Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) has announced its 2012 award winners. The prestigious WFF awards bestowed annually recognize the achievements of outstanding leaders in the foodservice industry.

Awards honor individuals and organizations that, through their accomplishments and dedication, have significantly impacted individuals, organizations, the WFF or the industry at large.

“At WFF, we have the honor of working with some of the brightest and boldest individuals and organizations in the foodservice industry,” says WFF President and CEO Fritzi Woods.

“It is our privilege to recognize the incredible examples of individuals and organizations pushing the limits of what is possible.”

The 2012 WFF award winners include:

• SOAR Award to General Mills. The sixth annual Jackie B. Trujillo Outstanding SOAR Award, sponsored by Yum! Brands honors one foodservice company that is supremely dedicated to attracting, educating and promoting women to the highest positions in the organization. General Mills provides a strong development path for women by leveraging dozens of network and employee resource groups and by providing structured coaching at all levels to ensure women can receive high-quality mentoring throughout their career. Their strong values and long-term commitment to representation, career paths, and meeting the needs of women create an environment where they – and all employees – can flourish.

• WFF Trailblazer Award to Pat Harris Vice President & Global Chief Diversity Officer, McDonald’s Corporation. The Trailblazer Award is reserved for those individuals who show dedication to improving the foodservice industry through their support of gender diversity. Harris is responsible for the development and implementation of diversity strategies throughout McDonald’s Corporation including the 31,489 restaurants in 118 countries. Under her leadership, McDonald’s has been widely recognized for its commitment to inclusion and diversity.

• WFF Leadership Award to Cheryl A. Bachelder, President Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, CEO AFC Enterprises. The Leadership Award is given each year to a woman executive in the foodservice industry who shows exceptional leadership qualities within her company and the industry at large. Bachelder creates work environments where people can do their best work. She believes in a passionate, purposeful approach to work where the focus is on coaching and developing people to be leaders with competence and character.

• WFF Volunteer of the Year Award to Karen Williams, Executive Director, Strategy Implementation, Applebee’s Services. The Volunteer of the Year is presented to a WFF volunteer who is highly active in the organization and shows effort above and beyond expectations. Williams has a long history of supporting local and national charitable organizations. She currently serves on the Finance Committee of the Susan G. Komen Foundation national board and is a past member of the board of directors for The Family Place and Head Start of Greater Dallas. She is an active member of the WFF, where she is proud to have contributed to the organization’s strategic and leadership development agendas.

Award winners will be honored at the WFF Annual Leadership Development Conference April 22-25 in Dallas. For more information, visit http://annual.womensfoodserviceforum.com.  

The Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) is the industry’s premier leadership development organization with more than 20 years of experience advancing women in the foodservice industry.