May 21, 2001
WASHINGTON, DC — May 21, 2001 — Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the Cornell University Food Industry Management Distance Education Program have announced a new alliance to provide practical training for supermarket store managers and employees whose work schedules prevent them from attending regularly scheduled courses.

“FMI is pleased to announce this very unique alliance with Cornell University,” said Ernie Monschein, FMI’s director of training and human resource development. “Continuing education and training of store employees is essential to maintaining high quality operations and customer service. We believe this program offers an outstanding opportunity for store associates and managers, of both independent and chain food retailers, to stay ahead in the industry.”

“Cornell is excited to join with FMI to offer these high-quality, affordable courses,” said Rod Hawkes, director of the Cornell Distance Education program. “Cornell distance education courses offer supermarket managers and employees a catalog of topics covering virtually every aspect of retail operations. They are ideal for use as a supplement to in-store training or as a development tool for those interested in a career in the retail food industry.”

Comprised of 28 food industry-specific courses, the Cornell Supermarket Series addresses contemporary topics such as food safety, supermarket operations, customer service and technology. All of the courses are self-paced and provide for independent study. However, each student does receive individual attention from Cornell staff, and e-mail correspondence with instructors is readily available to all participants.

For a growing number of courses, students can enroll, study and complete course assignments completely online via the program’s Web-based course delivery system.

Food retail companies that have several associates enrolled in the program may want to consider the formation of company workshop sessions, where Cornell leader’s guides and discussion amongst participating employees can add significant value in terms of knowledge sharing and team building.

The Cornell University Food Industry Management Program was founded in 1964. The program now averages around 14,000 course enrollments annually.
     
For more information about the FMI/Cornell University Food Industry Management Distance Education Program, please contact Ernie Monschein at 202-220-0719 or visit the FMI Web site at www.fmi.org and click on “Distance Education.”