About Us

Debby, a native of Needham, Massachusetts, is President and Executive Director of D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc. located in Orlando, Florida. Debby is the author of The ISO 9000 Quality System: Applications in Food and Technology released by John Wiley & Sons Publishing in February 2001. Debby is also the author of a HACCP-based chapter included in the 2003 John Wiley & Sons release of the Food Safety Compendium. After earning a Food Science & Technology degree from the University of Florida, her career began as a Quality Control Manager with T.G. Lee Foods, a division of Dean Foods. In 1985, Debby joined The Coca-Cola Company in its Minute Maid Division (CCF) as a Research & Development Food Scientist. In 1987, Debby transferred to Quality Assurance as a Corporate Auditor and Project Specialist, where she was instrumental in developing a GMP audit program, creation of a company standard Quality Assurance Manual, and assisting with ISO 9002:1994 certifications of three different process operations. In 1995, Debby joined Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) as a certified Quality Assurance Lead Auditor. Debby has been involved with ISO certification and consulting activities of more than 200 different companies, including: M & M Mars, Mars Pet Food, Uncle Ben’s Rice, Coca-Cola, Ethel M. Chocolate, Charleston Packaging, New Zealand Milk Products, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Domino Sugar, Uncle Ben’s Rice, Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Printpack, SE Container, Inc., Barton Solvents, Hiram Walker, Mead Johnson, Campbell’s Soup, Tropicana, Reckitt Benckiser, Louis Dreyfus, Wixon, Consolidated Paper, Pepperidge Farm, Grace Kennedy, Dairy Industries, Southern Gardens Citrus, Bacardi, Cargill, Wrigley and Devro-Teepak. Currently Debby subcontracts with LRQA as an ISO 9001 lead auditor qualified to perform audits in food (including high risk foods), chemical, and packaging operations for ISO 9001, 22000, and HACCP. Debby’s main interests are assisting food, chemical, and various other industries with business system development and maintenance activities. This includes ISO compliance (9000, 14000, 18000, 22000), HACCP, SQF, BRC, GMP, Food Hygiene, HACCP Prerequisite Programs, Crisis Management, and other related systems/processes. When not assisting companies with development/maintenance activities, she is teaching workshops based on these topics. Debby has published numerous articles in such trade journals as Cultured Dairy Products Journal; Dairy, Food, and Environmental Sanitation; Dairy Foods; and Food Quality. She has presented at meetings and short courses sponsored by such organizations as University of Florida, IFT, SME, Citrus Engineers, Agricultural Consultants, Food Safety Summit, Food Quality and the American Spice Trade Association. Debby has served on the Executive Board of Florida IFT and currently on the Editorial Board of Food Protection. She has served on the Executive Boards of the “Citrus Division” and Quality Assurance Division” of IFT and Cultured Dairy Products Association and was a member of the development team for the ASQ-HACCP certification exam. Debby is an IRCA Certified Quality Assurance Lead Assessor, an American Society of Quality (ASQ) Certified Quality Auditor, Certified HACCP Auditor and Certified Quality Manager. She is active in IFT, FLA IFT, International Association for Food Protection, FAFP, and the American Society for Quality (ASQ). In 2003, Debby was the recipient of the Roy Wilson Sparkle Award presented by the Florida Division of IFT for her contributions to sanitation in the citrus industry. In 2007, Debby received the Bob Olsen Award for her distinguished contributions and service to Florida Section IFT. In 2008, Debby received the Sanitarian of the Year Award from the Florida Association for Food Protection.

Bill joined D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc., as Vice President in June 2008. Bill has many years of experience in business and project management, quality assurance, management systems (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, ISO 9000), food safety, government compliance and GMP/HACCP prerequisite compliance. Bill’s expertise includes development and implementation of quality and food safety based systems. Bill is also an approved HACCP instructor with special emphasis on the juice industry. Bill’s strengths include a strong foundation for organization and business management. Bill also has a strong understanding and commitment to effective management system development, understanding regulatory requirements and dealing with the regulatory and facility evaluations for compliance. Bill enjoys applying his technical and operations background into a variety of processes and systems. His background has encompassed many different industries. Bill’s focus has not only been in the beverage industry, but also with the vast suppliers of raw materials, ingredients and various other suppliers to this industry. Bill has over twenty five years of team driven process management/root cause skills and knowledge of the food and beverage industry. His career experiences span quality assurance, plant management, division QA management, citrus/juice processing, juice packaging, quality systems, teams (internal and customer), technical management of citrus essential oils, citrus and apple essential oils/flavors processing, supply chain, product management and sales. Bill’s experience includes 13 years at Kerry (SunPure) Ingredients and Flavors where he was on the “ground floor” of a start-up company that purchased and processed citrus and essential oils. He was a key member in developing a state of the art essential oil manufacturing site, building sales from $0 to $35M in only seven years. The business evolved into a joint venture (Cargill CitroPure) that led to a successful buyout (Kerry). At Kerry (SunPure), Bill led the development of the technical and operations teams, supply chain of citrus essential oils/by-products, toll manufacturing, selective sales accounts, and product management of grapefruit oils and terpene by-products. Bill has always had a passion for safety and customer service. Through his leadership of multiple teams, they achieved 1 million man-hours of no lost workday injuries in seven years. In addition, he initiated a root cause customer service measurement system that increased on-time sales delivery by 70%. This has remained in-force with the on-time customer delivery system currently exceeding 95%. Bill’s career also included managing eight U.S. sites, two international locations, and multiple contract packers as the Citrus & Beverage Operations QA Manager for Coca-Cola Foods. Responsibilities also included citrus processing (Florida and Brazil), all forms of juice packaging, and their quality systems. Bill led an aseptic juice contract packaging start-up, developed technical support of the California citrus industry supply chain, and managed a citrus processing plant in Florida. Bill is an active member in the International Association of Food Technology (IFT).

Charlie has worked in association with D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc. for over 5 years. Charlie has specialized in performing ISO Management System (ISO 9001, 14000, 22000) development, implementation and maintenance. Charlie has also assisted with HACCP Plan Development, HACCP training, and internal auditor training. Charlie performs lead audits for LRQA, SGS, and NSF in ISO 9001, HACCP, ISO 22000 and Feed HACCP. Charlie is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia, with a BS in Animal Husbandry and an MS in Reproductive Physiology. Charlie, a Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) from the American Society for Quality and a senior member of the American Society for Quality, is also certified as a QMS auditor by RAB and also an FPA-SAFE auditor. Charlie has contributed to the text ISO 9000 Quality Systems Application in Food and Technology and in several Food Quality magazine articles focusing on an effective Quality Management System. His work experience has been in research, with various quality positions in pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical devices. Charlie spent 25 years as a Quality Assurance Manager for a global manufacturer of one of the largest household products companies in the world. He was also responsible for regulatory, environmental, and safety at the St. Peters location of Reckitt Benckiser in Missouri. During his tenure at Reckitt Benckiser, he coordinated and implemented effective defect prevention programs based on quality engineering systems, techniques and tools, resulting in continuous improvement in suppliers, processes, and products in support of the Global Quality Strategy. Charlie has been working with quality systems, more specifically ISO 9000 (since 1997), extensively for several years. He successfully led and maintained ISO 9002:1994 and later through transition, ISO 9001:2000 at the Reckitt Benckiser plant in St. Peters, Missouri. In addition, he assisted other Reckitt Benckiser facilities in the development, maintenance, and on-going compliance to the ISO 9000 standard. These facilities include those that produce food and chemical products. Special focus included the development of internal quality auditing programs that concentrate on the process audit concept, effective management review process, and corrective/preventive action programs which link continuous improvement to the entire business system. Additional experience includes the application of SPC tools which focus on reducing costs and improving yields, the development and implementation of several internal programs that concentrate on continuous improvement such as a supplier corrective action program, customer satisfaction rating program, reduced micro testing, and lot identification/traceability.

Nancy has worked in association with D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc. for over ten years. Nancy has over twenty years of experience in sensory science, research & development, product development, HACCP, food safety and management systems. Nancy is a qualified instructor for HACCP Plan development, internal auditing, prerequisite/GMP programs and management system development. Nancy’s strengths, in addition to her product development and sensory science, include the development and implementation of HACCP programs for both manufacturing and food service. Nancy has excellent auditing skills based on years of experience assisting companies and their suppliers in the development of effective management and prerequisite programs. She has combined her knowledge and expertise in food science with her superior organization and problem resolution skills to develop and coordinate projects in all areas of the food industry. These projects include sensory panel training and development, consumer testing, product development, cost savings evaluations, beverage processing, manufacturing, quality management system development, GMP, Food Hygiene, HACCP, ISO 9000 and most recently ISO 22000. Nancy, a native of Valdosta, Georgia, is also the owner and president of M & M Consulting I. There she specializes in sensory training, product development, flavor chemistry, and specialty QA projects. Prior to starting her own company and joining D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc as a HACCP Plan Development expert, Nancy was a food scientist and food chemist with The Minute Maid Company (TMMC), which is a Division of The Coca-Cola Company. While with TMMC Nancy was directly involved with the development and inception of many of the company’s leading products. Nancy received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Central Florida graduating with honors. She is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Delta Tau Kappa Honor Societies. Nancy holds credentials for the performance internal auditor, HACCP Plan Development, Advanced HACCP, Management System Development and Implementation, Advanced Sensory Technology and Product Development. Nancy has published articles on quality, sensory development, and HACCP in several publications including Food Quality and Restaurant Entrepreneur. Nancy is currently an active Professional Member of the Institute of Food Technologists, American Chemical Society and The Florida Restaurant Association. She has served as Chairperson and Secretary of the Florida Section Institute of Food Technologists. In 2004, she received the Bob Olsen Award for her service to the Florida Section IFT. In 2007, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Institute of Food Technologists.

Dorothy Gittings recently joined D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc., as a Senior Associate. Dorothy is an honors graduate from the University of South Florida. She has many years of experience in quality assurance, quality management systems, food safety systems, HACCP, GMP, and compliance audits. Dorothy is an ASQ Certified Quality Auditor and ASQ Certified HACCP Auditor. Dorothy is a senior member of the American Society for Quality and a qualified instructor for International HACCP Alliance. Dorothy is currently in the process of obtaining IRCA Certification; having successfully completed IRCA recognized QMS Auditor (ISO 9001/Lead Auditor Training Course) and IRCA-recognized Food Safety Management Systems (ISO 22000) Auditor/Lead Auditor Training Course. Dorothy is trained in HACCP principles and played a key role in implementing 21-CFR 120 (Juice HACCP) at company-owned and contract packing facilities. She has performed over 100 Coca-Cola Quality Systems Audits including gap assessments, certifications, and surveillance audits. (The Coca-Cola Quality System meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 based on documented analysis of the program by LRQA and SGS.) Dorothy’s strengths include management system and compliance auditing and hands-on implementation and maintenance of effective, value-added quality and food safety-based programs. Dorothy also has a passion for developing training tools specifically geared to assist the client. Her job responsibilities will include coaching and feedback, module and protocol training, and classroom training. Dorothy recently accepted early retirement from the Coca-Cola Company after 24 plus years which included an impressive sampling of quality and food safety based responsibilities. These responsibilities included: • Quality Assurance Supervisor for Citrus Operations • Quality Assurance Technical Account Manager for contract packaging facilities • Developed GMP training programs and performed GMP audits • Developed procedures and audits that reduced costs of contract packing facilities • Responsible for performing Qualification Inspections for potential clients/suppliers • Provided Quality oversight for start up and commissioning new packing facilities • Developed and monitored the commissioning of new processing systems, equipment, products, and packaging materials • Organized and executed an effective quality system, process, and product audits for packaging suppliers, company and contract manufacturing facilities, tanker wash stations, ingredient and finished product warehouses, and retail outlets • Developed an auditing pilot for thermal processing, including classroom materials and tools which were then developed into web-based courses for training auditors globally • Extensive experience in developing audit procedures and modules Dorothy is based in the Houston, Texas area (Hockley, TX).

Jade began her food industry career in 1989 with The Minute Maid Company as a staff assistant for Corporate Quality Assurance based at the Chilled Juice facility in Plymouth, Florida later joining Base Place USA. Jade retired from the Coca- Cola Company in 2003 and joined D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc. as Program Director. Jade’s responsibilities include coordinating training workshops and providing administrative management assistance for the external client programs. Jade received her International HACCP Alliance Training in 2003. Jade is also a trained QMS auditor and Sensory Analyst.

Adjunct Professor, University of Arkansas, Center of Excellence

Education: BA; Park College, Philosophy,1959; M.Ed. Drury College,1965

Jon G. Porter had over forty years in the food industry. His HACCP experience was gained from in-plant development and implementation since 1988 and attending education programs conducted by Kenneth E. Stevenson, Ph.D. and Dane T. Bernard as well as other industry leaders. Jon was an Adjunct Professor in the Center of Excellence at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Jon worked within the food industry in all aspects of processing and sanitation. He developed all education programs in-house for customers Bonewitz Chemicals, Henkel Food Division, and Ecolab. He continually developed and taught precursory HACCP and all food safety programs. While many programs were developed in conjunction with universities, product safety education, sanitation education, and OSHA compliance programs have been developed for individual customers. Several workshops and seminars were developed and conducted on the campuses of many universities such as Purdue University and the University of Arkansas. Workshop topics ranged from HACCP, prerequisite programs such as Chemistry in Cleaning, Chemistry of Sanitizers, Methods to Cause/Effect Identification, and Problem Solving Methods.

Jon's experience transcended all segments of the food industry including poultry, juice, bakeries, candy packaging, and dairies.

Jon Porter passed away in November 2006, but his memory is still celebrated by his many friends and colleagues.