2019 Executive Conference Agenda
Tuesday, October 29
9:00 a.m. | SPESA Board Meeting (Board members only)
11:00 a.m. | Executive Conference Registration Opens
2:00 p.m. | SPESA Chairman's Address & Welcome
Nina McCormack, SPESA Chairman
2:15 p.m. | Opening Keynote
Chris Pilkerton, Acting Administrator & General Counsel, U.S. Small Business Administration
2:45 p.m. | Panel I: Reshoring, Near-shoring, and What it Means to be "Made in the U.S.A."
Lloyd Wood, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, and Materials, U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration
Kim Glas, President & CEO, National Council of Textile Organizations
Jeremy Wootten, President and CFO, Homtex
Moderator: Daniella Ambrogi, Vice President, Marketing, Lectra North America
4:05 p.m. | Break
4:20 p.m. | Hot Topic Session: Workforce Development
Tea Yang, Program Coordinator, The Industrial Commons and Work in Burke
Tanya Wade, Project Coordinator, Carolina Textile District
Dan St. Louis, Executive Director, Manufacturing Solutions Center
5:20 p.m. | Day 1 Closing Remarks
5:45 p.m. | Opening Night Networking Reception at Red Fish Grill
Wednesday, October 30
9:00 a.m. | Breakfast
9:20 a.m. | James Carville Meet & Greet
10:00 a.m. | Day 2 Opening Remarks
10:15 a.m. | Featured Keynote
James Carville, Renowned Political Commentator
11:15 a.m. | Hot Topic Session: Automation & Robotic Technology
Arnie Kravitz, Chief Technology Officer, Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM)
12:00 p.m. | Lunch
12:45 p.m. | Panel II: Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas
Carlos Botero, President, INEXMODA
Gary Simmons, Director, Intradeco; Chairman, American Apparel & Footwear Association
Guy Carpenter, President, Bear Fiber, Inc.
Moderator: Mike Fralix, President & CEO, [TC]2
2:15 p.m. | Networking Break
2:45 p.m. | Hot Topic Session: Supply Chain Disruption
Mick Reed, Senior Director, Enterprise Risk Manager, VF Corporation
3:30 p.m. | Panel III: Mitigating Your China Exposure
Nicole Bivens Collinson, President, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
Stephen Lamar, Executive Vice President, American Apparel & Footwear Association
Moderator: Ed Gribbin, Chief Engagement Officer, Impactiva
4:50 p.m. | Texprocess Americas 2020
Michael Jänecke, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing, Messe Frankfurt
5:00 p.m. | SPESA Annual Business Meeting
5:30 p.m. | Conference Wrap-up & Closing Remarks
6:30 p.m. | Closing Reception & Dinner