Director of Food & Nutrition
My career with The Nutrition Group has been a rewarding journey that began in 2004, when I joined the Shaler Area School District as an hourly employee. At the time, balancing two part-time jobs and three young children made a school-schedule position the perfect fit. Like many colleagues, I originally thought I would stay only while my children were young. However, as the years passed it became clear this was a company I wanted to grow with.
In the summer of 2015, I interviewed for and transitioned into a kitchen manager role. Although that position was later eliminated due to budget changes, the experience opened a new path for me. I had never seen myself as a potential director, but several leaders within the company recognized strengths I hadn’t yet recognized in myself. With their encouragement and support, I took the leap and accepted the challenge.
At the start of the 2018-2019 school year, I trained as a director at Hopewell School District before returning to Shaler Area in November a few months later, where I have proudly served ever since. Working with The Nutrition Group at Shaler Area truly feels like a home away from home. The culture of care, approachability, and genuine connection is what makes so many of us say we are “Part of the TNG family.”
I’m grateful for the support and opportunities that have helped me grow into the director I am today, and I look forward to what my future may be!
- Sue Cook
Join a team that cares for each other like family.
Ed stands by a solid brand promise: “At The Nutrition Group, we try to do exactly what we say we will do. No surprises. Guaranteed.”
The Nutrition Group began when Walter McGrew and Ed Caswell purchased a small division of Potter McCune in June of 1975. Walter needed someone that would help grow Nutrition Inc. Providentially, Ed was in the right place at the right time. Walter offered him the opportunity to help grow the new business along with a share of the company. Ed enthusiastically accepted and became Vice President. The early years were characterized by transition, from a volume-based commissary operation to bid-based contract catering and then to contract food service management.
As with any successful business, many hours were invested, much experimentation was tried and many lessons were learned. The main key to early success was hiring quality, team-oriented management personnel and nourishing and encouraging their personal and professional growth.
Mr. McGrew retired in the early 1980’s and divested his interest to Ed in 1991. The leveraged buyout necessitated creative capitalization beyond bank financing. As it turned out, the idea to sell stock to key management personnel remains a powerful component in the company’s success. This has allowed The Nutrition Group to maximize growth opportunities and improve operational capabilities. Being an actively involved owner of the company is energizing, it lights the fire of pride and commitment because it is personal.
The Nutrition Group has enjoyed continual growth guided by their top management leadership team, which has been another hallmark throughout the years of our management philosophy: a strong, dedicated and focused top management team. The corporation has developed teamwork structures and principles within all levels of our business and closely monitors and supervises daily implementation and progress.
Ed’s customer-first philosophy that fueled company growth from the beginning is still the driving principle today. The employees of The Nutrition Group embrace that philosophy in all that they do. Today, The Nutrition Group serves over 240 school districts across six states and has a Commissary Division serving daycare and Head Start children, Senior Centers and Healthcare facilities. Also, the Facilities Management Services division provides custodial maintenance management, capital project management and owner’s representative services.
Ed’s parents and grandparents passed on their entrepreneurial beliefs. He was raised in a business household. He is grateful to Mr. McGrew his first partner and business mentor. He is grateful to God, his wives, family, the many “Nutritionites”, customers, vendors and outside sources of inspiration – all of which helped him to grow and develop into the person God has graced him to be. Ed believes, “We grow more through our hardships than blessings, but we are grateful for both.” He is a man of faith whose resourcefulness, perseverance and leadership helped build The Nutrition Group.
The integrity and commitment of The Nutrition Group business model, focusing on trying to consistently please the customer and sincerely attempting to do what we say we are going to do, is what sets us apart from the competition.
