Point Labaddie Farmers Market

Over 30 years of involvement in the culinary and hospitality industries with experience as an entrepreneur, small business professional, and business principal, in diverse industries and market sectors including Food Science, Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, and Catering; Agribusiness/Farmers’ Markets; Event Planning & Management; Health and Wellness. Creating relationships and sharing my passion through information, education, storytelling, social media, and events Conceptualizing/establishing/promoting/marketing/managing small businesses and building strong, enduring relationships with diverse stakeholders, including municipal officials and government agencies, and with the public to support/further their success. Farmers Markets/Agribusiness Marketing and Promotions, Teaching, Presentations, Event Planning, Media Relations, Health and Wellness, Customer Service, Optimizing Online Presence Culinary Education including Food, Wine, Cider, and Spirits, Building Alliances and Partnerships, Food Science, Public Relations Liaison with Stakeholders Consummate and enthusiastic food professional experienced in many aspects of food science, culinary and pastry arts, and beverages; a knowledgeable and passionate advocate for farmers and producers; collaborative relationship builder; exceptional interpersonal and presentation skills; known as resourceful, “can do,” professional with “magnetism that pulls people together to achieve a common objective.” Degree-equivalent-and-more college and university coursework plus extensive and varied continuing education. Experienced with a range of software and apps; advanced skills with social media. Proficient with creating/enhancing online presence and with electronic marketing; skilled with website management. Highlights of Experience and Employment – Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, and Catering Chef and Culinary Arts Educator, and S.O.L. Food Principal, for entrepreneurial venture/small businesses offering fact-finding classes, hands-on workshops, Farm events and visits, a variety of food and beverage tastings, cooking experiences, recipe sharing, and shopping experiences to educate, inform and influence: Passionate educator presenting cooking demonstrations and culinary education for locally owned, premier kitchen store merchandising kitchen tools and products and cooking classes/food and beverage experiences Highlights of Experience and Employment – Agribusiness/Farmers Markets. As a past board member and  President of the Missouri Farmers Market Association (MFMA), I am a long-term advocate for farmers and food producers. Gathering information, doing research, asking questions, attending conferences and classes, visiting farms, speaking with customers and clients, working with producers (brewers, bakers, vintners, chefs), authors, local and national government organizations, and organizing large-scale events and small intimate gatherings including popular Farmers’ Markets, promote farmers and agribusiness. Founder and Owner/Manager of a successful community market in a municipality of ± 9100 residents which drew attendees from a large suburban West County area Highlights of Experience Employment – Event Planning and Catering Founder/Owner/Principal of successful entrepreneurial event planning business, planning, organizing, and coordinating myriad details of annual meetings, conferences, and special events for 50-2500 participants and coordinating monthly on-site planning meetings with host organizations and sponsors Worked with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the National Zoo, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, The Conservation Fund, US Department of the Interior, Bass Pro Shops, and Washington, DC area media, chefs, caterers, food purveyors, party rental companies, and food & wine distributors to plan, coordinate, promote, and present Taste of the Wild, Chesapeake Style, a 1-night, $200/person, centennial celebration (2004) of the National Wildlife Refuge System held at