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NAFMS

The Speaker Roundtable from NAFMS24 — A Conversation About Food Manufacturing Issues and Ideas
FOOD MANUFACTURING, VIDEO, PODCAST

The Speaker Roundtable from NAFMS24 — A Conversation About Food Manufacturing Issues and Ideas

At Executive Platforms’ North American Food Manufacturing Summit, two of our keynote speakers and one of our leading solution-providers sat down to record a special episode of the BluEPrint Podcast series reviewing the top-of-mind issues and ideas of food manufacturing executives today as chosen by the NAFMS24 attendees, weighted by popularity.

With topics ranging from process optimization, to digital transformation and artificial intelligence, to controlling costs, building and maintaining culture, supporting growth, workforce development, sustainability, and much more, this is a conversation that should be of interest to every food and beverage manufacturer working today. Give it a listen!

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Practical Ways to Deal With Operational Complexity

Douglas Guilherme is the Supply Chain Vice-President for US & Canada for The Hershey Company. Douglas leads Supply Chain driving best practices and building winning organizations to accelerate Leading Snacking Powerhouse vision. Douglas leads a diverse team in the business of supply. Every individual in his team strives to provide a demonstrable and sustainable competitive advantage.

Douglas serves as Member of Board of Directors for Goodwill – Easter Seals Minnesota and devote passion and dedication to develop underrepresented individuals.

Prior to this role, Douglas has led large Supply Chain corporations for 29 years in companies such as Procter & Gamble for 14 years and Ecolab for 4 years where he served as Global Senior Vice-President for Supply Chain.

Douglas earned his bachelor’s degree on pharmacy and biochemistry, followed by 2 post graduations titles on Operations and Administration and followed by Master’s on Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

Later Douglas studied Machine Learning, and Exponential Technologies from Singularity University and Technology Acceleration Program from Wharton.

He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Renata and children, Luisa and Vinicius.

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Building A Digitally Connected Supply Chain
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Building A Digitally Connected Supply Chain

Craig Weiss is Senior Vice President, Supply Chain for Conagra Brands’ Grocery & Snacks and International businesses, which includes leadership of the end-to-end Supply Chain organization.

With over 20 years at Conagra, Craig has served is several senior level leadership roles including Senior Vice President of Logistics & Planning, with responsibility for Demand Planning, Supply & Replenishment Planning, Customer Supply Chain, and Transportation & Warehousing. Craig has also held management roles for plant and distribution centers. Additionally, Craig served as Chief Transformation Officer, leading the build-out of the Data Science & Analytics function for the Supply Chain organization. He also formed Conagra’s Program Management Office (PMO) and led the function for over a decade.

Prior to his time at Conagra, Craig held roles at Olson Logistics, Ryder, and Ernst & Young.

Craig holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with majors in Supply Chain and Marketing from Central Michigan University. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and is heavily involved in multiple local youth sports organizations.

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Fireside Chat: Learnings from Diageo’s Approach to Building a Sustainable and Resilient Operation
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Fireside Chat: Learnings from Diageo’s Approach to Building a Sustainable and Resilient Operation

Ray Reddrick is Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Distillation for Diageo North America. Diageo has an outstanding collection of more than 200 brands making the organization a global leader in the beverage alcohol industry. Jonnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit, Smirnoff, Cîroc, Ketel One, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray, and Guinness represent a sample of the consumer products reach Diageo has across more than 180 countries.

Mr. Reddrick has developed a diverse background across several industries in the manufacturing and CPG supply space. Prior to joining Diageo in January of 2023, Mr. Reddrick consulted supporting Diageo’s strategic growth strategy for their domestic and international business. Mr. Reddrick has held supply chain leadership roles with Heartland Coca-Cola as the Vice President of Supply Chain where he played a critical leadership role in the total enterprise start-up of a new $700 million dollar Coca-Cola beverage manufacturing and distribution franchise business. Additionally, Ray has held critical supply chain leadership roles as director of manufacturing for PepsiCo, Land O’ Lakes, Data replication leadership with Sony where he executed the manufacturing acceptance testing for Sony’s Play Station format and the manufacturing liaison for Harmon Motive a tier one supplier of high-end transducers branded as JBL, infinity and Harmon Kardon. The Harmon Kardon premium products were specially engineered for Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Land Rover, Toyota, GM, and Fords high end product offerings installed at site automotive assembly locations across the US and Canada. Mr. Reddrick has over 30 years of manufacturing and supply chain experience transforming supply networks to deliver world-class businesses and operations results throughout his career.

Mr. Reddrick has extended his leadership talents outside of the manufacturing space providing leadership guidance, governance and strategic thought leadership while serving on the following boards:

South Fulton Georgia Chamber of Commerce (2008 – 2013)

Board of Directors Member
Executive Board Member
American Red Cross – Georgia (20011 – 2013)

Diversity Recruitment Board Member
Fulton Industrial Community Improvement District (2010 – 2013)

Executive Board Member – Commissioner Appointment
Appointed by Commissioner William Bill Edwards – Vice Chairman Board of Commissioners – Atlanta, Ga
Coca-Cola National Product Supply Bord Member (2019 – 2021)

Southeastern Container Company Board Member (2020 – 2021)

Illinois Manufacturer’s Association Board Member (2023 – Current)

Mr. Reddrick earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Technology – Manufacturing Systems from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina.

North America is the largest business unit and market for Diageo contributing over 50% of the company’s operating profit. Diageo North America’s supply organization represents the leading producer of alcoholic beverages distilled, blended, matured, barreled, brewed, bottled, and warehoused in the market. North America operates over 12 domestic facilities across the United States, Canada and U.S.V.I.

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Manufacturing – A Competitive Advantage for the Company
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Manufacturing – A Competitive Advantage for the Company

Sarvi Bajwa is the Senior Vice President of Manufacturing for Danone, North America. Danone is a multi national food products corporation based in Paris, with well known brands in our markets such as Danon, Oikos, Activia, Danimals, Silk, and International Delight.

Prior to Danone, Sarvi was with Coca Cola North America as a Vice President of Supply Chain, responsible for operations in US and Canada for Juice, Dairy, Hydration, and Food Service. During his time with Coca Cola, Sarvi was also a champion of gender diversity initiatives in supply chain, becoming the founder and sponsor of “WE RISE” (Women Elevated Results in Success for Everyone).

Before Coca Cola, Sarvi held various manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics assignments with consumer products companies such as Procter and Gamble, Avon, and Alberto Culver, in Texas, Maryland, and Delaware. Through out his career, he built a reputation of turning around underperforming operations into high performing organizations by building strong teams, developing future leaders, creating a culture of winning, and chalking out strategies that provided competitive advantage to the organization and the enterprise.

Sarvi has Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of Houston, and an MBA in Marketing from Loyola University in Maryland. He has also completed a Supply Chain management and leadership certification from the Georgia Tech.

Sarvi and his wife Sonya reside in Columbia, Maryland. They have two children. Raj, who is a graduate of University of Maryland, and University of Texas, also lives in Maryland and is in the investment field for a large commercial and retail banking services company. Their daughter, Sameena is a graduate of Boston University, and is a software engineer for global event management company.

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Contract Manufacturing as an Enterprise Capability Multiplier When Strategically Managed
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Contract Manufacturing as an Enterprise Capability Multiplier When Strategically Managed

Tanya Peterson is an accomplished executive with a proven track record in driving operational excellence and fostering strategic partnerships in the consumer goods industry. As the Vice President of External Manufacturing at Mondelez International, she plays a pivotal role in overseeing the company’s external manufacturing operations in North America. With over two decades of experience in supply chain management, Tanya has honed her expertise in optimizing manufacturing processes, ensuring product quality, and maximizing efficiency across diverse production networks. Her commitment to innovation and continuous improvement has led to significant cost savings and enhanced productivity within Mondelez’s external manufacturing ecosystem. Tanya is recognized for her strong leadership skills and ability to build collaborative relationships with external partners, suppliers, and internal stakeholders. Under her guidance, Mondelez has strengthened its global manufacturing capabilities, enabling the company to meet evolving consumer demands while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety. Prior to joining Mondelez, Tanya held various leadership positions in supply chain management at Danone & Georgia Pacific, where she spearheaded initiatives to streamline operations and drive business growth. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering & a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Canadian universities, along with an MBA from Portland State University. She continues to stay abreast of emerging trends and best practices in manufacturing and supply chain management. As Vice President of External Manufacturing at Mondelez, Tanya Peterson continues to leverage her expertise and vision to drive sustainable growth and innovation, further solidifying Mondelez’s position as a global leader in the consumer goods sector.

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Leveraging the End-to-End Supply Chain to Enable Growth
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Leveraging the End-to-End Supply Chain to Enable Growth

Josh Chou is an accomplished executive known for his strategic leadership and innovative approach to supply chain management. As the Chief Supply Chain Officer at McCormick, a global leader in flavor, he plays a pivotal role in driving operational excellence and ensuring seamless end-to-end supply chain processes. With over two decades of experience in the consumer goods industry, Josh has a proven track record of optimizing supply chain operations, driving efficiency, and delivering sustainable growth. He brings a wealth of expertise in supply chain strategy, logistics, procurement, and operations management to his role at McCormick. Prior to joining McCormick, Josh held various senior leadership positions at leading multinational corporations, where he led transformative initiatives and drove significant improvements in supply chain performance. His strategic vision, coupled with his ability to execute complex initiatives, has earned him recognition as a top industry leader. Josh is passionate about leveraging technology and data analytics to drive continuous improvement and enhance agility within the supply chain. He is committed to fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, empowering teams to embrace change and drive impactful results. Josh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from a prestigious institution and has completed executive education programs in leadership and strategy. He is also actively involved in industry associations and initiatives aimed at advancing supply chain best practices and sustainability efforts. As Chief Supply Chain Officer at McCormick, Josh is dedicated to delivering exceptional value to customers, driving operational excellence, and positioning the company for long-term success in a rapidly evolving marketplace. His strategic leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence continue to propel McCormick as a global leader in flavor innovation and supply chain efficiency.

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Frontline Empowerment as a Competitive Advantage: MOTOR – PepsiCo Cultural Transformation
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Frontline Empowerment as a Competitive Advantage: MOTOR – PepsiCo Cultural Transformation

Adriana Serna is the Manufacturing Vice-President for Pepsico Mexico Foods, the largest international market for Pepsico. She is a supply chain professional with nearly 30 years of experience acquired in multinational consumer goods companies in 5 different countries, with expertise in manufacturing, engineering, innovation, continuous improvement, supply network optimization and quality assurance. Prior to this role, Adriana has held various roles leading country and regional supply chain teams for Kellogg Company (7 years) and Procter & Gamble (21 years).

Driven, passionate and strategic leader who builds strong foundations in operational excellence to deliver stability while shaping flexibility and agility. Coach/mentor and talent developer. Lead for equity, diversity, inclusion, and female talent development.

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Fireside Chat: Revolutionizing Food Manufacturing with the People, Process, and Technology
FOOD MANUFACTURING, VIDEO

Fireside Chat: Revolutionizing Food Manufacturing with the People, Process, and Technology

Mike is currently in the role of Vice President of Supply Chain, Snacks Operating Unit. In this role, Mike is responsible for leading strategies & developing plans in conjunction with Operating Unit & SC Pillar partners to deliver volume, sales, and profit targets. Having started his career as the Flavors & Seasonings Buyer in 2002, Mike has held an assortment of Sourcing roles that extend across ingredients, packaging, dairy, and numerous stops in commodities risk management. During his career, Mike has also spent time in North America Manufacturing (New Albany, Indiana), within the External Supply Chain, and worked internationally in Switzerland for nearly three years at the inception of the Global Sourcing Center.

Mike holds an undergraduate degree in business from the University of St. Thomas and an MBA from the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota. He and his wife Kelly live in Edina, MN with their two children: Taylor (7) and Hudson (4). In his free time, Mike enjoys outdoor sports, gaming, grilling for family & friends, and lots of time with his littles at the neighborhood park!

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Navigating Cultural Transformation
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Navigating Cultural Transformation

Daniela leads our operations team, including all U.S. manufacturing and quality programs. She has nearly 30 years of experience in the food industry with expertise in supply chain management, engineering, manufacturing, R&D, and business operations. The majority of Daniela’s career has been spent in supply chain leadership roles with Campbell’s including Vice President Manufacturing and Vice President Americas Supply Chain Business Development roles. She most recently served as Vice President Operations with Shearer’s Foods and Vice President Manufacturing for Weston Foods, where she directed multiple manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Canada. She also managed delivery of safety, quality, cost, volume, and service results for all U.S. and Canadian customers. Daniela is a graduate of University of Toronto.

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Unlock Factory Data in F&B Manufacturing for AI and Data-Driven Excellence
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Unlock Factory Data in F&B Manufacturing for AI and Data-Driven Excellence

Sudhir Arni​ is Senior Vice President of Business Outcomes at Sight Machine. Previously, Sudhir was an engagement manager at McKinsey & Co., where he designed and led manufacturing transformation programs for Pharmaceutical and Chemical manufacturers. He received joint MBA and MS degrees from the Kellogg School of Management at the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University.

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Building Better Supplier Partnerships with Data
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Building Better Supplier Partnerships with Data

Veteran product marketing and development professional with over twenty years in the technology and consulting industries, with a focus on the food and beverage, restaurant, and retail verticals. Worked with some of the largest and most dynamic brands in the industry. Passionate about the power of technology in helping businesses achieve the resiliency in today’s marketplace.

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AI Advantage: Boosting Efficiency in Manufacturing and Supply Chains
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AI Advantage: Boosting Efficiency in Manufacturing and Supply Chains

Rapid changes in technology, competition, and the workforce require a keen focus on becoming ever more agile, innovative, and efficient. That’s where Randal comes in. For one Fortune 50 company, he defined a new product segment and streamlined the R&D process by 30% – enabling the company to bring a new offering to market four months faster than it typically could. For another Fortune 20 company, he developed the market strategy for the smart buildings market supporting the transition to XaaS commercial model.

His expertise in internet of things (IoT) strategies – particularly product engineering, smart building, Industry 4.0, sustainability, and smart products – has led to many trusted advisor relationships. He has also optimized clients’ corporate IT, finance, and supply chain functions.

Randal joined West Monroe in 2022 from Cognizant. As vice president and global strategy lead for the IoT and Engineering practice, he helped the practice become the highest performing group and grow the firm’s reputation as an industry leader. Previously, Randal founded and built strategy and digital transformation practices at multiple companies. These advisory practices have focused on helping manufacturing clients transform their product strategy, operations, supply chain, and sales via digital transformation.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems and human resources management from the Honors Program at Boston College and an MBA in strategy and finance from Yale University

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Adam Chartier of DSM-Firmenich — Ideas and Advice for EHS Professionals
FOOD MANUFACTURING, VIDEO, PODCAST

Adam Chartier of DSM-Firmenich — Ideas and Advice for EHS Professionals

At the 2024 edition of the North American Food Manufacturing Summit series we sat down with Adam Chartier, an experienced EHS leader with DSM-Firmenich, to talk about some of the ways Safety professionals keep people engaged and thinking about how they do things and why it matters, as well as how Safety is evolving in the manufacturing space. Whether you are a life-long EHS practitioner in your organization, or a leader who is being promoted into this important role, this interview offers a deep dive into where Safety is coming from, where it is today, and where it is going as a core concept, value, and culture on the shop floor and throughout manufacturing organizations. Give it a listen!

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Evan Bressler of Pactiv Evergreen — Safety Culture with Passion, Patience, and Perseverance
FOOD MANUFACTURING, VIDEO, PODCAST

Evan Bressler of Pactiv Evergreen — Safety Culture with Passion, Patience, and Perseverance

At the 2024 edition of the North American Food Manufacturing Summit series we sat down with Evan Bressler of Pactiv Evergreen to talk about Safety Culture. Of course everyone wants to be safe in their work, but the very fact that safety issues are ever-present means there is a temptation to treat them too casually, to forget about them when things are going well or people are in a hurry, to assume people know the right way to do things, and a host of other issues that can creep into shopfloor behavior unless Safety professionals and senior leadership sets a tone and constantly reinforces Safety Culture. What does that look like in the day to day and over the long term? How do you inspire ongoing commitment, understanding, and engagement? How do you make it matter to everyone in a very real way? How do you keep it fresh and interesting? For all this and more, give this episode a listen!

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How Technology Fits into the Larger Conversation of Change in the Manufacturing Sector — A Conversation with Sathish Thirmoorthy of UCBOS
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How Technology Fits into the Larger Conversation of Change in the Manufacturing Sector — A Conversation with Sathish Thirmoorthy of UCBOS

At the 2024 edition of the North American Food Manufacturing Summit series we sat down with Sathish Thirmoorthy, the Chief Strategy Officer of UCBOS, to put into context how the new generation of technologies available to manufacturers are shaping how organizations function and evolve, especially in the current age of disruption. Far too often we focus on the incredible new capabilities unlocked by emerging tools, but it is important to remember that technology in the manufacturing space at its heart is about helping people do more with less, do things faster, and do things right the first time every time. How should Manufacturers combine their successes across different processes into one platform that coordinates, communicates, and consolidates these disparate systems into a larger whole to help the business move forward? What does that look like in real terms, and how can manufacturers take the fear factor out of embracing further change? For all this and more, give this episode a listen!

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Joe Castaneda of Winland Foods — The EHS Leader’s Vital Role in Successful Food Manufacturing
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Joe Castaneda of Winland Foods — The EHS Leader’s Vital Role in Successful Food Manufacturing

At the 2024 edition of the North American Food Manufacturing Summit series we sat down with Joe Castaneda of Winland Foods to talk about where Safety professionals are today, and what is changing in their working lives. The manufacturing sector is under constant evolution and reinvention in a changing business landscape, but Safety can never take a back seat on the shop floor or in the priorities of senior management. How does an EHS leader keep people thinking and acting in a safe manner? What do they have to know, have to do, and have to keep on top of in order to build and maintain a thriving safety culture? What are some of the obstacles all Safety professionals need to overcome in their working lives, and what are some of the best practices and new ideas helping them to meet those challenges? In this wide-ranging interview with a seasoned veteran, we get into all this and more. Give this episode a listen!

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