Dieticians Australia will present the inaugural Chester Goodsell Memorial Award at the Dieticians Australia annual award ceremony on Monday 15 August 2022. This prize recognises Dieticians Australia members who have made an outstanding contribution to the use of technology in the field of evidence-based nutritional analysis in health and wellbeing.
Chester was the CEO and Director of Xyris Software (Australia) Pty Ltd and the inventor of FoodWorks, the leading software package for nutrient analysis in the Southern Hemisphere. His death in late 2020 was a loss to his many friends and colleagues, and to the industry. Many of you will have met Chester at various conferences, or in his long-standing role on the Advisory Group for Food Composition for FSANZ.
As well as leading his own company and shepherding the development of FoodWorks 10, released only weeks before his brain cancer diagnosis, Chester was the man behind the free app Easy Diet Diary, and was an active supporter and mentor for researchers and graduates across Australia. This moving industry tribute is a testament to his contribution and to his character.
Chester’s working relationship with Bizcaps Software’s CEO Rob Clifton-Steele became a firm friendship over the years and he will be sorely missed. “Chester was a visionary in what he wanted to achieve by providing nutrition data via smart phones and other handheld devices. He was not in this business for the money, as anybody who knew him would know. He saw providing this service as crucial to allow individuals and the community to improve their quality of life and health,” said Rob.
“Chester was a gentleman and a fine human being, who dealt with his last illness with grace and extraordinary courage.”