ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Thomas “Tom” Macrina, CEC, CCA, HGT, AAC, will become the new president of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), effective July 25, during the 2013 ACF National Convention in Las Vegas.
Macrina is the product specialist manager/executive chef at U.S. Foods, Philadelphia Division. He graduated from the Center for Technical Studies Culinary Arts program in 1974 and continued his culinary studies at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y., from 1974 to 1976, graduating with an A.O.S. degree. The chef has also served in senior culinary positions in hotels, resorts and restaurants. He was executive chef at the Desmond Great Valley Hotel and Conference Center in Philadelphia, a position he held before joining U.S. Foods.
The rest of the Board, set to take office July 25, will include:
Secretary – James “Jim” Taylor, CEC, AAC, ACE, MBA, professor, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio
Treasurer – William J. Tillinghast, CEC, AAC, MBA, director of Culinary/Pastry Programs, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Philadelphia, Philadelphia
VP, Central Region – Kyle Richardson, CEC, CCE, AAC, CHE, ACE, professor, Culinary Arts, Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Ill
VP, Northeast Region – George O’Palenick, CEC, CCE, AAC, associate professor, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I.
VP, Southeast Region – Michael Deihl, CEC, CCA, AAC, ACE, executive chef, East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta
VP, Western Region – David Goodwin, CEC, CCA, HGT, AAC, executive chef/director, culinary operations, Culinary Solutions A La Carte, Minden, Nev.
Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, corporate executive chef, PCI Gaming Authority, Atmore, Ala., will continue to serve on the Board as American Academy of Chefs chair. Meanwhile, R. Douglas Martinides, VP, Food/Beverage Development, Aramark Strategic Assets, Philadelphia, will remain on the Board as a member-at-large.
Macrina’s predecessor Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, chef/owner, MT Cuisine LLC, Las Vegas, will continue to serve on the Board as immediate past president. The current ACF Board of Directors has served since July 2011 and will remain the governing body until the new Board is installed.
ACF, established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in North America, with more than 20,000 members spanning 200 chapters in the U.S. Voting results for the 2013 election were tallied by Survey & Ballot Systems, Eden Prairie, Minn.