Cincinnati Public Schools’ Director of Student Dining Services named a 2023 IFMA Silver Plate Honoree

Jessica Shelly, MBA, SNS, REHS, director of Student Dining Services for Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), has been named the 2023 Silver Plate Award winner for elementary and secondary schools by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association - IFMA.

Shelly is responsible for overseeing the service of over 60,000 meals each day at 65 CPS schools. Under her leadership, CPS has added salad bars and cultural spice stations in every school, reimbursable meal vending machines, a clean label initiative, and a local, small business, minority-owned purchasing focus. Shelly and her team served more than 6 million meals to students in 2022.

"Nutrition is essential for the overall well-being and academic success of our students. Our Dining Services team has worked diligently to improve the quality of meals and overall dining experience for our students," Superintendent and CEO Iranetta Rayborn Wright said. "We strive to create a culture of health and wellness in the District, and we are proud Ms. Shelly's work as Director of Dining Services, and her commitment to quality and innovation are being recognized."

Since 1954, IFMA has recognized extraordinary operator executives with the IFMA Silver Plate Award. Nine category winners are chosen from a slate of industry nominees by a distinguished jury of trade press editors and previous award winners.

“While I am honored with this recognition, this is not an individual effort,” Shelly said. “I am incredibly grateful to work with a talented and dedicated team that is committed to excellence. From Superintendent Wright to each individual in our schools, our CPS team is always reinventing and investing for our more than 36,000 students.”

Shelly is in contention for the IFMA’s Gold Plate award to receive the industry's most coveted recognition. The IFMA Gold Plate honoree is selected by secret ballot from the year’s Silver Plate honorees with the awards presentation to take place at the 69th Annual IFMA Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration in Chicago May 20. She was nominated this year by Nestlé Professional North America and P&G Professional.

“The IFMA Gold & Silver Plate Awards call out extraordinary achievement from operators across all segments of our industry,” said Phil Kafarakis, IFMA president and CEO. “The Awards celebrate the best of food-away-from-home leadership and we’re very proud of the longevity and industry-wide respect the Awards have maintained. I can’t wait to see which of these remarkable winners will receive the annual Gold Plate Award this May.”

Shelly is a national leader in school nutrition field, serving as chair of the IFMA Elementary and Secondary Schools Food Leadership Council and as a board member of the International Fresh Produce Association Foundation, UMC Food Ministry and Chef Ann Foundation, among others. She is a volunteer at the The Culinary Institute of America's Healthy Kids Collaborative, ScratchWorks, Council of the Great City Schools and Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s WE Lead. She is a previous board member of School Nutrition Association. She was recently honored with the Golden Foodservice Director of the Year award from Basic American Foods' Foodservice Achievement Management Excellence (FAME) Awards. Shelly has a bachelor’s from Miami University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business.

“It was an honor to nominate Jessica for this prestigious award,” said Paul Edmondson, Vice President of P&G Professional North America. “I admire her ability to build partnerships with groups and businesses that create bonds between the school system and the Cincinnati community and how she puts the needs of the students first in her operation. She is an exceptional leader and most deserving of this award. Our hometown is lucky to have Jessica as a leader within our schools.” 

About Cincinnati Public Schools

The Cincinnati City School District, also known as Cincinnati Public Schools serves about 36,000 students in over 65 schools spread across southwest Ohio. CPS is Greater Cincinnati's largest, and Ohio's second largest school district. CPS offers families high-quality educational choices and a variety of academic programs. With a focus on Academics, Behavior and Culture, CPS is committed to developing the whole child, ensuring students thrive and graduate prepared to enroll in college, enlist in the military or become gainfully employed. For more information visit www.cps-k12.org

About Procter & Gamble Professional

P&G Professional, the away-from-home division of Procter & Gamble, helps businesses shine with a portfolio of trusted brands, including Tide® Professional, Dawn® Professional, Microban 24® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Mr. Clean® Professional, Febreze® Professional, Swiffer® Professional, Charmin®, Comet®, Spic and Span®, Bounty® and Safeguard® Professional. P&G Professional provides a clean that impresses even the toughest critics. To learn more about P&G Professional visit pgpro.com.

About International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA)

IFMA is a trade association that has served its industry for 70+ years. IFMA’s mission is to equip food-away-from-home manufacturers with the tools needed to navigate the future with confidence. By providing insights, fostering best practices, and developing networking and educational opportunities through events, IFMA enlightens its members and motivates change to improve both individual member organizations and the foodservice industry at large. For more information, visit IFMAworld.com