Speakers

Jim Abbott, born without a right hand, became one of baseball’s most inspiring figures. Overcoming significant challenges, he developed exceptional athletic skills, leading to a standout collegiate career at the University of Michigan, where he earned prestigious accolades, including the Sullivan Award and a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics. Drafted by the California Angels, Abbott made history as one of the few players to debut directly in the majors, defying skeptics at every stage. 

Abbott’s career reached its pinnacle in 1993 with the New York Yankees when he pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. Known for his innovative technique, he fielded with a glove on his right arm and seamlessly transitioned to throw. Beyond his achievements on the field, Abbott has inspired countless individuals as a motivational speaker and advocate for children with disabilities, proving that perseverance and ingenuity can overcome any obstacle. 

Michael Swanson is an agricultural economist for Wells Fargo. Based in Minneapolis, his responsibilities include analyzing the impact of energy on agriculture and strategic analysis for key agricultural commodities and livestock sectors. His focus includes the systems analysis of consumer food demand and its linkage to agribusiness. Additionally, he helps develop credit and risk strategies for Wells Fargo’s customers, and performs macroeconomic and international analysis on agricultural production and agribusiness.

Michael joined Wells Fargo in 2000 as a senior economist. He received his undergraduate degrees in Business Administration and Economics from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He received his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota.

Prior to working at Wells Fargo, he worked for four years at Land O’ Lakes, a large national dairy cooperative based in Minnesota. Before working in the dairy processing business, Michael lived in South America for four years working for Cargill. His first position was with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad as transportation systems analyst.

James Butler is senior vice president and chief supply chain officer for Brinker International, Inc., one of the world’s leading casual dining companies and home of Chili’s® Grill & Bar, Maggiano’s Little Italy® and its virtual brand: It’s Just Wings®.

In this role, he oversees all aspects of the company’s supply chain, including procurement, food safety, quality assurance, distribution, logistics, brand program management, and supply chain systems for Brinker’s corporate-owned restaurants. In addition to his supply chain leadership, James directs Brinker’s corporate strategy team, driving several of the company’s most impactful initiatives and strategic projects.

Prior to Brinker, James was Senior Vice President of Supply Chain at Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions, LLC (RSCS), the supply chain co-op for Yum! Brands. There, he led a transformation of supply chain operations supporting Kentucky Fried Chicken, improving efficiency and performance. Before joining Brinker, James was senior vice president of supply chain at Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions, LLC (RSCS) – a Yum! Brands Co-Op. While there he led and transformed the supply chain management organization supporting Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants. Before RSCS, James served as vice president of strategy and integrated business planning at Georgia Pacific and spent several years as a leader and management consultant with Deloitte Consulting, LLC. He has a strong track record of linking operational strategies with commercial objectives to deliver lasting value and inspiring a shared vision that transforms organizations.

Earlier in his career, James held various roles in sales and marketing with AT&T, International Paper and Verizon Wireless. He earned a bachelor’s degree from The University of Kentucky and an MBA from Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management.

Committed to giving back, James serves on the alumni boards of both of his alma maters and mentors young people entering college and their careers. Outside of work, he enjoys quality time with his wife, Catalina, and their three children. The family loves traveling, especially to South America to visit Catalina’s family. When home, they enjoy following their favorite college teams and laughing and playing together.

Michele Murray leads the Food Agriculture and Ingredient Practice for Ketchum, which specializes in providing communications guidance and strategic counsel for companies and organizations within the food supply chain. A farmer’s daughter from Minnesota, Michele Murray has deep roots connected to agriculture. She is passionate about improving access to healthy food, creating community through food and strengthening the food system by building a deeper awareness of where your food comes from.  

Michele has more than 25 years of experience leading strategic communications in food and agriculture. She directed Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. integrated marketing communications for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association for 12 years. She also led communications for Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation and LiveWell Colorado, a public health NGO focused on addressing food insecurity and health equity.   

Michele has earned several PRSA Silver Anvils, National Agri-Marketing Awards, the International Association for Business Communicators Gold Quill Award, PRWeek Crisis/Issues Management Campaign of the Year and Creativity in Public Relations Award. She is a former board member for a non-profit food access organization, GoFarm, and leads a summer series of Food Truck Nights in her neighborhood. 

Leslee Oden is the President and CEO of the National Turkey Federation (NTF) located in Washington, D.C. She assumed the role on July 1, 2024, marking a pivotal moment in her longstanding dedication to the U.S. turkey industry. With a commitment to advancing the interests of NTF’s members, Leslee oversees the organization’s day-to-day operations, guides its strategic direction, and provides leadership and guidance to the NTF staff. 

Leslee’s journey with NTF began in 2009 when she joined as an intern, demonstrating an early passion for the turkey industry that would shape her career trajectory. Throughout her tenure, she has played a pivotal role in the government affairs department, advocating for the interests of NTF and its members on a wide range of issues. She also co-founded NTF’s successful marketing initiative, Turkey Smoke; an innovative program aimed at increasing consumer awareness of turkey through barbecue. Leslee earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree in poultry science from Texas A&M University and is originally from Leona, Texas.   

Jonna Parker has been an innovator in the fresh foods space for two decades, driving the evolution of consumer-centric decision making and big data analytics throughout the retail food industry.  

Jonna leads IRI’s Fresh practice focusing on bringing the power of data-driven strategies to fresh foods suppliers and retailers. She spearheaded the development of IRI’s Integrated Fresh, the industry standard for viewing total food and beverage to accurately measure market trends, unlock shopper behavior, identify distribution gaps and reach high potential consumers. 

As an industry thought leader, Jonna appears in podcasts, webinars and publications. She authors IRI and FMI’s Top Trends in Fresh Series as well as many studies for North American Meat Institute, International Fresh Produce Association and IDDBA. In 2021, she was named a “Top Woman in Grocery.”  

Greg Tyler was appointed to the position of President & Chief Executive Officer for the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) on July 1st of 2022.  USAPEEC is an industry-sponsored trade organization dedicated to increasing exports of U.S. poultry and egg products in all foreign markets through marketing, trade policy, and technical programs. 

Tyler received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics with concentrations in marketing from the University of Georgia.  He served for 25 years with the Council overseeing USAPEEC’s global marketing programs and overseas offices. Tyler also previously worked for USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Washington, DC.   

Tyler recently elected as the President of the US Agricultural Export Development Council (USAEDC) an export oriented non-profit association representing approximately 80 U.S. commodity trade associations, farmer cooperatives and state regional trade groups. In addition, he also serves on the Board of Director’s for the World Poultry Foundation.  

Dustin Pendell is an agricultural economist that focuses on economic issues related to animal health. In Dustin’s nearly 20 years of academic experience, his research and extension work has spanned from the producer through the meat supply chain to the final consumer. Dustin has significant teaching and mentoring experience with courses in agricultural marketing, production economics, farm management, managerial economics, data analysis, and animal health economics.  

Emily Metz is president and CEO of the American Egg Board, the national commodity organization for the U.S. egg industry representing America’s egg farmers. In this role, she directs strategy and oversees national programs spanning consumer marketing and PR; CPG manufacturing and foodservice engagement and R&D; health and nutrition research and communications; and exports to drive demand for U.S. eggs and egg products domestically and abroad. Metz is a professional communicator, marketer and strategist who has built her career around a passion for agriculture in roles supporting U.S. dairy, beef, pork and poultry farmers. An attorney specializing in food and drug law, she has held communications, marketing and advocacy positions at the USDA, the Animal Agriculture Alliance, National Milk Producers Federation and, most recently, at the world’s largest animal genetics company, Genus Plc. She is delighted and honored to serve America’s egg farmers and support the nation’s love affair with the incredible egg.

Professor Balagtas conducts research on the economics of agricultural markets, including agricultural and food policy, the industrial organization of agricultural markets, and poverty and food security. He has won research quality awards for his work on international dairy trade, competition in U.S. dairy markets, and food security among rural households in Bangladesh. Current projects include economic analyses of soda taxes, the effects of COVID-19 disruptions on food supply chains, and the impact of rice breeding programs on sensitivity of yields to climate stress. 

Professor Balagtas served as a Senior Economist at the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, and was a Fulbright Senior Scholar and Visiting Scientist at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of California, Davis, an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Iowa State University, and a B.A. in Economics from Miami University. He lives in West Lafayette with his wife, Arlene, and their three sons. 

Sam Kieffer serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Vice President, Public Policy. In this role, he leads the AFBF government affairs, advocacy and economics teams.

Prior to joining the American Farm Bureau Federation staff, Kieffer served as Chief Administrative Officer of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. Kieffer also oversaw operations within PFB Members’ Service Corporation; the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation; and the Farmers Allied for Responsive, More Effective Representation (FARMER) PAC. 

Joining the PFB team in 2005, Kieffer first worked as a regional director, before becoming PFB’s National Government Relations Director. In 2013, he became Manager of the Government Affairs & Communications Division.

Kieffer is a 12-year veteran of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard where he served as a logistics officer. In 2009, Kieffer was presented the Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Award by the National Guard Association of the United States for his outstanding leadership and professionalism in his service to country and community.

Kieffer earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Dickinson College, a master’s in public administration from Widener University and a master’s in business administration from Delaware Valley University. He was named a member of the Central Penn Business Journal Forty Under 40 Class of 2017 and received the FFA’s Honorary American Degree in 2016. As a student, he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society. During his youth, Kieffer earned his Eagle Award in the Boy Scouts of America and was recognized as a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow.

Kieffer grew up on a family grain and beef farm in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania,

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Joe joined Expana as part of Mintec’s acquisition of Urner Barry. After starting his career at Urner Barry in sales, Joe held several reporting, management, and leadership positions within the organization, before becoming CEO. He has a strong track record in utilizing his deep experience in price reporting to initiate benchmark coverage in high-value, opaque markets. He also possesses rich expertise in working with organizations to align their reporting practices in order to become IOSCO-assured (the gold standard for Price Reporting Agencies). Joe holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Siena College. In his spare time, he enjoys surfing, fishing, skiing, off-road motorcycling, and spending time with family and friends.

Marcel joined Expana in 2019, bringing a wealth of experience in price reporting, analytics, and risk management. At Expana, Marcel leads the proprietary agri-food and industrial coverage, empowering stakeholders across the value chain to make informed business decisions and mitigate risks through best-in-class price benchmarks, news, and analytics. Since joining, Marcel has been instrumental in transforming Expana into the largest IOSCO-assured Price Reporting Agency (PRA) in the agri-food sector, leveraging advanced in-house capabilities and strategic M&A.

Marcel’s expertise in enhancing transparency within physical commodity markets stems from his outstanding achievements at global firms such as S&P Global. Marcel holds an MSc in Energy, Trade & Finance from Cass Business School and outside of work, Marcel enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.

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After a formal education in logistics and purchasing, Tom Bundgaard worked for 13 years in procurement as a Purchasing Manager. This naturally involves all the traditional aspects of purchasing, especially with sourcing in the Far East. This work had a heavy focus on materials, commodities and semi-finished products.

 

From 2000 onward, Tom Bundgaard specialised in commodities from an analytical forecasting standpoint based on technical and fundamental analysis. Three educations have supported this specialisation: An ongoing mentoring education, an MSTA degree from the Society of Technical Analysts in London and a Master of Financial Technical Analysis degree from IFTA in the USA.

 

Tom Bundgaard has been given lectures all over Europe since 2008 in various conferences, both on commodity price forecasts and macro economy, as well as being frequently interviewed on radio and TV. 

Jamie Chadwick is Managing Editor, directing the company’s news division in the Americas. She leads an elite team of writers, analysts, and global correspondents responsible for delivering the latest in breaking agricultural and food industry news to our network of subscribers. Serving previously as a livestock analyst for Urner Barry, she developed the framework for reporting impactful and objective intelligence for those operating throughout the entire agri-food space. Jamie has authored numerous educational resources on behalf of the protein industry and her experience has made her a sought-after speaker at industry events in the U.S., Canada and in Europe. She is a champion of the Women in Food and Agriculture initiative, serving as the Summit Chairman and campaign spokesperson.  

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