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Michael graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, has been in the specialty food business for 15 years as a food research and development director and as a chef, and has expertise in all essential aspects of food operations. He was director of research and development for NapaStyle, and was responsible for product development, ingredient sourcing, and manufacturing for companies such as Fran's Chocolate in Seattle. Michael has in-depth experience in the chocolate industry from the perspective of the chef, the kitchen, the vendors, the brokers, and the wholesale and retail trade. He has led the development of new specialty foods, from initial concept to production, and is known for increasing profits through process improvements and product evolution. Michael employs strong project-management and organizational skills as he builds profitable specialty food businesses. He holds a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System (HACCP) certification. | 