Each year, the American Society of Baking (ASB) honors individuals who have led the baking industry, demonstrating innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit with its Baking Hall of Fame award (created in 2005). Many of the individuals selected into the hall are recognized for their achievements in organizational growth and development, equipment design and innovation, advancements in ingredient technology and processing or related service to the commercial baking industry.
This year’s Hall of Fame recipients, announced at BakingTech, March 2-4, are Donald R. Shaffer, founder of Shaffer Manufacturing Corp.; Mariano, Eugenio, Renato, Umberto and Giancarlo Turano of Turano Baking Co.; and John J. Watson, former president and chairman of Watson Inc.
The Class of 2014’s contributions to the industry were described during the ceremonial opening general session on March 3. Shaffer, who died in 2013 at the age of 87, built his company to offer the most extensive and innovative line of horizontal mixers in the baking industry. Shaffer founded Shaffer Manufacturing Corp. in 1986, after serving as vice president and general manager of Peerless and vice president and general manager of the BE/W Mixer Division in Sidney, Ohio.
The Turanos—Mariano, who started the growing and enterprising family bakery business in Chicago, and his three sons, Renato, Umberto and Eugenio—all follow European traditions of producing fresh, quality, artisan-style breads and rolls. The successful, 50-plus-year-old bakery now includes four production locations across the country and 450 artisan-style stock-keeping units.
Watson, who joined his father, James, and brother, Robert, in the Watson Flour business in 1951, was instrumental in leading the company’s quality production of fine ingredient systems for food and supplements and continuing its goal to enhance human health and nutrition around the world. He also furthered the company’s expertise in microencapsulation, agglomeration, micronizing, spray drying and film technology, which allowed it to develop unique formulations and bakery products using the value-added ingredients it produces.
SF&WB congratulates all award recipients and their families. The Baking Hall of Fame is an initiative of the ASB to recognize industry innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. The award honors baking industry individuals for their achievements in organizational growth and development, equipment design and innovation, advancements in ingredient technology and processing or related service to the commercial baking industry. According to ASB, the baking industry in America is subdivided according to the industry’s segments of scale of production, processing technology and markets.
The Baking Hall of Fame is based at the American Institute of Baking (AIB) International in Manhattan, Kan., and is open to the public. For information, call 800-713-0462 or visit www.aibonline.org.
