Dr. Russell J. Zwanka serves as director of the food marketing program at Western Michigan University, one of the top food marketing programs in the world. Delivering a high-quality curriculum and applied food marketing skills, Western works with the food industry to provide real-time solutions, while also educating future leaders in the food industry.
The WMU food marketing program consistently delivers an incredible 100% employment rate for its graduates. WMU is is the only university to have won the Progressive Grocer Impact Award for Educational Support and Learning Advancement and was listed as one of the best CPG universities in the country by Consumer Goods Technology. Zwanka has previously taught marketing research, personal selling, marketing strategy, food marketing, business strategy, global business, cannabis marketing, and marketing principles.
With 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.
He has led the merchandising, marketing, advertising, procurement, 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, France. 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. Zwanka’s 32 books are sold globally and cover topics from doing business in Cuba, to food marketing, to public speaking. He was named a Top Retail Expert twice by RETHINK Retail and has contributed to over 250 media publications and conferences.