According to a report from the U.S. Surgeon General (2023), 1 in 4 Americans feel lonely. At the same time, an article in Harvard Science shares that while people experience loneliness, they also want to be alone (Gehrman, 2023). This paradox highlights the shifting dynamics of our workforce. With multiple generations in the work environment, we must consider how this diversity impacts how we educate and train our workforce (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). We cannot afford to deliver information in the same way at the same time to all adults, given cognitive, societal, and technological influences. Simply delivering content isn’t enough to foster connection and drive meaningful behavior change. We must empower our workforce to discover what sets their souls on fire. We need to instill a desire to help people discover their passions through learning.

In this high-energy presentation, Dr. Gina Anderson will present the call to action by drawing on examples of human disconnection, exploring insights from neuroscience, and sharing how our minds continue to form and grow well past childhood through neuroplasticity (Costandi, 2016; Cunnington, 2019).

Mark Winters will provide practical examples of how the audience can help drivers uncover their ‘why’ and how this self-coaching strategy inspires them to find their way. This will be tied to a specific learning interaction mode: learner to self. Despite being underutilized in workplace education, this powerful interaction mode strengthens emotional intelligence, supports the self-regulation of emotions, assists with stress management, and creates cognitive adaptability (Anderson, 2024).

Key Takeaways 

Evolving Workforce Learning to Adapt to Societal and Technological Changes

• The traditional one-size-fits-all approach to training is ineffective due to diverse cognitive, societal, and technological influences.
• Education and training methods must be adaptive and personalized to engage a multigenerational workforce and address the evolving ways people process information.

Empowering the Workforce Through Purpose-Driven Learning

•  Individuals need to connect learning to their personal passions and purpose to stay motivated and engaged.
• Helping employees discover their ‘why’ can drive deeper commitment, job satisfaction, and continuous learning.

Utilizing Learner-to-Self Interaction to Strengthen Emotional Intelligence

• Self-reflection and self-coaching strategies can help individuals regulate emotions, manage stress, and improve adaptability.
• The learner-to-self interaction mode is underutilized but plays a crucial role in developing emotional intelligence, fostering resilience, and enhancing cognitive flexibility in the workplace. Examples for implementation will be provided by Mark Winters. 

Speaker(s): Gina Anderson, Luma Brighter Learning, Mark Winters DOT 

In the high-pressure world of distribution, efficiency and safety are often perceived as competing priorities—faster operations sometimes seem to come at the expense of safety measures. But is that trade-off truly necessary? In this session, titled “Moving Safety Through Our Companies Like We Move Product,” we’ll challenge this assumption and explore how safety can be seamlessly integrated into daily operations in ways that enhance, rather than hinder, efficiency.

Just as products move swiftly and efficiently through the supply chain, safety processes can be embedded into every operational layer—without creating bottlenecks. We’ll explore how aligning safety initiatives with key performance indicators can accelerate operational efficiency by reducing downtime, preventing costly incidents, and cultivating a more engaged and empowered workforce. Can safety flow as naturally as your product distribution process?

Participants will learn how data-driven strategies, innovative technologies, and leadership commitment can drive a transformation in safety culture—turning it from a compliance activity into a powerful engine for operational success. We’ll ask thought-provoking questions: What would your business look like if safety were viewed as a lever for efficiency, not a constraint? How can leadership lead the charge to transform safety into an integral part of the company’s fabric—something that can evolve and improve, unlike DNA, which cannot be changed?

We’ll also focus on the idea that safety isn’t a fixed, unchanging concept but one that can adapt and transform alongside business needs and growth. What if safety was seen not as a restriction, but as a driving force for innovation and continuous improvement? How can a safety-first approach actually pave the way for more efficient, resilient operations? 

Key Takeaways:

• Safety as a Strategic Lever for Efficiency: Learn how integrating safety into daily operations can enhance, rather than slow down, efficiency by reducing downtime, preventing incidents, and optimizing performance.
• Aligning Safety with Business Goals: Understand how to align safety initiatives with key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure safety becomes a driver of business success, not a hindrance.
• Data-Driven Safety Practices: Discover how leveraging data and technology can create smarter, more proactive safety practices that drive both safety and operational performance.
• Transforming Safety Culture: Explore how leadership engagement and commitment can transform safety from a compliance task to a core component of your company’s culture—something that evolves to meet the business’s needs.
• Maximizing Workforce Engagement: Learn strategies to foster a culture of safety where employees are actively engaged, empowered, and take ownership of safety processes.
• Innovative Solutions for Safety Integration: Gain insights into innovative tools and technologies that can seamlessly integrate safety processes without disrupting the flow of operations.
• Creating Continuous Improvement: Understand how adopting a safety-first mindset can drive continuous improvement across all aspects of your business, from employee well-being to operational resilience.
• Leadership’s Role in Safety Transformation: Discuss how leadership can lead the charge in ensuring safety is a priority that positively impacts both the workforce and the bottom line. 

Speaker(s): Nathaniel M. Miller, Gordon Food Service 

The pressure to control costs often leads to shortcuts in staffing—resulting in higher turnover and lower productivity. This Express Talk will challenge outdated hiring models and introduce innovative staffing strategies that maximize efficiency without breaking the budget.

We’ll cover:

How data-driven staffing solutions optimize labor costs
The role of workforce analytics in reducing inefficiencies
Why strategic recruitment leads to long-term savings

By shifting the focus from short-term hiring to sustainable staffing, companies can achieve greater workforce stability while cutting unnecessary expenses.

Key Takeaways

• Learn how to balance cost control with workforce quality
• Discover innovative staffing techniques that improve efficiency
• Understand how data and analytics can refine labor management strategies

Speaker(s): Larry Lopez, Workbridge, LLC

The strategy of many food and beverage companies are rapidly becoming obsolete. US bankruptcies are at the highest rate since the Great Financial Crisis, and leadership teams are struggling to know how to navigate the complex economic, financial, and business climate of 2025.

What are the key foundational tools that management teams need to operate efficiently and effectively in the nears to come? The Food Institute’s CEO Brian Choi will share his insights and framework on the new breed of operational excellence. Having taken The Food Institute’s – 100 year old food and beverage publication – and transforming into one of the most dynamic media companies of today, Brian will share his insights into the strategies that led to the company’s remarkable turnaround.

Brian will share the economic frameworks along with the innovative approaches that food and beverage companies can apply to their organizations.

Key Takeaways

• 2025 / 2026 will be a very challenging year for F&B companies
• Traditional management concepts no longer are effective in the current business climate
• A new type of model is needed, one that incorporates key concepts of operational efficiency and leveraging innovation
• Despite the challenges, F&B companies can thrive in this “new normal” if they apply the concepts presented by The Food Institute

Speaker(s): Brian Choi, Food Institute

In today’s demanding foodservice delivery environment, drivers face increasing pressure to complete deliveries under tight schedules, navigating physical strain, high turnover rates, and safety risks. With long hours, repetitive lifting, and tight delivery spaces, the challenges of the job have never been greater. As labor shortages continue, fleet operators must rethink how they support their most valuable asset—their drivers.

Join Clay Kobernick, Vice President of Category at Rehrig Pacific, for an in-depth discussion on how ergonomic, powered material handling solutions can transform delivery operations. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how advanced material handling solutions for delivery can:

Reduce physical strain and fatigue with power-assisted lifting and lowering
Improve efficiency and delivery speed with compact, maneuverable equipment built for tight urban spaces
Minimize workplace injuries by decreasing repetitive motion risks and improper lifting techniques
Shorten driver training time with intuitive, easy-to-use equipment that helps new hires become productive faster

This session will highlight real-world strategies for implementing ergonomic solutions that enhance driver safety, retention, and overall productivity. Whether you’re looking to streamline last-mile logistics, improve employee well-being, or boost operational efficiency, this session will provide actionable takeaways to help you make informed, impactful changes to your fleet’s material handling approach.

Don’t miss this opportunity to rethink how you support your workforce and take the first step toward a smarter, safer, and more efficient future in last-mile logistics.

Key Takeaways

• How changes in delivery solutions can improve the lives and longevity of drivers through case study results.
• Examples of the customer value and return on investment for upgrading material handling solutions.
• Best practices for change management in evolving to newer delivery systems from industry peers.

Speaker(s): Clay Kobernick, Rehrig

What makes a great leader? Is it the title, the profits, or the ability to give orders? Or is it something much deeper—something that truly leaves a legacy?

I believe leadership isn’t just about directing others; it’s about creating an environment where individuals feel valued, empowered, and motivated to give their best. No matter why you chose the path of leadership—whether to climb the ranks, drive profitability, or make a difference—one thing remains the same: success always comes down to people.

When leaders prioritize their teams, the results follow—not just in productivity and profit, but in loyalty, respect, and a culture that thrives long after you’re gone. My talk will challenge the way you think about leadership and provide actionable strategies to build a high-performing, people-first team.

If you’re looking for a speaker who will inspire, energize, and transform the way your audience leads, I’d love the opportunity to share this message at your convention. Let’s redefine leadership—together.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership is about People, not just profits
• The Power of a People First Approach
• Rethinking Leadership for the Future
• Actionable Strategies for Leadership Success

Speaker(s): Matthew Reed, Ben E Keith

In food distribution, truck drivers do more than drive the truck. They play a critical role in maintaining product integrity and preventing spoilage. Here are three things every driver should know about managing temperatures, airflow, and reducing claims:
1. When to use stop-start or continuous run mode. Refrigerated carriers can run their refrigeration units in two modes: continuous operation and start-stop. The right choice depends on the commodity you’re hauling (fresh or frozen), with tradeoffs that affect fuel economy, emissions, and the integrity of the freight.
2. How to manage airflow. Thermal management starts at the loading dock. We’ll identify best practices for load stability and air circulation, including tips for multi-temp operations and trailers with flat floors.
3. Why you should pulp freight: Transport refrigeration units are designed to maintain a temperature inside the trailer, not lower the temperature of the freight. When loading and unloading the shipment, drivers should pulp at least every other product pallet to ensure a normal temperature range and record the temperatures on the bill of lading (BOL). 

Key Takeaways 

In 10 minutes (or less!), attendees will learn three best practices they can use for promoting load-temperature integrity and the efficiency of the refrigeration unit. These simple, effective tips don’t add cost or require special equipment and can be put into place right away. 

Speaker(s): Bill Maddox, Carrier Transicold 

Foodservice distributors face ongoing challenges with fragmented data, manual reconciliation, and inefficiencies in trade spend management. AI-driven automation is transforming these processes by seamlessly integrating data, optimizing financial reconciliation, and converting unstructured trade claims into structured, actionable insights. In this session, we’ll explore how machine learning, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and predictive analytics eliminate manual bottlenecks, enhance accuracy, and drive scalability. Attendees will gain practical strategies to streamline claims processing, improve financial reconciliation, and unlock new efficiencies in trade spend management. 

Key Takeaways 

• Manual trade spend processes are inefficient – Distributors face challenges with fragmented data, slow reconciliation, and errors in claims processing.
• AI-powered automation solves these issues – Machine Learning (ML), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and predictive analytics streamline data processing and reconciliation.
• Faster, more accurate, and scalable – AI eliminates manual bottlenecks, improves claim accuracy, and helps distributors handle larger trade volumes efficiently.
• Practical steps to implement AI – Integrate automation into existing systems, use predictive analytics for better decision-making, and ensure data is structured for scalability.
• AI is the future of trade spend management – Companies adopting automation will reduce costs, increase efficiency, and gain a competitive advantage. 

Speaker(s): Drew Shields, iTradeNetwork