class MenuHelper {
   private ModelBean modelBean; // bind this to the underlying application model object in faces-config.xml 
   public List<SelectItems> getSelectItems() {
     List<SelectItems> result = ...;
     for (ModelObject m : modelBean.getAllValues())
         result.add(new SelectItem(m.getStringRepresentation(), m));
     return result;
  }
 
  public Converter getConverter() {
     return new Converter() {
         public Object getAsObject(FacesContext arg0, UIComponent arg1, String arg2) {
                 for (SelectItem si : getSelectItems())
                     if (si.getLabel().equals(arg2))
                         return si.getValue();
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("Item not found: " + arg2);
             }
 
             public String getAsString(FacesContext arg0, UIComponent arg1, Object arg2) {
                 for (SelectItem si : getSelectItems())
                     if (si.getValue().equals(arg2))
                         return si.getLabel();
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("Item not found: " + arg2);
             }
         };
    }
 }