Mr. Savage received his B.S. and M.S. in Food Science and Technology from the University of Massachusetts and has more than 27 years experience in the food industry, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Mr. Savage served as the Director of Microbiology for the Ann Page Division of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company where his duties included developing microbiological methods, QC sampling plans, thermal process schedules for low-acid canned foods and trouble-shooting microbiological problems. While with FDA, Mr. Savage was active in the implementation of the first HACCP-based, low-acid canned food regulations, investigations of botulism outbreaks, product recalls and evaluations and audits of firms' compliance with FDA regulations both domestically and overseas. He is considered a leading expert in thermal processing technology.

In the FSIS, Mr. Savage was responsible for the development of the HACCP-based, canning regulations for meat and poultry products. Mr. Savage served as the Headquarters representative on a six-member HACCP Special Team to study how HACCP could be used in the meat and poultry industry and in inspection. Duties included conducting HACCP workshops with leaders in the meat and poultry industry and pilot testing HACCP models in volunteer slaughter and processing plants. He also participated in the development of the HACCP regulations and HACCP guidance materials for small business. While at FSIS, Mr. Savage conducted numerous HACCP training sessions for both industry and Agency personnel and is accredited as a Lead Instructor and a Train-the-Trainer by the International HACCP Alliance (IHA).

As President of HACCP Consulting Group, Mr. Savage has taught numerous HACCP, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and HACCP audit courses for the food industry (e.g., meat, poultry, airliner catering, etc.) both in the United States and in South America. Other activities have included audits of plants' HACCP Plans, GMPs and SSOPs. Mr. Savage has also worked with the National Meat Association, the American Meat Institute and the Food Processing Institute to provide HACCP instruction.

Mr. Savage is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists, the International Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians, and the Institute of Thermal Processing Specialists. He recently published a HACCP Review article in the Food Reviews International, and articles in the Meat and Poultry Magazine discussing HACCP Plan Validation and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) in Cooked Sausage Establishments.