UNews - Jim Booth

Restaurant makeover

trevor.kenney — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:51:11 +0000

Food plays a major role in our lives. Far more than just providing sustenance, the food we eat and the meals we share help establish a culture, frame our celebrations and serve as a common ground. Breaking bread shapes who we are.

Jim Booth, executive director of Ancillary Services, recognizes that, and he also is keenly aware that food services at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge have been lacking.
"Food service is a gap right now in the student experience being offered by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Booth. "It needs to go from mediocre to great – we need that wow factor."

To that end, for the first time in 30 years, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has extended a Request for Proposal (RFP) to three food service providers as it looks to completely overhaul its delivery of catering and food services.

"We strive to be a destination university and the student experience on campus is paramount to achieving that goal," says Booth. "Food services touches everybody multiple times in a day. It can make your day or it can ruin your day."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is ready to take its food services to a new level and has entered the marketplace in search of a provider that will meet the contemporary needs of today.

Sodexo, and its previous incarnations, has been the sole food service provider to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ since 1982, and over the course of the last 30 years, its relationship with the U of L community has seen both ups and downs.

"That continual service I think has served us well," says Booth. "I think it's been a good partnership, but this past 24 months has been a real challenge and they've had great difficulty in getting the right people, the right leadership to achieve the consistency of service and quality we require, whether it was in retail or catering services."

Booth initiated an expression of interest to feel out the food services marketplace and found several providers eager to come to campus. After reviewing initial proposals, an invitation-only RFP was sent out to Aramark, Chartwells and the incumbent provider, Sodexo.

"It's time for us to revisit how we deliver food services to our campus community," says Booth. "Looking forward to the next 10 years and beyond, we need someone who can keep things fresh and edgy. What we are faced with today is a need to differentiate ourselves. It is all about the experience and we need a partner that can deliver that experience."

And while the RFP is a nuts and bolts logistical document, Booth intends to mesh that with community feedback gleaned from a series of surveys and World Cafés that will be initiated later this month.

"In the past, we've had surveys that asked the transactional questions and we've responded by changing menus and so forth, but we've never really thought beyond that," says Booth. "This is about defining our culture, about finding what is unique to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and how food services relates to our strategic goals and priorities. If we get the right partner, our food services will fully mesh with that thinking, which will make them very successful and will also help us create that student experience we desire."

A total of three World Cafés will be held, Sept. 25 (9 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m.) and Sept. 26 (9 a.m. to noon), in the Students' Union Ballroom A. Sessions will be open to anyone interested in attending, including students, staff and faculty. Another dedicated to residence students and those individuals who primarily use the catering services is also planned.

As well, surveys targeting the general ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community, residence students and catering clients, will take place the weeks of Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.

"This is our opportunity to really sit down and discuss what food services can and should be at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge," says Booth. "This will add the colour and flavor of our institution to these organizations and how they interpret the results and how they respond will be critical."

Following the close of the RFP on Oct. 25, a committee will review the submissions from the competing service providers throughout the month of November. A new contract will be signed on May 1, 2013, allowing for a summer transition and training period before a soft launch and then full launch of new services in the fall when students return to campus.

"It comes down to people and to leadership," says Booth of who will win the contract. "It also comes down to having individuals that are a part of our community and consider this a partnership – they have to be as committed to the student experience as we are."

GET THE FACTS

· Booth estimates the new food services contract to be worth $40 to $50 million over its 10-year course

· Part of the new contract will require the service provider to bring in capital dollars for renovations of food service areas

· Some of the challenges facing food service providers include responding to individual dietary needs such as food allergies and sensitivities, meeting the demands of an ever-growing international student segment, incorporating local brands and presenting healthier eating alternatives

· To take part in the World Café sessions, contact foodservicesrfp@uleth.ca

This story first appeared in the September 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Long service awards and honoured retirees

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:27:38 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ recently honoured 83 employees at the annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony.

Employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service, as well as 18 retiring employees were all honoured at the ceremony.
Following is a list of those employees.

Retirees
Lynn Arnold, Judith Droessler, Eileen Ferguson, Peter Haney, Marilyn Hawryluk, Helen Henderson, Beatriz Housley, Luke Kwong, Ian McKenna, Linda Nicol, Ron Perverseff, Terry Prociuk, Lorraine Schimpf, Hiroshi Shimazaki, Helen Smith, Sara Stanley, Johnel Tailfeathers, Marie Yolland

Long Service Recipients

40 Years | Michael Kubara and Frank VandenHeuvel

35 Years | Lynne Brown, Gary Cunningham, Rose Helmer and Barbara Wolstoncroft

30 Years | Doris Kostiuk and Wendy Vogel

25 Years | Doran Anderson, Deb Bullock, Hank DeRidder, John Federkeil, Carol Gaetz, Ken Nicol, Stewart Rood, Linda Sebastian, Penny Secretan, Jerzy Szpakowski and Guy Vervoort

20 Years | John Bain, Allan Besplug, Craig Bullock, Cynthia Chambers, Helena Danyk, Lisa Doolittle, Marty Gadd, Andrew Hakin, David Kaminski, Luke Kwong, Judy Lavorato, Ian MacLachlan, Edward Malinsky, Duane Rockerbie, Gloria Samuels, Michael Stingl, Carrie Takeyasu, Pat Tanaka, Barb Thomsen, Gitte Villiger, Kathleen Willms, Shelly Wismath and Sajjad Zahir

15 Years | Jim Booth, Teresa Heyburn, Joan Kendall, Rob Kern, Richard Lutwick, Ron Schreiber, Terri Thomas, Nicholas Wade and Judith Whitehead

10 Years | Andrea Amelinckx, John Bronk, Adam Carter, Yllias Chali, Margaret Cook, Robert Cooney, Dennis Fitzpatrick, Fred Greene, Shauna Haag, Geoffrey Hale, Susan Hill, Shahadat Hossain, Charlene Janes, Harold Jansen, Randy Joseph, Edward Jurkowski, Catherine Kingfisher, Laurie Martin, Cathy Newman, Margot O'Donnell, Steve Patitsas, Michele Roberts, Chris Robinson, Debi Sandul, Stephane Simard, A. William Smith, Mike Spiteri, Stuart Thomas, Dawn-Ann Thys, Edwin Wasiak, Cheryl Wheeler and Jim Wills

Long service awards, Wednesday

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:52:19 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is holding its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, May 6, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballrooms. A total of 83 employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service, and 18 retiring employees will be honoured at the event.

All employees are invited to the ceremony and reception to honour the award recipients listed below. The reception will include light refreshments.

Retirees

Lynn Arnold, Judith Droessler, Eileen Ferguson, Peter Haney, Marilyn Hawryluk, Helen Henderson, Beatriz Housley, Luke Kwong, Ian McKenna, Linda Nicol, Ron Perverseff, Terry Prociuk, Lorraine Schimpf, Hiroshi Shimazaki, Helen Smith, Sara Stanley, Johnel Tailfeathers, Marie Yolland

Long Service Recipients

40 Years

Michael Kubara and Frank VandenHeuvel

35 Years

Lynne Brown, Gary Cunningham, Rose Helmer and Barbara Wolstoncroft

30 Years

Doris Kostiuk and Wendy Vogel

25 Years

Doran Anderson, Deb Bullock, Hank DeRidder, John Federkeil, Carol Gaetz, Ken Nicol, Stewart Rood, Linda Sebastian, Penny Secretan, Jerzy Szpakowski and Guy Vervoort

20 Years

John Bain, Allan Besplug, Craig Bullock, Cynthia Chambers, Helena Danyk, Lisa Doolittle, Marty Gadd, Andrew Hakin, David Kaminski, Luke Kwong, Judy Lavorato, Ian MacLachlan, Edward Malinsky, Duane Rockerbie, Gloria Samuels, Michael Stingl, Carrie Takeyasu, Pat Tanaka, Barb Thomsen, Gitte Villiger, Kathleen Willms, Shelly Wismath and Sajjad Zahir

15 Years

Jim Booth, Teresa Heyburn, Joan Kendall, Rob Kern, Richard Lutwick, Ron Schreiber, Terri Thomas, Nicholas Wade and Judith Whitehead

10 Years

Andrea Amelinckx, John Bronk, Adam Carter, Yllias Chali, Margaret Cook, Robert Cooney, Dennis Fitzpatrick, Fred Greene, Shauna Haag, Geoffrey Hale, Susan Hill, Shahadat Hossain, Charlene Janes, Harold Jansen, Randy Joseph, Edward Jurkowski, Catherine Kingfisher, Laurie Martin, Cathy Newman, Margot O'Donnell, Steve Patitsas, Michele Roberts, Chris Robinson, Debi Sandul, Stephane Simard, A. William Smith, Mike Spiteri, Stuart Thomas, Dawn-Ann Thys, Edwin Wasiak, Cheryl Wheeler and Jim Wills

UNews - Jim Booth

Restaurant makeover

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Long service awards and honoured retirees

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Long service awards, Wednesday

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