2019 Executive Conference Agenda

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

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