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Food Safety & Quality

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October 5th

3:00 pm

Registration

3:30 pm - 4:20 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT

Advancing Food Safety & Quality: What’s Working, What’s Changing, and What’s Next

Frank Yiannas

Former Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy & Response

FDA

Bill Marler

Lawyer

Marler Clark Inc, PS

Mahirwan Bhagia

Vice President - Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer

PepsiCo

Jorge A. Hernandez

VP, Quality Assurance

The Wendy's Company

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Programs & Culture: Are current programs driving real improvement, or fostering complacency? How do we foster curiosity, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement?
  • Technology & Data: How are AI, blockchain, and predictive analytics transforming daily FSQ operations? Which tools are delivering actionable insights without overwhelming teams?
  • Supply Chain Resilience: What strategies ensure visibility, traceability, and fraud prevention across complex, global food systems? How are reactive measures becoming long-term solutions?
  • Regulatory Compliance & Global Standards: How can organizations harmonize compliance across regions while exceeding expectations? How do we balance global standards with local adaptation?
  • Consumer Safety & Education: How do we empower consumers and frontline teams to make safer, higher-quality food choices? What role do behavioral nudges, training, SOPs, and campaigns play?
4:25 pm - 5:00 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT

Workshop: From Data to Action - Turning Food Safety Metrics into Business Impact

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  • Showcasing how real-time data collection and predictive analytics can identify risks before they escalate
  • Translating FSQ metrics into actionable insights that drive operational efficiency and reduce waste
  • Demonstrating case studies where data-driven decision-making prevented recalls or compliance issues
  • Exploring tools and frameworks that make FSQ performance measurable, visible, and tied to business outcomes
5:05 pm - 5:55 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT

The Next Generation of FSQ Leaders: Talent, Culture, and Succession

Rosalind Zils

Vice President, Global Quality

Ingredion

Jay Ellingson

Chief Scientific Officer

Kwik Trip, Inc.

Allison DeGraffenreid

Vice President Food Safety & Quality Assurance

Monogram Foods

Heather Waelterman

VP Quality & Regulatory Affairs

The Honest Kitchen

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  • Talent & Recruitment: How are organizations attracting and retaining the next generation of leaders in a competitive, tech-enabled talent landscape?
  • Leadership Development: How are mentorship, training, and rotational programs preparing emerging leaders for strategic FSQ roles?
  • Culture & Engagement: Are current FSQ cultures fostering accountability, curiosity, and innovation? How do we keep teams motivated and aligned with organizational values?
  • Succession Planning: How can organizations ensure continuity of knowledge and leadership across FSQ, QA/QC, and regulatory functions?
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: How are FSQ leaders working with operations, compliance, and risk management to break down silos and improve decision-making?
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Drinks Reception

October 6th

Stream 1 Chair

Peter Begg

Chief Food Safety & Quality Officer

Lyons Magnus

Stream 2 Chair

Jim Hilton

Director of Networking and Connectivity

BlueStar Americas

Stream 3 Chair

Executive to be Announced

Ecowize USA

7:30 am - 8:15 am

registration & breakfast

8:15 am - 8:30 am

Opening Remarks, Important Announcements & Chair’s Welcome Address

Peter Begg

Chief Food Safety & Quality Officer

Lyons Magnus

Laurie Gerbers

Vice President of Food Safety, Quality, and HSE

Maker's Pride

8:30 am - 9:05 am KEYNOTE

Time for a Food Safety Reset

Frank Yiannas

Former Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy & Response

FDA

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  • 15 years on from FSMA – what has the industry actually achieved, and where have the frameworks fallen short?
  • A forward-looking call to action: what a genuine food safety reset looks like as the world – and its hazards – continue to change
9:10 am - 9:45 am Case Studies
Stream One – Food Safety

From Data to Decisions: Leveraging AI to Predict and Manage Food Safety Risk

Campbell Mitchell

Head of Food Safety & Compliance

Kraft Heinz

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  • How AI can analyze production, ingredient, and operational data to identify emerging risks before they become issues.
  • Linking risk management frameworks to AI-driven insights for stronger, faster decision-making.
  • Real-world case studies of the adoption of AI to help predict and prevent safety and quality issues.
  • Lessons on operationalizing predictive analytics in FSQ systems.
Stream Two – Quality

Building Quality Talent for the Future: Skills, Partnerships, and Organizational Growth

Amy Wilcox

Senior Director, Food Safety & Quality Systems

McDonald's

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  • Developing the next generation of quality leaders.
  • How quality functions can adapt, evolve, and thrive in a rapidly changing food environment.
  • Leveraging partnerships and collaborative relationships to grow talent and share best practices.
  • Strategies for positioning resources and managing risk to ensure consistent quality for all customers.
Stream Three – Regulatory

Liability: The Cost of Failure and the Legal Duty of Care

Bill Marler

Lawyer

Marler Clark Inc, PS

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  • Overview of current foodborne illness litigation trends, focusing on class actions, product liability, and the use of punitive damages
  • Clarification of the executive and corporate legal duty of care to consumers versus simple regulatory compliance, using landmark court examples
  • Using real-life case studies to demonstrate critical mistakes that exponentially increase corporate liability during an outbreak
  • Quantifying the financial, criminal, and personal costs of a major outbreak versus the investment required for proactive prevention and control
9:50 am - 10:25 am Workshops
STREAM 1 WORKSHOP

The Digital Edge: Achieving Global Food Safety and Quality Compliance with AI and Automation

Executive to be Announced

Tracegains

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  • Demonstrating how AI and machine learning are utilized to analyze vast supply chain data for predictive risk assessment and continuous supplier scoring
  • Outlining the methods for fully automating the collection, verification, and renewal of supplier compliance documents, ensuring 24/7 audit readiness
  • Showcasing how a unified, cloud-based platform centralizes critical data, enabling rapid management of product specifications and quality events
  • Demonstrating the tools for automatically tracking and mapping global regulatory changes to current product specifications and internal compliance standards
STREAM 2 WORKSHOP

Enterprise Quality Management: Leveraging Technology to Standardize and Elevate Quality Systems

Executive to be Announced

CMX1

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  • Demonstrating how to digitally standardize global Quality Management System (QMS) processes, ensuring uniformity across all manufacturing and operating sites
  • Outlining the methods for transforming site-level quality audits and inspections into dynamic, data-driven workflows that mandate effective closed-loop corrective actions (CAPA)
  • Showcasing how integrated non-conformance and incident management tools provide enterprise visibility to quickly manage and mitigate high-risk quality events
  • Looking at the value of centralized Quality Intelligence and metrics for identifying systemic risks, prioritizing resources, and driving continuous improvement (CI) initiatives
STREAM 3 WORKSHOP

Ensuring Food Safety and Quality Through Real-Time Cold Chain Visibility

Executive to be Announced

Tive

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  • Establishing end-to-end, real-time visibility into the location and temperature conditions of shipments to meet mandated regulatory record-keeping requirements
  • Transforming cold chain management by utilizing immediate alerts to proactively prevent quality degradation and avoid costly, non-compliant temperature excursions
  • Implementing granular, traceable shipment data to build an unbreakable digital audit trail, ensuring swift compliance with global rules like FSMA 204
  • Looking at how tracking data optimizes logistics and provides documented evidence for carrier performance review under supplier verification rules
10:30 am - 12:10 pm Pre-Arranged One-To-One Meetings Arrow Icon

These mutually agreed-upon conversations are arranged and facilitated by Executive Platforms staff to ensure attendees have valuable discussions about their top-of-mind questions, challenges, and opportunities.

  • 10:35 am – 10:55 am: Meeting Slot 1/Networking
  • 11:00 am – 11:20 am: Meeting Slot 2/Networking
  • 11:25 am – 11:45 am: Meeting Slot 3/Networking
  • 11:50 am – 12:10 am: Meeting Slot 4/Networking
12:15 pm - 12:50 pm Case Studies
Stream One – Food Safety

Building Food Safety Culture at Scale: Practical Strategies for Complex Operations

Dan Fone

Vice President - Food Safety, Quality & Sanitation

Dollar Tree

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  • Discussing evidence-based approaches to measuring and improving food safety culture across diverse operational environments
  • Discovering how to translate global standards (GFSI, PAS 320) into actionable programs that drive behavioral change
  • Exploring strategies for sustaining food safety culture in high-volume, resource-constrained environment
Stream Two – Quality

Connecting the Dots: Leveraging Traceability to Deliver Quality Every Step of the Way

J. Keith Jackson

Vice President of Corporate Quality Assurance

Performance Food Group

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  • How PFG uses traceability to ensure consistent quality and verify product integrity across suppliers and operations.

  • Practical insights on challenges, successes, and strategies for aligning traceability programs with regulatory expectations.

Stream Three – Regulatory

The Knowledge Gap: Moving Beyond Compliance to Embed Expertise in Food Safety Systems

Sara Mortimore

Former VP Global Food Safety Compliance

Walmart

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  • Demonstrating how the reliance on third-party compliance and certification can inadvertently lead to complacency regarding fundamental food safety knowledge
  • Discussing why it is essential to transition from a purely culture-based approach to one that ensures frontline personnel possess the necessary technical skills and expertise to manage risk
  • Looking at the failure of current industry education models to adequately prepare food safety professionals and plant operators to identify and mitigate complex risks
  • Highlighting the strategic shift needed in leadership to prioritize critical thinking and curiosity over checklist execution in daily food safety operations
12:50 pm - 1:50 pm THEMED LUNCH DISCUSSIONS

Explore this year’s themed lunch discussions led by industry leaders, where executives engage in focused conversations over a meal, discussing topics they’re passionate about alongside their peers.

Audit Wins: How Do We Maintain High Scores Year-in and Year-out?

Tanushree Shah

Manager, Quality Assurance Regulatory

AAK

What FSQ Risks Are Emerging as Tariffs Force New Customer Decisions?

Sue Holbert

Director, FSQRA Customer/Consumer Engagement

Conagra Brands

How Do You Standardize Quality Systems While Expanding to New Facilities

David Melton

Corporate Manager, Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory

Daisy Brand

Navigating Product Recalls: Regulatory Reporting & Best Practice

Betsy Handelman

Sr. Director, Food Safety & Compliance, Buyers Edge Platform Fresh

Freshalliance

Compliance Without Complexity: Streamlining Processes for Teams

Amanda Lockhart

Assistant Director of Food Safety Management

Hormel Foods

Quality by Design: Integrating Risk Assessment into Daily Operations

Calli Johnston

GVP Food Safety & Quality

HP Hood

How Are FSQ Leaders Building Readiness Plans for Transparency and Emerging Risks

Elysse Salumbides

Director, Quality Systems

Maker’s Pride

Jen Griffin

VP, FSQA

Novus Foods

Quality in Innovation: Balancing New Product Development with Standards

James Longo

Director of Compliance

OverSeas Food Trading

How Can We FSMS Governance Evolve Without Burdening HACCP/HARPC?

How Are FSQ Teams Preparing for Shifting FDA Packaging & Labeling Rules?

1:55 pm - 2:30 pm Case Studies
Stream One – Food Safety

From the Floor to the Boardroom: Embedding QFS Culture Across the Organization

Yanyan Huang

Global Vice President, Quality and Food Safety

ADM

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  • Driving Behavior Change at the Frontline: Practical strategies to embed food safety into daily habits and shift cultural mindsets on the floor
  • Why today’s FSQ leaders must evolve to coaches to build trust and accountability
  • Rethinking Recruitment: How are we Integrating Food Safety Expectations directly into job design, onboarding, and role clarity from day one?
  • Push Culture Upward, Not Just Downward: Why Tactics for getting buy-in and visible participation from executive leadership in FSQ initiatives are imperative in today’s landscape?
  • How can we Make Food Safety & Quality a boardroom conversation — not just a plant-floor responsibility
Stream Two – Quality

Cold Chain Excellence: Safeguarding Quality from Production to Consumer

Executive to be Announced

Dawn Foods

Stream Three – Regulatory

FSMA 204: Architecting the Digital Traceability Mandate at Scale

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  • Demonstrating how executive teams are strategically re-architecting ERP and data systems to handle the high volume and complexity of Key Data Element (KDE) capture mandated by FSMA 204
  • Discussing why achieving verifiable, end-to-end interoperability with critical supply chain partners presents a significant vendor management and resource allocation challenge at the director level
  • Looking at the development of enterprise-wide risk modeling to prioritize and resource the implementation of Critical Tracking Event (CTE) monitoring across high-volume facilities
  • Highlighting the financial and operational risk profile associated with non-compliance, framing enhanced traceability as a core organizational resilience strategy rather than just a regulation
2:35 pm - 3:10 pm Workshops
STREAM 1 WORKSHOP

Digital Transformation: Leveraging Integrated Data for Predictive Food Safety

Executive to be Announced

Trustwell

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  • Strategies for achieving end-to-end data integration across supplier management, QMS, and regulatory compliance to identify systemic vulnerabilities
  • Defining the roadmap for transitioning from reactive incident tracking to predictive risk modeling, using aggregated supply chain data to anticipate hazards
  • Building the digital command center that guarantees immediate, auditable access to all necessary records (HACCP/FSMA, specifications) for regulatory and third-party inspections
  • Quantifying the financial returns of implementing robust, granular traceability systems that minimize recall scope and protect brand reputation
STREAM 2 WORKSHOP

Mastering Quality and Performance Across Multi-Unit Operations

Executive to be Announced

FranConnect

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  • Defining the executive strategy for harmonizing quality and operating standards across thousands of geographically diverse franchise or retail locations
  • Implementing a unified quality scoring system that effectively translates corporate standards into actionable, site-specific KPIs for franchise owners and operators
  • Leveraging mobile technology and centralized platforms to ensure training, audits, and corrective actions are deployed consistently and verified efficiently across the enterprise
  • Understanding the legal and commercial mechanisms required to enforce quality standards and accountability within the franchise agreement structure
STREAM 3 WORKSHOP

Global Market Access: Navigating Non-GMO, Authenticity, and International Regulatory Hurdles

Executive to be Announced

FoodChainID

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  • Strategies for establishing a resilient product regulatory strategy to successfully navigate conflicting compliance requirements for non-GMO, allergen, and clean label claims across major markets
  • Building a sophisticated food authenticity program (VACCP) that goes beyond simple compliance to safeguard against the increasing threat of global economic adulteration and fraud
  • Assessing the strategic value and business case for pursuing third-party, market-driven certifications (e.g., Non-GMO, Organic) as a tool for competitive advantage and consumer trust
  • Implementing a data-driven platform to manage complex ingredient documentation and regulatory submissions, accelerating time-to-market for new products globally
3:15 pm - 4:25 pm Pre-Arranged One-To-One Meetings Arrow Icon

These mutually agreed-upon conversations are arranged and facilitated by Executive Platforms staff to ensure attendees have valuable discussions about their top-of-mind questions, challenges, and opportunities.

  • 3:15 pm – 3:35 pm: Meeting Slot 5/Networking
  • 3:40 pm – 4:00 pm: Meeting Slot 6/Networking
  • 4:05 pm – 4:25 pm: Meeting Slot 7/Networking
4:30 pm - 5:05 pm KEYNOTE

Operationalizing Culture: Leading the Shift to Total Quality Ownership

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  • The leadership model used to transition ownership of quality and compliance to Operations Management
  • Methods for aligning incentives using shared KPIs (e.g., First-Pass Yield) across Quality and Production teams
  • Frameworks for assessing and scaling cultural maturity across multi-site organizations
  • Empowering frontline leaders to become the first line of defense in process control
5:05 pm - 5:10 pm

Chair’s Closing Remarks

5:10 pm

Drinks Reception

October 7th

Stream 1 Chair

Laurie Gerbers

Vice President of Food Safety, Quality, and HSE

Maker's Pride

Stream 2 Chair

Jim Hilton

Director of Networking and Connectivity

BlueStar Americas

Stream 3 Chair

Executive to be Announced

Ecowize USA

8:00 am - 8:45 am

Breakfast

8:10 am - 8:45 am breakfast workshops
Stream Two

Investment in Prevention: Mastering Sanitation and Foreign Material Control

Executive to be Announced

Amerisan

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Justifying capital investment in equipment and facility design that supports superior cleanability and reduces harborage points for pathogens
  • Implementing a multi-barrier approach against foreign material, focusing on color-coded systems, detectable products, and standardized 5S visual programs
  • Utilizing tool-tracking software and visual aids to drive frontline accountability and embed sanitary practices as a core part of operational discipline
  • Demonstrating the Return on Investment (ROI) of comprehensive sanitation programs, linking reduced waste, lower water/chemical consumption, and risk mitigation to profitability
8:50 am - 9:00 am

Chair’s Opening Remarks

9:00 am - 9:35 am KEYNOTE

Global Harmonization: Managing Quality Standards Across 190+ Countries

Executive to be Announced

Unilever

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Establishing a unified global quality framework while adapting to regional regulatory differences and infrastructure realities
  • Managing conflicting compliance requirements across major markets (EU, US, China, emerging economies) without stalling innovation
  • Scaling audit and verification programs across hundreds of facilities when capabilities and third-party support vary dramatically
  • Leveraging digital platforms for real-time visibility, compliance tracking, and rapid issue response across diverse geographies
9:40 am - 10:15 am Case Studies
Stream One – Food Safety

Digital Transformation of Food Safety & Quality

Staci Richardson

Senior Vice President, Enterprise Quality & Food Safety

Schreiber Foods

Stream Two – Quality

Beyond Compliance: Building Trust Through Stronger Food Safety Systems

Jorge A. Hernandez

VP, Quality Assurance

The Wendy's Company

Stream Three – Regulatory

Food Fraud as Enterprise Risk: Defensible Strategy & Oversight

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Demonstrating how to integrate the Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessment (VACCP) directly into the ERM framework and annual corporate budget cycles
  • Discussing why managing global adulteration risk requires a strategic shift to contractual mandates and rigorous third-party governance over complex supply chains
  • Looking at advanced analytical testing and data aggregation to create a legally defensible due diligence package against high-value fraud threats
  • Highlighting the C-suite’s fiduciary duty to fund and oversee comprehensive mitigation and crisis response plans to protect shareholder and brand reputation
10:20 am - 11:15 am Pre-Arranged One-To-One Meetings Arrow Icon

These mutually agreed-upon conversations are arranged and facilitated by Executive Platforms staff to ensure attendees have valuable discussions about their top-of-mind questions, challenges, and opportunities.

  • 10:25 am – 10:45 am: Meeting Slot 8/Networking
  • 10:50 am – 11:10 am: Meeting Slot 9/Networking
11:20 am - 11:55 am Workshops
STREAM 1 WORKSHOP

FSQ Under Fire: Decision-Making in a Food Safety Crisis

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Participate in a simulated foodborne outbreak scenario and make real-time response decisions
  • Debate risk management, preventive controls, and communication strategies with fellow attendees
  • Translate lessons learned from the scenario into actionable improvements for your FSQ programs
  • Explore strategies to minimize organizational exposure and strengthen outbreak preparedness
STREAM 2 WORKSHOP

Modern QMS: Leveraging Data and Integration for Quality Assurance at Scale

Executive to be Announced

Provision

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Quantifying the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) and building the business case for migrating from siloed, legacy systems to a unified, modern Quality Management System
  • Defining the path to seamlessly integrate QMS data (CAPA, Audits, Complaints) with ERP and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) to ensure quality control is preventative
  • Implementing digital workflows and document control features to guarantee continuous audit readiness and reduce the high operational cost and disruption associated with compliance events
  • Automating supplier qualification, document review (COAs), and performance scoring to dramatically reduce incoming material risk and accelerate the approval process for new ingredients
STREAM 3 WORKSHOP

Digital Tools for Regulatory Efficiency: Tracking, Reporting, and Insights

Executive to be Announced

Ecowize USA

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Strategic investment in Regulatory Information Management Systems (RIMS) to consolidate global compliance documentation and reduce manual effort
  • Leveraging AI-driven horizon scanning to proactively track and map evolving state and federal regulatory changes to current product specifications
  • Establishing real-time data pipelines to automate compliance reporting and generate actionable regulatory intelligence for the C-suite
  • Implementing digital audit trails and documentation controls to guarantee data integrity and minimize legal exposure during regulatory inspections and investigations
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm PANEL

Redefining Excellence: The Future of Risk, Compliance, and Quality Leadership

Fabian Smith

Vice President, Product Safety, Quality, and Regulatory Compliance

Cargill

Marlenea Jackson

Vice President, Quality North America

Mondelēz International

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Future-Focused Leadership: How can FSQ, Quality, and Regulatory leaders anticipate emerging challenges and shape organizational strategies for the next decade?
  • Evolving Regulatory Landscape: Which upcoming regulations, international standards, or policy shifts will redefine compliance priorities, and how can companies stay ahead?
  • Innovating Risk Management: What new approaches to risk assessment and mitigation can help organizations prevent issues before they escalate?
  • Building Resilient Culture: How can teams embed adaptability, accountability, and continuous learning to sustain excellence amid change?
12:45 pm - 1:45 pm THEMED LUNCH DISCUSSIONS

Explore this year’s themed lunch discussions led by industry leaders, where executives engage in focused conversations over a meal, discussing topics they’re passionate about alongside their peers.

Food Safety in the Future: What Challenges and Solutions Lie Ahead

Alex O’Brien

VP, Wisconsin Assoc. Food Protection & Food Safety/Dairy Food Safety / Quality Coordinator at Center for Dairy Research

Center for Dairy Reseach

Facility Optimization for Quality: Processes, Maintenance, and Culture

Operational Continuity: Maintaining Safety During Disruptions

1:50 pm - 3:20 pm Practitioner-Led Workshops
STREAM 1

From Outbreak to Verdict: A Live Mock Trial on Foodborne Illness Liability

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Step inside a courtroom simulation where a foodborne illness outbreak becomes a civil liability case – and you play an active role in how it unfolds
  • Hear food industry defense lawyers argue why a manufacturer should not be found negligent, and gain insight into the legal strategies used to protect, or challenge, your programs
  • See how real decisions made in food safety, quality, manufacturing, and supply chain hold up under cross-examination
  • Learn what documentation, protocols, and controls are most critical when a case goes to court
  • Deliberate as a juror alongside fellow senior food industry leaders and cast your vote

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