The World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO), a Core Partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), is proud to announce the finalists for the 2021 Don Schlimme Future Leader Award. These five finalists were chosen out of 25 applicants as some of the best and the brightest North American future leaders in the temperature-controlled logistics industry. The finalists are Eric Geiger, Warehouse Manager, Americold Logistics LLC; Emily Goracke, Customer Account Manager, SnoTemp Cold Storage; Colt Miller, Warehouse Supervisor, Mattingly Cold Storage; Tamara Palefsky, Continuous Improvement Manager, United States Cold Storage; and Troy Stokes, Senior Project Manager, Lineage Logistics.

“This class of Don Schlimme Future Leader Award finalists demonstrates the quality of individuals involved in the cold chain industry and the great potential we have for the future,” said GCCA President & CEO Matthew Ott. “These nominees show great passion for their work and go above and beyond to get the job done. We are proud to work with them and are excited for the winner to be announced in a few weeks.”

This year's application review happened virtually and applicants for the award were evaluated by a panel of industry leaders. The finalists will compete for the top honor at the IARW-WFLO Convention happening from October 7-10, 2021 in Austin, Texas. The Don Schlimme Future Leader Award Recipient will then be eligible to compete against other GCCA future leaders from around the world in the 2021 Global NextGen competition happening virtually, later this year.

Established in 2015 by WFLO, the Don Schlimme Future Leader Award recognizes talented young professionals in North America, who have the potential to become future leaders and make a positive contribution to the development of the temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics industry. Nominees must demonstrate excellence in their work, the potential to excel further in the many facets within the industry, and possess insight into their organization’s strategic values and direction, policies, and ways of working.

The award is named in honor of Donald V. Schlimme, Ph.D, who passed away in 2012 and was a longtime member of the WFLO Scientific Advisory Committee (1983-2012) and a WFLO Staff Advisor for many of those years. He was an expert in food science and cold storage and was committed to sharing his extensive knowledge.

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About the Global Cold Chain Alliance

Comprised of its Core Partners, including the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW), the World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO), the International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA), and the Controlled Environment Building Association (CEBA), the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) represents all major industries engaged in temperature-controlled logistics. GCCA unites all partners to be innovative leaders in the temperature-controlled products industry.