Kansas Hires Kosher Executive

By Barbara Bayer, Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

The Vaad Hakashruth of Kansas City has hired Rabbi Mendel Segal as its new executive director.

The local community service organization whose mission is the maintenance of kosher supervision here in town had been without a full-time executive director for more than a year. Rabbi Segal has been on the job since July 5.

Rabbi Segal, who was ordained as a rabbi by West Coast Rabbinical Seminary in Westwood, Calif., in 2003, most recently served as the manager of the kosher food department at the Hen House Market located at 11721 Roe Ave. in Leawood.

Rabbi Segal reports to the Vaad’s board of directors as well as Rabbi Daniel Rockoff, who is the rav hamachshir (supervising rabbi), and Rabbi Herbert Mandl, the chairman.

Karen Pack, president of the Vaad’s board of directors, said a one-year grant supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, the Jewish Heritage Foundation, the Jewish Community Foundation and the Menorah Legacy Foundation, made it possible for the Vaad to hire a full-time executive in order to expand the organization’s services.

“The board of the Vaad is fortunate to have been able to hire Mendel,” Pack said. “Everyone is very positive about his talents and the enthusiasm he brings to this position.”

Rabbi Rockoff was out of the country and unreachable for comment. Rabbi Mandl believes the Vaad chose wisely in hiring Rabbi Segal.

“Mendel is highly respected in the community and liked by everyone. I think he’ll bring a very positive business approach and a very professional approach to the Vaad,” Rabbi Mandl said.

Rabbi Segal has been in Kansas City for a little more than four years. Following rabbinical school he lived in Chicago, where he was raised, and worked in both the jewelry and real estate industries.

His wife, Dossie, hails from Kansas City and the Segals chose to move here, in part, to be closer to Dossie’s family. They are now the parents of three children — Levi (4), Donnie (2) and Sorah (1 ½).

Rabbi Segal’s job at Hen House was his first foray into the food business. He said he learned it from scratch and discovered he enjoyed it.

“I like feeding people,” he said.

The Vaad currently oversees and certifies close to 30 different types of food service suppliers, manufacturers and providers. As executive director, Rabbi Segal’s first responsibility is to “ensure proper relationships between the Vaad, the Jewish community and the accounts the Vaad services.”

“I will make sure proper systems and lines of communication are open,” he said. “I will also oversee the finance, marketing and, very importantly, that the Vaad grows so that we will be able to create new kosher opportunities here.”

He believes the experience he gained working for Hen House, a provider who used the Vaad to obtain and retain kosher certification, will be valuable to him in this new position.

“I’ve gotten to use a lot of food manufacturers all over the country and attended trade shows and built valuable relationships that I plan to use when I have to,” Rabbi Segal said.

Rabbi Segal is not a mashgiach (on-site kosher supervisor). He will supervise the Vaad’s mashgichim, making sure there are enough supervisors to cover all the accounts as well as making sure both the supervisiors, and the accounts themselves, are also properly trained in the laws of kashrut.

“Developing training programs is high on my priority list,” Rabbi Segal said. “That’s an easy thing to get lost in the shuffle, but we really want to take a look at what we have and come up with proper guidelines and training.”

While Rabbi Segal is educated as a rabbi, his professional work has all been in business and management. He is not the rabbinic supervisor of the Vaad, that position belongs to Rabbi Rockoff, but he believes his rabbinic training may still come in handy in this new position. His education has already been put to use for such things as reading Torah and leading shiva services.

“I’ve been very busy here so I don’t do it often, but I like making a difference.”

Rabbi Segal said he’s excited, and he admits, a little overwhelmed, to take over the new job.

“It’s a great opportunity to take an organization that has been in existence for a very long time and done well and be able to take it to the next level. We want it to keep growing and continue to give the community what it needs,” he said.