Our Leadership
Gina R. Bellinger, President

Gina R. Bellinger serves as the founder and President of Food Safety Net Services. Gina obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Texas A&M University. Her research interests include development of baseline and microbial mapping data in the meat industry. She is co-author of several noted publications concerning the control of pathogens in food processing operations and has been involved in the food industry for the last 15 years. Her involvement and support of the food industry has earned her several awards, including the NMA Supplier of the Year Award in 2003 and the FSIS Women Owned Small Business of the Year award in 2006.more
John W. Bellinger, Chairman of the Board

John W. Bellinger is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Food Safety Net Services. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University in 1976 and a Master of Science degree in 1978. While completing his graduate studies, he was an instructor of animal science and coached the Texas A&M Meat Judging Team. John is also the CEO of Agri-West International, Inc., an international and domestic marketing firm offering brokerage and consulting services for the food industry. He has served as the Chairman of the Southwest Meat Association, on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, on the Texas Beef Council Board of Directors, on various committees of the National Cattleman's Beef Association, on the Texas A&M Agricultural Advisory Council, and is the Founder of the Houston Livestock Show Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest. John also served as Chairman of the U.S. Meat Export Federation in 2006.more
Homero Recio, Chief Executive Officer

Homero has been the President of our sister company, Agri-West International (AWI), for the past five years. Homero graduated with a BS and MS from Texas A&M University. At Texas A&M he was a lecturer for the Dept. of Animal Science followed by two years of service with Certified Angus Beef in operations, sales and marketing. Prior to joining AWI he served for 10 years as the Vice President of the Western Hemisphere for the US Meat Export Federation.

Homero brings leadership, management experience, energy, and passion for customer service to FSNS. He knows our customer base, the food industry and is familiar with the operations of analytical testing laboratories; which will contribute to the continued success and growth of FSNS.
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Dr. Gary C. Smith, Member of the Board of Directors

Dr. Gary C. Smith is a member of the Board of Directors for Food Safety Net Services and is currently Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Colorado State University and Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from California State University in 1960 and his Master of Science degree from Washington State University in 1962. He earned a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 1968. Dr. Smith has received numerous awards in teaching, research, and service from the American Meat Science Association, the American Society of Animal Science, the National Meat Association, the U.S. Meat Export Federation, Beef Magazine, National Livestock Grading and Marketing Association, the International Meat Coaches Association, the Livestock Publications Council, and the National Association of Meat Purveyors. Dr. Smith and his wife Kay have 6 children and 13 grandchildren and enjoy living in beautiful Colorado. more
Dr. Keith E. Belk, Director of Scientific Affairs

Dr. Keith Belk joined FSNS in 2008 as Director of Scientific Affairs. Dr. Belk is also a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University and has numerous years of experience in the food industry. He received a B.S. and M.S. in Animal Science from Colorado State University and a Ph.D. in Meat Science from Texas A&M University. Dr. Belk has received numerous awards for his contributions to the meat industry from the U.S. Meat Export Federation, the American Society of Animal Science, Colorado State University, and the American Meat Science Association, among others. In 2005, Dr. Belk received the Marketing Assistance Award for Re-establishment of Export Markets for US Beef from the USDA-AMS-LS. He is currently President-Elect for the American Meat Science Association, and is a member of ASAS, IFT, NCBA, IAFP, the Colorado Cattleman's Association, the National Western Stock Show Association, and the Colorado Livestock Association. He has presented over 300 professional addresses and guest lectures, and has authored hundreds of abstracts, articles, reports, book chapters, and reviews. Dr. Belk's research interests include red meat safety and quality, live animal development, international trade, and quality management.more
Robert A. Pickard, Member of the Board of Directors

Bob Pickard joined Food Safety Net Services in the spring of 2002 as a consultant and was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors in 2003. He graduated from Texas A&M University with his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1961 and then with a MBA in 1962. He spent 35 years working with two department stores in both the operations management and finance areas of the business. Bob and his wife, Mary, have three children and four grandsons.more
Alan W. Uecker, Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer

Alan Uecker joined Food Safety Net Services as the Chief Financial Officer in 2004 after numerous years in the accounting and finance industry. Alan attended The University of Texas at Austin where he received his Bachelor's of Business Administration in Accounting. He earned his Master's Degree in Taxation from the University of Texas at San Antonio and is a Certified Public Accountant. While earning his Master's Degree, Alan became a member of Beta Gamma Sigma at UTSA. Alan and his wife, Jill, have two daughters, Meghan and Rachel.more
Patricia Wester, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs

Food Safety Net Services named Patricia Wester, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs. Ms. Wester is a veteran of food safety in both Domestic and International firms. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Poultry Science from the University of Florida. She began her career in food safety at ABC Research Corp., Gainesville, Florida, where she worked on emerging issues such as Listeria detection and control of RTE Meat and Poultry plants. Recently, she has focused on the further development of global, third party certification auditing programs and their use under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
Ms. Wester has a wealth of experience she brings including leadership roles as Chair of Food Safety Services Providers; a U.S. based Trade Association of Accredited Third Party Certification Bodies, a member of Global Food Safety Initiative's (GFSI) Technical Working Group on Auditor Competencies, as well as a 10+ year member of IAFP and current IAFP Vice Chair of the Meat & Poultry Professional Development Group. Additionally, she is on the Advisory Council for the Institute of Food Safety at Florida State College at Jacksonville and is a past member of the American Meat Institute's Scientific Affairs and Inspection Committees, as well as a past board member of the Florida Association for Food Protection.
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Jane Binzak, Vice President of Human Resources

Jane L. Binzak joined Food Safety Net Services in 2012 and serves as its Vice President of Human Resources. Jane brings 12+ years of senior human resources leadership experience combined with 19+ years of legal experience. Before joining FSNS, she held positions in the food service industry, including Executive Vice President of Human Resource and Employment Law Counsel, for companies with over 20,000 employees. Her leadership earned the Chain Leader Magazine's Best Places to Work Award. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration, emphasis on personnel, magna cum laude, from St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota, and her Juris Doctorate from Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.more

 

Food Safety Net Services   Phone: 888.525.9788   Fax: 210.525.1702  info@FSNS.com
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