Food & Travel Experts Join World Food Travel Association Board of Directors

. August 07, 2014

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA - August 7, 2014 - The World Food Travel Association is pleased to announce the addition of four new board members, bringing the board to a total of six veteran food and travel experts. With all the exciting news and changes the Association is undergoing in 2014, WFTA welcomes the influx of fresh ideas.

WFTA's Old and New Board members:

New Board Member, Elle Armon-Jones - Elle is the owner of The Big Foody Food Tours in Auckland, New Zealand and Feast New Zealand. With previous careers in hospitality, travel and tourism and sales and marketing, combining all the skills into a food tour company was a natural progression for her. Elle is the President of an Auckland-based food and wine society, a member of the New Zealand Guild of Food Writers and regular presenter for food and wine events.

New Board Member, Jim Kane - Jim is a recognized leader in the field of sustainable travel and the former community-based travel columnist for Transitions Abroad magazine. In 2003 Jim founded Culture Xplorers, a trip design lab with a vision to make travel more engaging and reciprocal. It is through this search for authentic engagement, sustainability and shared experience that Jim became immersed in the world of food - meeting with, learning from and collaborating with - some of the world's foremost chefs, farmers and artisan producers. What started as a desire to imbue travelers with a connection and sense of place, has evolved into a quest to explore the power of food to transform lives and communities.

New Board Member, Karen MacKenzie - Karen's boutique public relations and marketing firm, MacKenzie Agency, specializes in building awareness of culinary travel destinations and premium food, wine and beverage brands. In her nearly three decades in the global food, wine and travel industry she has represented Wines of Sicily, DOCG Prosecco Consorzio, Foods from Spain, and Napa Valley's Destination Yountville, among others, and has helped build brands ranging from Charles Krug to Häagen-Dazs. She is a past president of the San Francisco chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, and a former board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, where she currently serves as judge for its prestigious annual Cookbook Awards.

New Board Member, Rebecca Ponzi - Rebecca Ponzi is co-owner of Casal Cristiana Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil along with her husband, Michel Ponzi (co-owner of Ponzi Vineyards, Oregon, USA). In the summer of 2012, they jumped continents, with their two children to live in Le Marche, Italy. Rebecca has more than 25 years of marketing and public relations experience in retail, non-profit organizations, and the gourmet food and wine world.

Continuing Board Member, Brian F. Lorge, CCTP, HAAC: Brian is the President/CEO of Lorge Marketing Services, a boutique agency specializing in foodservice marketing, advertising, management services and consulting. Based in Chicago, LMS' clients include all types of foodservice businesses across the US and Canada with a focus on the Midwest. Lorge serves as Executive Director of two of the largest chapters of the American Culinary Federation, the ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine and the ACF Windy City Professional Culinarians. He also works with ACF National and other chapters including ACF Cleveland, handling various projects and marketing communications.

Continuing Chairman of the Board, Harold D. Partain, CTC CCTP: Harold has served on the Board of Directors of the World Food Travel Association (formerly International Culinary Tourism Association) since 2004. He has chaired various Association committees since then, including Education and also Membership. Harold has dedicated 40 years of his life to the travel industry. His management and training skills have lead several companies to success and recognition. Harold is a senior partner with McCabe Travel Group and owner of Epicopia Culinary Journeys. He lectures on travel styles and trends, destinations and the history of food for various travel organizations and industry conferences.

About the World Food Travel Association (WFTA)

The World Food Travel Association is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and the world's leading authority on food tourism. The Association is at the forefront of food and drink tourism development with cutting-edge products and services that meet the needs of today's food, drink, travel, hospitality and media professionals. The Association serves approximately 30,000 professionals in 135 countries.

For More Information:

World Food Travel Association website www.worldfoodtravel.org

Get social with us www.worldfoodtravel.org/social/

Press Contact:
Erik Wolf, Executive Director
World Food Travel Association

(+1) 503-213-3700 (GMT-8)
[email protected]

Business Contact:

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