United Fresh 2019

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Sessions (71)

Registration Open (Room North Hall Lobby)

10 Jun 19
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Speaker(s): Amanda Griffin ; Robert Guenther
More...

United Fresh Volunteer Leadership Meetings (Room S400/S500)

10 Jun 19
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
United Fresh’s Market Segment Boards and Expert Councils will convene for their business meetings. United Fresh members are welcome to observ... More...

Produce Outlook Kick-off General Session Luncheon (Room S406ab (Vista))

10 Jun 19
12:30 PM - 1:45 PM
Speaker(s): James Rogers ; Jose Antonio Gomez ; Mary Thompson ; Melissa Melshenker Ackerman ; Paul Lightfoot ; Rich Gonzales
Gather with industry leaders and peers to look at what’s ahead for our industry. Hear from this diverse group of industry leaders who will fo... More...

Management Challenges With a Changing Work Culture (Room S402ab)

10 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Speaker(s): Amalia Zimmerman-Lommel ; Nathan Stornetta ; Nelson Longenecker ; Viraj Puri
With Gen X, millennials, and boomers all blending in today’s workplace, companies are experiencing a changing work culture. Successful compan... More...

Next Level Brand Strategies to Drive Consumer Loyalty (Room S401abcd)

10 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Speaker(s): Amy Kull ; CarrieAnn Arias ; FALON BRAWLEY ; Nadine Williams
In today’s saturated consumer market, how can you ensure your brand stands out? Our panel of produce brand marketers have invested in researc... More...

Outbreak Investigation Deep Dive (Room S504abcd)

10 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Speaker(s): Ian Williams, Ph.D, MS ; Kari Irvin, MS
Perplexed by the outbreak investigation process? Try your hand in this role-playing case study as an FDA, CDC, or a state official in the midst of ... More...

Tantalizing the Taste Buds and Beyond (Room S403ab)

10 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Speaker(s): John de la Parra, Ph.D ; Rudi Groppe
The science of flavor is important for distinguishing one produce variety from another. Consumers have also become increasingly loyal to new flavor... More...

United Fresh Partner X-Change (Room S404abcd)

10 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
During “quick-pitch” meetings, the Partner X-Change pairs up the buying community and those seeking their business. Participating compa... More...

Build an Energy Efficient Environment (Room S403ab)

10 Jun 19
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Speaker(s): Mark Rice ; Rudi Groppe
Learn from an industry leader who has built and re-purposed integrated food storage and processing facilities. Session will focus on utilizing a wh... More...

Family Business: Building the Future for a Sustainable Business (Room S402ab)

10 Jun 19
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Speaker(s): Adam Gamble ; Greg Corsaro ; Henry Hutcheson ; Leslie Simmons
The produce industry is a cornucopia of family businesses. As the next generation of produce leaders begins to take the helm of their companies, he... More...

From CPG to Fresh (Room S401abcd)

10 Jun 19
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Speaker(s): Abby Prior ; Austin Allan ; Chris Pruneda ; Valda Coryat
After making the move from CPG to fresh produce, these CPG ex-pats share insights from their past food industry experience and how they apply to th... More...

Automating and Operating the Intelligent Warehouse (Room S403ab)

10 Jun 19
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM
Speaker(s): Grant Beringer ; Rudi Groppe
Learn how you can achieve the lowest cost of ownership for a temperature controlled warehouse from leading warehouse automation expert, Swisslog. T... More...

Compensation & Benefits Survey Overview for the Fresh Produce Industry (Room S402ab)

10 Jun 19
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM
Speaker(s): Michael Becher, CPA
United Fresh’s Compensation & Benefits Research Portal provides users with valuable tools to identify compensation/benefits practices in ... More...

Understanding the Competitive Food Landscape (Room S401abcd)

10 Jun 19
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM
Speaker(s): Barb Dan ; Mark DeAngelis
New research from IRI outlines emerging challenges for fresh and fresh-cut produce items, with competitive foods fighting to take market share from... More...

United Fresh Opening Party (Room Crystal Gardens)

10 Jun 19
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Kick-off the United Fresh 2019 Convention & Expo by gathering with your industry peers at Chicago’s famed Navy Pier for the United Fr... More...

United Fresh Breakfast Keynote (Room S406ab (Vista))

11 Jun 19
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Come together to be inspired and motivated to look at your business in a new way with Author and Leading Management Authority, Morten Hansen. Also,... More...

Leveraging Technology to Improve Produce Safety and Quality (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

11 Jun 19
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM
Speaker(s): Angela Anandappa, Ph. D ; Cheryl Enlow ; Dr. Kathiravan Krishnamuthy
The fresh produce industry is continuously evaluating innovative tools to promote food safety and quality. In this session, we’ll explore the... More...

EATS (Room Expo Floor)

11 Jun 19
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Join with customers and colleagues for a great lunch right on the expo floor. New this year, your lunch will include produce items incorporated int... More...

Recruiting Beyond Ag (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

11 Jun 19
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Speaker(s): Jacquie Ediger
30-minute informal discussion. We often lament about the challenges of finding good, skilled, educated employees in ag. How can we think outside th... More...

Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Staff (and suppliers & customers) Up to Speed on Food Safety Info (Room Expo Floor - Food Safety X-Change)

11 Jun 19
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Speaker(s): Felice Arboisiere ; Lianna Kelly
30-minute informal discussion. Everyone has a role in food safety, even if it’s not in their title. But how do you convince them of the impor... More...

United Fresh Honors Council Award Winners (Room Expo Floor - Main Stage)

11 Jun 19
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Speaker(s): Michael Muzyk
Join us to honor five individuals for their outstanding work serving our produce industry. These 5 honorees will be recognized by United Fresh&rsqu... More...

The Future of Foodservice (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

11 Jun 19
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Speaker(s): Brad Saylor ; Lamar Moore ; Mimi Mostofi ; Nirvana Chapman ; Zoe Schor
From foams to edibles (flowers of course), what does the future of foodservice look like? In this panel, we’ll dive into the top menu trends ... More...

Managing Food Safety in an Indoor Growing Environment (Room Expo Floor - Food Safety X-Change)

11 Jun 19
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Speaker(s): Marc Oshima
30-minute informal discussion. The risks associated with outdoor growing have been well characterized compared to the risks of growing indoors. How... More...

Reacting to Trends: The In Store Consumer Experience (Room Expo Floor - Main Stage)

11 Jun 19
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
Speaker(s): Kevin Sprague ; Kim Camp ; Tony Mitchell
With the proliferation of online shopping and consumers increasingly pressed for time, brick and mortar retailers need to create a memorable and co... More...

Selling to Schools Discussion (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

11 Jun 19
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Speaker(s): Dayle Hayes, MS, RD
30-minute informal discussion. Schools are the “biggest restaurants in town”, but introducing your products to the curriculum isn&rsquo... More...

TEC Talks: Part I (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

11 Jun 19
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
Speaker(s): Andrew Burdock ; Charles Kirby ; Erin Hutchison ; Luis Trujilo ; Martha Montoya ; Randy Frederick
Today’s hottest start-ups are developing new technologies that will advance the fresh foods industry. Hear from featured FutureTEC Zone compa... More...

Carla Hall Book Signing: Soul Food (Room Media Center)

11 Jun 19
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
Speaker(s): Carla Hall
Carla Hall’s philosophy is to always cook with love. Born in Nashville, TN, Carla grew up surrounded by soul food. Her most recent best-selli... More...

Influencer Marketing (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

11 Jun 19
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Speaker(s): Casey Benedict
30-minute informal discussion. Influencer marketing is the hottest marketing jargon today, but what does it mean and how can you get started? Join ... More...

Managing Expectations of Downstream Supply Chains (Room Expo Floor - Food Safety X-Change)

11 Jun 19
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Speaker(s): Drew McDonald
30-minute informal discussion. How do you manage customer expectations, especially if you have more than one customer, and they have different expe... More...

Produce at the Center of the Plate: A Chef’s Perspective (Room Expo Floor - Main Stage)

11 Jun 19
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
Speaker(s): Chef Michael Stebner ; Chris Keany
Why strive for “Half your plate” when produce can play a starring role? Join sweetgreen’s Director of Culinary Experience Chef Mi... More...

Food As Medicine: Changing the Image of Rx (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

11 Jun 19
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Speaker(s): Al Rivero ; Jillian Griffith, MSPH, RDN, LDN ; Lauren Shweder Biel ; Paul Lightfoot ; Samir Balile, PharmD
How can food choices impact human health and help us live longer, healthier lives? In this session, learn from healthcare leaders and lifestyle pro... More...

Audit Interpretation: Resolving Differences in Interpretation (Room Expo Floor - Food Safety X-Change)

11 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Speaker(s): Donna Lynn Browne ; Steve Warshawer
30-minute informal discussion. Audits provide an opportunity to get feedback on your food safety system. It should not be about “box-checking... More...

Compensation Survey Insights (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

11 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Speaker(s): Mike McGee
30-minute informal discussion. More...

Winning in Today’s Food Media (Room Expo Floor - Main Stage)

11 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Speaker(s): Carla Hall ; Chadwick Boyd ; Debra Puchalla ; Kristen Hartke ; Melanie Hansche
In today’s oversaturated media environment where consumers have an endless array of recipes, food shows and social media channels sharing wha... More...

Alternative Growing 2.0: What’s Success and What’s Next? (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

11 Jun 19
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Speaker(s): Andrew Hare ; Brandon Gottsacker ; Matt Roy ; Nate Klingler
Indoor growing systems have been showing rapid expansion across the US and is changing the conversation on where produce can be grown. Increasingly... More...

Cornell Executive Development Program Alumni Refresher - Food Retailing Disrupted: Implications for the Produce Industry (Room S405b)

11 Jun 19
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
New forms of competition, changing consumers, resource constraints and technological innovation are combining to test the strategies and leadership... More...

Fresh Festival for School Foodservice (Room North Hall Lobby)

11 Jun 19
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
The Fresh Festival for School Foodservice will change the way you think about feeding kids! Developed to connect the produce industry with leading ... More...

Marketing 101 (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

11 Jun 19
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Speaker(s): Nicholas Pasculli
30-minute informal discussion. Companies seeking to work with a marketing firm will enjoy this discussion on ways to engage and bring prepared to i... More...

Cornell Executive Development Program Alumni Reception (Room S405a)

11 Jun 19
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Celebrating 12 years of the program, join with fellow industry leaders who share the common experience of a week-in-residence at Cornell University... More...

Food Safety Community Reception & Listeria Learning Lab (Room S400 Vista Foyer)

11 Jun 19
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Food safety professionals are invited to the Listeria Learning Lab to gain insights about preventing contamination in your facilities while enjoyin... More...

International Reception (Room S404a)

11 Jun 19
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
All international guests from outside of the USA, as well as friends from within, are invited to join in this reception bringing members and friend... More...

New Member & New Exhibitor Reception (Room S404bc)

11 Jun 19
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Welcome to United Fresh Produce Association! Join industry and association leaders while learning more about how to maximize your new business oppo... More...

Past Board & Counselor’s Club Reception (Room S404d)

11 Jun 19
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
While United Fresh Board members are limited to four years on the Board, they remain “counselors” to the association for the duration o... More...

United Fresh Late Night Party (Room House of Blues)

11 Jun 19
9:00 PM - 11:59 PM
Join us for a rockin party at the House of Blues with Chicago’s own Talk of the Town, a 17 piece musical ensemble of world class musicians an... More...

Women in Produce Breakfast General Session (Room S406ab (Vista))

12 Jun 19
8:30 AM - 9:45 AM
United Fresh’s Women In Produce celebration will take center stage, elevating the popular networking component coupled with celebrating this ... More...

Retail Insights From Visionary Produce Managers (Room Expo Floor - Main Stage)

12 Jun 19
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM
Speaker(s): britt Woodall ; Cassie Crone ; Charlie Tavacol ; Greg Miller ; Jerry Clark ; Lisa Overman ; Roman Teig
The United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program recognizes produce managers on the front line in supermarkets who work every day to increase... More...

Blockchain in Real Life (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

12 Jun 19
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Speaker(s): Jennifer McEntire ; Jonna Thomas ; Natalie Dyenson
You’ve heard the pitches and read the news. Blockchain will solve all your problems! Hear from two company representatives about the challeng... More...

Crisis Management (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

12 Jun 19
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Speaker(s): Amy Philpott
30-minute informal discussion. Do you have a crisis or a recall plan but question whether you’d actually use it when it counts? Or maybe you ... More...

EATS

12 Jun 19
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Join with customers and colleagues for a great lunch right on the expo floor. New this year, your lunch will include produce items incorporated int... More...

What to Expect When You’re Inspected (Room Expo Floor - Food Safety X-Change)

12 Jun 19
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Speaker(s): David Durkin
30-minute informal discussion. Share your experiences, and listen to others describe how they’ve interacted with regulators during inspection... More...

Women in Produce: Inspiring The Next Generation (Room Expo Floor - Main Stage)

12 Jun 19
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Speaker(s): Dan'l Mackey Almy ; Jan Berk ; Janice Honigberg ; Karina Magallon ; Mackenzie Wortham ; Maru Braemer
This popular session will deliver insights from women mentors and mentees about career opportunities and the advancement of women in produce. Hear ... More...

Fresh Produce Next-Gen Leaders (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

12 Jun 19
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Speaker(s): Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos ; John Carkoski
30-minute informal discussion. What does it mean to be a next-gen leader in fresh produce? Join this conversation led by United Fresh’s Produ... More...

Managing Product Testing Programs (Room Expo Floor - Food Safety X-Change)

12 Jun 19
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Speaker(s): DeAnn Davis
30-minute informal discussion. Your customer says you need to have a product testing program. Where do you start? How do you determine when to samp... More...

The Future of Packaging: Tomorrow’s Solutions to Today’s Challenges (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

12 Jun 19
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
Speaker(s): Nico Shaut
Whether it’s an upcharge for a plastic bag at checkout or the obliteration of plastic straws, plastic is feeling the repercussions of its per... More...

Foodservice Insights From Visionary Chefs (Room Expo Floor - Main Stage)

12 Jun 19
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
Speaker(s): Bertrand Weber ; Chef Allan Wambaa ; Chef Brandon Hudson ; Chef Brian Clevenger ; Chef Jeffrey Quasha ; Chef Lance Cook, CEC, CCA, WCEC, CFBE, FSM ; Chef Lesa Holford ; Peter Rosenberg ; Tyler Deutsch
The United Fresh Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards Program recognizes chefs and foodservice operations for excellence in the use of fresh pr... More...

TEC Talks: Part II (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

12 Jun 19
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
Speaker(s): Bob Burrows ; David Robidoux ; Erin Hutchison ; Jonny Shannon ; Niko Polvinen ; Stefan Kalb
Today’s hottest start-ups are developing new technologies that will advance the fresh foods industry. Hear from featured FutureTEC Zone compa... More...

The Art of Communicating (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

12 Jun 19
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Speaker(s): Nelia Alamo
30-minute informal discussion. There are many nuances of communicating from the words you choose, the inflection of your tone and even your body la... More...

Time-Temperature Control (Room Expo Floor - Food Safety X-Change)

12 Jun 19
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Speaker(s): Shane Sampels
30-minute informal discussion. Many fresh produce items are refrigerated for quality. Regulations, dating back to Food Code requirements at retail,... More...

B2B vs B2C – Engaging New Buyers (Room Expo Floor - Business X-Change)

12 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Speaker(s): Natalie Shuman
30-minute informal discussion. Although shelf space is still king in-store, screen space is becoming increasingly relevant. Join this conversation ... More...

Celebrate Innovation: Awards Winners Announced (Room Expo Floor - Main Stage)

12 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Speaker(s): Greg Corrigan
New products and innovations contribute substantially to the fresh and fresh-cut produce industry’s success. Leading companies support the in... More...

Emerging Hazard - Cyclospora (Room Expo Floor - Food Safety X-Change)

12 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Speaker(s): John Gurrisi
30-minute informal discussion. Cyclospora is a pathogen unlike most others that the fresh produce industry manages. While not typically fatal, last... More...

Uberization: Real Time, On-Demand Produce and Production (Room Expo Floor - Stage Next)

12 Jun 19
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Speaker(s): Bahige El-Rayes ; Susan Reimer-Sifford
From a ride to the airport to tonight’s dinner, consumers are getting what they want when they want it. Growth in online ordering continues t... More...

Retail-Foodservice Celebration (Room North Hall Lobby)

12 Jun 19
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Join us at the Retail-Foodservice Celebration to honor 25 Retail Produce Manager Awards Winners and eight Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards ... More...