Dr. Russell J. Zwanka serves as professor of marketing and director of WMU's food marketing program, one of the top food marketing programs in the world. Delivering high quality curriculum and applied food marketing skills, along with the Food Industry Research and Education Center, Western Michigan University endeavors to work with the food industry to provide real-time solutions while also helping educate future leaders. Zwanka has previously taught marketing research, personal selling, marketing strategy, food marketing, business strategy, global business and marketing principles.
Having spent a career in the food industry before teaching, Zwanka conceptualized and formed the food marketing concentration at Siena College as well as the food marketing track at the State University of New York at New Paltz.
As chair of the Food Industry University Coalition (FIUC), Zwanka works with other universities teaching food marketing. The FIUC is made possible in part by the generosity of the National Grocers Association.
Zwanka’s 26 books, ranging from the topics of category management, store walks, marketing, THC and CBD, and even how to do business in Cuba, can be found in over 30 countries and on all Amazon sites globally. He has also led the merchandising, marketing, advertising, procurement and all customer engagement areas for multiple food retail companies domestically and internationally.
Zwanka holds a Ph.D. in international business from the International School of Management in Paris. He also holds a Master of Science in management from Southern Wesleyan University, and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of South Carolina.