N.C. Department of Correction--Correction News--August 1998

Food service personnel honored

GREENSBORO — Robert L. Stevens, food service supervisor at Hyde Correctional Center, has been named the 1998 Operator of the Year for outstanding performance in correctional food service. The North Carolina chapter of the American Correctional Food Service Association presented Stevens with the award during the annual state conference of the ACFSA held in June.

Robert L. Stevens

 Approximately 75 people attended the three-day conference in Greensboro, designed to keep food service personnel up-to-date on trends in the industry, sharpen leadership and management skills, expose personnel to new ideas concerning food service equipment and to allow them to meet other professionals in the field.

Stevens was honored during an awards luncheon held on the final day of the conference.

Thomas W. Ingram, assistant superintendent at Hyde Correctional Center, said Stevens is responsible for the smooth and cost-efficient operation of the food service department at Hyde.

"Mr. Stevens monitors the budget on a daily basis, looking at inventories and expenditures to save in any way he can," he said. "His experience in food service and knowledge of how to run a food service department is excellent. Of all the departments at Hyde, Mr. Stevens’ department is the best running with very few problems. He is respected by the staff and inmates alike."

Steve Bailey, director of the western region, spoke on the importance of food service personnel during the awards luncheon.

Audrey Edmisten

 "What you do is important to this agency," he said. "We really have to look at the magnitude of what our food service people do, preparing 672,000 meals a week, 2,880,000 meals a month and 35,040,000 meals a year. When you consider what it takes to order, store, inventory, maintain and prepare 35 million meals each year, it’s overwhelming."

Others recognized during the awards luncheon include Dorothy Dennis of the Vance County Jail, who was named Food Service Employee of the Year by the association, and Audrey Edmisten, administrative dietician with the department, who was the recipient of two scholarships, provided by the NCACFSA and the Carolina Food Service Suppliers Association.The scholarships can be used for food service related degrees, certifications or to attend approved conferences.

Throughout the three-day conference, food service personnel attended several informational sessions including sessions on Food Trends for the Millennium, Food Service Equipment Available Today, Food Allergies, Food History and Proper Equipment for Correct Temperatures.u

NC DOC Homepage
NC DOC News
NC DOC WEB Index
E-mail NC DOC