MBArk Expo West 2019 Agenda



MBArk EXPO WEST 2019 AGENDA

Here is the tentative schedule for MBArk, with activities, dates and times subject to change.  Other activities may be added as we get closer to the show.

Thursday, March 7

Booth Visit with Jen Berliner (Yale SOM) of Zupa Noma
2:00 p.m., North Hall, Booth 900  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY

Walk the Floor with CEOs
3:30-4:30 p.m., Anaheim Convention Center  – meet at Organic Valley booth 1737  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY

  • Get a head start on your Expo experience by walking a part of the show floor with an industry expert!
  • Join a small tour group led by either Mark Retzloff (former CEO, Horizon Organic), Terry Tierney (former CEO, Daiya Foods), or Doug Radi (Wake Forest – CEO, Good Karma)

Entrepreneurship Focus Session featuring Ryan Pintado-Vertner (Berkeley Haas), Founder and Principal of Smoketown, and Tyler Gage, Co-Founder of RUNA and Managing Director of Terrafertil
5:00-6:00 p.m., Sheraton Park Hotel, Park A Ballroom

MBArk Welcome and Orientation Dinner
6:00-9:00 p.m., Sheraton Park Hotel, Palm West Ballroom

  • Introduction to the event and the industry by Joe Dobrow
  • Informal chance to meet your fellow MBArk participants
  • Group photo in your b-school logo gear

Friday, March 8

On both Friday and Saturday we held a mix of scheduled activities and free time so that participants could set up meetings with individual brands,  roam the show floor, attend educational seminars, try food samples, and network with their favorite companies.

MBArk CEO Breakfast
8:00-10:00 a.m., Sheraton Park Hotel, Park D Ballroom

  • Our showcase event!
  • During the 8:00 hour, hear presentations from some of the industry’s legendary leaders:
    • Seth Goldman (Yale SOM), Tea-EO Emeritus of Honest Tea/Executive Chairman of Beyond Meat
    • Gary Hirshberg, Chairman and Chief Organic Optimist, Stonyfield Organic
    • Walter Robb, former Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market
    • Sheryl O’Loughlin (Northwestern Kellogg), CEO of REBBL
    • Blair Kellison (Chicago Booth), CEO of Traditional Medicinals
  • During the 9:00 hour, we’ll rotate tables frequently so you can meet with our speakers and other special guests, currently schedule to include:
    • Kay Allison, Co-Founder of Farm & Oven
    • Sarah Bird (Dartmouth Tuck), CEO of Bhakti Chai
    • Linda Boardman, President of Branch Brook Holdings/PlantFusion
    • Joan Boykin, Founder of Boykin Consulting and a member of the Hall of Legends
    • Kate Brown, Founder of Boulder Organics
    • Rob Dalton (Babson Olin), Co-Founder of 88 Acres
    • Kyle Garner, outgoing CEO of Organic India
    • John Grubb (Yale SOM), Managing Partner of Summit Venture Management
    • Alex Hanifin, Founder and CEO of Alpine Start Foods
    • John Haugen (UCLA Anderson), General Manager of 301 Brand Elevator
    • Chip Heim, Co-Founder of The Soulfull Project
    • Heather Howitt, Co-Founder of The Meriwether Group, former CEO of Oregon Chai
    • David Ingalls, CEO of Zing Bar
    • David Johnson, CEO of Genexa
    • Jurriaan Kamp, President and Editor-in-Chief of The Intelligent Optimist
    • Molly Keveney, VP Communications and Digital of Clif Bar
    • Matt LaCasse, CEO and Co-Founder of Birch Benders
    • Nicole Ledoux (Harvard Business School), Co-Founder of 88 Acres
    • Jane Miller (SMU Cox), CEO of Lily’s Sweets
    • Barry Nalebuff (Professor at Yale SOM), Co-Founder of Honest Tea and Maker Oats
    • Ricardo Perdigao, CFO and COO, Sambazon
    • Ryan Pintado-Vertner (Berkeley Haas), Founder and Principal of Smokehouse
    • Greg Powers, CEO of Boulder Organics
    • Doug Radi (Wake Forest), CEO of Good Karma
    • Ari Raz, Co-Founder of Once Upon a Farm
    • Matt Repicky, CMO of Genexa
    • Mark Retzloff, Founder of Horizon Organic and a member of the Hall of Legends
    • Denis Ring (Yale SOM), CEO of OCHO Candy
    • Ted Robb, Chairman and CEO, New Barn
    • Nancy Rosenzweig (Northeastern), Founder and Principal of ValuesAligned Capital
    • Megan Shea (Chicago Booth), Co-Founder of The Soulfull Project
    • Jared Simon (Harvard Business School), VP Marketing at Hain Celestial
    • Paddy Spence (Harvard Business School), CEO of Zevia
    • Dan Stangler (Minnesota Carlson), Business Unit Director at General Mills
    • Terry Tierney, Former CEO, Daiya Foods

North Hall Floor Opens
9:00 a.m.

Main Show Floor Opens
10:00 a.m.

Logistics and Supply Chain Booth Visit with Amy Kirtland, EVP Natural and Fresh, and Katie Paul (St. Joseph’s), VP of Category Management and Growth Solutions at KeHE
12:30 p.m., Convention Center booth 1427  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY 

Booth Visit with Seth Goldman (Yale SOM) of Honest Tea/Beyond Meat
1:30 p.m., Convention Center booth 1545  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY 

Booth Visit with Molly Keveney, VP of Communications and Digital, and Liza Darnell (Duke Fuqua), Brand Director of Marketing at Clif Bar
2:15 p.m., Convention Center booth 2036  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY 

Sustainability Small Group Focus Session with Shauna Sadowski (Tufts Friedman), Head of Sustainability – Natural and Organic Operating Unit at General Mills; and Darcy Shiber-Knowles (Yale SOM), Senior Quality, Innovation and Sustainability Manager at Dr. Bronner’s
3:00-4:00 p.m., Sheraton Park Hotel, Park AB  Ballroom  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY

E-Commerce Small Group Focus Session with Nick Green, Co-Founder and CEO of Thrive Market
4:00-5:00 p.m., Sheraton Park Hotel, Park AB  Ballroom  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY

General Mills Cocktail Hour
6:00-7:00 p.m., Sheraton Park Hotel, Palm East Ballroom

  • Hear directly from the recruiting team at General Mills/Annie’s

MBA Alumni Dinner
7:00-9:00 p.m., Sheraton Park Hotel, Palm West Ballroom

  • Eat, drink, rewind, trade stories
  • Join MBA alumni and learn about their career paths

Saturday, March 9

On both Friday and Saturday we held a mix of scheduled activities and free time so that participants could set up meetings with individual brands,  roam the show floor, attend educational seminars, try food samples, and network with their favorite companies.

MBArk Case Study Breakfast
8:00-10:00 a.m., Sheraton Park Hotel, Park D Ballroom

  • Help problem-solve for Michele Burchfield, CEO of Blume Honey Water, and hear from Mike Burgmaier of Whipstitch Capital about the challenges and opportunities of the current investment climate

Main Show Floor Opens
10:00 a.m.

Booth Visit with Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield Farm
11:00 a.m., Convention Center booth 1613  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY 

Booth Visit with Paddy Spence (Harvard Business School) of Zevia
12:00 p.m., Convention Center booth 977  OPTIONAL ACTIVITY 

MBArk Wrap-Up Meeting
1:30-2:30 p.m., Hilton Hotel – Coronado Room

  • A talk with Lacey Gautier and Alex MacGregor, show organizers from New Hope, so participants can ask questions about the show and the industry, and share their feedback about both Expo West and MBArk