Sustainability In The Food Industry: INTM Alumni Hear From Mcdonald’s and Goose Island Brewery

Bachelors of Industrial Technology and Management (BINTM) and Masters of Industrial Technology and Operations (MITO) joined other Alumni, Faculty, and staff from the Industrial Technology and Management (INTM) program at IIT in late June to make connections and hear from fellow IIT Alums Michele Banik-Rake and Chris Anderson speak about Sustainability in the Food Industry. Banik-Rake (IIT Stuart School of Business) provided her perspective as Director of Sustainability—Worldwide Supply Chain for McDonald’s Corporation, and Anderson (BINTM ’12) spoke about Sustainability initiatives that he has been involved in as Supply Chain Manager for Goose Island Brewery. Blake Davis, INTM Adjunct Professor, Sustainability and Urban Agriculture, moderated a lively discussion in response to audience questions. It was clear that sustainability in the food industry is implemented at many levels, and strategies for developing sustainable food systems vary widely. Banik-Rake spoke about McDonalds’ externally focused business model in which sustainability involves developing sustainable sources of high quality beef for their restaurants. Anderson spoke about how sustainability at Goose Island has become an internally focused set of principles that guide employees in their use and disposal of all materials involved in the production of beer.

During the INTM Summer Alumni Gathering at the IIT McCormick Tribune Campus Center, 20 new INTM graduates from the class of 2014-15 received plaques indicating their official status as INTM Alums. Mardi Adourian (BINTM ’11) welcomed all of the guests and spoke with them about opportunities to become involved in an INTM Alumni Group. Anyone with questions or ideas about how they can participate in planning future Alumni events and activities, please contact Eve Gutmann at egutmann@iit.edu.