Although the bakery's rapid growth has presented its share of challenges, growth is much preferred to the reverse situation, where difficult decisions have to be made and people laid off, Stu notes. Managing controlled growth means acquiring the right type of talent for the bakery, training and promoting people from within and knowing when a particular skill set is lacking and needs to be brought in from the outside.

Jim Rosen, no stranger to adversity as a childhood survivor of bone cancer, infuses the bakery with his strength. Much of Highland Baking's success can and should be attributed to Jim, according to Stu. “My dad would say nobody's bigger than the bakery, but if anyone was, it would be him.”

Bringing baking skill mastery to Highland Baking

Steve Barnhart, head of R&D at Highland Baking, Northbrook, Ill., recently earned his certification as a foodservice management professional® (FMP) from the National Restaurant Association's Educational Foundation. The FMP credential distinguishes restaurant and foodservice managers who have achieved a high level of knowledge, experience, leadership and professionalism within their industry.

Still, FMP is merely one among several credentials that Barnhart has earned in recent years. He became a certified journeyman baker while still in culinary school at Kendall College, Chicago, where he earned a bachelor's degree in culinary management. In 2007, Barnhart was credited as the country's youngest certified master baker (CMB), and more recently was awarded the designation of master certified foodservice executive (MCFE). He is currently pursuing designation as certified baker in breads and rolls through AIB International, Manhattan, Kan., which he hopes to complete by early 2009. Once completed, Barnhart has his sight set on a certified research chef credential.

When asked about all of the certifications and the values they hold, Barnhart replies: “They are a continual assessment of my skills and knowledge, which help me stay on top of my game. The industry is always changing with trends, formulas, ingredients, sanitation, management skills, etc. To be the most up-to-date with all of these categories makes me better at my job, and ultimately my passion.”

Jim Rosen, owner and C.E.O., is grateful for the skills Chef Barnhart brings to the bakery. “Chef Barnhart has knowledge of formulations,” Rosen says. “As he becomes more familiar with our business, he's able to take that knowledge and develop products. What we really never had before was a real technical baker who has his abilities.”

Highland Baking Co. at a glance

Headquarters: Northbrook, Ill.

Ownership: Family-owned by the Rosen family

Web site: www.highlandbaking.com

Management: Jim Rosen, owner and C.E.O.; Gail Rosen, corporate secretary; Stu Rosen, vice president and general manager; Cheryl Wedyck, HR director; Mike Galenson, director of operations; Boris Golenson, chief engineer; Frank Nevarez, plant manager; Ron Katarzynski, manager, fresh sales; Greg Murrell, manager, national sales; Steve Barnhart, research and development; Vince Miller, sanitation manager; Martin Abundes and Victor Duran, production managers; and Martin Castillo, shipping manager

Product lines: More than 800 varieties of breads, specialty buns and rolls

Marketing territory: Fresh-route business, regional Chicago; Frozen business, national

Plant size: 250,000 sq. ft.

Production lines: (North side of plant) Six lines designed for quick changeovers — bread divider for 1-lb. to 3-lb. loaves; two-pocket divider for French breads; six-pocket divider for 3-in. to 4 ½-in. buns, 1-in. mini dinner rolls and appetizer rolls; six-pocket divider for bread, Kaiser rolls, knot rolls and buns; and an artisan line for European crusty breads; 16 rack ovens and three deck ovens for small run production (South side of plant) Three 1,000-lb. horizontal mixers; one high-volume bread line with bread divider and three high-volume bun line with six-pocket dividers and one 10-pocket divider; two tunnel ovens and two spiral coolers; with one additional mixer, divider and tunnel oven in installation phase

Sales: $50 million to $55 million

Customer base: Fresh products sold to Chicago-metro area foodservice and retail establishments and frozen products sold to national chain accounts

Number of employees: About 360