Hot off the presses – School Nutrition Association had a big week in the national media spotlight. Just days after the Chicago Sun-Times published SNA President Helen Phillip’s school breakfast article, an interview with Phillips about SNA’s School Nutrition Operations Report 2011 was featured in “Supermarket Guru” Phil Lempert’s The Lempert Report and Food, Nutrition, & Science newsletters. Click here to read the full story.
This weekend, Jean Ronnei, SNS, SNA Spokesperson and Director of Saint Paul Public Schools’ nutrition program, was a guest on “Good Day Supermarket Guru,” a food focused segment airing on “Doug Stephan’s Good Day Weekend,” a nationally syndicated radio show. Ronnei talked about how Farm to School programs and locally grown foods served in school cafeterias are helping get students excited about healthier food choices.
Also this weekend, SNA’s Director of Media Relations, Diane Pratt-Heavner, was interviewed live on FOX & Friends Weekend on Fox News Channel. Click below to view the interview, which reached over half a million FOX viewers:
September 27, 2011—SNA regrets to announce that O.J. Byrnside, Jr., PhD, who served as the Association’s director of finance from 1989 to 2002, passed away September 24, 2011, at age 76 after a long illness. Byrnside and his wife Patricia were initially hired to oversee the move of the Association’s headquarters from Denver to Alexandria, Va., in 1989.
O.J. Byrnside, Jr., PhD
He later served as interim executive director from 1992-93, and both husband and wife (working in several different roles) anchored the Association’s headquarters until their retirement in 2002. In addition to directing the organization’s finances, Byrnside was charged with managing headquarters operations, and he is well remembered by former and current SNA leaders and staff for his efficiency, patience, commitment and abundant good humor.
Even after retirement, Byrnside worked at SNA’s Annual National Conferences for several years, serving in a consulting role to ensure the smooth operation of the premier event.
“With a bevy of new employees to manage and the highs and lows of ongoing change at headquarters, O.J. and Pat became surrogate godparents to staff at all levels, helping not only with office-related challenges, but also with personal problems,” stated the Association in a 2002 School Foodservice & Nutrition tribute recalling their many contributions over the years.
Byrnside served for three years in the U.S. Marine Corps and graduated from Concord College in Athens, W.Va. He earned a master’s degree in business education and business administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va., as well as a doctorate degree in business and occupational education from Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Byrnside taught high school and coached basketball in Danville, Va., before teaching at Longwood College in Farmville, Va. He served as the executive director of the National Business Education Association in Reston, Va., for more than 20 years before joining the Association.
Upon their retirement, the Byrnsides moved to Melbourne, Fla. In addition to his wife, Byrnside is survived by three daughters and eight grandchildren.
Byrnside will be buried in Athens, W.Va.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Related LinkO.J. Byrnside Obituary http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/floridatoday/obituary.aspx?n=Oscar-Byrnside&pid=153843296