The President’s Excellence in Service Award was created to acknowledge individuals who have helped build the pillars of the organization without the status of being on the Board of Governors or serving as FEMA President. It is intended to recognize individuals who may be unable to participate at the board level due to their company’s structure or those who may not even be looking for recognition. These people have dedicated much time to keep our organization moving forward.
2025 Honoree
Ari Gastman
Principal Flavorist
dsm-firmenich
Ari Gastman has 27 years of experience in the flavor industry, spanning from commercial flavor creation to leading creation teams. He currently leads citrus flavor creation globally for dsm-firmenich's Taste Texture & Health division and has served in roles at Kerry, Virginia Dare, and Comax Flavors. Throughout his career in the flavor industry, Ari has been an active member of the FEMA community, serving as the Chair of FEMA’s Alcohol Subcommittee, where he has played an instrumental role in strengthening FEMA’s relationship with TTB and making progress with the agency on issues critical to our industry.
Ari will be honored at the Annual Leadership Conference (ALC) on May 6 in St. Petersburg, FL.
Past Award Winners
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2024: Martin Ongteco, ADM
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2023: Randy Knecht, MANE
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2022: Denver Christopher, Citrus and Allied Essences Ltd
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2021: Victoria Alvarez Saavedra, Virginia Dare
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2020: Cynthia Astrack, Astral Extracts, Inc.
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2019: Dolf DeRovira, Flavor Dynamics, Inc.
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2018: Kathleen Crossman, FONA International Inc.
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2017: Lorna Hopkinson, ADM / WILD Flavors
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2016: Mary Raukko, Firmenich, Inc