Joseph Ferrara

[joseph ferrara]

Hello all, I first want to introduce myself.

I am Joseph Ferrara from Unique Coffee Roasters in Staten Island, NY.

Second I would like to thank everyone at the Roaster's Guild and the SCAA for my nomination of the Roaster's Guild Executive Council.

Being involved in the coffee industry has always been a part of my life, I couldn't imagine life without it.

My father had been involved in coffee from the age of 17 and after being involved in coffee for 9 years he started our company in our small garage; that's where I learned to roast. I learned to roast in it's simplest form on a 20 kilo manual Probat roaster. As I grew older summertime meant working in the factory, sweeping the floors; keeping clean and if I needed to fill in roasting I would. I always wanted to roast I wanted to be the reason why the coffee was made; I learned everything from my old man. Being involved in the coffee market in New York you absolutely need to have a good product or you won't survive. I realized that when I got older, when I began to taste the coffee and when I began to experiment on sample roasters and other production roasts; seeing and learning how to buy coffee. We now roast on state of the art equipment.

I firmly believe that there is true chemistry in coffee roasting and that is what I am passionate ... actually dedicated in learning. I want to know what makes a specific coffee sweet, bitter, acidic and so on. I also believe that with proper roasting technology you can achieve those characteristics more efficiently than roasting manually; when you have control in the profile of your roast and when you can mimic that roast consistently time after time that is the what we are all trying to achieve.

I hope that if I am elected I can help bring more resources to use with the help of the other executive council members to assist all guild members in achieving what they desire. I also look to becoming a SCAA instructor and instructing classes at SCAA events. I also hope to offer courses and training opportunities at my factory to guild members on the East Coast.I also look forward in helping the Roaster's Guild further develop their classes and certification courses. Being involved in a family owned and operated I am actively involved in all aspects of the business, from green coffee buying, production, and administration. I think that with my experience in seeing a company change with the times and change in size I can help understand and assist with the members of the guild and their needs.

I thank you all for your time, consideration, and votes.

Cheers,
Joe Ferrara

Enjoy great coffee !

[Marty G Curtis]

Hello Joseph

I have a couple questions for you, answer as many as you like.

If elected how can you help or recommend to make the roaster certification program stronger so employers are willing to give time for their roaster to attend or even reimburse them?

How can you help make the roaster certification program stronger and have more meaning to your fellow guild members?

Is there any one thing that you feel we the guild can do better and how will be able to help us achieve this?
Does the company you work for have a problem with you sharing your views about roasting or cupping process?

Thanks you for running and look forward to your answers

Marty G Curtis

[joseph ferrara]

Marty,
Thanks for the questions.

First, making the roaster certification program stronger should start with the guild members and all SCAA members. There should be regional certified roasteries throughout the country making it easier for guild members to become certified. With a larger network of certified roasteries with SCAA Roaster's Guild trained instructors this would encourage employers to send their roaster's to become a SCAA certified roaster. It gives the company recognition amongst their peers that they have taken further steps to better their products and above all expand their knowledge of coffee roasting. The SCAA should encourage their members that are coffee roasters to send their employees to attend the roaster certification program; if courses are held regionally this should avoid high transportation and lodging costs that some companies may not be willing to spend in a recession. The company should have their employee pay for the certification and upon completion offer a full refund. In return the SCAA should offer a discount on membership fees in a percentage or straight monetary value based on the amount of certified roasters they have on staff and their certification level. This should benefit all parties.

I think in my previous response I touched on how to make the program stronger. Further development in the courses and study guides should be made available to guild members. I also think that a forum on roasting and questions on all roasting could create a vast array of knowledge that all members could find useful.

The company that I work for would not have a problem voicing my views about roasting or cupping as long as I did not release confidential information regarding recipes etc.

If anyone would like me to expand on my answers please do not hesitate to ask I will reply ASAP!

Cheers,
Joe

Thank you all again for the nomination.

[Marty G Curtis]

Hello Joseph
Thanks for the reply and good luck.

Marty

[Scapistrant]

Hello Joseph, congrats on the nomination! Couple questions for you...

What is one area in the guild that you think needs a great deal of attention? And going on with that, how would you involve the current members?

A lot of owners are skeptical about the value of RG (though i'm sure we can all vouch its quite grand!), what would you recommend the guild doing to developing and sustaining more support?

Thanks!

[joseph ferrara]

I think one are that requires a great deal of attention is the certification programs. I think that this should require more attention that it receives now simply because a lot of owners will not send their roaster's across the country for a course; they will not send their roasters to the SCAA event. More roasters should be certified and they should have company support for that.

I think that by holding regional certification events hosted by current RG members this could benefit the program. The owners would be more likely to send their roaster out for one day at a time to get certified rather than out for a few days plus travel time. It get's expensive. I even think that some the host RG members would open up on a Saturday to host the events so it does not hurt anyone's work flow.

Although the value is exceptional, owners have a hard time spending money now a days that is not 100% necessary; you cannot blame them. However, if they can spend a small fee to have their roaster (who I am sure is a long time employee; or will be) and not have to worry about them missing work, and paying for travel expenses; to have them certified by the RG and the SCAA; and not to mention the educational aspect and experience aspect to the certification programs I think that it is beneficial to every party.

The guild itself could offer certification credits to the host members or even a discount to their RG membership, and/or SCAA membership. I also think that to make the program more appealing the RG member should receive a discount off their membership for the amount of certification they have.

I hope this helps. Please let me know of any additional questions you may have.

Cheers,
Joe