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Our speakers

Carman Allison serves as Director of Consumer Insights for Nielsen Canada. Carman is responsible for creating thought leadership reports and delivering client and industry presentations. Carman shares his insights on consumer shopping, buying and media consumption behaviours and attitudes to provide CPG manufacturers and retailers with strategic visions to facilitate brand, category and retail sales growth. Carman is often quoted in the Canadian press on consumer trends including a monthly column in Canadian Grocer and Grocery Business magazines.

Carman has more than 20 years of experience in the consumer research industry with Nielsen, where he held various account management and analysis roles. How to be competitive in a mutating market, May 1st, 10h30, room 102A.

Bernice Cheung is the Ethnic Practice Area Lead for Nielsen Canada. Prior to joining Nielsen, she has 7 years of marketing and management consulting experience in the financial services and the healthcare industry – she held progressive positions at State Street, American Express, CIBC, ZS Associates and Altus Strategy Group.

Her passion in diversity work spans over more than a decade, and she held a variety of leadership positions in non-profit organizations. Most recently, she sits on two non-profit boards - North American Association of Asian Professionals, and the Canadian Centre for Language and Cultural Studies. She had been interviewed by many ethnic media outlets, including Fairchild TV, Ming Pao, and Sing Tao Newspaper. She wrote a bi-weekly column, “Diversity Marketing as Strategy” in the Toronto Star, helping businesses understand the increasingly diverse Canadian population, and explore lucrative business opportunities.

Bernice received her MBA from Richard Ivey School of Business, with a concentration on marketing and strategy, and a Honours B Comm degree with distinction from DeGroote School of Business.

She is an avid traveler who is passionate about learning from different cultures. She most recently travelled to Tibet and enjoyed a gorgeous sunrise at the base camp of Mount Everest. Consumption habits and ethnicity, April 30th, 10h30, room 102A.

Melissa Wilson a Principal at Technomic, is responsible for developing, managing and conducting consulting and research engagements for Technomic’s foodservice operator clients, as well as suppliers and private equity firms with interests in the foodservice industry. Primary practice areas include: concept evaluation and competitive positioning, growth and expansion strategy, DMA/market/unit-level analysis, local and field marketing systems and service enhancement programs. Melissa facilitates Technomic’s Operator Advisory Group meetings, a consortium of restaurant concepts that meet throughout the year to discuss relevant topics, issues, and priorities impacting the restaurant industry. Overview of the Canadian chains landscape: from West to East, April 30th, 13h30, room 102A and American market: trends and growing foodservice concepts, May 1st, 13h30, room 102 A.

Sylvain Allard is a regular professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal. He is a graduate of Concordia University. He now works in the field of corporate design for over 25 years. He first worked for several years for Gottschalk + Ash Int'l and continued through subsequently as an independent consultant for various corporations such as Hydro-Quebec, Telefilm Canada, the National Film Board of Canada and CBC etc.

Since 1993, he developed an enviable expertise in the field of interactive design. He has extensive teaching experience in various levels of education and is a lecturer at the School of Design since 1994.

Sylvain Allard joined the School of Design at the University of Quebec in Montreal as professor in 2003. There he is doing research in packaging design and more specifically its environmental impact. For the past 8 years Sylvain has published a blog, Packaging UQAM, focusing on research and innovation in packaging design, highlighting his students innovative, forward thinking concepts. He contributed to many international publications on the subject of packaging design for Gestalten Publishing, Sandu Publishing and Viction:ary Publishing. Sylvain Allard is regularly invited to give lectures and workshops around the world. Packaging a vector of Communication, April 30th, 12pm, room 101A.

Carol Fazari is a recognized leader in the field of nutrition, and has worked for more than a decade in clinical practice. She became inspired to help other people feel better after overcoming her own health challenges through the healing power of food.
Twenty years ago, a health crisis prompted her to change careers and study nutrition – a complete shift in diet and lifestyle provided the foundation she needed to heal.
Conquering her own health challenges has inspired her to write, Freedom from the Fire, A Nutritionist’s Guide to Healing Inflammation with Food.
Carol studied nutrition at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and graduated in 2000. She possesses the designations of Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner (RNCP) and Registered Holistic Nutritionist designations (RHN).
Prior to becoming a nutritionist, Carol worked in the field of Human Resources. She possesses a diploma in human resource management and attended Dalhousie University, studying Certified Employee Benefits. She attained a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation in 1994 and understands the importance of good health and its effect on a company’s bottom line.
In 2005, Carol released her first book entitled, Healthy Choices. She regularly conducts workshops and lectures; has been a frequent guest on the Larry Fedoruk show on Newstalk 1010, and appeared on various talk shows including Better Living TV and Woman to Woman. Self care and profitability, April 30th, 12pm, room 102A.

Peter Henderson is a senior business leader and growth strategist who has helped develop and manage hundreds of new products, brands and categories, delivering over $100 million in profit. Peter’s expertise spans major brand building roles with McCain, Nestle, Catelli, BC Wine Institute, Buy BC and Lynch. Peter is the founder of Ideovation, best described as an innovation growth accelerator for the food industry. His extensive experience in business management is invaluable to manufacturers of both retail and foodservice products. A visionary and ideas generator, Peter is a source of boundless inspiration; he stimulates and energizes people, goals and processes. He also advises governments and industry-wide organizations on business development policy and is a member of Canadian Food Exporters Association, Strategic Leadership Forum and Toronto Board of Trade.

How to lead with innovation in a competitive foodservice market? May 1st, 3 pm, room 102A.

Peter Henderson's Panelists:

The Ontario food industry is lucky to have Rebecca LeHeup. Rebecca was instrumental in forming the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OTCA) and is now recognized as a global leader in creating culinary tourism regions, and more sustainable agri-food communities. Rebecca started innovating culinary tourism in Prince Edward County (PEC is 2 hours east of Toronto). For 10 years she developed and ran their tourism marketing including “TASTE!” Community Grown, “Arts Trail”, “Countylicious”, “Harvestin’ the County” (buy local program) and award winning “Taste Trail”. Under Rebecca’s leadership, PEC grew into a world-class culinary and arts tourism destination with new wineries, artisan food & beverage processors, local-food restaurants and fine artists. Now at OTCA, after years of very limited budgets, she has managed to build a dynamic team; social innovators, builders and connectors. An agri-food network builder extraordinaire, Rebecca is rolling out a culinary tourism plan for Ontario that brings people and businesses together across agriculture, specialty food processors, wineries, tourism, chefs, foodservice, culinary schools, and more. She developed curriculum for George Brown College’s Culinary Tourism Management program, is co-publisher the Ontario Culinary Adventure Guide, guest blogger for Huffington Post Canada and advises on a number of boards (the Canadian Tourism Commission, Terroir Hospitality Symposium and Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, to name a few). Sharing in her adventures are her two sons – Jack and Liam, and her life partner, Andrew Mackenzie.

David Chrystian began cooking local and seasonal in Toronto long before it was trendy. In Patriot restaurant in 2000 he was a culinary pioneer, creating and motivating chefs across the nation to cook “Canadian”.
In 2008, he became a member of Slowfood Toronto, and travelled to Turino, Italy representing the city as a culinary delegate at the world event called Terra Madre. Since this life changing experience he has worked with several chefs and various growers and producers helping to shape a new movement “local-ethnic”, as a way to foster the growth and awareness of all food traditions within the 100 km radius.
Over the last two years, and with the help of both the kitchen and management team in Victor Restaurant, Chef Chrystian launched the Toronto Tasting Menu, and is again charting new ground while developing and branding Toronto’s Cuisine.
As a finalist on Season two of Top Chef Canada, the finale menu not only spanned the globe but more so crossed the streets of Toronto, from French spa inspired food of Yorkville to South East Asian of Gerrard East to the Italian of College and of course paying homage to the melting pot of Kensington Market.
Just as cooking local and sustainable have become commonplace 12 years after seeds were planted, the roots of cooking Toronto Cuisine have been planted in Victor Restaurant.

Tim Gilks is the President of Ojai Futures Trading Inc, a consulting firm based in Burlington, Ontario. Backed by his extensive food services experience and passion for commodity markets, Mr. Gilks founded Ojai in March of 2011 with the goal of helping clients manage their agricultural input costs and exposure to futures markets.
Previously, Mr. Gilks held positions at some of the largest food service companies in North America.
From 2002-2011 Mr. Gilks worked on the commodities team at Tim Hortons, where he ultimately held the title of Vice-President of Commodities and Food Purchasing.
From 2000-2002, Mr. Gilks was the Director of Food and Equipment purchasing for Mr. Sub.
In addition, from 1990-2000 Mr. Gilks was the Director of Purchasing for Country Style Donuts where he oversaw all food, commodities and equipment purchasing for the chain, as well as managed its distribution network.
His start in foodservice was with Grandma Lee’s Bakery and Eating Places in various functions, from Franchisee to managing food and equipment purchasing.
Mr. Gilks was born in Cooksville, Ontario in 1959, growing up in Brampton, Ontario.
In his adolescent year’s he learned to fly, played many years of hockey and to this day enjoys all types of boating and golf.
Currently resides in Burlington, Ontario with his wife Sandra and their son Carson.

Dr. Amy Proulx brings food innovation and technology to the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College. As Academic Coordinator, she has defined course content and curriculum for the new Culinary Innovation and Food Technology Program, a unique program in Canada, integrating culinary and food technology training, with the aim of developing skills for food product development, entrepreneurship, and product innovation for the food service and manufactured goods sectors.
Amy is also the Technical Research Leader for the Canadian Food and Wine Institute Research Centre, a new initiative funded by the National Science and Engineering Research Council. The Centre’s strategic mandate is to provide assistance to small and medium sized companies with product development and technical support for innovation and commercialization. She has worked with a wide variety of companies on diverse innovation strategies, and has integrated students into all of the projects, creating a space of learning and empowerment for the client companies as well as the students. A number of commercialized products have been developed through the centre, however Amy would be first to say that the product she is most proud of is the students, who are equipped with job ready skills in HACCP and GFSI, food safety, regulatory affairs, and product innovation.
Amy was a finalist in the 2012 Generation Next Award for New Exciting Thinkers, sponsored by Canadian Grocer, and the Food Industry Association of Canada. She is also on the National Board of Directors for the Food Processing Human Resources Council, and sits on the Food Innovations subcommittee.

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Diane Leclair Bisson, PhD was formerly a tenured professor at the School of Industrial Design at the Université de Montreal and recently transitioned into the professional field of Research and Development in the area of Social Design. After gaining widespread recognition for her furniture design throughout the 90s, she has demonstrated through academic and creative work how design can contribute to resolving some other social and environmental issues surrounding food and nutrition, including innovative methodologies that take into account the everyday experience of social and material environments. She has led projects to improve childhood food practices in schools and hospital contexts. Her current work centres on the cultural and polysensorial aspects of the experience of taste, and developing healthy, edible containers as substitutes to disposable ones for diverse settings, including schools. Ms. Bisson is the author of Edible: Food as material, les editions du Passage (2009). Her work has been the subject of numerous international exhibitions, including the 2005 World Exhibition, Aichi, Japan, where her prototypes for edible containers were presented and multiple displays in Italy. The Edible Project, May 1st, 12pm, room 101A.

Rabbi Saul Emanuel was born in South Africa and headed up the Union of Orthodox Synagogues Kosher department for 10 years until 1998, where after he emigrated to Montreal, Canada to become the CEO of the MK-Canada’s Kosher Certifier. He was educated in Johannesburg & Israel and speaks frequently at many Kosher & food events throughout North America. MK-Canada’s Kosher Certifier continues to expand and grow under his leadership, with companies such as Coca-Cola, Kraft, Saputo, DavidsTea, Gate Gourmet airline kitchen, etc. joining the fray. Kosher market growth,, May 2nd, 1h30 pm, room 101A.

Paul Medeiros directs and manages all aspects of GFTC’s busy Food Safety and Quality Consulting unit. He also designs, implements, audits, troubleshoots, certifies and accredits food safety and quality systems for the various food sectors. He is a popular speaker and trainer, developing and delivering on-site and public training in food safety and quality to the manufacturing, distribution, food service and retail sectors. He is an expert in the Global Food Safety Initiative and is a Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence with ASQ.
Certifications: Quality Manager of Quality & Organization Excellence (ASQ), Public Health Inspector (CPHI). Food safety: from farmer to consumer, April 30th, 1h30 pm, room 101A.

Bob Bauer is the president of the Association of Food Industries, headquartered in Neptune, N.J. AFI is an international trade association which fosters international trade in food products. The association has nearly 1,000 members throughout the world. In addition to companies belonging solely to AFI, the Association of Food Industries includes the North American Olive Oil Association and the National Honey Packers and Dealers Association, organizations that act as stand-alone groups as well as sections of AFI.

Mr. Bauer has served as president of AFI since January 2002. Prior to that, he served as vice president of the organization for nearly six years. In 2005 he was appointed to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for trade in Processed Foods. He was reappointed to that committee in 2008 and again in 2011.

Before joining AFI, Mr. Bauer was a journalist. While working in the newspaper field, he covered everything from town meetings to health-related issues to a wide range of sports, ranging from high school to professional levels. From newspapers, he moved to trade publications in the transportation field and then to the food industry. For the two years prior to joining AFI, he worked as the editor of the grocery section of Supermarket News, the leading trade publication in the supermarket field.

Mr. Bauer attended Temple University for two years and then completed his college education and received his bachelor’s degree from Glassboro State College, now known as Rowan University. He and his wife, Robin, have four children. New U.S. Import regulations, May 1st, 12pm, room 102A.

Isabelle Marquis is one of Quebec’s leading food and health marketing expert.
A seasoned manager, Ms. Marquis has successfully led significant communication and marketing strategies for several major companies such as Metro, Danone, Olymel, and Les Rôtisseries St-Hubert Ltée. As a principal director at Enzyme, she also accompanied her clients through all stages of their innovation process, from idea generation and concept development to new product marketing. Her knowledge of the market, consumers, as well as the regulatory issues, and her strategic sense have also earned her an appointment as Director of XTC World Innovation for North America.
Isabelle Marquis frequently provides her expert insights to print media and television. She is now responsible of marketing for the industrial division at Première Moisson, one of the most important manufacturers of high-end bakery, viennoiseries and charcuteries in Canada.
Ms Marquis holds an honors degree in nutrition from the University of Montreal and is a member of the Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec. A portrait of global food innovation, everyday, 10h30 am, room 101A and Packaging year after year, May 2nd, 12pm, room 101A.

Food marketing professional, Nicolas Trentesaux developped his professional experience in an international context, in companies such as Danone and United Biscuits, where he was more recently Director of International Marketing for Northern Europe. His experience and marketing skills will be an asset for SIAL international developpment and team management. Nicolas Trentesaux will intervene at the confrence on global food innovations, with Isabelle Marquis, on April 30th, 2013.

Islem Yezza is a specialist in sustainable and smart packaging solutions. He currently serves as the Technical & Business Development Director at Cascades where he leads Research, development & Innovation strategies to develop innovative packaging solutions. Islem joined Cascades in 2010. He has held progressive leadership roles in both Packaging and Product Development prior to his current assignment. Prior to joining Cascades, Islem held various Packaging R&D roles at both academic and private sector, notably he occupied the position of R&D Manager/Communication & marketing Manager at an international flexible packaging group.

Islem earned his Ph.D in bioprocess engineering from the National Institute for Scientific Research (Quebec, Canada). After graduating, NSERC awarded him a post-doctoral fellowship at the Biotechnology Research Institute (Montreal, Canada). One major achievement of his research is the development of an innovative process for the production of biopolymer using maple sap as feedstock. Dr Yezza has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers, obtained 1 patent and made over 100 contributions to national and international conferences.

Since July 2008, he hosts a personal blog: http://pakbec.blogspot.com/. This blog aims to keep readers up-to-date with the latest in Packaging trends and innovations.
LinkedIn Profile
Twitter

Smart Packaging, April 30th, 3pm, room 102A.

Stewart Samuel joined IGD in 2005, initially working in the UK before transferring to Vancouver in Canada in 2009. He now leads the North American retail research program and is an expert on US and Canadian food retailer strategies and trends. Regularly conducting primary research with manufacturers in the market, Stewart has also forged close relationships with many leading retailers . He also contributes to IGD’s global supply chain research program. Stewart is a regular presenter at international conferences, a media commentator and leads many of IGD’s customised projects in the region. Online and multi-channel: a period of explosive growth for grocery retailers,May 1st, 3pm, romm 101A.

Amato De Civita is the Lead Principle of Wine Awakenings, a market leader in the field of wine education and the sensory evaluation of wine for industry professionals.
He is a much sought after and dynamic public speaker and wine aficionado. After a very successful career as a senior executive of a multinational corporation in both Canada and the United States, he embraced his entrepreneurship aspirations and founded two separate companies, both of which have blossomed into leaders in their respective fields after only three short years. He regularly writes and speaks at private corporate events and for the Conference Board of Canada on topics related to marketing and consumerism. Lately, he has conducted extensive research in the fields of wine marketing and consumer behaviour.
Amato has an undergraduate degree from Concordia University in Montreal and graduate credentials from Queen's University in Kingston and the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC. How beverages can increase your profit?, April 30th, 3pm, room 101A.

As a leader in sales and business development, Brad Bloom has spent his career being a strategic and innovative sales leader delivering impressive multi-million dollar, bottom-line impact through business development and marketing initiatives. He is a visionary in the development and execution of high-level sales and marketing initiatives; CRM infrastructure, organic revenue growth, KPI’s & service metrics, marketing development and execution.
Brad’s career has been focused in the areas of sales, marketing and business consulting. With over 20 years’ experience in an Executive Sales role in Consulting and Foodservice, he has become a leader in assisting foodservice providers meet all their business development goals. In his current position as Director of Sales for CHD North America, LLC (CHD Expert), a global foodservice data management organization, he leads the North American team providing sales and marketing solutions to foodservice manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers. The Canadian foodservice market, May 2nd, 12pm, room 102A.

Chris Fry is Vice President of Supply Management with Sodexo Canada and is responsible for all procurement related activities in Canada. Chris and his team make it a priority to meet the supply chain needs of our internal clients and their ultimate customers. Chris joined Sodexo in 2005 and worked in a variety of positions in the supply management department. Chris began his career at Sodexo as the Corporate Category Manager for protein, dairy, produce and grocery. Prior to his arrival at Sodexo, Chris held several positions of increasing responsibility in both retail and quick service restaurant procurement. He has a wide range of experience managing people in supply management services and the food and facility service industry. Chris has a vast knowledge of supply chain functions and has been instrumental in leveraging our size while at the same time identifying local procurement opportunities. Chris is a graduate of McMaster University with an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree. Top Trends in sustainable food practices, May 2nd, 3pm, room 102A.

Carol Zweep has been at the Guelph Food Technology Centre since October 2002. She manages a department that performs both packaging and shelf life studies as well as reviewing and assisting in food regulatory and labelling projects. Carol has delivered courses, judged competitions, written trade journal articles in packaging and sustainable packaging.
Prior to joining GFTC, Carol worked at Amcor PET Packaging for sixteen years in various roles ranging from managing a quality department, working in research and development to building the corporate technical center. Carol has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Queens University and a Master of Science degree from McMaster University. Carol is also a Lifetime Certified Packaging Professional (CPP) from the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP). Sustainability in Packaging, May 1st, 1h30 pm, room 101A.

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The Food Certification, led by FAST International. May 2nd, 10h30am, room 102A.

Cristina Larrea has eleven years of strong project management and strategic direction experience, among which seven years of field work managing sustainable development initiatives with rural communities in the tropical rainforest, and leading agriculture Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) business development with relevant success.
At her position at Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade as Project and Business Development Manager, she has acquired significant experience in the impact investment industry targeting capital flow in sustainable agriculture and forestry SMEs in developing countries. Ms. Larrea has conducted comprehensive work and has relevant expertise in providing valuable market and impact information for investors' decision-making, and improving SMEs bankability.
Ms. Larrea holds a Master of Arts in International Development and a Bachelors in Business Management and Administration. She has been author and co-author of nine publications related to sustainable development and impact investment.

Born in Brazil, graduated in Business Administration at Fundacao Getulio Vargas – SP, M.S. in Grain Science at Kansas State University, Ming Chao Liu is currently the coordinator of the National Organic Sector Promotional Program OrganicsBrasil. The program started back in 2005 and is executed by IPD (private institution) in conjunction with Apex-Brasil with the objective to present Brazilian organic products its sector and its potentialities for investment and sustainable development at the major global market. The program has an extensive program with over 70 producer companies covering markets in Europe, Africa, North America and Asia.

Sandy McAlpine has held the position of President of the Coffee Association of Canada since November, 1998. The Coffee Association is a national association of more than 80 members including coffee roasters, retailers, green coffee importers, exporters, growers and producer associations and businesses affiliated with the coffee industry.
Prior to joining the Coffee Association of Canada, Sandy was Executive Vice-President of Timothy’s World Coffee. Through his tenure from 1980 he held a number of senior positions with responsibilities in store operations, marketing, real estate development and franchising. Sandy also headed the project to open Timothy’s coffee roasting plant.
Sandy McAlpine has also served on a variety of Association Boards including the Canadian Specialty Food Association as President and the Coffee Association of Canada where he served over time as a Director, Treasurer and Chairman.

Sandy currently serves as a delegate for the Canadian Association to the Private Sector Board of the International Coffee Association and participates in the NCA’s Scientific Advisory Group and Public Relations Committees.