May 2009 (1 year 10 months)
Research projects and undergraduate teaching on consumer behavior and marketing
(Educational Institution; 201-500 employees; Higher Education industry)
August 2006 — May 2008 (1 year 10 months)
Taught undergraduate and graduate MBA-level marketing courses at a private liberal arts university, including Consumer Behavior and Marketing 624.
(Privately Held; Marketing and Advertising industry)
April 2002 — November 2005 (3 years 8 months)
Co-authored the start up and success of a new consulting division for Noble, working with the culinary division and the agency to providing cutting edge consumer, culture, food and trend insights for dozens of leading food and beverage industry clients. Trained and managed a team of researchers and trendwatchers, developed new trend models, and facilitated large and small groups through strategic and brainstorming processes.
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
December 1993 — April 2002 (8 years 5 months)
(Publishing industry)
July 1988 — December 1993 (5 years 6 months)
1990 — 1993
B.A. , English, French , 1984 — 1988
English, French, Chinese Civilization 1986 — 1987
Cooking, food, travel
International Association of Culinary Professionals, International Food Futurists, Research Chefs Association