SALINAS, Calif. – Markon is proud to announce Paul Malcolm of Johnson & Wales University (JWU) as the grand prize winner of their local garden scholarship raffle held at the Produce Marketing Association’s 28th Annual Foodservice Conference and Exposition in Monterey, California.
Malcolm is an Assistant Professor at the College of Culinary Arts, JWU in Charlotte, North Carolina. He holds a master’s degree in educational technology from Long Island University in Glen Head, New York and a bachelor’s degree in service and management from the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. In addition to teaching, Malcolm and fellow JWU instructor Robert Brener (a chef that specializes in European fusion cuisine) work closely with the university’s student/faculty garden club—called The Coop—that has transformed an inner city fenced lot into what is now the Little Sugar Creek Community Garden. Their work connects local citizens through community-centered agriculture and encourages the next generation of chefs to be socially responsible. Markon is thrilled to award this prize to Malcolm and his team.
To further the good work being done in Charlotte, Markon’s scholarship money will be used to construct a semi-permanent greenhouse for the JWU Community Garden, located in a gravel parking lot adjacent to campus that can be moved to better propagate plantings for the Little Sugar Creek Garden and other projects, as well as extend their growing season substantially.
“In assisting regional agriculture and further developing the JWU program we have come to a crossroads,” explains Malcolm. “We need to create a covered space that will allow us the opportunity to propagate plantings that can be utilized in other neighborhood gardens—as well as give us year-round harvesting capabilities.”
With plans already in the works, Markon and The Coop see the new greenhouse as an opportunity to not only increase fresh produce consumption, but also to bolster health and nutrition education in the area.
About Markon
Founded in 1985 to bring the voice of foodservice to the produce community, Markon Cooperative, Inc. connects North America’s independent, broadline foodservice distributors to the world’s finest produce grower-shippers. From its headquarters in Salinas, California, Markon provides fresh produce purchasing, logistics, information, and marketing services exclusively to its member companies and their foodservice customers. Markon’s nine members service over 75,000 accounts in North America, for annual sales in excess of $22 billion; they include Ben E. Keith, Gordon Food Service, GFS Canada, Institution Food House, Maines Paper & Food Service, Nicholas & Company, ProPacific Fresh, Reinhart FoodService, and Shamrock Foods Company. A leader in food safety, quality control, and innovation, Markon is also mindful of the produce industry's impact on people—from field workers to consumers. Read more about Markon at www.markon.com.
About Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University’s original Providence, Rhode Island campus was founded in 1914. The university has gone on to create three other campuses in Charlotte, Denver, and Miami. They offer a full university experience through a variety of clubs, organizations, Greek life, athletics, and leadership programs. The culinary program is one of the most highly respected in the United States, combining culinary skills with management education, work experience, social responsibility, and a foundation in the liberal arts. Unlike ordinary cooking schools, it is an accredited university that provides the critical thinking and business skills necessary to achieve long-term career goals. To learn more, click here: http://www.jwu.edu/#fbid=NnSX0tus1n8.
Source: Markon Cooperative, Inc.