Dr. Russell J. Zwanka serves as Director of the Food Marketing Program, and Professor of Category Management and Food Marketing, at Western Michigan University, one of the top Food Marketing programs in the world. Delivering high quality curriculum and applied food marketing skills, Western Michigan University endeavors to work with the food industry to provide real-time solutions, while also helping educate the future leaders of the food industry.

The WMU Food Marketing program delivers an incredible 100% employment rate from the major, is the only university to have won the Progressive Grocer Grocery Impact Award for Educational Support and Learning Advancement and was listed as one of the best CPG universities in the country by EnsembleIQ! Zwanka has previously taught Marketing Research, Personal Selling, Marketing Strategy, Food Marketing, Business Strategy, Global Business, Cannabis Marketing, and Marketing Principles.

Having spent a career in the food industry before teaching, Dr. Z conceptualized and formed the Food Marketing Concentration at Siena College; as well as the Food Marketing Track at the State University of New York at New Paltz.

Dr. Z has led the merchandising, marketing, advertising, procurement, and all customer engagement areas for multiple food retail companies domestically and internationally.

Zwanka holds a Doctorate in International Business from ISM in Paris, France. He also holds a Master of Science in Management from Southern Wesleyan University, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of South Carolina. Zwanka’s 32 books are sold globally, and cover topics from doing business in Cuba to food marketing to public speaking. Dr. Zwanka was named a Top Retail Expert twice by ReThink Retail and has contributed to over 250 media publications and conferences.