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If you're a processing equipment, plant manager, food inspector, or engineering industry veteran thinking about what retirement or a flexible career transition looks like, you're likely concerned about maintaining professional connections and using the expertise you spent decades acquiring.
The good news is that becoming a 3-A Certified Conformance Evaluator (CCE) is the natural next step. It's a role that lets you work on your schedule and utilize your expertise for premium compensation while making a meaningful contribution to food safety and helping to expand the impact of 3-A Sanitary Standards.
CCEs conduct Third Party Verification (TPV) inspections, evaluating equipment for conformance with relevant 3-A Sanitary Standards. Since implementing the TPV program in 2003, 3-A SSI CCEs have completed thousands of inspections at fabrication facilities across the United States and in more than 46 other countries.
Market demand for equipment bearing the 3-A Symbol is strong – and growing. Food processors across a range of industries are increasingly embracing the 3-A Sanitary Standards. Many now include the 3-A Symbol as a requirement in their equipment specifications.
As a result, 3-A SSI has achieved new record high numbers of 3-A Symbol authorizations and Replacement Parts certificates for several years in a row.
"Every new accreditation of a Certified Conformance Evaluator (CCE) is a step forward for the food processing industry," says Meri Beth Wojtaszek, Executive Director of 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. "By expanding our roster of CCEs, we are keeping pace with growing demand for equipment bearing the 3-A Symbol."
The CCE role is not about starting over; it's about seamlessly leveraging your deep knowledge into a flexible career that allows you to stay connected to the mission you care about.
Already in 2025, two top experts have earned the CCE credential, showing that this pathway makes sense:
As independent contractors, CCEs work on their own terms and schedule. It’s an ideal way to stay intellectually engaged without the daily grind.
“Becoming a CCE has been one of the most rewarding decisions of my life,” says Dr. Sharif Uddin, CCE of Rockline Industries, who earned the CCE credential in 2023. “It’s given me a dynamic platform to stay current with hygienic design standards, track industry changes, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement."
Uddin says the annual CCE meeting is a highlight. “I get to connect with fellow evaluators, share insights, and learn from their experiences,” he says. “It’s a collaborative environment filled with passionate professionals who are always ready to support and guide others in applying standards to real-world products.”
Similarly, Gabe Miller, CCE of Pi-FS, LLC, who has been a CCE since the TPV program began in 2003, says, "Being a CCE is the best 'job' I have ever had. It has allowed me to travel to countries that I would not have been able to visit otherwise, and I have found people all over the world to be gracious and grateful for the assistance we provide to obtain their 3-A Symbol authorization."
The CCE credential recognizes that your decades of experience IS the essential qualification needed. The role is a perfect match for senior professionals like food safety inspectors, plant sanitarians, and quality experts.
Your expertise doesn't have to retire when you do. The industry needs your knowledge, and you can share it on your terms.
Schedule a 15-minute conversation with Eric Schweitzer to discuss whether this might be a good fit for you. There’s no pressure to move forward; it’s just an informal discussion.
Or, download "CCE at a Glance" for an overview of the role and the process to earn the CCE designation.
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