speakers

Gary Nowacki is the CEO of TraceGains, which was launched in 2008. Prior to TraceGains, Gary spent 13 years in a variety of software industry executive positions in the ERP (enterprise resource planning), supply chain management, and quality space for food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, pharmaceuticals, and other process industries. Gary has also held management and individual contributor positions in programming, implementation services, and sales in the ERP software business. Gary’s prior work experience includes serving in senior management roles at CDC Software – Ross Systems, a leading ERP supplier to the food industry.

The founder of the research firm Supply Chain Insights. She is the author of the enterprise software blog Supply Chain Shaman, which attracts 5,000 readers weekly. She also writes a blog for Forbes and is a LinkedIn Influencer. Currently, Lora's research focuses on supply chain sensing and revenue management. Her supply chain experience includes specialist roles at AMR Research, Clorox, Gartner Group, Kraft, and Procter & Gamble

Gary Murphy, a food industry veteran with over two decades of experience, currently serves as the Director of Food Safety and Quality at OWS Foods. His career includes key roles as the Director of Quality and Food Safety at Zumbro River Brand Inc, Supply Chain Quality Manager at PepsiCo, and Quality Manager at The Nature's Bounty Co. He also served as a Quality and Food Safety Manager at Kellogg Company and a Contract Manufacturing Manager at PepsiCo. His expertise encompasses quality improvement, statistical process control, and Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.

Russ Meinhardt is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at OWS Foods, with a remarkable 30+ years of experience in leadership and innovation. Having served as Old World Spice Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, he has spearheaded growth, enhanced processes, and managed multi-million-dollar budgets. Russ's visionary leadership has driven OWS Foods to new heights, making him a pivotal figure in the industry.

Jody Bayne, boasts over 12 years of experience at Ferrara Candy, currently serving as the Director of Supply Chain Quality in Chicago, Illinois. Starting as a Quality Assurance Manager in Forest Park, IL, he managed plant quality, achieved an impressive AA grade certification in a BRC audit, and significantly improved quality metrics. In his role as a Quality Assurance Manager in Winona, MN, Jody led with distinction, achieving A grade certifications in three BRC audits and reducing finished product holds by 50%. As a Quality Assurance Supervisor in Winona, he supervised a team of technicians and was a key player in HACCP, quality systems, and training efforts. Jody's vast experience and leadership continue to drive success in Ferrara Candy's supply chain and quality management.

Jere Bahner, Chief R&D Officer and Corporate Chef at OWS Foods, boasts over 25 years of experience in the food industry. His extensive role encompasses both culinary expertise and R&D leadership, with extensive knowledge in food science, quality assurance, and various aspects of food manufacturing. His culinary skills and operational insights have helped propel innovation and quality at OWS Foods.

Evan Miller is the Lead Senior Food Scientist at OWS Foods. She is a Certified Food Scientist with over 9 years of experience in the industry, holding roles in food safety, regulatory, and R&D. Her commitment to innovation and quality have helped propel OWS Foods expand product lines and R&D capabilities.

My professional mission is the integration of environmental and social stewardship into business - literally, "fusing sustainability with business" by focusing on risk and opportunity management.

My expertise is rooted in sustainability program development and Life Cycle thinking, with foundations in traditional EHS. So, along with experience in permitting, compliance, and waste management, I have deep expertise in management systems approaches, ESG policy, product LCA and organizational "footprinting", environmental claim and CSR report development, sustainability metrics and enterprise sustainability software. I have done this as both a consultant and an in-house SME.

Erin Tarr is a seasoned professional in the world of supply chain and regulatory affairs. As the Senior Technical Manager at T. Marzetti, Erin brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the table. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for ensuring compliance and quality, Erin plays a pivotal role in optimizing T. Marzetti's supply chain operations and navigating the complex landscape of regulatory standards. With a proven track record of successfully managing technical aspects of the business, Erin is a reliable and dedicated leader. Her commitment to excellence and her ability to streamline processes make her an indispensable asset to the T. Marzetti team.

Brendan Stover, the Contract Manufacturing Quality Manager at Ferrara, has a distinguished career spanning over a decade in the food industry. His expertise includes roles at Mars, Nutrisystem, Inc., CSM Bakery Solutions, and Sugar Foods Corporation. Brendan excels in supplier quality and process analysis, driving quality management across various locations.

Maria White is the Senior Manager of Supplier Quality at Hudsonville Creamery and Ice Cream, with a strong background in quality management. With a career spanning various roles at Agropur Inc. and Mead Johnson Nutrition, she brings over a decade of expertise to her current position. Maria excels in ensuring top-notch quality standards and supplier management.

Mariquious Jackson, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Manager at OWS Foods, is an expert in food safety and microbiology. With extensive experience, including serving as an Adjunct Professor at South Arkansaa College and QA Supervisor at De Wafelbakkers, he manages quality and sanitation programs, internal audits, and preventive controls at OWS Foods. He's dedicated to reducing foodborne pathogen risks and promoting industry-wide food safety.

Erin Coleman is a Food Scientist at OWS Foods, bringing a wealth of experience in the food industry. With roles in R&D at Weston Foods and packaging expertise at Frito-Lay, Erin's contributions have been instrumental in product development. Erin holds a Bachelor's degree in Bakery Science from Kansas State University.

Carol Kitchen, Supplier Quality Manager at B&G Foods Inc., is a seasoned professional with a remarkable 34-year career. She excels in food safety, laboratory management, and corporate technical support. Her extensive experience, spanning multiple roles at B&G Foods and ACH Foods, makes her a valuable asset in maintaining quality standards and supplier relationships.

Dr. Rachel Cheatham leads Foodscape Group, LLC, a nutrition strategy consultancy based in Chicago. Serving as a navigation partner, Rachel helps companies conceptualize, position and market healthier foods and beverages in the global marketplace. Rachel holds a PhD in nutritional biochemistry from Tufts University, where she is an Adjunct Assistant Professor. She has been a TV producer, Director at the International Food Information Council, and Senior Vice President at the global PR firm Weber Shandwick. She is a Professional Member of the Institute of Food Technologists and a member of American Society of Nutrition and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Tye Blazey joined the SGS Digicomply team in 2019. He has over fifteen years’ experience delivering software-as-a-service solutions into key industries including CPG, food, agriculture and mobile communications. In his current role he works with SGS Digicomply’s strategic clients and partners to adopt data solutions that address compliance, regulatory and food safety challenges. Tye has held various management positions in product development, sales and marketing having lived and worked in both the United States and Europe. He holds a BA from the University of Washington and an MBA from the Rotterdam School of Management.

Bex Hall is the Head of Consulting at Sedex. She designs, delivers and leads sustainability programmes for businesses, governments and NGOs around the world. With particular expertise on human rights due diligence, ESG risk management and legislative compliance, Bex has worked with organisations in a most industries to deliver results and impact.

As TraceGains CTO, A.J. Dolan has been directing engineering operations and system architecture for the company since day one, helping the company develop numerous patents and solutions used throughout the global food supply chain. He has over 24 years of IT leadership and experience, including developing mission-critical applications used in surgical environments, pioneering spatial database technology and geographical information systems for CATV network design, and creating many K-12 student information and testing systems in use by several states.

Kari Barnes is TraceGains’ Regulatory Standards Manager and is actively working to expand TraceGains’ existing U.S. standards into global standards for the food and beverage and dietary supplements industries. Kari has nearly 20 years of forward thinking, open-minded, and people-centered leadership experience. She has a B.S. in Biological Sciences and has managed technical laboratories in the fields of molecular genetics and food microbiology. Kari has created, implemented, and maintained quality management systems including SQF, BRCGS, ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 for a major international food ingredient manufacturer. She is well versed in product regulatory compliance, food quality and safety, risk management, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing processes. Kari is passionate about sustainability, environmental protection, and social equity.

Sara Jane has led R&D, quality, and regulatory teams throughout the NPD lifecycle from innovation to commercialization. She has over 10 years of experience in the natural foods industry and an educational background in Nutrition Science and International Food Law and Regulations. Her professional designations include Lead Instructor for the FSPCA Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQI), BRCGS Professional, and Certified Food Safety and Quality Auditor (CFSQA) through the American Society for Quality (ASQ). She works as a Networked Ingredients Functional Consultant for TraceGains guiding our Strategic Accounts through continuous improvement projects and streamlining their quality and R&D initiatives.

John is a Director of Product Management at TraceGains leading product development for TraceGains Gather™. He has experience scaling enterprise and consumer mobile software across multiple industries, including, prior to TraceGains, developing global regulatory compliance platforms for life sciences and medical device companies. He has a law degree focused on international business law and, before converting to the technology sector, helped emerging companies architect compliance programs tailored to their business needs.

Technology innovator and leader who has designed categories and innovative customer experiences throughout his career. Whether through software applications or buying journeys, brings a portfolio of successful experiences driving industry change. Led concept-through-deployment efforts of industry leading billing analytics software, award winning customer portal designs, and advanced unified collaboration SaaS applications.

Emma Karp is a Product Manager, Growth at TraceGains supporting the new TraceGains Gather platform. She has a decade of experience in the food, beverage and dietary supplement industry working with raw material suppliers and natural product brands & manufacturers. She is passionate about building tools to support supply chain efficiency and finding solutions to help the unsung heroes that bring new CPG products to life. Emma has a background in Chinese and continues to be interested in international travel and bridging the gaps between people, language, and culture. In her free time, she enjoys playing ice hockey, making art, and cooking with fresh produce from her garden.

Marc is a holistic brand thinker. He joined TraceGains in the spring of 2008 as head of marketing, where he continuously searched out best practices, stayed atop new market and marketing developments, and relished in devising corporate and competitive strategies that negate competition. That expertise led him to the position of VP of TraceGains Network, where he managed the creation of the industry's first networked ingredients marketplace. He currently serves as TraceGains Head of Product Strategy, where he continues to drive the collaborative platform forward.

Over 20 years' experience in product marketing and development in the technology and consulting industries, focusing on the food and beverage, restaurant, and retail industries. Worked with some of the largest and most dynamic brands in the industry. Dedicated to helping businesses gain resiliency in the current market through technology.

Greg is a strategic product leader with over 20 years experience in technology and digital media. He joins Tracegains from Healthnotes, Inc. where he led all aspects of Product Lifecycle – strategic direction, development, go-to-market, and customer success. His diversity of experience across products and markets – from innovative start-ups to Fortune 500 enterprises, from consumer to enterprise SaaS – gives him a broad strategic perspective and ability to apply innovative product solutions to realize real customer value.

Christina Lampert is the Director of Growth & Innovation at HowGood, the world's largest product and ingredient sustainability database. In 2018, she founded The Sustennial (Sustainable Millennial) Network which celebrates sustainable business strategies across social platforms. Christina recently launched her podcast, Inform Your Consumerism, which aims to educate listeners on the life cycle of products that they consume every day. With expertise in data-driven marketing strategies and life cycle assessment, Christina helps major FMCGs, retailers and suppliers harness the power of impact data to build the business case for sustainability.

Tina Robertson is a Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager, Food Contact Materials at knoell USA LLC, based out of Chicago. She provides regulatory support and to ensure compliance of food contact materials, reviews product compositions in accordance with global regulations, and prepares registration dossiers of food contact materials (FCM) in USA, EU, and Asia.

She has a law degree from the University of Alabama, School of Law. She has a background in assessing and maintaining regulatory compliance for the food contact consumer goods industry in a variety of markets including US and EU as well as years of industry experience in a compliance role for food contact packaging ranging from plastic dairy closures to infant formula lids.

A widely regarded expert in food safety and microbiology with over 25 years of direct experience leading these programs at a variety of manufacturing facilities. Tim’s direct experience includes dairy, infant formula ingredients, baked goods, nuts, and nut products, fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry, spices, color flavors, and other ingredients, and many others.