User:PWMG/Foodservice Consultants Society International - The Americas (FCSI-TA)

History:
The Foodservice Consultants Society International - The Americas (FCSI-TA) is a division of the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI), and is an association that promotes professionalism in foodservice and hospitality consulting. Internationally, FCSI has more than 1,300 members in over 46 countries.

The FCSI-TA is headquartered in Bloomington, IL and for the past 50 years has served as the sole organization dedicated to the advancement of independent foodservice consultant practitioners that are based in North, Central and South America. The society's growing membership of approximately 700 consultants conduct business internationally but are located in North, Central and South America.

Over the years, FCSI-TA has established close relations with more than 30 allied and client-based industry groups. For instance, FCSI-TA supports Restaurant of the Future, which is a field laboratory where industry professionals study and test what motivates consumers to choose certain meal components, or the influence of the interior of the restaurant and the assortment on their choices.

Membership:
FCSI-certified consultants work in all foodservice disciplines, in any conceivable commercial and institutional application. This includes, but is not limited to concept development, kitchen design, interior design, architectural design, hospitality, energy management, sustainability and LEED planning, culinary development, IT systems, code compliance and training/management development.

Members also work in many foodservice applications, such as K-12 and college dining, business and corporate dining, corrections, government, healthcare, hotels and resorts, non-profit and retail restaurants. Full details about membership qualifications and the application process can be accessed at the FCSI-TA website.

Professional Standards and Education:
Members often leverage the association’s influence, educational resources, industry advocacy and the development of future foodservice leaders. Strict professional and ethical standards are a requirement for membership.

With several different membership classifications, foodservice and hospitality professionals in FCSI-TA also have a path to continuing education through a formal program that is regulated by the FCSI Educational Foundation, an independent and non-profit corporation that is separate from its parent group.

One goal of the association is to provide FCSI-TA members with the ability to maintain and improve knowledge and skills for competent consulting. The process includes continuous self-assessment to identify professional strengths and learning needs, establishment of short- and long-term goals for individual professional development, and selection of educational opportunities for which appropriate Continuing Educational Units (CEUs) are awarded to recognize achievement of these goals.

FCSI - TA also publishes The Americas Quarterly and the monthly electronic newsletter known as Direct Connection for its members, extending the opportunity to receive research-based news and information about the foodservice consulting market.

Commercial Foodservice Industry Facts:
•	The U.S. commercial foodservice market will tally retail sales of more than $600 billion in 2012, and the market is growing at about a four percent rate

•	Fast casual restaurants make up 14 percent of all quick-service restaurant sales, compared to 5 percent just ten years ago (Technomic)

External Links:
FCSI-The Americas website

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