2025 Speakers

Ryan Bakst
Director of Research & Development
Cafe Spice

Ryan Bakst is a seasoned culinary and product development executive with a diverse career spanning over two decades in the food industry. His background includes running restaurant kitchens, deli and catering operations, and leading large-scale culinary programs – all of which have contributed to his reputation for operational excellence and culinary creativity.

As Director of Research and Development at Cafe Spice, Ryan drives innovation across multiple product categories and cuisine types. Leveraging state-of-the-art equipment, he specializes in scaling high-quality, chef-driven products that deliver unparalleled efficiency and consistency throughout the production process.

Known for bridging culinary artistry with commercial execution, Ryan excels in bringing cutting-edge food concepts to market, optimizing processes, and delivering products that meet the evolving needs of consumers and industry partners.

Virgilio Felix
VP FSQA
Cafe Spice

Virgilio Felix is a seasoned manufacturing and operations executive with a distinguished career spanning over two decades in leadership roles across the food manufacturing and retail sectors. As Chief Operating Officer of Cafe Spice LLC, he has been instrumental in driving strategic growth, operational excellence, and business expansion. A results-driven leader, Virgilio has successfully spearheaded large-scale projects, including constructing state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, implementing ERP systems, and strengthening market positioning through strategic partnerships. He has expertise in lean manufacturing, process optimization, and cost reduction. Known for his ability to build and lead high-performing teams, Virgilio excels in developing innovative solutions, streamlining operations, and fostering strong supplier and investor relationships.

Brock Furlong
President & CEO
Stampede Culinary Partners

Brock Furlong brings more than 30 years of food industry experience to Stampede Culinary Partners. He joined the team in 2010 following robust marketing, sales and leadership roles with The Quaker Oats Company, Pillsbury and Maple Leaf. In five years as President of Maple Leaf Poultry, Brock grew the company from $270M in sales to over $600M, making it the largest poultry company in Canada. Following suit at Stampede, Brock was named President within a year. Brock is Canadian originally and graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1990. He now lives in the suburbs of Chicago with his wife, Jill. They have been married for more than 30 years and have three children.

Giovanni Gomez
VP FSQA
Cafe Spice

Giovanni Gomez is a seasoned food industry executive with 20 years of experience driving innovation, quality, and sustainability in manufacturing. As VP of Food Safety and Quality Assurance at Cafe Spice, he ensures the highest standards of food safety, product integrity, and operational excellence.

Giovanni's expertise spans every stage of the food journey, from sourcing raw ingredients and optimizing supply chain operations to developing and commercializing high-quality, globally inspired products. He has a deep background in food production and global supply chains. Giovanni has led key initiatives to expand retail distribution, enhance shelf life through innovative packaging, and streamline production efficiencies.

A certified HACCP Manager, PCQI, and Cornell Project Management alumnus, Gomez blends technical expertise with strategic leadership

to drive continuous improvement and innovation. He is known for building high-performing teams and driving strategic partnerships that fuel growth and industry leadership. Through his speaking, teaching, and consulting, he helps businesses create a more sustainable future.

Samara Heaggans
Director of Process Quality Engineering
Feastables

With over 28 years of experience in the Food & Beverage industry, Samara Heaggans is a seasoned professional and innovator in process engineering and product development. Currently, she serves as the Director of Process Quality Engineering at Feastables and is the founder and owner of SH Reid Consulting Solutions, a firm specializing in Food & Beverage consulting.

Samara’s career includes significant roles at leading Food and Beverage manufacturers. She was the Corporate Director of Process and Product Development (R&D) and later Director of Plant Engineering at Do Good Foods in Pennsylvania. Prior to that, Samara spent nearly 18 years at Campbell Soup Company in New Jersey, culminating in her role as Director of Commercialization for the C-Fresh Division. She also worked at Frito-Lay in Dallas, Texas for over five years.

Throughout her career, Samara has been instrumental in the development of new products and processes. At Campbell Soup, she held various R&D roles, launching more than 30 successful products. At Frito-Lay, she developed the process for Tostitos Scoops, for which she holds a patent.

Her expertise spans across Process R&D, scale-up, commercialization, and innovation, and she continues to drive growth and quality within the Food & Beverage industry.

AJ Heiner
Vice President of Manufacturing
The Campbell’s Company

AJ Heiner joined The Campbell’s Company in 2021 and was named Vice President of Manufacturing in December 2024. AJ leads the company’s manufacturing efforts across multiple facilities and bakeries in the United States. He previously spent three years as Senior Director, Site Operations, Snacks, in Richmond, Utah. Earlier in his career, AJ worked for more than 20 years with Nestlé in roles including Factory Manager, Industrial Performance Division Manager, Production Manager, Industrial Engineering Manager, and Industrial Engineer. AJ earned both his Bachelor of Science in Production Management and his Master of Business Administration from Utah State University.

Dr. Andrew Hurley
Professor
Clemson University

Dr. Andrew Hurley spends so much time thinking about packaging that his grocery trips double as field research. Now measured in decades, his industry experience covers businesses of all sizes, from startups to global corporations, often transforming packaging challenges into innovative and eco-friendly solutions. Renowned for his expertise, Dr. Hurley is a trusted advisor for companies seeking to weigh tradeoffs and make their mark with impactful designs. As a dedicated Professor at Clemson University, Dr. Hurley bridges the gap between academic research and practical application. He is also the Founder of PackagingSchool.com, offering over 8,000 concise, tailored learning modules, and delivers hands-on workshops—all designed to equip professionals with the skills and strategies needed to create sustainable, high-performing packaging. Dr. Hurley’s engaging presentations at conference events worldwide, and even a TEDx talk, inspire audiences to rethink their design approach and embrace innovation. He provides tailored advisory services, assisting organizations in integrating sustainable practices. Passionate about sustainable design, Dr. Hurley simplifies complex concepts and makes them relatable, solidifying his position as a leading voice in the packaging industry. Through his speaking, teaching, and consulting, he helps businesses create a more sustainable future.

Tom Kelly
CEO
Automation Alley

Tom Kelly is a globally recognized expert on Industry 4.0 and its impact on business. As executive director and CEO of Automation Alley, a Michigan-based nonprofit Industry 4.0 knowledge center with a global outlook and a regional focus, Tom is often tapped to share his visionary leadership and expertise around digital transformation.
As executive director and CEO, Tom has been instrumental to the success of Automation Alley’s Industry 4.0 initiatives, designed to help businesses jumpstart or accelerate a digital path to strategic success, including Integr8, the global Industry 4.0 conference; the 3D printing network Project DIAMOnD; and the formation of the World Economic Forum’s U.S. Centre for Advanced Manufacturing.
Tom serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains, is a member of the Additive Manufacturing Coalition Steering Committee, and is a board member of the Fraunhofer Technology Advisory Board, Global Future Council on Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains and Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center Board.

Sameer Malhotra
Co-Founder and CEO
Cafe Spice

Sameer Malhotra is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cafe Spice. a leading manufacturer of high-quality ready-to-eat Indian meals. He grew up in the fine dining restaurant business and combined his business acumen with his love of food after graduating from Babson College. His vision was to make restaurant-quality international dishes accessible to a wider audience by offering a line of premium fresh prepared meals.

Under his leadership, the company has experienced rapid growth and now distributes its products to grocery stores and specialty food retailers across the country. Sameer is widely respected in the food industry for his innovative approach, unwavering commitment to quality, and ability to spot emerging culinary trends.

Dan Myers
Chief Executive Officer
Carolina Foods

With over 35 years of experience in the food industry, Dan Myers is the Chief Executive Officer of Carolina Foods, a renowned manufacturer of sweet baked goods, including honey buns, donuts, and pies. Throughout his distinguished career, Dan has led several food manufacturing companies, spanning across various categories such as salty snacks, cookies and crackers, confections, and sweet baked goods. Dan is known for his ability to build and lead high-performing teams by creating alignment around business imperatives, fostering a culture of ownership and accountability, and focusing on the core fundamentals that drive success. His leadership has been instrumental in transforming organizations into efficient, customer-focused operations, and he takes pride in the lasting impact of his work on the companies and teams he's led. Holding a B.S. in Engineering and a MBA from Lehigh University, Dan combines technical expertise with strategic business acumen. His passion for innovation, operational excellence, and people development has allowed Carolina Foods to continue its growth while maintaining the high standards of quality and customer satisfaction that the company is known for. Under Dan’s leadership, Carolina Foods is positioned for continued success, making its mark in the sweet baked goods industry and delivering “sweet” products to customers across the nation.

Stuart Smith
Chief Operations Officer
Carolina Foods

Serving as Chief Operations Officer of Carolina Foods, Stuart Smith’s leadership includes over 25 years of successful implementations across a broad range of industries. Stuart uses his deep experience in Continuous Improvement and the Toyota Production System as a foundation for building high performing teams. Teams known for their operational execution across publicly and privately owned enterprises in poultry, mining, coffee, Quick Service Restaurant (Chick-fil-A), and Tier 1 Automotive. Stuart is known for his charismatic style and relentless pursuit of making tomorrow better than today. With a steadfast focus on serving customers – on-time with the highest quality, and team member safety – everyone leaves in as good, if not better condition than when they arrived, Stuart’s teams are known for exceeding goals and objectives while building lasting enterprise value. Acting as the executor to the vision of Carolina Foods CEO, Dan Myers; Stuart bridges long-term goals with day-to-day operations. Regular alignment between the two on strategy and tactics ensures superior decision making and organizational performance. Performance defined by precise metrics, distilled to its simplest form, with all levels of the organization participating.

Shalima Sreenath
Head of Downstream Processing
Cellibre

Shalima Sreenath is a chemical engineer with over a decade of experience in the food and biotechnology industries. Currently head of downstream processing at Cellibre, she leads the isolation and purification of novel small molecules produced through fermentation, driving innovations from lab scale to commercialization. Shalima began her career as a process engineer at Kerry, supporting manufacturing plants globally through diverse process and project engineering roles, and had an impactful tenure at Beyond Meat, where she focused on new product introductions, capital expansions and scaling transformative alternative meat technologies. She holds a master's degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University and is a fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST).

Tony Hernandez
Director of Site Operations, Richmond
The Campbell’s Company

Tony Hernandez joined The Campbell’s Company in 2019 and was named Director of Site Operations in December 2024. Tony leads the company’s Snacks manufacturing operations in Richmond, Utah.
Previously, he was Senior Manager, Engineering, and Site Project Manager for a major plant expansion. He also served as a Regional Engineering Manager supporting several sites.
Before that, Tony spent 11 years at Nestlé USA overseeing engineering and maintenance functions and leading manufacturing operations in Salt Lake City and Springville, Utah. He also worked with Schreiber Foods as a Production Operator for nearly four years while attending Utah State University.
Tony earned his Bachelor of Science in Operations Management from Utah State University.

Jason Roethig
Senior Director of Engineering Services and Project Execution
The Campbell’s Company

Jason Roethig joined The Campbell’s Company in 2022 and was named Senior Director of Engineering Services and Project Execution in April 2023. Jason oversees the company’s capital project execution teams including corporate and plant engineering project managers, program managers, and processing and packaging subject matter experts. His team manages all large capital projects and provides technical engineering guidance for the Snacks and Meals & Beverages divisions. Previously, as Director of Engineering, Meals & Beverages, he provided three- to five-year strategic vision and engineering planning for Meals & Beverages plants and developed the annual operating plan for capital projects. Before that, Jason worked at Danone North America (formerly WhiteWave Foods) for nearly a decade, most recently as Director of Engineering. He also spent more than 16 years at Glanbia Nutritionals and Micron Technology dealing with plant-based beverages, dairy processing, and semiconductor manufacturing including ultra-pure water purifications. He began his career serving for six years as a Nuclear Mechanic in the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. Jason earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Boise State University and his Master of Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has published two articles in scientific journals and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).