MP Equipment Company has appointed Eric Johnston as sales manager for the southwest territory of the United States, including Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. He has more than 25 years experience in industry sales and will represent the entire line of MP products. The company has also promoted Sam Burkhard to customer service manager at its Suwanee, Ga., headquarters. Burkhard has almost 20 years experience in equipment manufacturing, technical service, engineering, training and project management.

Solbar Industries Ltd., Israel, announces the expansion of its marketing team in North America, with the addition of Fred Kosanke and Paul Hargarten. They join Omri Kaufmann, regional marketing and sales manager, and Darcy Maslow, customer service manager. Kosanke will lead the team as sales and market development executive. Hargarten, market development – applications manager, will focus on improving Solbar’s value proposition to customers.

Carolina Turkeys was recognized as 2006 Supplier of the Year by Panera Bread at an awards ceremony in Charlotte, N.C. on May 6. The award recognized Carolina Turkeys’ quality and service in its eight-year relationship with Panera. A high-volume supplier for the chain, Carolina Turkeys’ deli meats are featured more than seven times on the Panera menu.

Nixalite is celebrating Marie Gellerstedt’s fiftieth year as an employee. She was named president when her father, Charles B. Kaufmann, died in 1957. She is currently Chief Executive Officer, and her husband and children join her on running the supplier of pest control products.

Cargill recently announced the names of 400 high-school seniors who were selected to receive a scholarship sponsored by the company. The three scholarship programs for high-school students are part of the $800,000 Cargill provides in scholarship programs to U.S. students each year. Each of the scholarship programs is administered by a nonprofit organization on behalf of Cargill. The criteria for each scholarship program are academic achievement and leadership in school and community activities. The Cargill Scholarship Programs include the Cargill Community Scholarship Program, 350 scholarships of $1,000 awarded by National FFA Organization to students living near communities where Cargill operates, and Cargill Scholarship Programs for Sons and Daughters, 40 scholarships of $3,000 are awarded by Scholarship America to the children of Cargill employees; and 10 scholarships of $1,000, renewable for up to four years, are awarded by National Merit Scholarship Corporation to the children of Cargill employees.

Jennie-O Turkey Store is partnering with Schwinn® for the second year of Pedal Power!, a summer-long in-store and online promotion that encourages healthy and active lifestyles. From June 1 through Aug. 31, Jennie-O Turkey Store will give away 40 Schwinn® bicycles through an instant-win sweepstakes on www.jennieo.com. In September, Jennie-O Turkey Store will draw one lucky grand prize winner who will receive a family bike package valued at $2,500. To drive sweepstakes participation, Jennie-O Turkey Store is offering retailers nationwide turkey deli counter promotion kits. The vibrant and eye-catching kits contain take-one pamphlets, a creative family-friendly recipe featuring Jennie-O Turkey Store® Premium Deli Turkey, bike safety tips, tricks to improve biking skills and Pedal Power! sweepstakes information.

On July 4 2007, CSB-System will officially celebrate its 30th anniversary as a leader of food industry specific software solutions. From July 2 to July 6 an English week of training for customers and potential customers will be held in Germany coinciding with the festivities during this week. Leading edge technologies, such as high-available system design, Mobile data collection using cell-phones and practical RF-ID solutions based on customer studies are part of the program.