Stratecon International Consultants The Network of Independent Food Industry Professionals
Home | What we do | What we've done | Members | Links | Contact

Stan Iwanicki established Hill Country Food Consultants on a solid foundation of 35 years of food industry experience. He will assist you in designing and implementing food safety, allergen control, food defense and protection, GMP, GAP, and HACCP programs. He can show you how to convert your existing forms to digital formats for real-time, on-line analysis and management of your processes. The result is a comprehensive system that utilizes the elements of existing compliance practices in combination with common sense solutions to address current issues and requirements.

In addition, Stan is also available to support your label design and review process as well to provide expert input regarding nutrient content and health claims. His goal is to provide expert guidance and counsel to companies of any size as they face the challenges posed by today's increasing demands from customers, consumers and regulatory agencies.

Stan received his M.S. and B.S. in Food Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also earned an MBA from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

Stan's industry experience includes key regulatory compliance, food safety, quality assurance and product development positions at some of the nation's top food companies.

Most recently he spent 17 years as the corporate officer responsible for food safety, food defense and protection, and compliance with FDA, USDA, and EPA regulations as Vice President of Science & Technology at Birds Eye Foods, Inc. He coordinated corporate compliance with the facility registration and recordkeeping provisions of the Bioterrorism Act and managed food label changes required by the Nutrition Labeling Act of 1990, Trans Fatty Acid Nutrition Labeling final rules, and the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer protection Act. He also developed and implemented a corporate Environmental Awareness program and a companion facility audit program to assure compliance with environmental regulations and to instill a compliance culture at the facility level.

Prior employment included:

• Manager, Quality Assurance and Product Development at Pepsico Foods International: Stan developed and implemented quality assurance and food safety systems, coordinated international product and packaging development activities, and supervised production line start-ups for new product introductions worldwide. He also planned, equipped, staffed and managed a snack food and seasoning applications pilot plant.
• Manager, Quality Assurance at International Nabisco Brands: Stan developed, implemented and audited quality assurance and food safety programs in fifty-five manufacturing facilities located in twenty-five countries with worldwide sales of over $1 billion.
• Manager, Quality Assurance of the Food Enterprises Division at the Ralston Purina Company: Stan's responsibilities included technical evaluation and selection of contract packers and monitoring of contractor performance. Additionally, he developed and implemented food safety and quality assurance programs for the transition of co-packed products to in-house manufacturing.
• Technical Director at Green Bay Foods Company, a division of Dean Foods Company: Stan was responsible for division technical operations, coordinated quality assurance activities at two plants and acted as liaison with the corporate technical staff.
• Food Scientist at Dean Foods Company: Stan conducted product development activities in spray dried protein systems, dry mixes, and pourable salad dressings.

Stan Iwanicki has spent over thirty years working with a broad range of food products in a variety of corporate settings in both domestic and international markets. Through this experience, he has developed a comprehensive approach to integrating the requirements of state and local regulatory agencies, the FDA, USDA, EPA and DHS into manageable policies and procedures.

He can "translate" regulatory and scientific language into terms and concepts that can be easily understood by those at all levels of an organization - from the boardroom to the plant floor. He can provide assistance in developing timely, informative presentations and programs for meetings and workshops.

Areas

• Food safety
• Food Defense and Protection (Food Security)
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's)
• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP's)
• Hazard Analysis and Control of Critical Points (HACCP)
• Allergen Control Programs
• Automated Data Collection and Management
• Vendor Certification
• Facility Audits
• Policy and Procedures Development and Implementation
• Label Design and Review
• Nutrient Content and Health Claim Development and Review
• Recall Planning and Execution

• Frozen Fruits and Vegetables
• Frozen Entrees (meat and non-meat)
• Salty Snacks (potato chips, corn chips, extruded products)
• Acidified Foods (pickles and sauerkraut)
• Pourable Salad Dressings and Mayonnaise
• Spray Dried Products
• Dry Mixes
• Low Acid Canned Foods
• Jerky Products

During his industry career, Stan was actively involved in food trade association activities. He has served as:

• Chair of the Meat & Poultry Products Committee, the Frozen Products Technical Committee, and the Laboratory Research Committee and Member of the Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Council of the Food Products Association (formerly the National Food Processors Association).
• Chair of the Government Relations Committee and the Scientific Review Committee of the Snack Food Association.
• Member of the Scientific and Regulatory Policy Council of the Grocery Manufacturers of America.
• Member of the Food Industry Advisory Council of the National Center for Food Protection and Defense (affiliated with the University of Minnesota).

• Institute of Food Technologists
• International Association for Food Protection
• Food Industry Advisory Committee for the Department of Nutrition and Food
• Science at Texas A&M University
• Texas Food Processors Association