Steven Wayne Mesia

Steven Wayne Mesia, who currently serves as director of quality assurance at B and D Foods, Inc., has spent more than 25 years in the food industry. After finishing his studies at Bemidji State University, he became quality assurance manager of new technologies at Michael Foods, where he remained for four years before transitioning to Gold'n Plump Poultry. There, as laboratory manager, he developed new facilities for wastewater and microbiology purposes. Steven Wayne Mesia later assumed the post of plant manager for Daybreak Foods, Inc., where his accomplishments included boosting productivity by 16 percent and generating a 3 percent increase in yields.

Mesia next held positions with Sara Lee Foods and Albertsons, Inc., before becoming the first employee on the payroll at Nurture, Inc., a manufacturer of toddler and baby food. Tasked with implementing standards from the ground up and performing quality control audits, he also supervised the purchasing and installation of all equipment. In his present position, he handles regulatory matters and quality control for a tempura chicken producer.