Event
Crain’s MidMarket PerspectivesDate
August 23, 20178:00AM to 12:00PM
Venue
Hilton Cleveland Downtown100 Lakeside Ave E
Cleveland, Ohio, 44114, United States
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Middle Market Reimagined
The middle market is more than just a revenue category; it’s about being agile and focused. It means realizing a sense of achievement while still having the opportunity to grow and be more. The middle market is an economic powerhouse that inspires.
The 2017 Crain’s MidMarket Perspectives event will pull insights and inspiration from business leaders who will talk about:
- The importance of culture and how it plays a role in driving the success of your company
- How focusing on customer experiences and feedback can influence positive change and growth
- Ways to develop new business to take your company to the next level
Announcing the Speakers:
From the J.M. Smucker Company:
Mark T. Smucker, president, CEO and director
Mark T. Smucker was appointed president and CEO of The J.M. Smucker Company in 2016.
The J.M. Smucker Company, headquartered in Orrville, is a leading marketer and manufacturer of consumer food and beverage products and pet food and pet snacks in North America.
Over Smucker’s 19-year career with the company, he has managed virtually every major business, including the company’s significant coffee business, Foodservice, Canada & International, and, most recently, Consumer and Natural Foods.
Jill R. Penrose, senior vice president, human resources and corporate communications
As the senior vice president, human resources and corporate communications at The J. M. Smucker Company, Penrose holds responsibility for human capital across the company. She has been with Smucker for 12 years and has also served as the vice president, corporate strategy and organization development.
Robert D. Ferguson, senior vice president-supply chainRob Ferguson was named senior vice president-supply chain in 2016. In this role, Ferguson is responsible for procurement, contract manufacturing, fruit operations, customer logistics, planning, and transportation and warehousing teams.
Ferguson joined Smucker in 2015 through the Big Heart Pet Brands acquisition. Prior to his current role, Ferguson co-led integration and synergy efforts as vice president, project and resource management. Previously, he served as a member of the Big Heart executive leadership team, holding various supply chain leadership roles.
WORKSHOP: Building and maintaining a high-performance environment
PRESENTER: Robert Sher, founding principal of CEO to CEO (San Francisco); author, “Mighty Midsize Companies: How Leaders Overcome 7 Silent Growth Killers”
Many great leaders are justifiably frustrated that so many employees don’t seem to care about the company like they do. Generous employee perks and an anything-is-ok workplace doesn’t create a high-performance company. Yet, much is known about creating and maintaining a high-performance environment. Learn what 14 years’ research reveals, explore a framework for understanding the key drivers of high-performance organizations and take steps to improve your own workplace environment.
What you will learn:
• Learn the common causes of low-performance environments.
• Learn how to apply performance pressure in a productive fashion.
• Understand the power for visibility to drive results.
• Learn when to put the risk of failure front and center.
• Discover why your employees should not feel satisfied with their performance-ever.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Strategic Planning: Find your purpose and vision–and figure out how to get there
Middle market companies often reach the point of an identity crisis. The strategic planning process can offer the opportunity to refocus the organization and re-establish short-and long-term measures of success.
MODERATOR:
Tom Stewart, executive director,National Center for the Middle Market
Before joining the National Center for the Middle Market, Stewart serves as chief marketing and knowledge officer for international consulting form Booz & Company (now called Strategy&). Prior to that, he was the editor and managing editor of Harvard Business Review; the editorial director of Business 2.0 magazine; and on the board of editors of Fortune magazine.
PANELISTS:
Sam Falletta, CEO, Incept
At Incept, Valletta is responsiblefor the development and execution of successful customer acquisition andretention strategies for some of the largest brands in the world, includingMicrosoft, Ford, Honda and the American Red Cross. Under Falletta’s leadership,Incept has grown at an average rate of almost 20% per year for the last sevenyears and has consistently been recognized as one of the top workplaces inNortheast Ohio by Workplace Dynamics.
Holly Hacker, Director Direct Sales and Customer Experience, Vitamix
Hacker joined Vitamin in 2010 ashousehold marketing manager, launching the first national brand advertisingcampaign and introducing product placement and earned media approaches toincrease brand awareness. In addition, she helped the company become moreinvolved in efforts to advance its legacy of helping people improve theirhealth through whole food nutrition. In her current role as director, directsales and customer experience, Hacker is responsible for creating, defining andimplementing customer experience guidelines and standards across all customertouch points.
Maia Hansen, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
Hansen is senior partner from McKinsey’s Cleveland office. Hansen is a leader in McKinsey’s Operations and Organization practices. She serves clients in a variety of industries, including industrials; advanced electronics; pharmaceutical and medical products; and consumer packaged goods. Hansen also on the board of a number of Cleveland area civic organizations including the Greater Cleveland Partnership and LAND studio.
Location
Venue: Hilton Cleveland Downtown
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