Committee Members

Jim Bourne
President
Hilliard's Chocolate Systems
275 East Center Street
W. Bridgewater, MA, 02379
Tel: 508.587.3666
jsbourne@yahoo.com
www.hilliardschocolate.com

Jim Bourne started in the confectionery industry in 1976, working at Hilliard’s Chocolate System. After working for Alan Hilliard for nine years, Bourne bought the business. The chocolate melting, tempering, coating and cooling equipment manufactured by Hilliard’s is used worldwide by more than 6,000 customers.

In addition to being on the Kettle Committee, serving as chairman in 2002, Jim Bourne is active in the Retail Confectioners International (RCI), and the National Confectioners Association (NCA).

 He has served on the RCI Board of Directors and the RCI Advisory Board, chairing twice. Bourne also served on the NCA Supplier Advisory Committee.

He’s been an instructor at the RCI/Pulakos Candy School and Chocolate Boot Camp for the past 30 years. Bourne has received the RCI’s Henry Bornhofft award and the RCI President’s award and was inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame in 2012.

Elizabeth Clair
National Confectionery Sales Manager
Barry Callebaut
600 W Chicago Ave #860
Chicago, IL 60654
elizabeth_clair@barry-callebaut.com
Tel.: 312.859.7049

Elizabeth Clair is national confectionery sales manager for Barry Callebaut, the world’s largest chocolate and cocoa company.

A strong supporter of career-focused education, she serves on the boards of NCA's The Confectionery Foundation and the American Association of Candy Technologists, as well as the Curriculum Advisory Board of The French Pastry School in Chicago. She is a member of the inaugural class (2016) of the YPN's Future Leadership Program and a committee member for Western Candy Conference. She earned a master’s degree in communications with an emphasis on digital journalism and a bachelor’s degree in history, both from Stanford University.

Bill Copeland
President
aspecialtybox.com
12437 East 60th Street
Tulsa, OK, 74146
Tel: 918.629.6084
bcopeland@calvertco.com
www.aspecialtybox.com

Ray Cote
President
American Chocolate Mould Co.
1401 Church Street, Suite 5
Bohemia, NY, 11716
Tel: 631.589.5080
amerchoc@mindspring.com
www.americanchocolatemould.com

Ray Cote began his career in the candy / confectionery industry with American Chocolate Mould Co. in the spring of 1992, working together with Frank Friedwald. In 1999, Cote became a partner in the company, eventually taking over full ownership in January 2007 following Friedwald's retirement.

American Chocolate Mould Co. works in the U.S. and in Canada as a sales agent for some of the finest companies out of Europe, who manufacture machinery, chocolate moulds, aluminum foil and wrapping machinery. The companies represented are as follows:

Aasted ApS – Enrobers, cooling tunnels, chocolate moulding lines, tempering machines, melting / mixing  tanks, chocolate pumps, and various support pieces of equipment.

b.v. Vormenfabriek Tilburg – Producers of both injection moulded and vacuum formed polycarbonate chocolate moulds. They also produce a full line of silicone rubber moulds for high boiled sweets, fondant centers, and other sticky, difficult to de-mould products.

Caotech – Manufacturer of cocoa grinding equipment as well as ball mills and other cocoa processing machines.

Carcano Antonio S.p.A. – Manufacturer of aluminum foils, printed, plain, embossed, and supported (paperbacked).

CT Pack – Transport, aligning, in-feeding, flow-wrapping, and robotics used for wrapping and packing chocolates and baked goods.

Ecopack – Producers of paper cups used for the candy and baking industries.

Robert Dono
National Sales Manager – Confectionery
Robert Bosch GmbH
5 Deacon Dr.
Mercerville, N.J. 08619
Tel: 609.587.4879
Robert.Dono@Bosch.com

Scott Funk
Senior Sales Executive – Midwest
The Blommer Chocolate Co.
4277 West Shore Court
Westerville, Ohio, 43082
Tel: 216.533.6711 (cell)
sfunk@blommer.com
www.blommer.com

Scott Funk graduated from the Franklin University School of Public Administration.In August 1987, he joined Blommer Chocolate Company as their territory sales representative after working for five years with Sherwin Williams Co. in retail management and commercial sales units.  He is currently responsible for the Midwest sales effort at Blommer Chocolate, acting as senior sales executive serving the confectionery, baking and dairy industries. He is an active member of the NCA, PMCA, RCI, BCMA and IFT associations.

Tim Galloway
Chairman & CEO
The Galloway Co.
601 S. Commercial St.,
Neenah WI 54956
Tel: 920-886-2303
TimGalloway@GallowayCompany.com

Jim Greenberg
Co-President
Union Confectionery Machinery Co.
801-825 East 141st Street
Bronx, NY, 10454-1917
Tel: 718.585.0200 ext. 116
Cell: 203.913.9656
jim@unionmachinery.com
www.unionmachinery.com

Jim Greenberg, co-president of Union Confectionery Machinery Company, is responsible for worldwide confectionery machinery sales for his fourth-generation family-owned firm established in 1912. He is an active member of the National Confectioners Association (NCA), Retail Confectioners International (RCI), Pennsylvania Chocolate Manufacturers Association (PMCA), American Association of Candy Technologists (AACT) and The Candy Executives Club of New York. Greenberg has been a member of The Kettle Committee since 2000 and is a past chairman, vice chairman and committee secretary.

James H. Heinz
President & CEO
Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.
500 Academy Drive
Northbrook, IL, 60062
Tel: 847.291.8300
jheinz@bellff.com
www.bellff.com

James Heinz, the president and ceo of Bell Flavors & Fragrances, has a distinguished 35 year career with the company. Bell has been supplying flavors to the confectionery industry for 96 years. The high quality and unique flavors distinguished Bell from all flavor competitors. Heinz has a business degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a minor in chemistry.

Kathy Koszuta
Packaging Graphics & Tradeshow Specialist 
Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate North America
12500 W Carmen Ave / Milwaukee WI 53225 414-358-5732
kathy_koszuta@cargill.com

Kathy Koszuta started her career in 1988 with Ambrosia Chocolate. Throughout the subsequent changes in ownership through acquisition —first by ADM Cocoa in 1997 and then Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate in 2015 — she has held various positions, all within various marketing groups. Her current role is packaging graphics and tradeshow specialist. Koszuta is a past member of the RCI Associate Advisory Board.

Dominik Ladner
Bühler (Canada) Inc., Consumer Foods
7270 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 202
Markham ON, L3R 4B9 Canada
dominik.ladner@buhlergroup.com
Tel.: 905-754-8386

Dominik Ladner was born in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 1998. His educational background is  in Mechanical Process Engineering.  Soon after entering the workforce in Switzerland he moved into a sales role within the food industry.

He started in the confectionery industry with Bühler at the end of 2002 as a sales account manager for Cocoa and Chocolate.  In 2011 he was promoted to director of sales for North America – Cocoa & Nuts, Chocolate & Coffee.  In 2015 this business area was renamed into Consumer Foods.

In his current role Dominik is looking after various North American and Global Key Accounts in addition to leading the Bühler’s Consumer Foods Sales team.  Working closely with customers big and small ,he focuses on providing customized solutions with a long-term vision.  And yes, he does love chocolate, every day.

Denise Lansing
Account Sales Manager
Clasen Quality Chocolate
5126 West Terrace Drive
Madison, WI 
denise.lansing@cqc.com

A University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse graduate with Bachelor of Science degrees in chemistry and math as well as a minor in philosophy, Lansing started her career at Milwaukee-based Ambrosia Chocolate (WR Grace) in the research and development department in 1990. Through 2007, Lansing had the opportunity to work with chocolate, confections and cocoa powders. 

She eventually transitioned into a territory manager position, working with a sales manager to develop and grow the territory with select customers. Lansing then became a regional sales manager, working for ADM Cocoa, which purchased Ambrosia Chocolate in 1996, adding Mercken’s Chocolate, DeZaan and ED&F Mann Cocoa powder to the portfolio. During this period, she developed a hybrid role back into technical as a means of developing and growing key accounts.

In 2007, she joined Barry Callebaut to handle National Key Accounts. Lansing switched careers in 2009, opting for the classroom to teach math and chemistry for five years. She returned to ADM COCOA in 2014 in the RCI Account Manager role for Mercken’s Chocolate products When Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate North America purchased ADM COCOA in 2015, Lansing took on the role of Senior Account Manager. 

Crystal Lindell
Editor
Candy Industry Magazine
155 N. Pfingsten Rd., Suite 205
Deerfield, Il 60015
lindellc@bnpmedia.com

Crystal Lindell worked primarily at daily newspapers before joining BNP Media in 2010. While here she has worked on Candy Industry Magazine, Food Engineering Magazine and Food Safety Strategies. She holds a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois – Springfield and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Western Illinois University. And her favorite breakfast is a cup of espresso and Twix bar.

Patrick Murnane
Executive Vice President
Murnane Cos.

With his older brother, Frank Jr., Patrick Murnane serves as a member of the third generation of the family-owned and run Murnane Companies. Murnane Packaging Corp. is primarily a converter/manufacturer of paperboard “U” boards, layers, folding cartons, and other packaging. It traces its roots to the original business charter of Joseph H. Murnane in 1919.

Murnane Specialties, Inc. was started by Frank and Patrick on January 1988, primarily serving the confectionery and bakery industries as manufacturer of decorative/protective cushion pads, among other converted paper applications. Patrick is a past chairman (and current board member) of the NCA Equipment/Ingredient/Supply Council and was recipient of the 2016 NCA Supplier of the Year award. He was inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame in 2016.

Roderick Oringer
V.P. –Sales & Marketing
Rice & Co.
11500 Roosevelt Blvd.
Building D
Philadelphia, PA 19116-3080
215.673.7423
roringer@iriceco.com
www.concordfoods.com

Rod Oringer has been in the confectionery/frozen dessert ingredient manufacturing industry since 1978 when he went to work for the family business, Oringer Manufacturing Co. Inc. In doing so, he worked in all aspects of the business from production, purchasing and traffic to sales and finance.

In 1985, Oringer purchased the family business and ran it until 1989 when Concord Foods, Inc. acquired the business. He continues to work for the company and is currently the national sales and marketing manager of the Oringer division of Concord Foods, Inc.

Oringer graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. in 1980 with a B.S. in criminal justice. He and his wife Laurie reside in Weymouth, Mass., and have three children: Nichole, 26; Roderick Jr.,15; and Austin, 14. They are also blessed with a two-year-old grandson, Scott Joseph.

Brad Smith
Account Executive
Utah Paperbox
920 South 700 West
Salt Lake City, UT, 84104
801-363-0093 Ex. 230
brad_smith@upbslc.com

Brad Smith is the Director of National Business Development for UPB, which is an FSSC 22000, ISO 9001 and G7 certified folding carton printer & packaging manufacturer. With his education in Package and Graphic Design from SLCC, and an internship at Milprint Inc; he served as a package designer and artist for CPS Design Inc. often becoming involved in sales for flexible packaging at Milprint inc, Deluxe Packaging, and American Label.

He was offered the position of Package Design Coordinator and CSR at UPB coordinating graphics between the graphic agencies and print production at UPB, later moving structure design and then into Sales and Marketing, and presently in National Business Development. His background in graphics, as well as flexo, litho and digital printing and package design have led to a close relationship with accounts that span the globe. He has enjoyed a close relationship with a large number of candy manufactures over the years.

Brad was one of the owners of Wasatch Container, a corrugated sheet plant, and a member of their board for 20 years. He has served on the Board of the Great Salt Lake Council of the BSA, and presently serves on the board of the Western Candy Association with responsibilities for AV and Graphic Materials.