The William J. Tobin Award honors an industry executive who has made notable and lasting
contributions to foodservice education. Roth has been a member of IFMA’s Board of Directors since 2016
and has served in several leadership roles, including Chairman of IFMA’s Education Foundation for the
past two years. Through his leadership, the Foundation has launched People Future 2025, an initiative
that is focused on promoting the vast career opportunities in foodservice manufacturing to the next
generation of leaders, as well as the launch of IFMA’s Career Center, an online platform that connects
foodservice companies and prospective employees.
said Hugh Roth. "Most importantly, for my colleagues and IFMA partners that have engaged with us to
help develop the initiatives and get the word out to promote and communicate the great career
opportunities that exist in our industry. Although we have made great progress, we have much work to
do to be sure that we more effectively ‘tell our story’ in order to attract the ‘best fit’ talent
that will comprise the future leadership of our companies and the industry. That is the core mission
of our People Future 2025 initiative.”
Hugh is a 30-year veteran of food service, consumer packaged goods and services industries, joining
PepsiCo in 2013. He has held various senior sales, marketing and general management positions with
PepsiCo, ARYZTA / Otis Spunkmeyer, The Coca-Cola Company and American Express.
Hugh is responsible for the strategic business development of PepsiCo’s largest current and prospective
national and Global Foodservice chain customers. Under his leadership, Hugh’s team leverages the best of
PepsiCo to bring insights-driven innovation, breakthrough experiential marketing programs, and a diverse
food and beverage portfolio led by Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Lipton Iced Tea, Starbucks, Lay’s, Doritos,
Gatorade, Quaker and Tropicana, to help PepsiCo’s customers differentiate themselves in the market,
drive revenue and profit growth, and create consumer loyalty.
In addition to being a member of IFMA’s Board of Directors and leading the IFMA Education Foundation,
Hugh is a member of the Industry Advisory Board of Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management, and an
advisor to numerous small and medium sized companies in the consumer-packaged goods and services
industries.
About the IFMA Education Foundation
The IFMA Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, promotes the next generation of
foodservice leaders by giving support to qualified culinary, marketing, sales, supply chain and food
science students. Since 1972, the IFMA Education Foundation has awarded nearly $4 Million in
scholarships and stipends. For more information and to make donations click here.
About IFMA Careers in Food
Find your next foodservice professional with IFMA's new Careers in Food career center. From
Accountants to Analysts, IFMA Careers in Food offers job seekers with diverse career opportunities in
the vast foodservice industry. Post all of you career opportunities and offer candidates the chance to
work with dynamic professionals committed to bringing joy to communities around the world through the
power of foodservice.