Kristin Demoranville

That sounds so fun. So I love your memory. That's brilliant. And also, I think that we can say your favorite food is probably anything your wife makes.

That sounds so fun. So I love your memory. That's brilliant. And also, I think that we can say your favorite food is probably anything your wife makes.

I mean, you have your bad days. Like I made a bad meal the other day. Thank you very much for that, Rick. And I'm going to let you introduce yourself to the audience.

I mean, you have your bad days. Like I made a bad meal the other day. Thank you very much for that, Rick. And I'm going to let you introduce yourself to the audience.

And I am a subscriber to Food Safety Tech. So should you know, Rick, I don't know if you ever knew that, but I am. It's actually really great, especially for those of us who are on the peripheral of the industry, because it's, you know, current events, opinions, what's going on. It's actually a really, you've done a brilliant job.

And I am a subscriber to Food Safety Tech. So should you know, Rick, I don't know if you ever knew that, but I am. It's actually really great, especially for those of us who are on the peripheral of the industry, because it's, you know, current events, opinions, what's going on. It's actually a really, you've done a brilliant job.

I haven't found an article on there that I didn't find to be engaging. Maybe I haven't dug deep enough, but generally speaking, everything I've read has been great. You could tell that it's well curated and well loved. So thank you for that work. You mentioned the consortium, the Food Safety Consortium, which is actually coming up in October. I am a speaker, but we can get into that later.

I haven't found an article on there that I didn't find to be engaging. Maybe I haven't dug deep enough, but generally speaking, everything I've read has been great. You could tell that it's well curated and well loved. So thank you for that work. You mentioned the consortium, the Food Safety Consortium, which is actually coming up in October. I am a speaker, but we can get into that later.

Why did you start this, Rick? Why did you decide to start a conference, to start a publication? Those are two things I don't think people wake up in the morning and think, I want to do that because it's a lot of work and you do a great job. I'm not saying that the conference isn't wonderful and I just obviously raved about your publication, but why? What led you to that?

Why did you start this, Rick? Why did you decide to start a conference, to start a publication? Those are two things I don't think people wake up in the morning and think, I want to do that because it's a lot of work and you do a great job. I'm not saying that the conference isn't wonderful and I just obviously raved about your publication, but why? What led you to that?

Yeah, there were other kids.

Yeah, there were other kids.

That is, I didn't actually know the whole story. So I really appreciate that. Now I have even more respect because you had to be patient too and kind of wait for some things to get together. And you had a fundraise. I mean, I'm sure you're still fundraising, but entrepreneurs, we never stop. But that's amazing.

That is, I didn't actually know the whole story. So I really appreciate that. Now I have even more respect because you had to be patient too and kind of wait for some things to get together. And you had a fundraise. I mean, I'm sure you're still fundraising, but entrepreneurs, we never stop. But that's amazing.

And I don't really know if people know that story when they go to the consortium, obviously, because they just go and they listen to the talks and they do their things and they network.

And I don't really know if people know that story when they go to the consortium, obviously, because they just go and they listen to the talks and they do their things and they network.

It really is. I went to my first consortium three years ago, I think it was now, Rick. I think we've known each other for about three years. And I have never felt more seen by an industry that was not my industry. I mean, accepted immediately. I didn't even think about it. They didn't think about it. I was just immediately sit down, talk to us.

It really is. I went to my first consortium three years ago, I think it was now, Rick. I think we've known each other for about three years. And I have never felt more seen by an industry that was not my industry. I mean, accepted immediately. I didn't even think about it. They didn't think about it. I was just immediately sit down, talk to us.

And I just fell in love with the group of people and I'm still, and now I'm friends with most of them. So it's really this great community, like you said, that just comes together and wants to do the right thing. And the reason why it's such a good conference too is it's the candor that can come from it. Everybody speaks freely. There's really not a lot of fear in that.

And I just fell in love with the group of people and I'm still, and now I'm friends with most of them. So it's really this great community, like you said, that just comes together and wants to do the right thing. And the reason why it's such a good conference too is it's the candor that can come from it. Everybody speaks freely. There's really not a lot of fear in that.