Ronald C. Wornick

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Ronald C. Wornick (May 21, 1932 – July 31, 2021) was an American

C-Rations that brought greater menu variety and improved food storage and preparation options to servicemen in the field.[1][2]

Early life

Wornick, the son of Russian immigrant Jews, grew up in Malden, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. While attending Malden's public schools, he took up the trumpet and formed a dance band at age 14. He moonlighted as a paid musician while attending Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

Upon graduation from Tufts University in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science, Wornick enlisted in the United States Army and was later assigned to its

lyophilization
or freeze-drying. While in the army, Wornick married Anita Lev in 1955.

Honorable discharge and graduate school

After being discharged from the army in 1957, Wornick entered graduate school at the

Chiquita Brands International Inc) was struggling to contain the spread of a soil-born fungus destroying its banana farms in Latin America, known as Panama disease (Fusarium Wilt).[5] Wornick, who helped come up with a treatment for Panama Disease, was promoted to scientist and later a division president in charge of food processing.[6]
MIT awarded him a graduate degree shortly thereafter.

Corporate career

In 1970, United Fruit Company merged with AMK-John Morrell to become

The Clorox Company
, Wornick stayed on as part of its management team and served as a board member.

Contribution to MREs

In 1976, he resigned and reacquired the firm, later changing its name to The Wornick Company. In 1979, it was selected by the U.S. military to commercialize and deliver its newest version of the individual combat field ration, Meals, Ready to Eat or MREs.[8] Lighter and smaller than the old C-Rations, the MREs produced by the Wornick Company, weighed approximately 1.5 pounds and covered an area of .08 cubic feet. They revolutionized how and what servicemen ate in the field.

First put into service by the U.S. Space program,

retort packages". The pouches, made from multiple layers of flexible laminate, allowed for the sterile packaging of a wide variety of fully cooked, thermo stabilized (heat-treated) high caloric (1,300 on average) meals. They could be eaten cold, warmed by submersing in hot water, or through the use of a flameless ration heater, a meal component introduced by the military in 1992.[10][failed verification
]

The Wornick Company eventually became a supplier of individual and group military field rations to the U.S. Department of Defense.[11] Its MREs were not only used by the U.S. military but foreign combat forces as well as international humanitarian aid organizations.

Wornick retired in 1995, selling the multimillion-dollar food conglomerate through an ESOP to its employees. He remained on the board until 1999. In 2004, The Wornick Company was purchased by Veritas Capital Fund II LP for $155 million.[12]

Private life

Wornick and his wife were private collectors of contemporary (also known as conceptual) craft.

American Craft Museum in New York,[15] and the Oakland Museum of California
.

Wornick also was involved in the wine industry, growing Veder Hills estate and vineyards which became Hess Collection and the development of Seven Stones, a 45 acre premier estate, winery and vineyards in St. Helena, which produces 500 cases of premium cabernet wine that has garnered ratings as high as 99 points. It was sold to Hanwha in 2023 in the largest sale by Compass in Napa history.

References

  1. ^ Darsch, Gerald, Evangelos, Kathy, "Warfighter Feedback Continues to Help Improve MREs." United States Army Acquisition Support Center Online Monthly (April 2007). http://www.usaasc.info/alt_online/article.cfm?iID=0704&aid=03. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  2. ^ "Ronald Charles Wornick". Sonoma Index-Tribune. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  3. ^ Bernard E. Proctor, Nicholas Appert Award Recipient, 1956, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) "IFT - Past Award Winners". Archived from the original on 2006-10-02. Retrieved 2006-11-06.. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ United Fruit Historical Society, Online Biographies, "Thomas E. Sunderland 1907-1991." Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. Crown Publishers
    , 1976)
  6. ^ Ward, Gerald, Muniz, Julie, Shy Boy, She Devil, and Isis: The Art of Conceptual Craft, Selections from the Wornick Collection. (Boston, MFA Publications, Museum of Fine Arts, 2007). 8
  7. ^ The Wornick Company http://www.wornick.com/, retrieved on January 31. 2008.
  8. U.S. Army National Natick Soldier Research, Developing and Engineering Center (NATICK) PAM 30-25, Operational Rations of the U.S. Department of Defense, 7th ed., (November 2006), 17-18. http://www.nsc.natck.army.mil/media/print/OP_Rations.pdf. Retrieved on February 6, 2006. [dead link
    ]
  9. ^ MREs Facts, History & Shelf Life Information, Preparedness Industries Inc. http://www.preparedness.com/mrfahishliin.html Archived 2011-05-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on February 6, 2008
  10. ^ Combat Index, http://www.combatindex.com/. Retrieved on February 6, 2008
  11. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. http://edgar-online/2005/05/27/000104746905-015971/Section22.asp Retrieved on January 27, 2008. [dead link
    ]
  12. ^ Holman, Kelly. "Veritas to Buy Rations Maker" (Press release). Veritas Capital. Archived from the original on June 26, 2006. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  13. ^ "Conceptual Craft Since 1984," Art Tattler Online Edition. http://www.arttattler.com/designconceptualcraft.html Archived 2010-05-18 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on January 27, 2008
  14. ^ a b "Museum of Fine Art Becomes Leader in Contemporary Craft with Gift From Ronald C. and Anita L. Wornick." Museum of Fine Art, Boston. Press release, May 1, 2007. http://www.mfa.org/dynamic/sub/ctr_link_url_4707.pdf Archived 2009-02-06 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  15. ^ Grace Glueck (February 6, 1998). "Working With Grain: A Once Lowly Craft Now Glows with Ambition". The New York Times. Retrieved January 27, 2008.

Further reading

  • Morris, Glen C., "The Army Food Service Program, Then and Now." The Quartermaster Bulletin, (Summer 1992). Retrieved from the online edition of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corp.'s Museum's "Traditions and History Page" regarding subsistence research January 31, 2008.
  • "Operational Rations Current and Future," Armed Forces Food and Container Institute, (Chicago, March 1963), 4-8. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  • Ward, Gerald, Muniz, Julie, Shy Boy, She Devil, and Isis: The Art of Conceptual Craft, Selections from the Wornick Collection. (Boston, MFA Publications, Museum of Fine Arts, 2007).
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