At the American Association of Candy Technologists’ (AACT) 2010 Technical Seminar, held late last month in Lincolnshire, Ill., Robert Boutin, principal and president of Skokie, Ill.-based Knechtel, Inc., was presented with the association’s highest honor: the Stroud Jordan award. 

Judy Cooley, principal scientist -international research & development at The Hershey Co. and last year’s Stroud Jordan recipient, presented Boutin with a medallion featuring the image of Stroud Jordan, a renowned confectionery scientist and co-founder of the AACT.  

Each year since 1951, the AACT has presented the award to someone in the industry who’s contributed significantly in the area of education, organization or research.   

Boutin, who was visibly moved by the presentation, told attendees he was “accepting the award with the understanding that I’m accepting it for everybody here. It’s about helping other people…Without the support and help of each other, we wouldn’t be as successful an industry as we are.” 

 Boutin-whose career includes stints at the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute; Sunmark, Inc. (Willy Wonka Confections); Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. and Wilton Enterprise-is a co-inventor of eight patents. 

 Knechtel Inc. provides food development and engineering expertise and support for confectionery, food and pharmaceutical products. 

 For more information, visit www.knechtel.com and www.aactcandy.org