UWEBC web header

2026 Annual Conference: Agenda

October 5, 2026

All times are listed in CST

1:00–4:30pm: Executive Summit at the Monona Terrace. Offered in person only.

5:30–7:30pm: Executive Reception at the Monona Terrace. Offered in person, by invitation only.

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Our conference will be held in person at the Monona Terrace and streamed live to our virtual audience on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
All times listed are in Central Time.

7:30-8:30am
Continental Breakfast; Networking and Sponsor Expo Opens
Grand Terrace
8:30-9:30am Opening Plenary Session
Keynote Presentation: Steve Jones

Exhibition Hall
9:30-9:45am
Networking; Visit the Sponsor Expo

Grand Terrace
9:45-10:05am Sponsor Case Studies
Held in various ballrooms – Schedule coming soon!
10:20-11:05am
Customer Service Track

Lecture Hall



Finding RHYTHM: Turning Purpose into Everyday Practice

Justin Robbins
Metric Sherpa


People Track

Hall of Ideas E



Purpose at the Speed of Change: Sustaining Trust, Engagement, and High Performance Through Transformation

Mindy Geisser
Savers


Marketing Track

Ballroom A



Pricing with Intelligence: Turning Market Signals into Better Decisions

Sri Kantamneni
Schreiber Foods


Supply Chain Track

Ballroom B



International Trade and the Macroeconomic Environment: Staying Ahead of the Game

Pete Mento
Baker Tilly


Technology Track

Ballroom C



Leading Through the AI Era: Strategy, Workforce, and Technology in Financial Services

Ralph Buelling
UW Credit Union


WDM×Madison

Hall of Ideas F


Advanced Manufacturing in the Life Sciences

Madison College
Speakers to be announced

11:20am-12:00pm
Customer Service Track

Lecture Hall



Cleaning the Organizational Junk Drawer

Patrice James
SunStrong Management


People Track

Hall of Ideas E



The Human Edge: Leading Your Workforce Through the Now and the Next

Becky Frankiewicz
ManpowerGroup


Marketing Track

Ballroom A



The New Promotional Mix: Balancing Competing Expectations

Kikora Mason

Communications Leader & Cultural Strategist


Supply Chain Track

Ballroom B



Leadership, Partnership, and Solving Problems over Glorifying Solutions

Sean Halligan
Medline


Technology Track

Ballroom C



Inside the AI Super Factory: Datacenters, Myths, and the Workforce of the Future

Christa Markgraff
Microsoft


WDM×Madison

Hall of Ideas F


CAM-AI, MOC, and the Future of Manufacturing

UW-Stout
Speakers to be announced

12:15-1:30pm Lunch
Luncheon Address by UW–Madison Women’s Hockey Coach Mark Johnson
Exhibition Hall
 
SAP Luncheon – Sign up for this when you register!
Contact us if you missed it and want to sign up!
Community Terrace
1:30-2:00pm
Networking with Dessert and Coffee; Visit the Sponsor Expo

Grand Terrace

2:00-2:20pm
Sponsor Case Studies

Held in various ballrooms – Schedule coming soon!

2:35-3:15pm
Customer Service Track

Lecture Hall



HumanX: Why Better AI Starts with Better Experiences

Bill Price
Intendra AI


People Track

Hall of Ideas E



The Future Is Now: What America’s Top People Leaders Are Doing About AI, Learning, and Work

Anne Trumbore


Sands Institute for Lifelong Learning, UVA Darden School of Business


Marketing Track

Ballroom A



The Growth Imperative: Reinventing Brands for New Generations

Allison Murn


Illuminiting; University of Minnesota


Supply Chain Track

Ballroom B



Leadership Lessons on Business Transformation

Kari Mahaffey
Oracle


Technology Track

Ballroom C



A Brief History of the Future

Mike Bechtel


Inventor, Investor, Futurist & Professor


WDM×Madison

Hall of Ideas F


Connected Systems on the Factory Floor


UW-Milwaukee Connected Systems Institute


Speakers to be announced

3:30-4:10pm
Customer Service Track

Lecture Hall



Customer Experience by Design, Not by Chance

Blake Morgan


3X Author, Host of The Modern Customer Podcast


People Track

Hall of Ideas E



Architecting Agility: Building Leadership Platforms that Actually Move the Needle

Antonia Turnquist
Zendesk


Marketing Track

Ballroom A



From Brand to Destination: When Place Becomes a Marketing Strategy

Michael Belot
Milwaukee Bucks


Supply Chain Track

Ballroom B



Unlock Your Talent: Turning Supply Chain Capability Investment Into Business Results


Craig Schaefer & Megan Turek

GE HealthCare


Technology Track

Ballroom C



Deliberate Creative Teams: The Leadership Edge Behind Every Technology Win

Amy Climer
Climer Consulting


WDM×Madison

Hall of Ideas F


New Markets, In Reach

UW–Madison


Speakers to be announced

4:10-4:55pm
Happy Hour

Enjoy a drink and good conversation immediately following the conference,
featuring a gallery of drawings from the day’s event by artist Sherrill Knezel
(learn more).