2023 CLD Conference & NextGen Summit

2023 CLD Conference & NextGen Summit

2023 CLD Conference & NextGen Summit

Join us in Milwaukee for CLD & NextGen!

The WSWA Council for Leadership Development (CLD) brings together the rising leaders in the wholesale tier. Over the past 60 years, this group and conference have evolved but the main focus of the council remains the same: provide a space for the future leaders to share ideas, learn about industry topic and trends, develop and improve leadership skills, and to network.

 

NextGen provides a platform for the next generation of wholesaler owners and presidents to engage with their peers from companies across the country.

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CLD
Register!
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Milwaukee, WI

Who should attend the NextGen Summit?
NextGen Leaders are any member who is part of the succession plan within a wholesaler company. Whether you are family or non-family, if you are involved with the succession plan at your company, you are part of this group! 

 

We encourage all NextGen Leaders to participate in the Summit at the beginning of the week (July 17-18), but if you wish to continue with the CLD Conference, please stay and join your industry colleagues for the full week (July 17-19)!

 

Who should attend the CLD Conference?

CLD Conference Attendees are rising leaders in the wholesale industry (you don’t have to be part of a succession plan). Please attend from July 18-19.

 

When you register, you will be prompted with three options. Please select the one that best suites your position.

Attendees
NextGen ONLY: $750
CLD Conference ONLY: $1,300
NextGen Leaders Summit & CLD Conference: $1,500
Hotel Room Rate (per night): $289 + taxes per night
Please note you will be prompted to reserve your hotel accommodations in our room block when you register for this meeting. The hotel deadline has been extended until June 30.
2023 Speakers
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Dia Simms
Dia Simms
Co-Founder of Pronghorn and CEO of Lobos 1707 Tequila and Mezcal

Dia will close out the 2023 CLD Conference with a session centered around unlocking the commercial power of diversity. 

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Laura Green Headshot
Laura Louise Green, LPC
Founder, Healthy Pour

Laura will join Jessica Pomerantz for a discussion on workplace burnout and quiet quitting, offering solutions and tactics that leadership can utilize to create a working environment that supports the mental health and growth of their teams.

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Marc Strachan
Marc Stratchan
Founder, Head Coach, Coach Marc Consulting, LLC

Marc will open the CLD conference on Tuesday with a session on career and leadership development.

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Danny Brager
Danny Brager
Analyst for SipSource

Danny will join Dale Stratton for an update on industry trends using SipSource data.

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Dale Stratton
Dale Stratton
Analyst for SipSource

Dale will join Danny Brager for an update on industry trends using SipSource data.

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Matthew Shifrin
Matthew Shifrin
CEO and Owner, Pioneer Interests Inc.

Matthew will be speaking on the state of the cannabis industry with Wesley Hein.

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Wesley Hein
Wesley Hein
Board President, Cannabis Distribution Association

Wesley will be speaking on the state of the cannabis industry with Matthew Shifrin.

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Laura Piotrowski
Laura Piotrowski
CEO & President, Cavendish Vernal

Laura will speak with Jill Desmond on elevating the workplace culture.

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Jill Desmond
Jill Desmond, Ed.D.
Consultant, Cavendish Vernal

Jill will speak with Laura Piotrowski on elevating the workplace culture.

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Aaron Schreiber
Aaron Schreiber
Director of Sustainability, Jackson Family Wines
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Andrew McGuire
Andrew McGuire
Chief Commercial Solutions Officer, Molson Coors
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Jane Melvin
Jane Melvin
Founder & Principal, Strategic Innovations Group
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Jessica Pomerantz
Jessica Pomerantz
Healthy Pour
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Lowell Goldman
Lowell Goldman
President & COO, RSL Holdings
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Lucas Morris
Lucas Morris
Senior Manager, Security Risk Advisors
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Mike Wittenwyler
Mike Wittenwyler
Attorney, Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
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Alan Rosenberg
Alan Rosenberg
General Counsel & Executive Vice President, RNDC
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Joseph Rodriguez
Joseph Rodriguez
Assistant Director of IT, Allied Beverage Group
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Lee Hastings
Lee Hastings
Vice President, Moon and Central Distributors
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Luis Gonzalez
Luis Gonzales
Corporate VP & Regulatory Affairs and Commercial Counsel, RNDC
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Fix 1
Will Fix
Operations Project Manager, Breakthru Beverage Group

Agenda

Sunday, July 16, 2023

CLD Committee Meeting

Deep Image Room (Level 3)
Invite Only

CLD Committee Dinner

Invite Only
Monday, July 17, 2023

Lunch

Simone 3 & 4 (Level 2)
NextGen Attendees Welcome

“Learning” to Lead for a Lifetime with Jane Melvin

Great leaders never totally arrive; they are on a constant journey to learn more and lead better. Using lessons from the school of hard knocks – and one slightly more glamorous venue - this session provides unique insights that will help you build your own leadership philosophy, become a better leader, and maybe even add a little more sparkle to your life.

Simone 3 & 4 (Level 2)
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Elevate Workplace Culture to Enhance Company Performance

A strong and healthy workplace culture enhances company performance, attracts and retains talent, and influences the internal and external brand conversation. This session will discuss the importance of culture, the role and impact of the leader on culture, and explore paths to strengthening workplace culture.

Speakers:

  • Laura Piotrowski, President and CEO
  • Jill Desmond, Ed.D., Consultant
Simone 3 & 4 (Level 2)
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Break

Roundtable Discussion: Elevating Your Workplace Culture

Following the interactive workplace culture session, NextGen wholesaler leaders will have the opportunity to engage in peer-to-peer discussions on elements of their workplace culture, the alignment of company leaders and culture, and strategies to strengthen leader modeling of company culture.

Simone 3 & 4 (Level 2)
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Reception & Dinner

NextGen Leaders only! Join your peers for a casual and intimate dinner Lacey Sadoff’s residence. This is your opportunity to connect with other industry leaders across the country!!

NextGen Attendees Welcome

After dinner meet-up

All registered attendees of NextGEN are invited to meet-up for an after dinner drink at the Saint Kate.

MOWA Lobby - The Saint Kate Hotel
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome
Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Barre Workout

Lyrical (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Registration & Guest Services

Simone Foyer (Level 2)

Breakfast

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome
SPONSORED BY: Form.com

Humanizing AI: Ethics, Transparency, and Navigating AI Implementations

Join Cory Knopp, Vice President of Sales at GoSpotCheck by FORM, for a deep-dive into why AI can feel so scary—and how changing your perspective on the power of human input is the first step to implementing AI in your business.Cory will also be handing out free printed guides for vetting AI vendors for attendees.

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Welcome

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Absolute Victory Everyday - Dimensional Insight

Let's explore the essence of victory, the qualities it requires, and the transformative power it holds.

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Driving Performance Today Through Vision and Engagement: Understanding Your Leadership Traits and Your Impact on Organizational Culture

Today’s workplace environment and talent pool require leaders to question their company’s and their personal approaches to employee engagement and management. This workshop session will seek to help industry leaders/managers evaluate themselves and their current company cultures and discuss how they might pivot to better engage with their employees. Key Leadership Traits, dynamics of Organizational Cultures and the impact each has on the other will be reviewed and debated.

Speaker: Marc Strachan, Head Coach, Coach Marc Strachan Consulting

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome
SPONSORED BY: Dimensional Insight

Break

CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Lobby School: The Importance of State Advocacy and How to Effectively Lobby in your State Capitol

Join WSWA’s lobbying team for an interactive workshop to understand why your involvement in state advocacy is more important than ever. This hands-on session will explain the best ways to build relationships with your state representatives, become involved in your state wholesaler association, concisely and effectively express your position, and role play your “elevator speech” with other attendees – it’s harder than you think!

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Lunch

Sponsored by:

Inventiv

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome
SPONSORED BY: Inventiv

Is It Really This Bad? - A Fact-based View of Beverage Alcohol Trends

Whether it be the significant deceleration in Wine sales pre-COVID with now continuing Wine volume declines, or the slowdown in Spirit growth since their rapid growth during COVID, times are tough(er).   But are there pockets of optimism?  Where is the business shifting to/from?   As we enter the summer season and with OND just around the corner, the balance of this year will be critical.

Join Dale Stratton and Danny Brager as they take a fact-based view through the lens of SipSource and other supplementary sources in examining past and present trends, and offer their thoughts on what lies ahead.

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Break/Clothing Change

The Amazing Race: Explanation & Team Formation

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

The Amazing Race: Milwaukee Edition

Join your industry peers for a friendly competition around Milwaukee! Attendees will be broken into small groups, will be given clues and must complete a series of activities around the city. Get to know each other while exploring Milwaukee. Be the first team to complete the Race and win a prize!

Milwaukee
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

Reception & Dinner

Central Standard Crafthouse
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome

After dinner meet-up (NextGen & CLD Attendees Invited)

All registered attendees of NextGEN and CLD are invited to meet-up for an after dinner drink at the Saint Kate.

The Outsider: The Rooftop Bar of the Journeyman Hotel
CLD Attendees Welcome
NextGen Attendees Welcome
SPONSORED BY: Encompass Technologies
Wednesday, July 19, 2023

HIIT Workout

Lyrical (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Breakfast

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Registration & Guest Services

Simone Foyer (Level 2)

City Hive Presentation

Simone (Level 2)

Day 2 Welcome

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Molson Coors – Becoming a Beverage Company

During this interactive fireside chat, Andrew McGuire, Chief Commercial Solutions Officer for Molson Coors will have a candid discussion on how Molson Coors started and where it is going. Hear Andrew talk about various business initiatives and projects Molson Coors is focused on in the coming years. Bring your questions to this session as it is an opportunity for you to ask anything you are wondering about!

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Managing Your Teams’ Mental Health

Are your team members staying engaged and productive or do you see them experiencing burnout or is quiet quitting occurring? Mental health and emotional well-being is top of mind for the workforce, and it's reshaping our roles and responsibilities as leaders and managers. This discussion will highlight some of the most pressing issues we're encountering in the wine & spirits wholesale sector, such as workplace burnout and quiet quitting, and offer solutions and tactics that leadership can utilize to create a working environment that supports the mental health and growth of their teams.

 

Speakers:

  • Laura Louise Green, LPC, Founder, Healthy Pour 

  • Jessica Pomerantz, Consultant, Healthy Pour

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Break

TTB Trade Practice Rulemaking: What’s in Store?

This year, alcohol industry members had their first chance in nearly 30 years to comment on how TTB’s trade practice regulations might be updated to reflect changes in technology and the marketplace.  In this session, hear a breakdown of what the industry said, what’s going to happen next, and what it could mean for your business. 

Moderator: 

Alan Rosenberg (RNDC)
 

Panelists: 

  • Luis Gonzalez (RNDC) 

  • Mike Wittenwyler (Wisconsin Wine & Spirits Institute)

  • Jake Hegeman (WSWA) 

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Cannabis Sector Insights: State of the Industry

In the nearly 10 years since Colorado first legalized adult-use cannabis, 23 other states and the District of Columbia have followed suit. With more than half the U.S. population residing in one of these states, patterns are forming around what is, and is not, working in the industry.  Join this panel for a look at the state of adult-use cannabis manufacturing, distribution and retail with an eye towards where the industry is headed in the coming years.

Moderator: Michael Klauer, CEO, President, Momentum Beverage Group

Panelists:

  • Wesley Hein, Board President, Cannabis Distribution Association.

  • Matt Shiffrin, CEO and Owner, Pioneer Interests

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Lunch

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Leading Through Action: Jackson Family Wines Multigenerational Approach for a More Sustainable Future Across the Wine Industry

Jackson Family Wines continues to lead the wine industry forward through their commitment to climate action and environmental sustainability efforts that are rooted in good.  This session will provide an overview of the key sustainability practices in the vineyards and wineries that are making their multigenerational wine business more resilient in the face of climate change, why it matters to consumers, and the strategies that wineries and distributors can collaborate on to make a positive impact in our local communities and across our global wine industry.  

Speaker: Aaron Schreiber-Stainthorp, Director of Sustainability, Jackson Family Wines

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Stories of Ransomware Resilience

In this talk, we will dive into the world of ransomware defense, equipping you with essential knowledge and practical strategies to prepare your organization against cyber threats. Three wholesaler peers will share their own stories and have a discussion on how they navigated a ransomware attack and key lessons that they learned through the process. Cyber security expert and consultant, Lucas Morris will lead the discussion and include his pro tips to help ensure the industry stays as safe as possible!

 

Panelists:

Lowell Goldman, President & COO, RSL Holdings (Lipman Brothers)

Lee Hastings, Vice President, Moon/Central Distributing

Joseph Rodriguez, Assistant Director of IT, Allied Beverage Group

Lucas Morris, Security Risk Advisors (Moderator)

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

Break

Unlock the Commercial Power of Diversity with Dia Simms

As next-gen owners, we have an opportunity to recruit, retain and advance diverse teams and portfolios of brands, both of which have real positive commercial upside when put into action.  Dia Simms, co-founder of Pronghorn and CEO of Lobos 1707 Tequila and Mezcal, will describe how to turn vision into action as we lead diverse practices for our companies.

 

Speaker: Dia Simms, Co-Founder of Pronghorn and CEO of Lobos 1707 Tequila and Mezcal

Simone (Level 2)
CLD Attendees Welcome

CLD Closing

Simone (Level 2)

Reception & Dinner Aboard a Boat!

Boat leaves the dock promptly at 5:30 pm - don't be late! It is about a 10 minute walk from the St. Kate - The Arts Hotel. 

Edelweiss Boats: 205 West Highland Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
CLD Attendees Welcome
Thursday, July 20, 2023

Departures

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
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Cityhive
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Dimensional
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Efficiency Enterprises
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Infuzion
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Inventiv
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Encompass
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FORM
2022-2023 CLD Committee
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Lacey CLD
Lacey Sadoff
CLD-Chair, Badger Liquor
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Robert Becker
Robert Becker
CLD Vice-Chair, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
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Sara Harmelin CLD
Sara Harmelin
CLD Secretary, Allied Beverage Group
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Alan Rosenberg
Alan Rosenberg
CLD Treasurer, Republic National Distributing Company
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Megan Iaccino CLD
Megan Iaccino
CLD At Large Member, Great Lakes Wine & Spirits
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Justin Shaw
Justin Shaw
CLD At Large Member, M.S. Walker, Inc.
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Fix 1
Will Fix
CLD At Large Member, Breakthru Beverage Group
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Starnes
Joe Starnes
CLD At Large Member, Lipman Brothers
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Amy Kickham
Amy Kickham
CLD At Large Member, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
Meetings and Conventions Contacts
Kari Langerman
Senior Vice President, Meetings and Events
202.243.7516
Lisa Koenig
Senior Director, Meetings and Events
202.371.9786
Catherine Ontko
Senior Coordinator, Meetings and Events
757.775.8530