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ABA History

The American Bakers Association was founded on Oct. 18, 1897 at the first National Convention of the Master Bakers in Boston. More than 50 gentlemen participated as founders. 
 
  • The American Bakers Association was incorporated on Nov. 3, 1916 in Chicago.  
     
  • During World War II, when male teenagers graduating from high school could not pass their physical examinations, enrichment standards for baked goods were established to provide a vehicle for improved nutrition. ABA’s tagline was “Bread is the Staff of Life.” 
  • In the 1940s-1950s, ABA focused on promotion marketing of bread and baked goods.
     
  • In the 1960s, ABA became more focused on legislative and regulatory policy that impacted the baking industry. 
     
  • As the primary lobbying organization for the baking industry, the American Bakers Association moved its headquarters to Washington, D.C. in the 1970s.    
                                                                                                 
                                                                                
Presidents & Chairmen of ABA

2010-2012 Allen Shiver (current Chairman)
2008-10 Kenneth “Chip” Klosterman, Jr. 
2006-08 Ron Turano, Chairman
2004-06 Gary Prince, Chairman
2003-04 George E. Deese, Chairman
2002-03 Louis Gonnella, Chairman
2001-02 Patrick Callaghan, Chairman
 

Full list of Chairmen & Presidents (from 1897-present)

Fun Facts
  • Bread, in one form or another, has been a principal form of food for man from earliest times. Loaves and rolls have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Wheat has been found in human settlements from as much as 8,000 years ago. 
     
  •  It appears that a bakers’ “guild” was formed in Rome round about the year 168 B.C. 

 Click here for the “History of Bread.”
Full List of ABA Presidents & Chairmen  

2010-12 Allen Shiver
2008-10 Kenneth “Chip” Klosterman, Jr.
2006-08 Ron Turano, Chairman
2004-06 Gary Prince, Chairman
2003-04 George E. Deese, Chairman
2002-03 Louis Gonnella, Chairman
2001-02 Patrick Callaghan, Chairman
1999-2000 John W. Iselin, Jr.
1998-99 J. Mark Koshliek
1997-98 John Langdon
1996-97 Tim Kelbel, Chairman
1995-96 Michael Marcucci, Chairman
1994-95 Frederick E. Cooper, Chairman
1992-94 Charles A. Sullivan, Chairman
1991-92 Andrew Maier, II, Chairman
1990-91 James G. Apple, Chairman
1988-90 Heeth Varnedoe, III, Chairman
1987-88 Henry J. Metz, Chairman
1985-87 R. Jack Lewis, Jr. , Chairman
1984-85 George M. Wilson, Chairman
1983-84 John Paterakis, Chairman
1982-83 Lauren H. Batty, Chairman
1981-82 B. J. Hinkle, Chairman
1980-81 Vernon Baird, Chairman
1979-80 W.T. “Chuck” Webb, Chairman
1978-79 William C. Metz, Chairman
1976-77 Christos Cocaine, Chairman
1975-76 Langdon Flowers, Chairman
1973-75 Bill O. Mead, Chairman
1971-73 Clayton C. Daley, Chairman
1969-71 Harold Salmon, Sr. , Chairman
1967-69 Russell E. Duvernoy, Chairman
1965-67 John R. Dow, Chairman
1962-65 Albert S. Schmidt, Sr. , Chairman
1960-62 John C. Koetting, Chairman
1959-60 Louis E. Caster, Chairman
1957-59 Wm. M. Clemens, Chairman
1955-57 Roy Nafziger, Chairman
1953-55 Lewis G. Graeves, Chairman
1951-53 Curtiss H. Scott, Chairman

 1950-51 John T. McCarthy, Chairman
1949-50 M. Lee Marshall, Chairman
1946-49 H.W. Zinsmaster, Chairman
1944-46 Fred L. Cobb, Chairman
1943-44 Ralph D. Ward, Chairman
1942-43 Grover Patton, Chairman
1941-42 G.R. Williams, Chairman
1932-41 L.J. Schumaker, Chairman
1927-32 Frederic H. Frazier, Chairman
1926-27 Henry Stude, President
1925-26 L.J. Schumaker, President
1924-25 Lewis F. Bolser, President
1923-24 Raymond K. Stritzinger, President
1922-23 William H. Korn, President
1922      A.L. Taggart, President
1921-22 Win. M. Campbell, President
1920-21 C.N. Power, President
1919-20 Gordon Smith, President
1918-19 George S. Ward, President
1917-18 Henry Stude, President
1916-17 S.F. McDonald, President
1915-16 Jay Burns, President
1914-15 George M. Haffner, President
1913-14 Mark Bredin, President
1912-13 F.H. Hohengarten, President
1911-12 George F. Clarke, President
1910-11 Paul Schulze, President
1909-10 William Meek, President
1908-09 Simon Hubig, President
1907-08 H.B. Leary, President
1906-07 Adolph Boettler, President
1905-06 B. Howard Smith, President
1904-05 Martin Simon, President
1903-04 William M. Regan, President
1902-03 Frank R. Shepard, President
1901-02 Robert Morton, President
1900-01 John E. McKinney, President
1899-00 Lewis J. Kolb, President
1897-99 Charles Schneider, President

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