Mark Graham, Managing Director of CEO Update has featured CEO Gail Kenagy and the United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) in their June edition of CEO Update. The USPCA offers a unique association management strategy with a membership requiring vastly different services and requirements from the associations of other similar professional trade groups. Featured on the cover and with a full spread, the USPCA is once again singled out by other professionals as a leader blazing a trail for others to follow.

Since beginning in 1991 as a widely circulated jobs newsletter for association and nonprofit executives, CEO Update has grown to become an influential news source on executive careers and pivotal events that shape the association sector. The USPCA was selected for its unique qualities and because it is a for-profit association, providing identical services as nonprofit counterparts, including ongoing education, credentialing, network opportunities, a magazine and an annual meeting.

Read the complete story as seen by Association CEO’s from coast to coast.

Working as a personal chef can be, as Paul Brescia, owner of 2 Dine 4 Personal Chef Service, puts it, a "vehicle to move forward" into other aspects of a culinary career. Erin Frost entered the field in 2007 and now offers home-baked cupcake bouquets for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions, in addition to home-cooking services.

Personal chefs Battista, Brinkerhoff, and Kathleen Krauss (owner of Savory Suppers personal chef service) all teach workshops at the Tops Cooking School on Mt. Read Boulevard. And the doyenne of Rochester's personal chefs, the Phantom Chef, Mary Lynn Vickers, still cooks for individual families, but in-home cooking demonstrations and custom dinner parties make up an increasing share of her clients. Becoming a personal chef is not as easy as just hanging out a shingle.

Personal chefs in Monroe County must obtain a Level 1 food safety certification, which they have to renew every five years, and a county-issued restricted catering license. The restricted catering license defines the primary differences between a person who cooks in a restaurant and one who cooks in someone's home.

Read the complete, exciting story.

Hello Chefs,

I would like to take a few minutes of your time and personally tell you about this exciting news for the USPCA. In April, 2009, following several months of extensive discussions and careful deliberations, the Personal Chefs Network (PCN) merged with the United States Personal Chef Association LLC (USPCA). This merger allows multiple positive events to unfold, with the primary one being that two professional organizations with similar missions are uniting for a common cause. Sharon Worster, former PCN CEO and Brent Evans, former PCN President will assume staff positions within USPCA. Sharon and Brent bring a wealth of experience with them and their involvement with the USPCA will have a positive effect for staff and members alike. The expertise and knowledge offered by this team is unrivaled and we look forward to working with them to promote education, certification, and personalized support for the personal chef industry.

Sharon and Brent bring with them years of industry experience and both of them have launched successful Personal Chef Services. Their integration into the USPCA ensures high industry standards, high expectations, enhanced marketing efforts and accelerated timetables for new products. This team of professionals will enhance and solidify the USPCA as the industry leader. The founder of the USPCA created the personal chef concept in the late 80's and established the USPCA in 1991 as a formal professional trade association for industry training and member support. PCN was founded in 2000 and has many similarities with the USPCA.

We are confident that Sharon and Brent will easily fit into the USPCA family and be able to "hit the ground running". We anticipate a large influx of PCN members into the USPCA ranks in the coming months. Please join us in welcoming our PCN colleagues as we move forward with integrating the two organizations. In order to make certain that our industry standards and expectations will continue to be met, we have created a process for bringing PCN members into the USPCA. This will ensure that the USPCA remains as the undisputed industry leader in excellence and service to the personal chef industry, while quickly and efficiently integrating PCN members into the USPCA community.

To Sharon, Brent and the entire PCN membership, the USPCA welcomes you with open arms. United, we intend to reach new heights, expand our presence and become an even stronger community of uniquely diverse and talented professional personal chefs and culinary business owners.

Sharon Worster has been involved in the personal chef industry since starting her own service in February of 1999 in The Woodlands, TX. Sharon started Neno's Personal Chef Service and was completely booked with a waiting list within six weeks. Formally trained as a nurse and ultimately a physician practice manager, she was able to follow her passion into the kitchen when her husband’s job landed her family in Texas. In February 2000, she founded Personal Chefs Network, Inc. and wrote the home study program "The Making of a Personal Chef" so she could share her business success with those with a passion for cooking. She took her business knowledge to the masses offering personalized support and her network flourished.

Brent has a strong background in the restaurant business. He worked in the front of the house, heart of the house and management. Restaurant work can be fun and rewarding, but the hours and schedule can be brutal. After seeing an article in 1999 about the personal chef business, Brent thought, "Wow, I can cook for a living and still be with my family at night and on weekends." Brent joined PCN in August of 2000 and in December of 2005, Sharon Worster called and invited him to come aboard as her partner and President of PCN. He jumped at the chance, and has enjoyed every moment with her and the PCN family.

Sharon's official title is "Education and Marketing Director" and you can reach her at (800) 995-2138 or Sharon@uspca.com.

Brent's official title is "Member Services Director" and you can reach him at (800) 995-2138 or Brent@uspca.com

Sharon and Brent want to meet each member of the organization and will be attending the USPCA Conference in New Orleans in July.

Gail Kenagy