Carol L. Christison, president and chief executive officer of the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA), died on March 4.
For more than three decades, Ms. Christison led the association as in-store bakery/delis became mainstays in supermarkets, mass merchandisers and club stores and replaced mom-and-pop retail bakeries in many parts of the nation.
IDDBA’s Annual Seminar and Expo eventually became one of most popular conventions for retail, in-store and food service bakers as well as for wholesale baking companies that supply them with frozen and par-baked products.
In 1982, Ms. Christison initially replaced the retiring International Cheese & Deli Association executive director at that time. The association later became known as the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association.
Starting with only a part-time bookkeeper, the organization has grown to a staff of nearly 30 employees; from 100 corporate members to 1,500, and from less than 1,000 attendees to nearly 9,000 at the Annual Seminar & Expo.
Ms. Christison is survived by a daughter, Lucie (Norm) Arendt, and a son, David; eldest son Jim passed away in 2013. Visitation is set for March 12 with a Celebration of Life service on March 13.
