ChemStation Institute: Food Safety and Sanitation Summit

Sanitation training often doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves. That’s where CSI – the ChemStation Institute comes in. What began as a simple educational event aimed at helping customers better understand sanitation chemistry has expanded to a 1.5-day industry summit packed with immersive workshops, technical presentations, and real-world problem-solving.

This October in Chicago, IL, CSI returns with an expanded format and a fresh line-up of sessions designed to challenge and equip sanitation professionals at every level. Whether you’re in QA, operations, or sanitation leadership, this event advances your skills and sharpens your investigative instincts. Our C.H.E.M. (Collect, Hunt, Eradicate and Maintain) Clinic is back with a redesigned format. The game will be played throughout the entire summit with twists and turns dispersed throughout.

Our conference kicks off with a pre-conference workshop of Food Safety Auditor training led by Briana Lorenzo of Harris Teeter. This workshop outlines the expectations and program development for food safety audits.

Back by popular demand, CSI will feature our “Find it, Formulate it, Fix it” workshop. This will be led by industry experts Joel Schaffer, VP of Food and Beverage for ChemStation; Josh Kastan, Group Executive VP of ChemStation – Chicago; Jack Kearney, Director of Business Development – Food and Beverage ChemStation; and Neil Bogart, Associate Director Sanitation CoE, Post Consumer Brands. This workshop dives into the practical side of sanitation troubleshooting. During the afternoon session, participants will:
• Identify harborage points
• Investigate common root causes of cleaning failures
• Work through chemical formulation adjustments in real-time scenarios

Hands-on demonstrations will be conducted by instructors and participants alike.

This year we’ve added two additional workshops to the afternoon. Returning this year is an investigation workshop lead by Adam Borger of the University of Wisconsin Madison – Food Research Institute (FRI) and Joe Meyer, formerly of Kerry. They will walk through microbial investigations for pathogens and spoilage organisms using techniques that may be overlooked. This workshop is designed to help attendees:
• Develop investigation skills for recurring issues
• Trace sources of microbial issues in manufacturing environments

The third workshop was added this year, lead by our Keynote speaker Bryan Armentrout of the Food Leadership Group; and Tia Glave and Jill Stuber of Catalyst Leadership Group, LLC. This workshop delves into the expectations of leaders in the food industry. An interactive session involving tips and techniques on being a leader in the food industry.

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Our second day opens with a keynote speaker, Bryan Armentrout. More sessions will be held with the conclusion of CSI wrapping up our C.H.E.M. Clinic game.

Whether you’re training new auditors or refining an existing program, this session is designed to strengthen your internal audit structure from the inside out.

CSI isn’t your typical conference. It’s a place where science meets practicality, where sanitation is celebrated as a critical part of food safety, and where professionals come together to solve real-world problems.

Join us in Chicago this fall and be part of the solution.

Date: October 26–28, 2025
Location: Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel, Chicago, IL

Register by clicking here!

For more information, reach out to your ChemStation representative.