February 25, 2020
Keynotes Announced for 7th National Rural Grocery Summit and Upcoming Presentation Proposal Deadline - February 28
On behalf of Kansas State University’s Rural Grocery Initiative (RGI), we are pleased to announce our keynote speakers for the 7th National Rural Grocery Summit held in Manhattan, KS, on June 8-9, 2020, at the Hilton Garden Inn.
On Monday, June 8, we’ll kick off the summit with a panel of rural grocery store owners from across Kansas discussing both the challenges and joys of running an independently-owned business. As the premier venue for rural grocers to network and learn from each other, this panel sets the tone for a successful conference.
Joseph Welsh will be our luncheon keynote speaker on Monday. Welsh is a retail supermarket consultant, educator, and speaker who resides in Las Vegas, NV. Having served in nearly every possible retail and wholesale food job over the last 38 years, Welsh has continued to help, represent, and consult with retail supermarkets nationwide, including rural Kansas.
On Tuesday, June 9, our opening keynote speaker will be Jon Schallert, President of The Schallert Group, Inc. Schallert is a consultant and professional speaker who teaches businesses and communities how to turn themselves into Consumer Destinations. Schallert has worked with numerous small businesses across Kansas.
Our final panel will explore how local, independent grocers can compete with discount retailers. Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), will participate in this panel alongside other key stakeholders. Mitchell directs ILSR’s initiative to decentralize economic power and level the playing field for independent businesses. She has produced numerous influential reports and articles, designed local and federal policies, and collaborated to build effective coalitions and campaigns in support of local business.
Presentation proposals for the conference will be accepted until February 28. Submissions should be sent electronically to cecd@ksu.edu with the subject line “Rural Grocery Summit Proposal.” For more information, please visit https://conferences.k-state.edu/ruralgrocery/call-for-presentations/.
We hope you will join us at the 7th National Rural Grocery Summit. You can register at https://conferences.k-state.edu/ruralgrocery/registration/.
Please feel free to contact us regarding any questions at 785-532-6868 or email at cecd@k-state.edu.