2002

Louis Albert    Purveyor, Albert Salad Dressing
Jack D. Churchill    Owner, Manager and Director, Churchill's
Alfred Hiltbrunner    Chef, Cafe de Paris
Ruth Herman-Nielsen    Special Classification, Omaha Public Schools
Jane Palmer    Special Classification, Omaha World-Herald

Albert, LouisLouis Albert
Purveyor, Albert Salad Dressing 

He came to the United States from the Ukraine at age 16 and worked at the packing houses in South Omaha. After a one-year stint in the U.S. Army, he owned a succession of small grocery stores. He settled in at 35th and Leavenworth St. where he bottled his wife's recipe for a total of 27 years. He produced a line of Albert's Dressing and Sauces in 1949. He sold his grocery store to devote time and energy to his new enterprise, which has a strong presence in supermarkets and food service segments of the industry. His multi-billion dollar industry markets to 30 states and overseas.

 


Churchill, Jack D.Jack D. Churchill
Owner, Manager and Director, Churchill's

He graduated from Creighton University with a B.A. in Marketing. While in college, he bought the Chicago Bar and the Harney Bar and began a bar and catering career. Over the years, he owned LeVersailles, Spaghetti Bender, Ulysses S. Grunts BBQ Restaurant and finally Churchill's, which was Nebraska's only Mobile 4 Star Restaurant. He married Claudia and changed the restaurant's name from Churchill's to Claudia's.

 

 


Hiltbrunner, AlfredAlfred Hiltbrunner
Chef, Cafe de Paris 

He was born in Switzerland and completed his apprenticeship at the Hotel Rotes Haus in Brugg, Switzerland, graduating with honors in 1961. He worked in numerous hotels in Switzerland until 1964 and was Chef Toumant at the Ladore Swiss Hotel at Keswick, UK, where he met his wife in 1965. He was Chef Entemetier at the Harrison Hot Springs Hotel in Columbia, Canada, and Assistant Chef at Maison Neuve in Montreal, Canada. He moved to Omaha and became Head Chef at Cafe de Paris.

 

 


Nielsen, Ruth HermanRuth Herman-Nielsen
Special Classification, Omaha Public Schools

She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha with a B.A. in Home Economics and was a writer for the California Wine Institute. She received her master's degree from Cincinnati University and her Ph.D. from Walden University. She taught at many learning institutions through 1962. She was a member of the Golden Century Club and received appreciation for ten years of service as Chair of the Board at Oaks Indian Center. She was President of Phi Delta Gamma, Co-Founder of the Omaha Restaurant Scholarship Fund, Co-Founder and Secretary of the Omaha Restaurant Association Foundation and Director of the Danish Immigrant Museum for which she received an appreciation award. She taught and was on the auditorium restoration committee and inducted into the Omaha Technical High School. For many years she was an active volunteer at Dana College in Blair, Neb.

 


Palmer, JaneJane Palmer
Special Classification, Omaha World-Herald

She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a B.S. in Journalism and Home Economics. She is certified in Family and Consumer Sciences and was a home economics writer for the California Wine Institute. She was a promotion writer for KBHK TV in San Francisco and a food editor for the Honolulu Star Bulletin. She started as a food writer for the Omaha World-Herald in 1975. The Nebraska Home Economics Association voted her Leader of the Year (1987) and Business Woman of the Year (1991). She received a special recognition award from the Omaha District Dietetic Association for nutrition reporting. She won first prize for food writing from the National Federation of Press Women (1980 and 1984) and the national first prize for reporting from the Golde Carnation for Nutrition. She is a certified home economist and a member of the Consumer Science Professionals, American Home Economics Association, Nebraska Home Economics Association and the Omaha Press Club.