The prestigious event the confectionery industry has been waiting for, the 77^th Kettle Awards, will be held on May 23, during the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago. All individuals working in or with the confectionery industry are welcome to attend.

The chairman and members of the Kettle Committee, which consists of representatives from leading suppliers to the industry, will present the Kettle Awards at a gala reception from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Union League Club. Tickets for the event can be purchased here, and this is the second year that ticket sales have been open to the public.

The 2023 nominees (who were selected based on their accomplishments, activities, and contributions to the confectionery industry) include:

• Sylvia Buxton, president and CEO, Perfetti Van Melle North America, Erlanger, Kentucky
• Douglas R. Dressman, president and CEO, Esther Price Candies, Corp., Dayton, OH
• Kirk Vashaw, chairman and CEO, Spangler Candy Co., Bryan, OH

Each of the nominees for this illustrious award were nominated as determined by the criteria set up for the Kettle Award in 1945. The criteria require superior achievement in the following areas: sales and marketing; education and personnel training; energy and environmental contributions; quality advancement; production and plant improvement; and research and product development.

The event will be held in the Union League Club’s main dining room, 65 W. Jackson Blvd. Hors d'oeuvres will be served from 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. and the award program will begin on stage directly thereafter.

Candy Industry’s founder and publisher, Don Gussow, established the Kettle Award in 1946. As he explained to readers then, the Kettle Award was meant as “recognition of the contribution for ‘great or good’ of the industry, not only on the part of the person selected for the distinction, but of every member of the confectionery field who has devoted himself in whatever measure to make the business of candy making and selling a more profitable and happier one.” SF&WB

How did you originally get into the candy and confectionery industry?

I’ve always been a lover of chocolate and candy, so when I got a call from a recruiter many years ago for a marketing job with Hershey, it sounded like a great fit to keep me in my candy habit! I interviewed and got the job with Hershey Canada. Ultimately, I spent almost 24 years with the Hershey Company, working in both the U.S. and Canada as well as internationally, in roles ranging from brand marketing to innovation and seasonal marketing.

What was the biggest challenge of your career, and how did you overcome it?

It’s hard to think of just one big challenge in a career that spans several decades. Most recently, the biggest challenge has been leading through COVID. When the pandemic started, I had been in my current role leading the North America region for Perfetti Van Melle for less than two years. As part of a global company, I was able to take advantage of expertise and best practices from other markets, like China and Italy, who were further ahead in the crisis than we were in the U.S. Our leadership team came together and very quickly mobilized several crisis teams including health and safety, business continuity, and recovery. One thing I’m very proud of is how we focused our response around our company values, starting with Care for Our People and keeping our employees safe and fully employed. A key aspect of our COVID response plan was regular communications with our employees, first more factually about the medical aspects of the crisis, and later pivoting to communications that supported employee engagement. We’ve weathered the crisis well, with minimal health impacts and in our most recent fiscal year we set financial and operational records despite the continued headwinds that have been the outcome of this pandemic.

What do you love most about working in this industry?

The two biggest things that keep me in the industry are the people and the brands. This industry is filled with truly incredible people who treat each other as extended family and who don’t let competition get in the way of building long-standing relationships. And of course, working for consumer-loved brands and putting smiles on people’s faces is a great way to spend your working days!

Read the full Q&A with Sylvia Buxton here.

How did you originally get into the candy and confectionery industry?

After a four-year career in the United States Air Force, being newly married and in need of a new career path, my father-in-law offered me a position at Esther Price Candies (EPC) serving as a maintenance technician for the candy-making production facility in Dayton, Ohio. This position prompted addition training in the entire operation, processes, and servicing of all the confectionary equipment. In addition to the critical production equipment, I received training and was certified in HVAC equipment. During the maintenance tenure, I simultaneously educated myself in all facets of the candy-making processes. These learned recipes and processes eventually led to the management of production, purchasing, and resources for EPC.

What was the biggest challenge of your career, and how did you overcome it?

There have been several challenges, with not one standing alone as the “biggest.”

The first was gaining respect from my “work family” since I was the son-in-law of the owner and very new at this confectionary business. Thus, having an ever-constant presence within the kitchen, production, packing, and the warehouse, the EPC team members witnessed, first-hand, my dedication to this industry and their livelihood.

The next was ensuring the original Esther Price recipes, ingredients, and processes were kept as the “standard” and guarded. We have never wavered from that promise. Maintaining the quality in all stages of the processes, ensuring no “wiggle room,” no cutting corners, or rushing to finish a job was a standard thinking in our candy-making. This led our company from producing 100,000 pounds of candy to over 1,000,000 pounds over the past decades. We are very proud of that accomplishment—it takes great teamwork.

Lastly, maintaining a strong balance between “work-family” and home life is a challenge I have overcome. It is essential having a solid spiritual life, enjoying lively family gatherings, and ensuring frequent company activities with generous business profit-sharing have kept all of us healthy and happy!

Read the full Q&A with Douglas R. Dressman here.

How did you originally get into the candy and confectionery industry?

Prior to Spangler, I worked in the marketing department for the Gillette Company where I had experience with licensing, including Disney licensing. In 2003, Spangler signed a deal to license Disney characters on our products and they needed someone to help manage that business. At that time, Gillette was getting ready to be acquired by Proctor and Gamble, so I was likely either going to be moving to either southern Ohio with P&G or Northern Ohio with Spangler Candy.

What was the biggest challenge of your career, and how did you overcome it?

Certainly the NECCO acquisition in 2018 was the craziest business period I’ve encountered. In a several months period, NECCO declared bankruptcy; we were high bidder in the bankruptcy auction two weeks later; then two days later we lost the bid, only to be end up getting all the assets eight weeks later. I put in 100-hour weeks that summer, but I did make some of the conference calls from our small boat at a nearby lake.

What do you love most about working in this industry?

We have a collaborative industry with people who believe our industry is an important part of people’s well-being. Also, as a decent sized business in a small town, it is rewarding to be able to see first-hand the positive impact the jobs we create have on our local community.

Read the full Q&A with Kirk Vashaw here.