The Leading Foodservice Focused Sales & Marketing Experience

Art Bell

Partner, Kinetic12, LLC

Art brings more than 25 years of experience in consulting, client service, and manufacturer marketing & sales and is one of the leaders of establishing best practices in collaborative planning within the foodservice industry.  Art consults with both B2B and B2C clients in areas such as growth opportunity identification, customer & channel analytics, competitive analysis & assessment, route-to-market strategy, category management, and pricing & trade spend strategy.

Art along with the other founding partners of Kinetic12 received the 2017 Presidents Award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA).

Prior to co-founding Kinetic12, Art was a partner at The Partnering Group.  Earlier in his career, Art held various marketing and pricing/trade strategy roles at Sara Lee and was a consultant at Deloitte Consulting.

Art has an MBA from the University of Michigan and received a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia.

Jeff Bloomfield

Author, NeuroSelling

Jeff Bloomfield, a former biotech executive and cancer survivor, leverages neuroscience to transform business communication. After leading genetic cancer therapy launches, he discovered how brain science could revolutionize sales and marketing. His bestselling book “NeuroSelling®” and speaking engagements teach organizations how to build trust and drive change through brain-based communication strategies. Drawing from his journey from farm boy to industry leader, Jeff helps professionals harness the science of decision-making to become more influential communicators.

Julien LeBlanc

Managing Partner and Co-founder, blueprint North America

I’m a leadership speaker, podcast host, and entrepreneur passionate about helping people and businesses grow—with purpose. Whether I’m delivering a keynote, launching a new business or recording an episode of Crave – The IFDA Prodcast: Fresh Leadership Insights in Food Service, my focus is simple: chase excellence, lead with heart, and leave people better than I found them.

After 25 years of leading teams and navigating the fast-paced world of foodservice distribution, I’ve learned that real leadership isn’t just about results—it’s about impact. It’s about saying “thank you” more often, challenging the status quo, and creating environments where people thrive. If you’re looking to grow, lead differently, or build something meaningful—we’re probably going to get along just fine

Kerrie Mannor

Area Sales Manager, Van Eerden Foodservice

Chad Moutray, Ph.D., CBE

Senior Vice President, Research & Knowledge, and Chief Economist, National Restaurant Association

Chad Moutray is senior vice president for research & knowledge and chief economist at the National Restaurant Association, where he leads economic analysis, data-driven insights, and thought leadership for business leaders in the restaurant and foodservice industry. A recognized expert on economic trends, he frequently shares his perspectives through professional presentations, media interviews, and industry reports.

Before joining the National Restaurant Association, Dr. Moutray served as chief economist at the National Association of Manufacturers (2011–2024) and as director of the Center for Manufacturing Research at the Manufacturing Institute (2016–2024). His earlier roles include chief economist and director of economic research for the Office of Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration (2002–2010) and dean of the School of Business Administration at Robert Morris College in Chicago (now part of Roosevelt University). His career spans academia, government, and trade associations, each role building upon the last.

Dr. Moutray is an adjunct professor at George Washington University, where he teaches applied econometrics in the M.S. in applied economics program. He has held leadership roles in several professional organizations, including serving as chair of the Conference of Business Economists and as a board member of the National Association for Business Economics. He is also a past president and chairman of the National Economists Club, the Washington, D.C. chapter of NABE.

He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Eastern Illinois University. A Certified Business Economist™ since its inaugural class in 2015, he has been recognized for his professional achievements with the Outstanding Graduate Alumni Award from EIU (2014) and the Alumnus Achievement Award from Lake Land College (2015). He continues to contribute to the field as a member of the external economics advisory board for SIUC’s School of Analytics, Finance, and Economics. 

David Saylers

Chick-fil-A Former Vice President, Brand Activation

David Salyers was one of the original two marketing executives at Chick-fil-A. He spent 37 years in the Chick-fil-A Marketing Department and most recently served as a Vice President. Having worked at Chick-fil-A for most of his career, he saw the principles of servant leadership and compassion play out in the growth of more than 2,300 Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country. David is now using his expertise and passion to spark the growth of individuals, teams, and organizations. He serves as a board member for numerous organizations and has helped launch several startups and nonprofits. Notably, David is a Founding Partner of Roam, a shared workspace that is on a mission to Make Work Matter.

In 2018 David founded Spark a Revolution, where he and his team help companies create a competitive advantage by building remarkable cultures and brands, and co-wrote his book, Remarkable!, to impart leadership lessons that transform workplace culture.

David is known for his marketing mind, servant’s heart, entrepreneurial spirit, and his ability to intuitively see what others and organizations could be rather than simply what they currently are.

Hans Schatz

Executive Vice President, Cut + Dry

With a lifetime serving the foodservice industry, Hans has incredibly detailed experience in the core tenets of the ‘business’ highlighted by expertise in operations, sales development, marketing and branding, financial responsibility, P&L management, fund raising and executive leadership.  Hans has served in the restaurant and hotel space, then almost 30 years in the foodservice distribution arena, followed by a leap of faith as a Tech Founder, which then led to the being the CEO of a craft beverage manufacturer, as well as time with the nation’s largest collaboration of GPO’s, and is now with the leading E-commerce technology company in the US. Hans has a broad perspective of our foodservice industry.

Lisa Walden

Good Company Consulting

Lisa X Walden is a speaker, author, and consultant dedicated to helping people create authentic, empowering workplaces that don’t inspire the dreaded Sunday scaries. 

As co-founder of Good Company Consulting, she’s delivered her message to organizations across the globe and strives to create deep mindset shifts that help people better collaborate, communicate, and prepare for the workplace of the future. 

Lisa is co-author of Managing Millennials for Dummies, and is currently wrapping up her next book, The Future is Human:  How the Pandemic Made the Case for People-First Workplaces.

Jennifer Wilder-Smith

Director of Marketing, BiRite Foodservice Distributors

As a Director of Marketing with over 24 years in the foodservice industry, Jennifer Wilder-Smith has built her career in the Bay Area, holding positions at Sysco San Francisco and BiRite Foodservice Distributors. Starting in recruitment, she advanced through Marketing and Training Management to her current leadership role.