Avant Food Media adds multimedia specialist and announces promotions

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Avant Food Media adds multimedia specialist and announces promotions

12 Jan 2022

Joanie Spencer

Since 2008, Joanie Spencer has covered the retail and wholesale sides of the baking industry.
Serving associations such as the American Society of Baking (ASB) and BEMA, Joanie is also in demand as an industry presenter on bakery operations and trends. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Rockhurst University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

When she’s not running or playing soccer, Joanie spends her time with her husband and 11-year-old son.

KANSAS CITY, MO — Avant Food Media, Commercial Baking’s parent company, has once again expanded its team with the addition of multimedia specialist Olivia Huels.

In this role, Huels will be responsible for developing and producing interactive media, including TechTalks, QuickTakes, IBIE Booth Trailers and more, for commercialbaking.com and all Commercial Baking social media platforms. She will also use her film production skills to develop new engagement-forward digital concepts across all Avant Food Media platforms.

Huels came to Avant from Zahner, an engineering firm focused on architecture, metal facades and artwork, where she served as a marketing coordinator. She has a bachelor’s degree in film and media studies from the University of Kansas.

“We are very pleased to welcome Olivia, and the strong skillset she brings, to our growing team,” said Paul Lattan, Avant Food Media president and principal and the publisher of Commercial Baking. “As we enter our second year in the baking and food B2B media space, we have created increasing momentum with our readers in addition to outstanding advertising growth. Having Olivia will help us expand our current offerings and create even more modern stories and elements to engage and connect the industry. With Jordan, Liz, and Olivia, the sky is the limit.”

Additionally, Avant kicked off the year with two staff promotions.

Jordan Winter has been promoted from Commercial Baking digital editor to creative director for all Avant Food Media products and projects. As creative director, Winter will be the keeper of the look, feel and tone for Avant properties, including full design of the flagship Commercial Baking. In addition to her creative and design skills, Winter is an expert storyteller on change-driving topics. She will continue serving the industry with stories on sustainability; diversity, equity and inclusion; and community support.

And after just six months with Avant Food Media, Liz Goodwin was elevated to managing editor of Commercial Baking. In her new role, Goodwin will be responsible for the magazine’s overall workflow and production, as well as digital analytics. She will also continue enterprising insightful features and assist the editor-in-chief in developing editorial concepts for Commercial Baking and future Avant titles. With a background in photography and digital storytelling, Goodwin also contributes photographs to Commercial Baking features and web content.

“Jordan and Liz courageously jumped in with our company in its earliest stage, and their talent, energy and creativity have been amazing assets to Avant and Commercial Baking,” said Steve Berne, VP and principal of Avant Food Media and the director of media for Commercial Baking. “Their ability to deliver engaging editorial content and design — in every format — was a significant contributor to our successful inaugural year. Their promotions are well deserved, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they innovate in 2022 and beyond.”

These staffing changes — and the strength and breadth of skills these team members possess — support the rapid growth Commercial Baking and Avant Food Media are experiencing as the company heads into its second year.

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