PCQI Certification Seminar

Come join Leelanau Cheese Company Managing Partners Gary Smith and Josh Hall at Zingerman’s June 26th for Part 2 of the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) Preventive Controls for Human Food Blended Course! Refreshments and lunch are included.

All food manufacturing facilities inspected by the FDA are required to have a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) employee on staff to develop and manage food safety operations. A PCQI must receive training recognized by the FDA and deemed adequate in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls in a food safety system. All participants who successfully complete parts 1 and 2 of this course will meet requirements to become a PCQI. See information below for details!

The FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Blended Course is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 is 8-10 hours of self-paced online content and must be completed within 6 months prior to taking Part 2. Part 2 will be offered on June 26th at Zingerman’s and is an in-person, interactive course incorporating concepts learned in Part 1 through instructor-led group exercises.

FSPCA Human Food Blended Course Part 1:

Cost: $208
Offered online through FSPCA. To self-register, follow the link below and click on the “Enroll in Course” tab. Proceed by enrolling in the ‘PCHF Participant Course Part 1.’ Upon completion of the online content, each participant will be emailed an enrollment ticket for Part 2 of the blended course. Participants must email their enrollment ticket from Part 1 to the instructors by June 24th or they will not be eligible to take Part 2 of this course.
https://www.fspca.net/pc-human-food-preventive-controls-qualified-individual#FPCHFBC

FSPCA Human Food Blended Course Part 2:

Wednesday, June 26th, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $450 for general public OR $350 for "Cheese Business Pro" Michigan Cheese and Dairy Guild members

Registration for Part 2 is completed on this page.
Participants must email their enrollment ticket from Part 1 to the instructor by June 24th or they will not be eligible to take Part 2 of this course. Those who enroll in the Part 2
course, but fail to complete Part 1 prior to June 24th will be required to re-enroll and pay the registration fees again at a later date. There are no extensions granted and no
refunds given.
Note: A digital watermarked copy of the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food
Student Manual will be provided to all participants. Hard copies of the student manual
are an additional $40 and are available for purchase on the Guild website for Part 2
registration.

Cancellation policy
Cancellation 10 days before the event/course participants will be eligible for a 50%
refund. Courses canceled within 1-5 business days or on the day of the course will not
be eligible for a refund. Cancellation for classes where registration has ended or an
individual that did not attend the course without 24-hour prior notice will not be eligible
for a refund. The Michigan Cheese and Dairy Guild reserves the right to cancel a course
for the following reasons: courses with low enrollment, or unforeseen and/or
uncontrollable events. Paid participants will receive a full refund, please allow 5-7
business days to process payment.

Instructor Bios

Gary Smith (Lead Instructor)
Food Safety Officer 
Managing Partner 
Leelanau Cheese 
gary@leelanaucheese.com 
3324 S W Bay Shore Dr 
Suttons Bay, MI 49682 
 
Gary Smith has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in food science from Michigan State
University. He started his career in the dairy industry at the MSU Dairy Plant as a dairy
technician and later was promoted to quality assurance manager and food safety officer where he developed and managed the MSU Dairy Plant food safety program from the ground up. Gary holds certifications in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Preventive
Controls Qualified Individual for Human Food (PCQI), and is a Preventive Controls for Human Food lead instructor.
Gary was also a dairy processing extension specialist for the state of Michigan for from 2017-2020, helping dairy processors troubleshoot issues through on-site visits and educational workshops. Gary has attended many dairy processing and food safety workshops across the United States; his academic, food safety, plant and extension background provide a strong foundation in cheese making operations. Gary Smith is now the food safety officer and managing partner at Leelanau Cheese Co.  

Josh Hall (Assistant Instructor)
Cheese Maker 
Managing Partner 
Leelanau Cheese 
josh@leelanaucheese.com 
3324 S W Bay Shore Dr 
Suttons Bay, MI 49682 
 
 
For more than ten years Joshua directed the dairy manufacturing efforts of Michigan State University’s Dairy Foods Complex. He was responsible for the coordination of teaching,
research and production within the facility. He is now the managing partner of Leelanau Cheese Co, located in Suttons Bay, MI. 
Joshua is proficient in the operation and maintenance of HTST pasteurization and
homogenization equipment. He is practiced in coordinating and executing dairy related research, experienced with HACCP management systems, and has been certified as a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI).  
Joshua is an award-winning cheesemaker holding multiple medals from the American Cheese Society, U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, and the World Cheese Awards. Joshua holds the distinguished recognition within the American Cheese Society as a Certified Cheese Professional (CCP). This designation requires thousands of hours of engagement within the cheese industry, as well as a thorough knowledge of the global cheese enterprise.