Panelists Announced for Sweets & Snacks Expo’s Female Entrepreneurship and Leadership Session

Panelists Announced for Sweets & Snacks Expo’s Female Entrepreneurship and Leadership Session

WASHINGTON – The Sweets & Snacks Expo (May 22-24), held at Chicago’s McCormick Place, is thrilled to announce the thought leaders participating in its newest learning session focused on the issues and opportunities facing female entrepreneurs and industry executives in the confectionery and snack categories. What’s Next in the Rise of Female Entrepreneurs and Leaders will provide a better understanding of the unique challenges faced by women working in today’s business environment and how successful female executives are tackling them.

Moderated by Nancy Shenker, CEO of theOnSwitch and sheBOOM, featured panelists include:

  • Tess Albanese – Supply Chain Leader, Albanese Confectionery
  • Shira Birk – Founder, Goodie Girl Cookies
  • Crystal Black Davis – Vice President of Marketing / Deputy to the President, Loacker USA
  • Jennifer Dilts – Senior Buyer Candy and Snacks, Dollar General
  • Breezy and Val Griffith – Founders and Owners, Skinny Dipped Almonds

“We’re honored to have a panel of this magnitude as part of our conference programming,” commented Barry Rosenbaum, Expo chairman and president of Nassau Candy Distributors, Inc. “The insights these leaders will provide are sure to be of value to all Sweets & Snacks Expo attendees, making it a can’t-miss session.”

The panel, taking place on Wednesday, May 23 at noon local time, is one of more than 20 learning opportunities offered at the 2018 Sweets & Snacks Expo. From pre-show “Eye Openers” to Discovery Theater sessions on the show floor sponsored by Barry Callebaut, there is no shortage of knowledge-building content for attendees. Topics to be explored include consumer behavior, flavor trends, omnichannel strategies, digital and multi-cultural marketing from a wide range of subject matter experts including Pinterest, IRI and Nielsen along with panelists from some of the nation’s leading retailers.

For more information about the Sweets & Snacks Expo’s entire learning schedule, please visit sweetsandsnack.com/learn.

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About the National Confectioners Association (NCA):
The National Confectioners Association is the leading trade organization for the U.S. confectionery industry, which generates $42 billion in retail sales each year. NCA advocates for an environment that enables candy makers to thrive and works to ensure that chocolate, candy, gum and mints are celebrated for their contributions to culture, society, the economy and everyday moments of joy. The industry employs nearly 58,000 workers in more than 1,600 manufacturing facilities across all 50 states and supports an additional 635,000 jobs in related fields. The U.S. confectionery industry has made a commitment to increasing transparency, providing more portion guidance options and educating consumers about the role of confectionery in a happy, balanced lifestyle. Learn more at CandyUSA.com or follow NCA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Sweets & Snacks Expo
Sponsored by the National Confectioners Association, the Sweets & Snacks Expo is the confectionery and snack industry’s most successful, world-class event. It is unrivaled in new product launches, business building solutions and innovations in merchandising. Qualified candy and snack professionals attend with global presence from 90 countries. More than 800 companies displaying more than 4 acres of candy and snack products participate in the Expo. The event is held each May at Chicago’s McCormick Place.