Russell Woodward, chair of the Texas Restaurant Foundation, said that their annual ProStart Educators Training Conference is pivotal for workforce training objectives, gathering a hundred teachers for hands-on programs. Woodward was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.

"We provide them with an annual training - our ProStart Educators Training Conference - every summer," said Woodward on a recent edition of the Texas Talks Podcast. "It's a three-day hands-on program that we offer every year for those teachers. We bring a hundred of them each year into the kitchen.”  

“We're going to be in San Antonio at St. Philip's College," said Woodward. “They're a great partner for the foundation and the association as well. They've got a great new facility that we can use to bring teachers in to train them. That group of individuals is one important piece of our workforce and how we're trying to train up and hit that number over the next six years."

Woodward serves as the chair of the Texas Restaurant Foundation, Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation Board of Trustees, and is a member of the American Meat Science Association. He holds a bachelor’s degree in food science with a special emphasis in meat science from Texas A&M University.  Woodward serves as the director of food service and industry relations at Nolan Ryan Brands.

Texas Talks podcast is hosted by Brad Swail. The weekly show is focused on public policy in the state of Texas, with insights from the people and organizations that influence it.

The podcast is available on Simple Cast and YouTube.