Food and beverage processors face significant disruptions with changing consumer demand, growing complexity in supply chains, and ever stringent food safety mandates. Today’s food and beverage processor must implement the appropriate processes and systems that not only manage recalls, reporting and document control, but also offer the flexibility to respond to changing regulatory requirements.

An environmental and safety compliance leader with over 20 years of corporate, academic, and government experience, Becky Wehrman-Andersen has joined Kestrel as a Senior Consultant, based out of Des Moines, Iowa. Becky has hands-on experience in chemistry safety, regulatory compliance, hazardous waste management, emergency response, training, compliance assessments, EPA negotiations, and biological and chemical sciences.

Becky has particular expertise in hazardous waste management, hazardous waste site assessments, special waste identification and permitting, complex hazardous pharmaceutical disposal strategies, emergency response, risk identification and technical support. She is an expert in chemical risk management and environmental compliance, and has exceptional experience as an expert witness and in negotiating EPA and DNR penalty reduction. Further, Becky is adept in safety program management, training, and market development consultation. She is a professional speaker/trainer with extensive experience in training on the technical aspects of EPA, OSHA, and DOT compliance and chemical risk minimization, and is a North American Hazardous Materials Managers (NAHMMA) and Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) certified trainer.

Read Becky’s complete bio for more information.

Expanded services help food and beverage processors select, implement enterprise technology
to reduce risk, meet food safety mandates.

Kestrel is pleased to announce our partnership with Ultra Consultants, Inc. (Ultra) to provide food safety compliance and remediation advisory services to North American food and beverage processors. The expanded services created through this relationship will help food and beverage processors better select and implement enterprise technology to reduce risk and meet food safety mandates by effectively integrating compliance programs into core business processes and systems.

Meeting Industry Needs

Food and beverage processors face significant industry disruptions with changing consumer demand, growing complexity in supply chains, and more stringent food safety mandates. Today’s food and beverage processor must implement the appropriate processes and systems that not only manage recalls, reporting and document control, but also offer the flexibility to respond to changing regulatory requirements.

Kestrel’s Bill Bremer, Principal, Food Safety Compliance, reinforces, “We’ve heard from leading food and beverage processors that there is a critical need for expertise and tools that help meet ever-escalating food safety requirements. This alliance will enable food and beverage processors to more efficiently reduce operational risks, achieve food safety requirements, and realize sustained value through effective use of enterprise technology.”

Expanded Services

As part of this strategic alliance, food processors will benefit from advisory services that help meet and sustain food safety compliance, certifications, and regulatory mandates by applying proven methodologies in the following areas:

• Food and Beverage Compliance Systems Integration/Scaling Support
• Food and Beverage Compliance Certification Support
• Compliance Remediation
• Food Safety Business Process Improvement (BPI)

“These expanded offerings complement Ultra’s existing business process improvement services,” explains Jeff Carr, CEO and Founder of Ultra Consultants. “The food safety services also leverage proven methodologies in the enterprise technology selection, evaluation and implementation Ultra’s independent advisers have delivered over the last twenty-five years. More importantly, these expanded services help food processors meet a pressing need – selecting and implementing the right technology to meet strict food safety mandates.”

Read more about our expanded offerings.

About Ultra Consultants
Ultra Consultants is an independent research and enterprise solutions consulting firm serving the manufacturing and distribution industries throughout North America, as well as companies with global operations. Since 1994, Ultra has delivered enterprise technology expertise and process management to drive business performance improvement for our clients. More information on the company’s services, leadership, industry verticals served, and software vendor relationships can be found at www.ultraconsultants.com.

Kestrel welcomes Gary Wills as Business Development Director for Kestrel’s growing Food Safety division. Gary will be working with Kestrel’s food safety team to introduce Kestrel’s food safety certification and compliance services to an ever-expanding market impacted by FSMA requirements and GFSI standards.

Gary has extensive experience working with companies in the food and beverage market, particularly those seeking food safety certification. He is well-versed in the GFSI-benchmarked standards and has managed global, national, regional, and startup accounts at the food safety, quality, procurement, product development, and senior management/ownership levels.

Prior to joining Kestrel, Gary served as the Director of Sales, Food & Beverage, for DNV GL Business Assurance, where he facilitated many large opportunities into sales; oversaw several key global projects; and developed strong relationships with some of the nation’s largest food and beverage processors, retailers, and food service organizations.

Gary has experience with the following certifications: FSSC 22000, SQF, BRC, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001. He is a member of the Institute for Food Technologists (IFT) and International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) and has completed the FSSC Lead Auditor training. Gary has his Bachelor of Business from Western Illinois University.

Kestrel Principal and Chief Engineer Jack Anderson recently became a Certified Remote Pilot under the FAA’s Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) Rule (14 CFR part 107). Part 107 explicitly regulates commercial sUAS activities. This sUAS certification allows pilots to commercially operate/fly drones under 55 pounds.

Jack works with Kestrel Consultant and Certified Remote Pilot Rachel Mulholland to lead Kestrel’s UAS Program Management service offering. Kestrel assists industrial clients with designing and establishing/improving their drone management programs. Our objective is to help companies design and implement a drone program management system that meets business objectives, while ensuring compliance with FAA requirements and minimizing drone-related risks. Kestrel has worked extensively with drones, developing and managing one of the largest industrial UAS programs in the U.S.

Read more about Kestrel’s UAS Program Management offering.

The Midwest Food Products Association’s Annual Convention brings together leaders in the food processing industry to discuss trends, view new technologies, share expertise, and network with professionals in different companies and disciplines.

MWFPA Annual Convention
November 27-29, 2018
Kalahari Resort | Wisconsin Dells, WI

Kestrel Presentation: Bringing Your Drone Program to Scale
Wednesday, November 28 at 9:30 a.m.
Jack Anderson, Kestrel Management Chief Engineer

This year, Kestrel Management will be talking about the growing applicability of drones and best practices from our experience managing industrial-scale drone programs. Kestrel’s presentation will discuss how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology (a/k/a drones) can be applied across various industries. We will cover some of the risks and opportunities associated with building an industrial drone program and share lessons learned from our experiences. We’ll address common questions, including the following:

• What does it take to build an industrial drone program?
• How can UAS technology fit into your current business model?
• What challenges can occur when you introduce drones to your business operations?
• How do you ensure you operate in compliance with FAA regulations?

Join us at the MWFPA Annual Convention and get the information and resources you need to meet the ongoing challenges of customer demands.

The NACD Annual Meeting is all about bringing together industry leaders to help better understand and address top challenges facing chemical distributors. Kestrel’s Jake Taylor will be available throughout the Annual Meeting and would enjoy the opportunity to talk further about your company’s challenges—and how we can help.

NACD Annual Meeting
November 12-15, 2018
Omni Las Costa | Carlsbad, California

Kestrel has been a long-standing NACD Preferred Compliance Provider, Responsible Distribution Adviser, and Gold Corporate Sponsor. We provide leading EHS&S and food safety compliance expertise, information technology integration, and Responsible Distribution assistance. Whether helping members manage audits, inspections, and overall compliance or creating technology solutions tailored to your business needs, Kestrel will help address your challenges.

Look for us in the Business Marketplace at booth #15.

We look forward to seeing our clients and friends—both old and new—at the Annual Meeting in Carlsbad!

Attending the Food Safety Consortium? Make plans to also join Kestrel at the FSSC 22000 Information Day on November 13, 2018. We will be joined by Cor Groenveld, Market Development Manager, and Jacqueline Southee, NA Representative, both with FSSC 22000, the GFSI-benchmarked certification program.

Learn about:

• Implications and benefits of the recent updates to FSSC 22000
• How the revised ISO 22000 standard will impact FSSC 22000
• The future of food safety management
• How the new FSSC 22000 certification can benefit your food safety program

FSSC 22000 Information Day
Hosted by Kestrel Management and FSSC 22000
November 13, 2018
8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (includes networking lunch)
1821 Walden Office Square Suite 400
Schaumburg, IL

And stop by to visit Kestrel at the Food Safety Consortium – Booth #119. If you haven’t registered, yet, please be our guest and use our discount code (Cubs) at registration.

The AirWorks 2018 Conference is focused on the growing commercial drone industry and how developers, partners, and operators can work to reshape the global economy with drones. This year, Kestrel Management will be teaming with Union Pacific Railroad to talk about our experience and lessons learned from managing industrial-scale drone programs.

AirWorks 2018
October 30 – November 1, 2018
Dallas, Texas

Kestrel Presentation: Bringing Your Drone Program to Scale: Lessons Learned from Going Big

Thursday, November 1 at 11:00 a.m.
Rachel Mulholland, Kestrel Management Consultant, Industrial UAS Programs
Edward Adelman, Union Pacific Railroad, General Director of Safety

This presentation will discuss the risks and opportunities associated with building an industrial drone program and share some of the lessons learned from our experience. We’ll discuss common questions, including the following:

• What does it take to build an industrial drone program?
• How can UAS technology fit into your current business model?
• What challenges can occur with fleets of certified remote pilots and unmanned vehicles?
• How do you ensure you operate in compliance with FAA regulations?
• What are some common pitfalls to avoid and best practices to incorporate into your program?

Why You Should Attend

If you currently have a drone program or are looking to implement one, this event is for you!

• Attend sessions focused on the industry track most relevant to your business: construction, energy, agriculture, public safety, infrastructure
• Network with companies that are on the forefront of enterprise drone adoption
• Get a preview of the latest drone technologies
• Receive hands-on training from experienced industry leaders and instructors

Join the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) and Kestrel Principal Evan Fitzgerald for a free webinar on Responsible Distribution Code XIII. We will be taking a deeper dive into Code XIII.D., which focuses on cybersecurity and information. Find out ways to protect your company from this constantly evolving threat.

NACD Responsible Distribution Webinar
Code XIII & Cybersecurity Breaches
Thursday, September 20, 2018
12:00 -1:00 p.m. (EDT)