Sysco Ontario North HC&SL Showcase

NOURISH. EMPOWER. THRIVE.

When

October 8, 2025
From 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Where

Saint Elias Banquet Centre
750 Ridgewood Avenue, Ottawa

Registration

July 30 - October 6, 2025
Ending at 9:48 AM Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Entry Limit

Available Seats
Total:   250

Join us for a full-day, in-person event featuring educational speakers and a vendor showcase where you can delve into trends and labour-saving solutions!

Schedule


9:00 AM  

Sysco Welcome

Elizabeth Orologio
Regional Manager, Healthcare & Senior Living

9:05 AM  

Connection, Collaboration & Community

Suzanne Quiring, RD
Keynote Speaker

An interactive workshop where you can share ideas and solutions to maximize your dining experience.

10:50 AM  
11:05 AM  

Elevating the Quality from Kitchen to Table

Chef Frank Merrill
Culinary Specialist

11:35 AM  

Menu Development in Healthcare & Senior Living - Not a One Size Fits All

Kristina Parsons, RD
Nutrition Services Consultant

12:05 PM  

Leveraging Technology to Stay on Budget, Minimize Waste & Meet Resident Needs

April Lorimer
Manager, National Sales Healthcare Systems

12:35 PM  

Speakers

Keynote Speaker:   Suzanne Quiring, RD

Suzanne Quiring is a Registered Dietitian both in Canada and USA. She is a member of Dietitians of Canada, Gerontology Network, Washington State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), Dietetics in Health Care Communities (DHCC). Along with having her 2 year Continuing Care Administrator’s designation, she has over 30 years experience in the Health Care Community food service industry as a Director of Food Services, Clinical Dietitian, and consultant. Suzanne has personally worked in many areas of Healthcare; from acute care to Residential Care including Assisted living, skilled nursing care, palliative care, dementia care, brain injury, cancer care, and extended care. She has an appreciation as to the practical and real challenges of providing great meal service to folks regardless of care level. She continues to work weekly as a clinical dietitian in the healthcare field to “keep it real”. Suzanne is the Inventor of the famous SuzyQ carts, which is an improved way on “how” we typically do meal delivery in our healthcare, which allows for more interaction & choice, hotter food and less food waste, resulting in significant dollar savings. To date, she has helped over 1,000+ communities throughout North America improve the dining experience. Suzanne has been published in 10 peer publications, and was awarded the Marie Taylor Award for Excellence in Long Term Care by Dietitians of Canada in 2015, and ANFP National Dining Distinction Award winner for 2020. Suzanne spends her time providing education support to Residential Care communities via webinar classes, conference speaking, & email/phone support to folks that are motivated to make a positive change in their dining room & hallway services. She loves to share her passion & experience on “how” meal service can be done as resident focused as possible, the culture change that is needed, to ensure loneliness, helplessness and boredom are challenged

Featured Speaker:   Kristina Parsons, RD

Kristina Parsons is a Registered Dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Ontario and is a member of Dietitians of Canada.  Kristina obtained her Masters of Science in Epidemiology at McGill University, where she gained training in health research, public health and knowledge translation.  She leads the Nutrition Services team to deliver innovative menu services, resources, and communications, leveraging Synergy Tech Suite to support healthcare & senior living customers. 

Featured Speaker:   April Lorimer

April is the Manager of National Sales Healthcare Systems at Sysco Canada.  She is a Nutrition Manager and Chef who fell in love with Seniors when she started her career in the Healthcare sector over 25 years ago. For over a decade she worked with one of our customer partners and six of those years were spent as their Dietary System Specialist implementing and managing Synergy Tech Suite for the organization.  In 2018, April joined MealSuite, our Synergy software producers as a Senior Product Designer and then as a Customer Success Manager. At Sysco, she oversees the delivery and adoption of the Synergy Tech Suite as a business solution for healthcare & senior living customers. Please join me in welcoming April

Featured Speaker:   Elizabeth Orologio

Elizabeth Orologio is the Regional Manager, Healthcare & Senior Living for Sysco Ontario and leads a team of dedicated healthcare associates.

Featured Speaker:   Chef Frank Merrill

Frank is a certified Red Seal Chef with 23 years’ experience in the hospitality and healthcare industry. He graduated from Liaison College and did his apprenticeship At the Sheraton Center Hotel in downtown Toronto. In the last 10 years Frank has worked in a wide variety of culinary settings in the healthcare sector within different areas of Ontario including being responsible for food costing, menu development, food quality and plate presentation. For Sysco Frank is the 1st Culinary Specialist for the healthcare region of Ontario and is tasked with being the Culinary Advisor to the City of Toronto LTC to support their day-to-day operation.

Registration


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Location and Venue

Saint Elias Banquet Centre
750 Ridgewood Avenue Ottawa

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