The FCSI Southwest Chapter will host a luncheon on October 21st in conjunction with the Food Service Equipment Exposition at the Southern California Gas Company which will take place October 20th and 21st in Downey California. Details to follow!

FCSI Midwest Chapter Event - Trash Talk

October 22

Kendall College, Chicago

1:00-6:30 pm

$50 per member

A panel discussion of experts reviewing methods of food service waste disposal and the green movement. Focusing on understanding kitchen equipment choices and applications. The panel will bring real world case studies to review and discuss. For more info or to register, click here (Be sure to log in to the website before completing the registration form!).

Solutions 3 Conference

March 2-3, 2016

Microsoft Headquarters, Redmond, WA

FCSI Nashville Conference

April 14-16, 2016

Are you Following FCSI on Facebook?

Are you following us on Facebook? Like us now to stay informed on the industry and the society.

FCSI-TA Headquarters has a New Address

FCSI The Americas
3309 Robbins Road #171
Springfield, IL 62704

309-808-2165 (same phone)

A Message to FCSI-TA Members from the Chair

Bill Taunton, FCSI

Dear Fellow Members,

How can we better market our profession, FCSI, and our industry? Those are always the questions that members ask me; and honestly, I have asked myself the same questions hundreds of times for the benefit of my own business, and of course for FCSI.

Of course, the first answer will be... invest more money in marketing which we are doing more and more in FCSI each year. Reading letters from some members from all over the world I have also figured out that it�s us and only us who can market our profession, FCSI and our industry.

FCSI is only an acronym behind our names if we don�t stand behind what we say we are - professionals in the foodservice industry. If we do outstanding work, display outstanding professionalism, and practice outstanding ethics, those FCSI initials after our name mean a lot. If we don't, the initials lose their importance.

FCSI is a body of members looking to organize the ethics, knowledge and experience of all of us and to help build an image for foodservice consulting professionals. FCSI helps us tremendously in this regard, but ultimately the best marketing tool is us and our work.

This month FCSI will embark on the first of several ventures in Latin America, starting in Mexico City at the ABASTUR Show. On September 1st a panel of FCSI professional members, selected by a volunteer committee within FCSI, will be participating in a seminar about trends in foodservice. All sectors of FCSI are represented in the panel, including MAS, Design and Allied members. I want to thank them all for being available to help us promote the FCSI brand to this new audience. September 2nd-4th, FCSI will participate in the Espacio Food & Service in Santiago, Chile, and September 14th-17th FCSI will have a presence at Equipotel in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Regardless of who is on the panel at Abastur or who represents FCSI at the Espacio or Equipotel shows, we are ALL the face and the soul of FCSI, and therefore the best marketing tool for FCSI.

Once again I encourage all of you to Share, Support and Inspire each other, the Society and the industry.

Thank you all very much and best regards.

William Taunton, FCSI-TA - Chair

Join FCSI at the Abastur Show

Join FCSI at the Espacio Show

Help FCSI Promote Its Student Competition

Now is the time to help FCSI get the word out about its Student Competition! The Committee for Emerging Consultants has been hard at work finalizing details for the Inaugural FCSI Student Competition. Visit the Student Chapters page to see what resources are available to you in order to get the word out about the competition.This includes the 2-sided flyer, a presentation to help you with talking points (whether you are contacting your alma mater or speaking to college students) and the competition rules for entry. Contact Kimberly for more information or to pass along school contacts.

Join FCSI at Equipotel in Sao Paulo!

The Equipotel Show is an international trade fair for equipment, products, services, food and beverages for resorts, hotels, motels, villas, restaurants, bars, pubs, shops, fast food, industrial kitchens, laundries and similar. Visit Website

September 14-17, 2015
Location: Park Exhibition Pavilion Anhembi
Rua Olavo Fontoura, 1209 | S�o Paulo / SP

FCSI Education Providers - helping FCSI Consultant Members help their Clients through Continuing Education

A tremendous THANK YOU to the 2015 FCSI Education Providers, who are committed to providing education on the latest trends in foodservice, including technology, energy efficiency, cooking methods, equipment and consumer habits.

Contact FCSI Education Providers today to learn more about training opportunities, all of which qualify for CEUs.

If you are a Corporate Member and are interested in providing education sessions for Consultants, click here to learn more about becoming an FCSI Education Provider.

2015 Education Providers

FCSI TA Board Trustee Nominations

FCSI TA Professional Members, how would you like to make an impact within your division? The FCSI TA Board of Trustees is looking for at least 10 individuals to fill up to 5 openings on its Board beginning in January 2016. The Board is instrumental in advancing the Division into the future utilizing our strategic plan. All trustee positions serve an initial two-year term with an option to serve a 2nd term or elevate to an officer position. The Board meets face-to-face two times per year and hosts a conference call every month.

Our Trustee areas include:

Eastern Region - Dick Eisenbarth will seek re-election

Midwest Region - Opening beginning in 2016

Western Region - Opening beginning in 2016

Canadian Region - Opening beginning in 2016

South America Region - Open

At Large Positions - 1 Opening beginning in 2016. The 2nd opening is occupied by Christine Guyott who will seek re-election

If you are interested in joining the board, please contact Wade Koehler, FCSI the Americas executive director at no later than Friday, September 4th.

Bruner/Cott + Colburn and Guyette Named Winners of 2015 Foodservice Pioneering Concept at the Newly Transformed IHMRS

New York City - (July 29, 2015) - A tapas and wine bar that unfolds from a box is the winner of the 2015 Foodservice Pioneering Concept competition sponsored by HX: The Hotel Experience (formerly the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show). Architectural firm Bruner/Cott, Cambridge, MA, and foodservice design and consulting firm Colburn & Guyette, Rockland, MA, collaborated to create the small-plates concept.

Bienvenu unfolds silently from what appears to be a high-top reception table that could be located in a lobby area of a hotel, retail mall or transportation concourse, in an academic setting or restaurant space. Unfolded, the concept comprises a small bar with bar seats, a pos counter fronted by a cold tapas display case and a wine bar.

Bienvenu will be built to a scaled, working model on the exhibit floor during HX 2015, November 8-10, at the Javits K. Center Convention Center in New York.

"With the transformation of IHMRS to HX, we're aiming for a totally redesigned industry event that's interactive, innovative and inspiring. Bienvenu delivers on all three of those objectives and we are pleased to showcase it to attendees at this year's show," says Phil Robinson, HX Group Show Director. Wade Koehler, Executive Director of the Foodservice Consultants Society International, adds, "What I love about the Foodservice Pioneering Concept is how it showcases tomorrow's trends today. It gives operators a chance to physically witness what innovation looks like." Full Release

Consultants: Log CEUs in Your FCSI Journal

It's hard to believe we are more than half way through 2015! Have you kept track of the programs you attended to meet your continuing education requirements that comes with FCSI membership?

Annual Requirements
Associates: 3 CEUs
Senior Associates: 6 CEUs
Professionals: 12 CEUs

Questions about logging CEUs in your journal? Contact Kimberly

CPSTA...a Newbie's Perspective

Connie Dickson, FCSI

Like most new members of FSCI, I first encountered CPSTA as the body that oversees continuing education and manages the process for becoming a professional member. Since becoming a member of the council this year, I've learned that CPSTA is a dynamic group with ambitious goals to support professional growth for FCSI members. Here are some glimpses into CPSTA's work in progress.

With a well-established pathway to professional membership, CPSTA is currently hard at work on developing parallel pathways for members in Latin America and Quebec. We are, after all, FCSI - The Americas! CPSTA has recommended developing a process for Latin America in partnership with local members who can help identify the body of knowledge materials for that region. If approved, taking the next steps will keep us busy for many months to come.

Meanwhile, CPSTA continues to brainstorm how best to provide educational value to the membership and ensure those FCSI initials remain meaningful. We welcome your thoughts, so please contact any of us to share ideas and suggestion. We'll keep you posted with updates as they become available!

Revit Foodservice Equipment Standards Updated for 2015

The Revit Foodservice Equipment Standards document has been updated for 2015. All files and documents pertaining to the Revit Foodservice Equipment Standards can now be found on the Revit Standards Page, and is available for all members and non-members to access. Highlights include newly clarified standards for line subcategories, including their line styles, and a materials library file for family creation to allow for greater consistency. There is also a statement addressing the need to keep Revit Foodservice Equipment families within two versions of the current Revit release. Manufacturers are encouraged to not create families as wall based or face based as this can cause issues with linked files. These updates will aid in better quality families for all users.