Mr. Son (of Son’s Quality Food Company) and Maryland Business Enterprise for the Blind Program Participant, Melba Taylor, with the Philip A. Connelly Award for Excellence in Army Food Service
The DORS Office of Blindness and Vision Services is proud to announce that Melba Taylor (Maryland Business Enterprise Program for the Blind participant) and teaming partner, Son’s Quality Food Company, have received the Philip A. Connelly Award for Excellence in Army Food Service. The award was given out in a ceremony on April 2, 2011 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Under the Randolph Sheppard Act via the Maryland Business Enterprise Program for the Blind, Ms. Taylor has managed a large military food service operation, the Freedom Inn Dining Facility, at Fort Meade for more than eight years.
This award conveys much prestige in the industry and Ms. Taylor and her team beat out some tough competition among 33 military dining facilities, including facilities in Fort Bragg, NC, Korea, Schoefield, Hawaii, Fort Bliss Texas, Grafenwoehr, Germany and Qatar.
Ms. Taylor says that she believes her success has proven that blind managers can succeed and excel in operating large, complex, multi-faceted food service contracts, “I am extremely proud of the efforts from every member of our team.”
The Fort Meade Community Held a Base Command Ceremony to Honor Ms. Taylor and the Freedom Inn Dining Facility Team
SEATED - Ms. McAfee (Facilities Manager), Melba Taylor, Col. Daniel Thomas (Base Commander), Howard Mountain (Project Manager), Mr. Niemeyer (Quality Control Manager)