500 execs, students attend Western Michigan event

500 execs, students attend Western Michigan event

Members of the Network’s Western Michigan regional group were among more than 500 executives and students attending the 2010 Western Michigan University Food Marketing Conference, March 24-25, 2010, in Kalamazoo, Mich.

The Network has a long association with the event, which provides a forum for leaders from the retail, manufacturing, sales agencies and university communities. Many of the event’s sponsors provide internships and jobs for WMU students, noted Joy Nicholas, national account executive for RBS WorldPlay, a former NEW board member and the Network’s WMU representative.

Featured speakers included Hank Meijer co-chairman and CEO of Meijer Stores; Pete Blackshaw executive vice president, digital strategic services, for The Nielsen Company; Kevin Hunt, president and CEO of Ralcorp Holdings; Mark King, diversity and inclusion business partner of the Kellogg USA Sales Specialty Division; retail industry authors and bloggers Michael Sansolo and Kevin Coupe; and Dan O’Connor, president and CEO of the Retail Network Group.

The conference also featured an executive panel moderated by Sansolo featuring Brian Audette, vice president independent sales for SuperValu; Darryl Brown Sr., vice president, retail sales, for Kraft Foods; Carole Bitter, president and CEO of Friedman’s Freshmarkets; and Michael Malenfant, vice president, customer business development, for Procter & Gamble.

"The 2010 WMU Food Marketing Conference was one of the best,” Nicholas said. "I’m very excited about receiving record sponsorship dollars in this tight economy. Since the funds go directly to the food/cpg marketing program at WMU to support the training of many outstanding future leaders of our industry, it was a very successful event.” She added, "The university appreciates the long-term support NEW has provided at this event and we look forward to continuing to expand the exposure for both organizations in the future.”