Kathy Kinter Phelps
Robb MacKie, president and c.e.o., A.B.A., presents the first-ever Phelps Award to Kathy Kinter-Phelps. 

SAN ANTONIO – After more than two decades of service to the Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers’ Association (B.&C.M.A.), which recently merged with the American Bakers Association (A.B.A.), Kathy Kinter-Phelps was recognized at the 2017 Technical Conference, being held Oct. 22-25 in San Antonio. 

Ms. Kinter-Phelps retired from her position at the A.B.A. earlier this year. 

Joined by Ms. Kinter-Phelps’ husband, Nelson, and daughter, Haley, Robb MacKie, president and chief executive officer of the A.B.A. presented Ms. Kinter-Phelps with the first-ever Phelps Award. Named after Ms. Kinter-Phelps, who was the secretary of B.&C.M.A.’s board of directors and manager of the Cookie Cracker Correspondence Course, the award will recognize the course’s student who achieves the second-highest grade point average (GPA).

The Vander-Heide Award is given to the student with the highest GPA, this year it was presented to Ben Colon, food scientist, D.F. Stauffer Co. 

“Kathy has been the face of the B&CMA,” Mr. MacKie said. “She has been a rock for the industry and a close friend to many of us.”

Mr. MacKie also presented Ms. Kinter-Phelps with a gold medallion traditionally given to A.B.A. members upon 20 years of service to the industry. 

“It has been an honor to work in this industry for 20 years,” Ms. Kinter-Phelps said.

She credited the A.B.A. and B.&C.M.A. staff with a seamless transition through the two associations’ merger and expressed her gratitude to Mr. MacKie and David Van Laar, senior adviser to the president and c.e.o., and B.&C.M.A. transition and development for the A.B.A.