CPG Leaders Meet at GMA Exec Conference
Top executives from the consumer packaged goods industry came together for the start of the 2011 Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Executive Conference at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. Retailers, manufacturers, and thought leaders from government, academia and the entertainment industry exchanged new ideas and successful business practices with the aim of serving consumers better, faster and more completely than ever before.
“The theme for this year’s event, ‘Connecting Today to Grow Tomorrow,’ reflects what history has proven: that when our industry works together, we are able to achieve more than we can separately,” said Pamela G. Bailey, president and CEO of Washington-based GMA. “The Executive Conference is the flagship event for this type of top-level collaboration -- a gathering of the most influential CPG leaders for trend-spotting and problem solving, all with the goal of ensuring a bright future for our industry, our employees, and the consumers we serve.”
Featured speakers at the event include Brad Alford, chairman and CEO, Nestlé USA Inc.; J. P. Bilbrey, president and CEO, The Hershey Co.; David Dillon, chairman and CEO, The Kroger Co.;Michael D. Eisner, former CEO, Walt Disney Co. and founder, The Tornante Co.; Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Donald R. Knauss, chairman and CEO, The Clorox Co.; Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO, Macy’s Inc.; Dave Peacock, president, Anheuser-Busch Inc.; Jack Sinclair, EVP, Walmart US Food Division, Walmart Stores Inc.; and Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner of foods, U.S. FDA.
The conference program provides an in-depth look at key issues affecting the consumer packaged goods industry, among them legislative and regulatory developments in product safety and health, leadership and organizational excellence strategies, consumer insights and market trends, global commerce, and environmental sustainability.
More than 800 CPG industry executives are the conference, including manufacturer CEOs and leading executives; retail trading partners from the grocery, mass, drug and convenience channels; and representatives from allied trade groups based in the United States and elsewhere.