Corporate Foodservice BAF/NET
Sales Team Portal
$module['seo_alt_text']

FAME Awards

Foodservice Achievement Management Excellence (FAME)

Basic American Foods FAME Awards are the pinnacle of achievement for the K-12 industry’s innovators and leaders. FAME Awards winners define excellence in every aspect of school foodservice achievement and leadership. They educate, inspire and motivate their staffs, communities, and the students they feed.

The 36th awards ceremony will be held in January 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona during SNIC.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winners!

Presenting this year’s FAME Award Recipients:

Golden Director Award

Bertrand Weber

Director of Culinary & Wellness Services,

Minneapolis Public Schools

Driven by his purpose to make a positive impact in the life of a child and help create a lifelong change in their health, Bertrand was inspired to enter the world of school nutrition after his son Eric was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He knows the problem isn’t just what children eat, but what is being offered to them. 

Bertrand is responsible for the overall operations of 72 sites, providing over 50,000 meals per day to students ranging from breakfast to supper, in addition to leading summer meals, food trucks, catering events, and more. Not only does he focus on food operations, he also manages the staff for his district’s Active Living Engagement, including Safe Route to School, Bike and Nutrition Education, and Bus Stop and Walk programs.   

Whether it’s his “farm-to-school’ approach sourcing fresh, seasonal ingredients, implementation of the ‘True Food No Waste’ action plan in collaboration with the National Resources Defense Council, or development of their district-wide Nutrition and Ingredient Guide focusing on functionality, he is continually rethinking how we use ingredients to create innovative, healthy meals. His commitment to school nutrition extends into the curriculum of his schools by working with educators to integrate nutrition education into school courses.   

Bertrand gives back by offering his service to local and national school districts, in addition to networking with national and international peers to leverage and share learnings. 

Silver Leadership Award

Katie Cossette, MDA, RDN, SNS

Director of Nutrition Services & Warehouse,

St. Vrain Valley Schools

Katie’s flexibility and willingness to adapt are key to her success as a leader. She is not afraid to embrace change, encourages her team to think differently, and is always open to new ideas. As a team leader, she fosters a culture of growth and gratitude, promoting professional development opportunities and ensuring her employees know their voice is not only heard, but deeply appreciated.  

Her ability to navigate challenges with an optimistic and innovative mindset is reflected onto her team where they are eager to explore new approaches and continuously evolve resulting in a more dynamic and resilient department.

With her leadership, they’ve introduced programs such as International Days to diversify school menus, hands-on experiences with farmers to raise livestock, and culinary collaborations to learn the art of BBQ. She even created the position of Executive Chef at her school to elevate the quality of school dining. Katie is committed to culinary education, striving for improvement, and never settling for the status quo.  

Silver Rising Star Award

Kaci Kelly 

Director of Child Nutrition

Ocean Springs School District

Kaci’s leadership philosophy is rooted in community, knowing school cafeterias as more than just places to eat – they are integral parts of the school experience. She has revolutionized her nutrition program by embracing trends in food culture, while balancing the need for nutritious meals demonstrating her creative and inclusive approach to school nutrition. Beyond menu creativity, Kaci fosters a culture of engagement with the support of her team who shares her vision for providing high-quality meals in a welcoming environment, making the cafeteria a positive space where both students and faculty can enjoy their meals.  

Her thoughtfulness reflects her commitment to giving students choice and making them feel more connected to what is being offered. Kaci has set a new standard for what a school nutrition program can achieve. 

Silver Spirit Award

Alicia Arnett

Menu Planning & Food Procurement Specialist

Jefferson County Public Schools

Alicia is known for her holistic and collaborative perspective with menu management to provide nutritious meals for her students. Her strong background in dietetics is complemented by her ability to cultivate strong relationships across the supply chain, always encouraging open lines of communication and seeking feedback to continuously improve. 

From conducting taste tests with both students and parents to ensure balanced, yet flavorful, and culturally diverse menu offerings to securing a Local Food for Schools grant to increase local sourcing, she truly understands the collective effort needed to nourish students and work together to support their needs. 

$module['seo_alt_text']

What the FAME Awards mean to us: 

 

We’re proud to service the K-12 foodservice segment, and it’s an honor to reward outstanding leaders in K-12; leaders who are innovative and care deeply about making a difference within their school districts and communities.

Read below to learn how the 2025 winners were chosen.

Step 1: Who is eligible?

  • All school nutrition professionals who are members of SNA, in addition to special supporters of school nutrition, are eligible for nomination.
  • While director nominees are limited to receiving one Silver Award during their careers as directors, they are also eligible to receive the Golden Director Award.
  • Career changes may make past FAME Award winners eligible to receive different FAME Awards. Past FAME Award winners are not eligible to receive the same award.
  • All winners must be in good standing with the industry.
  • Employees of Basic American Foods (BAF) are not eligible.
  • The selection committee and BAF reserve the right to disqualify any nominee or winner.
Check out the Frequently Asked Questions

Step 2: Pick a category

There are four award categories, so take a look at the following nomination criteria and questions per category and decide which best fits for your nominee.

  • Golden Director Award
  • Silver Leadership Award
  • Silver Rising Star Award
  • Silver Spirit Award
Download the Award Category Criteria & Questions

Step 3: Write an achievement summary

Once you’ve matched your nominee’s accomplishments with the appropriate award, use the questions to create a summary of your nominee’s achievements.

The FAME selection committee will use the achievement summary to determine the winners.

Step 4: Nominate online

  • Please be concise in your responses. Limit each response to 4,500 characters (approximately 500 words).
  • Additional materials, such as article clippings, samples, videos, etc., will not be accepted.

Questions? Need more information?

Please contact Deniece Ledin:

Phone: (925) 472-4139

Email: dledin@baf.com

Sign up for our newsletter to have all of our
updates sent right to your inbox

    By submitting this form you agree to our Privacy Policy.

    CONNECT WITH A LOCAL SALES REP

    Enter your location and we'll connect you with a local sales associate that can help get you exactly what you need.

    Also of Interest
    Privacy Policy  |   Supply Chain Statement  |   Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    1676 N. California Blvd., Suite 525, Walnut Creek CA 94596 Phone 1 800 722 2084 Email info@baf.com

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    © Copyright 2025 Basic American Foods. All rights reserved.