AUGUST 20258IN MY OPINIONBen Chrisfield is currently the Quality Assurance Manager for New Belgium Brewing at their Virginia site. Prior to working at the brewery, he studied Food Science at the Pennsylvania State University as a USDA NIFA Predoctoral Fellow. His work focused on the impact of copper-based fungicide use on hop quality in Pennsylvania. Upon completing his Ph.D. in 2020, Ben started working as an analytical scientist in the brewing industry.Ben now leverages his research background to promote science-based improvements in the quality and safety of their products in a GFSI-compliant environment. He strives to empower his team to make data-driven decisions that systematically improve product quality and directly support the brewery's success.Ben's Professional Journey and Key Experiences in the FMCG industry We've focused a lot of time and effort on improving food safety management systems to become more proactive and mitigate risks at the earliest opportunity. We have achieved FSSC22000 certification and continuously work to integrate food safety into our daily operations at every level. I'm incredibly proud of all the hard work our team has put into prioritizing the safety and quality of the goods we produce. Accepting my first management role was a huge step forward in my career. At first, I was intimidated by the prospect of leading a team, but I realized I needed to push myself outside my comfort zone to grow professionally. I know I'll never be a perfect leader, but I'll keep pushing myself to improve for the sake of my team. BY BEN CHRISFIELD, QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER, NEW BELGIUM BREWINGEMBRACING CHANGE AND ENSURING QUALITY IN CRAFT BREWINGBen Chrisfield
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