Agenda

Time Name More Info Speakers
01
9:00 AM - 9:30 AMRegistration and Networking 
02
9:30 AM - 9:45 AMMorning Welcome / Setting the StageShannon Schlecht, AURI
Senator Aric Putnam, Ph.D., MN State Senate
Beth Cieslik, Target
03
9:45 AM - 10:45 AMBrand Journey Conversation Alex French, Bizzy Cold Brew
Simon Solis-Cohen, Huxley
Matt Maier, Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed
Lauren Mehler Pradhan, Tesser Advisory
04
10:45 AM - 11:30 AMScaling Minnesota’s Food Ecosystem: AURI Insights and SolutionsJason Robinson, AURI - Agricultural Utilization Research Institute; MBOLD
05
11:30 AM - 12:00 PMFeatured Speaker - John Conlin, SVP of Food & Beverage, TargetJohn Conlin, Target
06
12:00 PM - 1:00 PMNetworking Luncheon 
07
1:00 PM - 2:00 PMBreakout Session Track 1: Target Accelerators - Early Stage Brands (main floor)John Schmitz, Target Plus
Karen Tobler, Target
Drew Kleven, Target
Tahaji Felder, Target
08
1:00 PM - 2:00 PMBreakout Session Track 2: Target Accelerators - Later Stage Brands (4th floor)Le'Spencer Walker, Target
09
1:00 PM - 2:00 PMBreakout Session Track 3: Closing the Gaps Roundtable: Aligning Ecosystem Support with Retail Expectations (Mezzanine)Jen Wagner-Lahr, AURI
Jennifer Ray-Jones, Target
10
2:10 PM - 3:10 PMFounder & Buyer Community Hour Led by Target Accelerators – Real Talk, Real AccessLe'Spencer Walker, Target
Stephen Munafo, Target
Kelly Rodriquez, Target
Ryanne Graham, Target
Rita Katona, So Good So You
Yasameen Sajady, Maazah
11
3:10 PM - 3:30 PMEvent ReflectionsShannon Schlecht, AURI
Lauren Mehler Pradhan, Tesser Advisory
12
3:30 PM - 5:00 PMSmash the Senses Reception