September 14th

3:00 pm

Badge Pick Up

3:35 pm - 4:35 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT: PANEL

FSQ’s Top Five Issues and Ideas – Where Are We Now, and Where Are We Going?

Frank Yiannas

Former Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy & Response

FDA

Sara Mortimore

Former VP Global Food Safety Compliance

Walmart

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  • Technology: More and more tools are becoming available to FSQ professionals, including new generations of blockchain, AI, and data analytics. How are we using them? Who is finding the most success? What should we be preparing for next?
  • Supply Chain Optimization: How are we adjusting our strategies to optimize food supply chain with a focus on visibility, fraud prevention, and the implementation of policies to ensure a secure, transparent, and efficient system that ultimately heightens safety and quality?
  • Regulatory Compliance and Global Standards: In a world that keeps getting smaller, the move towards global standards or taking the highest standards and applying them across the board as a way to stay ahead of the curve is increasingly persuasive, but also complicated. What should we do to meet and exceed expectations?
  • Consumer Safety and Education:How can the food industry ensure precision in allergen control and labeling to guarantee consumer safety? What role does fostering awareness play in demanding high-quality, safe food choices?
  • Sustainability and Resilience: In the face of climate change challenges, how can the food industry integrate eco-friendly practices and promote sustainability? What is the symbiotic relationship between sustainability and food quality, and how can this contribute to a responsible future?
4:40 pm - 5:15 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT: PANEL

FSMA 204 – What’s New, Where Are We, and Where Do We Need to Be?

Executive to be Announced

Share-ify

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In this session, Share-ify will offer practical tips for your FSMA 204 strategy to ensure compliance.  We will break down the barriers to clarify your specific role to help take the next right steps to protect your company and customers.  We will cover:

  • What data do you need to collect?
  • How to manage your data?
  • What does your software provider need to offer you to ensure success?
  • What to do if you are contacted by FDA
5:20 pm - 5:55 pm WELCOME DAY SPECIAL CONTENT: PANEL

Attracting and Retaining the FSQ People and Compliance Professionals We Need Now and for the Future

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  • Identifying, supporting, and cultivating the future leaders of your organization to reinforce and carry on your values and Food Safety Culture
  • Broadening and deepening the pool of available talent requires new ideas. How do we attract new Top Talent in a crowded, competitive marketplace?
  • How is workforce training and leadership development changing in a high-turnover, tech-enabled, rapidly evolving business environment?
  • Mobilizing your organization’s unique culture as the difference maker that attracts and retains people who value what you do and want to be a part of it
6:00 pm

Drinks Reception

September 15th

Stream 1 Chair

Executive To Be Announced

Stream 2 Co-Chair

Executive To Be Announced

Stream 3 Co-Chair

Executive To Be Announced

7:30 am - 8:15 am

registration & breakfast

8:15 am - 8:20 am

Opening Remarks and Important Announcements

8:20 am - 8:30 am

Chair’s Welcome Address

8:30 am - 9:05 am KEYNOTE

Building on What We Do Best to Shape the Future of Food Safety and Quality Leadership

Frank Yiannas

Former Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy & Response

FDA

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  • Breaking down contemporary trends, obstacles, and prospects in the food safety and quality ecosystem to see where we need to adjust our thinking to the needs of today
  • Offering key takeaways and a forward-looking perspective to how we must empower food safety and quality leadership
  • Charing the course ahead for FSQ leaders in an evolving landscape
  • Staying ahead of the curve when it comes to food regulation requires vision and strategy. Are we thinking big enough?
  • Walking through industry and FDA case studies to identify and understand valuable insights
9:05 am - 9:40 am KEYNOTE

Getting Better at What We Do Every Day as FSQ Leaders

Liz Duffy

Vice President, Global Food Safety & Compliance

Walmart

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  • How do we build a culture of Continuous Improvement into our existing Food Safety Culture?
  • Discussing opportunities to leverage technology including AI to improve our capabilities without increasing headcount or requiring more budget
  • Setting challenging goals that stretch our organizations, and then making those success stories part of how we demonstrate our value to the larger company
  • Offering real-world examples of FSQ excellence driven from the top down by leaders who care, including best practices for getting front-line workers to buy into the big ideas that are changing the way we do business
9:45 am - 10:20 am Workshops
Stream One

Data as a Storyteller that Demonstrates ROI, and How AI Helps Perfect the Message

Executive to be Announced

TraceGains, Inc.

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  • What are you doing with your FSQ data to both help the business and demonstrate your organization’s contributions to the larger company?
  • Demonstrating that effective data collection, analysis, and communication takes less time and effort and produces far greater results than an ad hoc approach. What is required to reimagine and reinvent your team’s approach to data?
  • Bringing AI into this conversation as a helper, not a magic wand, that still makes the difference
  • Illustrating all of this with real-world use cases that persuade and inform, while talking about what comes next
Stream Two

Incident Management as an Opportunity for Positive Change

Executive to be Announced

CMX1 (ComplianceMetrix)

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  • Finding the positives in crises: People want corrective action fast, and they want it to work, so what are you going to do if given the opportunity to bring swift and effective change to your organization?
  • Preparing for disaster as a proactive tool to identify and mitigate risk
  • Training for rapid response keeps people engaged and up-to-date even during day-to-day operations
  • Building a system of what to do when things go wrong as an effective platform for keeping things on track in the long term
  • What does successful incident management look like when there are no incidents?
Stream Three

Strengthening Food Safety Through Advanced Labeling, Marking, and Coding that Enhances Traceability and Visibility in the Supply Chain

Executive to be Announced

Seagull Software LLC

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  • Discussing how labelling is changing, what being ahead of the curve looks like, and how to educate people internally and externally to get the most out of new capabilities
  • Illustrating how changing consumer preferences –especially for novel foods entering the market— requires ongoing two-way communication with stakeholders
  • Reviewing how collaboration between R&D, QA/QC, marketing, and legal teams can drive successful outcomes on labelling issues
  • Walking through examples of changing food production practices and how they impacted the consumer: What are the lessons learned?
10:25 am - 12:05 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.

  • 10:30 am – 10:50 am: Meeting Slot 1/Networking
  • 10:55 am – 11:15 am: Meeting Slot 2/Networking
  • 11:20 am – 11:40 am: Meeting Slot 3/Networking
  • 11:45 am – 12:05 pm: Meeting Slot 4/Networking
12:10 pm - 12:45 pm Case Studies
Stream One - Food Safety

The Art and Science of Leading Organizations in a Rapidly Evolving Global Food Safety and Quality Environment

Rachel Teoh

Head of Global Food Safety and Regulatory

Beyond Meat

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  • Explore the multifaceted challenges of global food safety leadership, transcending technical credentials and embracing a holistic approach
  • Discussing the importance of coaching and developing the next generation of food safety leaders, emphasizing the need to shape business leaders with a strong focus on food safety
  • Examine the nuanced artistry required in corporate leadership, recognizing that influencing change demands more than scientific proficiency
  • Uncover strategies for building credibility through authentic relationships, and navigate the intricacies of governance and authority to foster a robust global food safety strategy
Stream Two - Food Quality

Managing Food Safety Risk in a High Growth Environment

Amandeep Dhillon

Vice President of Food Safety and Quality

Organic Valley

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  • Offering an overview of the most common FSQ challenges organizations face during rapid expansion
  • Leveraging technology and in-house knowledge to avoid reinventing the wheel
  • Accepting that there are going to be growing pains, and embracing failure as an opportunity to learn, to educate, and to inspire positive change
  • Talking about the best way to scale you scale your existing team, processes, and resources without interrupting the existing Food Safety system already in place
  • Where did we start, where are we now, and what comes next?
Stream Three - Compliance

FSIS Regulatory Update: Optimizing Inspection and Food Safety Practices Through Innovation in Science and Technology

Executive to be Announced

USDA

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  • Discuss our work to advance food safety and protect public health while ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are
    safe, wholesome and properly labeled
  • Explain the Agency’s data-driven approach to inspection systems, policies, and use of technology
  • Outline the newest regulations, guidelines and initiatives at FSIS, including our recent steps in addressing one of our top food safety priorities – reducing human illnesses from Salmonella in poultry products
  • Detail our ongoing commitment to expanding processing capacity and building a more resilient supply chain through supporting small and very small meat and poultry establishments
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.

Content to be Announced

FSMA 204: Turning Regulatory Challenges into Catalyst for Positive Change

Justine Reynolds

Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer

Camerican International

The Evolving Food Safety Leader: Mastering Risk, Compliance, and Innovation Across the Supply Chain

Julio Sandoval

Director of Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

URM Stores, Inc

Modernizing Food Facilities: Groundbreaking Technologies for Bacteria Mitigation and Facility Advancement

Transparency and Trust: Building Consumer Confidence through Quality and Compliance

The Next Generation of Laboratory Technologies and Capabilities for Testing and Sequencing Foodborne Illnesses

FSMA 204 & Traceability – Where do we stand?

Tariffs: What Are We expecting and Strategies to Adapt

How Can AI Improve Risk Detection and Prevention in Food Safety?

1:45 pm - 2:20 pm KEYNOTE

Food Safety Begins and Ends with People

Mahir Bhagia

Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer

PepsiCo

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  • Demonstrating how food safety is everyone’s responsibility from sourcing right through to the consumer
  • Setting the tone using a top-down approach to generate the grassroots support that builds a culture of excellence
  • Talking about how individuals and teams all contribute to a shared story of success
  • Building food safety systems that are sustainable, self-improving, and focused on high performance outcomes
  • Illustrating that exceeding customer expectations can be the engine that drives positive change throughout an organization
2:25 pm - 3:00 pm Workshops
Stream One

Transparency and Traceability from New Vantage Points

Executive to be Announced

Trustwell

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  • Understanding the implications of FSMA 204 on global produce traceability, with a special focus on how industry leaders are navigating the regulatory requirements
  • Walking through key requirements of FSMA 204 and its impact on global supply chains, particularly in regards to perishables
  • Coordinating and collaborating with growers and trading partners around the globe to achieve a unified approach
  • Demonstrating how supply chain digitization enhances transparency and builds consumer trust
Stream Two

Digital Transformation for Food Safety: Improving the Journey One Step at a Time

Executive to be Announced

Veeva Systems

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  • Learning from experienced industry leaders as they discuss how digital transformation has improved food safety and quality management
  • Gaining valuable insight into overall organizational and end user experiences with the implementation of new digital solutions
  • Discussing what the future holds and the full potential of digital transformation, including artificial intelligence, for the food and beverage industry
Stream Three

Unlock Factory Data in F&B Manufacturing with AI for Data-Driven FSQ Excellence

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  • How AI deployed on top of structured plant data is creating value in F&B manufacturing, and how FSQ professionals and QA/QC teams can harness that data to reinvigorate their best practices and standard operating procedures
  • Showcasing what this looks like in real-world scenarios
  • Benchmarking AI-driven data analytics to see the ROI across a wide range of relevant performance metrics
3:05 pm - 4:15 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.

  • 3:05 pm – 3:25 pm: Meeting Slot 5/Networking
  • 3:30 pm – 3:50 pm: Meeting Slot 6/Networking
  • 3:55 pm – 4:15 pm: Meeting Slot 7/Networking
4:20 pm - 4:55 pm KEYNOTE

Making Food Safety Everyone’s Responsibility is About Connectivity, Clarity, and Consistency

Charles Leftwich

Vice President, Food Safety & Quality Assurance

Sysco

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  • Embracing a sensible and business-focused leadership methodology that promotes employee involvement and empowerment
  • Understanding the roles process and personality have in powering your organization’s FSQ performance
  • Making collective accountability visible and personal to transform and inspire workforce engagement on Food Safety and Quality
  • Creating a communication cadence that drives focus, urgency, and accountability
  • Discussing working leadership tools to promote ongoing improvement in communication, productivity, employee satisfaction, and overall business results
  • How do you plan to build a leadership legacy of accountability rather than dependency?
4:55 pm - 5:30 pm KEYNOTE

Levering Technology Solutions for Compliance, Human Error Reduction, Next-Gen Training to Simplify Food Safety Processes

Jessica Siu

Head of North America Food Safety

Amazon

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  • Data-driven traceability and risk management approaches, focusing on risk based supplier protocols and compliance and data automation to improve efficiency
  • Engaging associates and customers as stakeholders in food safety success
  • Virtual audits and the future of compliance via innovative technology approaches to secure the supply chain
  • Collaboration with industry, suppliers, regulators and consumers to create a safer food system for all.
5:30 pm - 5:35 pm

Chair’s Closing Remarks

5:35 pm

Executive Dinner

(By Invite Only)

September 16th

Stream 1 Chair

Executive To Be Announced

Stream 2 Co-Chair

Executive To Be Announced

Stream 3 Co-Chair

Executive To Be Announced

7:30 am - 8:20 am

registration & breakfast

7:45 am - 8:20 am breakfast workshops
8:25 am - 8:35 am

Chair’s Opening Remarks

8:35 am - 9:10 am KEYNOTE

Communicating What We Know to Earn Consumer Trust and Build Better Business Partnerships

Sara Mortimore

Former VP Global Food Safety Compliance

Walmart

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  • Demonstrating how visibility into transparent supply chains fosters consumer trust and loyalty, as well as strengthens bonds between collaborating business partners
  • Offering new ideas and insights into achieving comprehensive visibility throughout the food chain from sourcing to distribution
  • Showcasing the role of transparency in mitigating risks, from contamination concerns to fraud prevention, and its impact on overall food safety
  • Documenting how adopting a mindset of collaborative continuous improvement into supply chain practices not only meets regulatory requirements but also enhances operational efficiency and ultimately trust and confidence
9:10 am - 9:45 am KEYNOTE

Cultivating Enduring Food Safety Excellence: A Holistic Approach from Behavior to Productivity

Marlenea Jackson

VP of Quality, North America

Mondelēz International

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  • Ensuring comprehensive awareness of food safety importance across all organizational levels and a shared sense of responsibility and commitment to food safety principles
  • Implementing a behavior-based management system for robust food safety practices and aligning individuals behaviors with food safety goals to strengthen overall adherence
  • Emphasizing the necessity of continuous improvement, adaptability, and learning from experiences and practical insights and the positive correlation between a robust food safety culture and enhanced organizational productivity
  • Highlighting success stories illustrating how prioritizing food safety principles contributes to overall efficiency and performance and lessons learned in developing effective Food Safety Management Systems
9:50 am - 10:25 am Case Studies
Stream One - Food Safety

Quality Assurance and Innovation: How to Balance Quality and Food Safety with the Speed of Product Innovation

Ayça Yaraman

Global Head of Quality - Nutrition & Foods

Unilever

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  • Taking a risk based approach to bringing new products to market with speed and control
  • Leveraging technology and Business Intelligence (BI) to predict approval timings and monitor progress towards milestones
  • Gaining alignment and maintaining transparency between suppliers, lab partners and QA to ensure consistency, quality and food safety during and after launch
  • Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) best practices for different markets, and managing consistency and monitoring ongoing performance at scale
Stream Two - Food Quality

Simplicity as a Core Strength of Our Quality Management System

Laurie Gerbers

Vice President of Food Safety, Quality, and HSE

Hearthside Food Solutions

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  • Discussing how customer expectations and an evolving regulatory environment puts pressure on QA/QC to make things complicated
  • Embracing the philosophy that making a complex world simple to the end user will improve quality and safeguard compliance
  • How has our organization worked to generate and sustain simplicity as one of the more important features of our QMS?
  • Demonstrating that reducing the average number of SOPs per employee has positive impacts on performance
  • Addressing the robustness and agility of this approach to Quality Management Systems
Stream Three - Compliance

Navigating the Evolution of Traceability and Unravelling the Impact of FSMA 204 on Food Safety and Quality Assurance

Catherine Cosby

Director Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance

Kroger

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  • Offering different perspectives on how technologies are shaping the future of traceability, providing unique insights into the journey of food products from source to consumer
  • Delving into the main provisions of FSMA 204 and unravelling the potential implications on food safety and quality, anticipating how these regulations will influence the entire food chain in the years to come
  • What are the implications of regulatory changes, as the food industry adapts to meet evolving standards, and understand how this impacts international trade and partnerships
  • Examining how increased traceability and adherence to FSMA 204 can enhance transparency in the eyes of consumers, fostering trust and loyalty in a market increasingly conscious of food safety and quality
10:25 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.

  • 10:30 am – 10:50am: Meeting Slot 8/Networking
  • 10:55am – 11:15am: Meeting Slot 9/Networking
10:30 am - 11:15 am FOCUS GROUP

Executive focus groups are informal moderated discussions among peers, held during networking breaks outside the summit agenda. No sign-up is required; delegates and speakers can join any group of interest.

TOPIC one

Adapting Food Safety & Quality Systems for Agile Supplier Management & Evolving Regulations

11:20 am - 11:55 am Workshops
Stream One

Transforming Food Safety and Compliance Through AI and Intelligent Automation

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • How to implement AI-powered vision systems for real-time quality control, detecting defects and contaminants in food production processes, ensuring adherence to high standards
  • Utilize blockchain technology for end-to-end supply chain transparency, integrating smart contracts to automate compliance checks and provide efficient traceability for regulatory purposes
  • Employ AI-driven predictive analytics to analyze historical data, identifying potential risks in the supply chain and production processes, enabling proactive measures for maintaining food safety
  • Implement intelligent automation to monitor and adapt to evolving food safety regulations, ensuring real-time compliance checks, efficient recall management, and streamlined employee training for a comprehensive and efficient compliance strategy
Stream Two

The Next Generation of Microbiology Tools and Tactics for Testing and Sequencing Foodborne Illnesses

Executive to be Announced

Provison

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  • Offering an overview of new and improved laboratory technologies and capabilities. What can we do now better than ever before?
  • Adding whole genome sequencing to this conversation. How should food safety professionals best use this tool?
  • Discussing how the food industry should adapt and incorporate these new abilities into their existing quality and safety programs
  • How will regulations change to incorporate these advances?
Stream Three - Compliance

Strategies for Recall: The Best Outcome Begins with Preparing for the Worst

Workshops

Executive to be Announced

Foods Connected

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Making the business case that proactive planning and practice will always outperform a reactive response
  • Going beyond the four walls of your own facility to collaborate and coordinate with suppliers and customers
  • Running mock recalls: What makes training simulations a real learning experience for you and your team?
  • How do you measure the ROI of an effective and efficient recall response plan?
12:00 pm - 12:35 pm KEYNOTE

Sustainable Leadership: A Journey on Navigating Change and Elevating Excellence

Fabian Smith

VP Global Product Safety, Quality, and Regulatory Compliance

Cargill

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  • Aligning cross-industry expertise with Cargill’s commitment to sustainable agriculture
  • Insights into fostering a culture of innovation in supply chain quality and product safety
  • The impact of strategic planning on elevating product safety, quality, and regulatory compliance
  • Key takeaways on strategic leadership, cross-industry expertise, lifelong learning, and innovation at Cargill
12:35 pm - 1:35 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.

Maintaining Foodservice Cold Chain Integrity

Always Prepared: Building an Organization that is Ready for Unannounced Audits

Understanding Data Management for the Non-Data Scientist

Navigating Regulatory Changes and New Guidelines

Managing Traceability Programs for Rapid Supplier Onboarding

What Role Does AI Play in Regulatory Compliance and Audits?

1:35 pm - 2:10 pm Case Studies
Stream One - Food Safety

An Update from the FDA

Executive to be Announced

FDA

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Discussing work to advance food safety and protect public health while ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome and properly labelled
  • Reviewing data-driven approach to inspection systems, policies, and use of technology exemplifying a technologically advanced approach to food safety management
  • Outlining the newest regulations, guidelines and initiatives, including recent steps in addressing our top food safety priorities
  • Detailing ongoing commitment to expanding processing capacity and building a more resilient supply chain through supporting small and very small meat and poultry establishments
Stream Two - Food Quality

Improved Performance by Investing in Your Performers – Workforce Development Programs that Make the Difference in Your QA/QC Team

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  • What does investing in your people look like on a day-to-day ongoing basis?
  • Building and operating a hands-on training system with quality, safety, and compliance at its core
  • Creating opportunities for your workforce to learn and grow as individuals, as leaders, and as part of a team
  • Developing a self-sustaining and self-perpetuating culture of shared competencies and ongoing cross-training
  • Discussing best practices in team-building, engagement, and re-engagement as an engine that drives both performance and encourages employee retention
  • How is AI changing the way we train people? What can it offer FSQ professionals and our organizations’ Safety and Quality Culture?
  • Demonstrating the ROI of investing in ongoing training and workforce development
Stream Three - Compliance

Panel: Navigating FSMA 204: Strengthening Traceability in QSR Operations

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • What the new traceability requirements mean for restaurants and how they impact daily operations
  • Best practices to streamline data capture and sharing
  • Addressing barriers such as system upgrades, supplier collaboration, and training staff on new record-keeping processes
  • How proactive adoption of FSMA 204 can improve food safety, enhance operational efficiency, and protect brand reputation
  • Preparing for the 2026 Deadline – Key steps to take now to ensure a smooth transition and avoid regulatory penalties
2:15 pm - 3:00 pm PANEL

Panel: Streamlining Operations and Simplifying Regulatory Compliance

Session Details Arrow Icon
  • Identifying where ‘the way it has always been done’ is holding your organization back
  • Automating processes to track assets, inventory, throughput, and schedule preventative maintenance
  • Connecting business systems to eliminate duplicate data entry and unnecessary overlaps in departmental responsibilities
  • Customizing data collection and reporting to meet specific business and regulatory compliance requirements
  • Upgrading systems for new functionality while minimizing downtime
3:00 pm - 3:05 pm

Chair’s Closing Address

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