Conference Schedule

• Mac Anderson – Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, Cleveland Kitchen
• Sergio Bicas – COO, Garden of Flavor
• Mike Malley – CEO, Malley’s Candies
• Tim Novak – Chairman, Sokol Custom Food Ingredients

Cleveland’s culinary landscape reflects the diverse cultural tapestry of this industrial-rooted region and stands as one of our most treasured features. With rising recognition, we’ve seen growing M&A activity within the space. This panel will explore various facets of deal-making in the culinary industry, ranging from family-owned enterprises seeking private equity backing to home grown businesses expanding via acquisition.

• William Parker (Moderator) – Chief Revenue and Restructuring Officer, Parker Revenue Growth Strategies
• Anna Gluck – Chief Human Resources Officer, Transtar
• Dalithia Smith – Chief Human Resources Officer, Oatey Co. 
• Joe Valenzuela, CDP – Global Chief Diversity Officer, Affirmity

The panel explores the history and current state of DEI will explore examples of how DEI initiatives were developed to drive growth at the panelists’ companies and clients. Topics will include how to measure DEI goals, the expectations of the next generation of your your workforce, managing against headwinds for DEI programs, and developing diversity of thought and opinion as a growth accelerator.

• Mike Lipinski (Moderator) – Plante Moran Partner, Cybersecurity and IT Practice, Plante Moran
• Lee Carsten – VP, Cyber Solutions at Aon | Cybersecurity Risk Management Leader, Aon
• Scot Ganow – Chair of Taft’s Privacy and Data Security Practice, Taft Law
• Jonathan Pressnel – Partner, Blue Point Capital

Capital/funding risk, operational risk (cyber, IT, financial, supply chain, etc.), deal (acquire/exit) risks, market risks, regulatory and compliance risk, and risks during the hold period.

• Robert Ross (Moderator) – Partner and Chair of the Global Transaction Group, Benesch
• Alexandra Lugo – General Counsel, AML RightSource 
• Mario Masrieh – Principal, Trivest
• Daniel O’Gorman – Partner and Head of International Transactions, Walker Morris in Leeds U.K. 

Given the rise of multijurisdictional deals that are now being pursued, the panel will focus on how to effectively navigate doing diligence and effectuate transactions in multiple jurisdictions outside the U.S. The panel will address the financial, accounting and legal issues and hurdles that private equity is facing as it expands across the globe and how large multinational strategics tackled those same issues in the past. The topics that may be addressed (pending the panelists’ input) will include due diligence pitfalls, local law and regulation hurdles to closing, compliance with employee or works council notification requirements, currency exchange issues, accounting data consolidation and adherence to multiple compliance standards.

• Mark Brandt (Moderator) – Director, RSM US LLP
• Josh Beck – Family Office Enterprise: Sr. Manager & Renewable Energy Strategy Leader, RSM US LLP
• Chris Hahrahan – Partner, Bratenahl Capital Family Office
• Brent Pietrafese – Attorney specializing in General Corporate, M&A and Private Equity Transactions, Calfee Family Team
• Warren Philipp – Managing Director Global Sponsor Coverage, Hylant