Meet & Greet Breakfast Round Tables (ticketed event)
Facilitated by Richard Magid, President, SoundBoard Consulting Group, LLC
We’ve changed the format this year and brought in a pro! An expert facilitator, Richard Magid will guide the group through peer-sharing and discussion opportunities that start small and build from there. Create a solid foundation for your NCA Convention experience by making connections at this guided networking session. Participants will leave knowing more (and more people) than they did when they woke up that morning, which will make for a more edifying and enjoyable two days.

 
Update from the Office of US Trade Representative
Mark Linscott, Asst. U.S. Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources
Mark will give an update on U.S. participation in the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and will touch on other relevant global trade issues for the coffee sector. As part of the Executive Office of the President, Mark may even be able to give some insight into the new administration’s approach and general direction.

Superior Leadership: Creating a Healthy Organizational Climate in the Midst of Economic Chaos 
Richard Magid, President, SoundBoard Consulting Group, LLC
Harness your leadership abilities to meet the challenges of this economic downturn and you'll be rewarded with a healthier, more efficient organization, better prepared in good times and in bad. Richard will bring his significant organizational and leadership expertise to bear on this timely subject. Learn the importance of a clear vision and an "optimistic" message, understand how raising your standards is crucial to protecting your profitability, consider the full implications of your reward system, and learn how to tap into your emotional intelligence. This session will inspire you to be a better leader and give you some sharpened tools to accomplish that important goal.

NCA Government Affairs Update
Robert F. Nelson, President & CEO, National Coffee Association 
Representing the interests of the coffee industry in Washington D.C. and at the state level is integral to NCA’s work. This can't miss session will give an overview of the current and upcoming regulatory and government affairs issues affecting the industry.

From Seed to Cup: Strategies for Success in Unprecedented Times
Desiree Logsdon, VP Marketing, Bunn-O-Matic Corp. (moderator)
Colman Cuff, VP Coffee & Tea, Managing Director, Starbucks Coffee Trading Company
Juan Lucas Restrepo,National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia
Ellen Rogers, Innovation Project Manager, Coffee, Dunkin' Brands, Inc.
In today’s volatile economic climate and competitive business environment, success means finding practical solutions to meet extraordinary challenges. A panel of representatives from different segments of the supply chain will engage in a candid discussion about their strategies for meeting the challenges and finding the opportunities in the next year.

Sustainability as a Strategic Business Approach
David Browning, Vice President, Coffee Initiative, Technoserve
Beyond the buzz, what does it all really mean for your business’s overall financial viability going forward to promote sustainability (or not)? This session will address how the role of business has changed in the public’s mind, and why it is very strategically important to understand the implications of that shift. It will also speak to the ways in which the sustainability story of coffee offers a great deal to be positive about compared to other major industries.  

Business Luncheon & Wine Tasting (Ticketed Event)
What We Can Learn From the Wine Industry
Leslie Sbrocco, award-winning author, speaker and wine consultant
The wine industry has been very successful at capitalizing on evolving consumer beverage habits…what can they teach us about our own opportunities? Shipments of wine grew 52% between 1997 and 2002, and another 25% between 2002 and 2008. At the same time, the number of wineries has increased by 81%. Clearly, this industry has managed to create an enduring market for wines at several points along the quality and expense spectrum, with a rising tide that has lifted all boats. Leslie Sbrocco is a highly sought-after speaker about wine, having authored two books (Wine For Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine, and The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide), hosted countless national television segments and numerous articles for magazines and newspapers about wine. Don't miss this great opportunity for an insightful window onto another industry--while enjoying some of their products, of course.

Specialty Tea Fundamentals for Coffee & Tea Professionals
Richard Guzauskas, noted tea industry consultant
Welcome to the complex and fascinating world of specialty tea.  An expert tea instructor will present highlights of the Foundations of Tea Certification Training Programs, the increasingly popular standardized series of seminars created by the Specialty Tea Institute (a division of the Tea Association of the U.S.A.)

Digital Marketing in Challenging Times
Ron Fierman, President, Digital Pulp
Gene Lewis, Partner, Digital Pulp
Are your website and techno-marketing strategies working as hard for you as they should? Your company’s web presence and digital marketing plan are a key component to growing your business and maximizing sales, even (or especially) in difficult economic times.

Be Prepared: New Regulations for Coffee Roasting Operations
Karl Schmidt, President, Probat Burns
Tighter environmental regulations are likely to be implemented in the near future, and they will have a potentially significant impact on coffee roasting operations. This discussion will include the EPA’s recent change in particulate emission regulations, growing concern over specific VOCs (volatile organic compounds), the potential impact of CO2 regulation.

Saturday, March 21, 2008
Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) Breakfast (ticketed event)

Ellen Jordan Reidy, CQI Chair
CQI has an amazing story to tell about how their Q-Grading system has turned quality into a competitive advantage and build consumer interest. Using BJ's Wholesale Club as a case study, CQI Chairperson Ellen Jordan Reidy will discuss the success of this program at retail. Please join CQI to learn more about their work--a portion of your ticket price will go directly to benefit CQI.

"Sneak Peak" Preview: 2009 National Coffee Drinking Trends Study
Mark DiDomenico, Director Customer & Consumer Insights,

NCA has been conducting market research since 1950 and is uncontested as the definitive source of consumer coffee-drinking trends information. Convention attendees are privileged to preview the latest, highly-anticipated data, which will not be available in published form until late April. Conducted in January and February of 2009, this research will be up-to-the-minute data on how the economic downturn is impacting American coffee-drinking habits.

Reading the Tea Leaves: Growing Sales & Profits with Tea
Joe Simrany, President of the Tea Association of the U.S.A (Moderator)
Bill Bowron, Jr. of Red Diamond Coffee and Tea,
Eliot Jordon, Director of Tea, Peet's Coffee & Tea
George Vukasin, Jr., EVP, Peerless Coffee and Tea
An increasing number of coffee roasters are discovering the benefits of adding a line of teas to their product offerings. Senior representatives from companies that offer leaves and beans will discuss how roasters, retailers and restaurateurs as well as quick serve, c-store and café operators can grow their sales and increase their profits. After a brief update on tea trends and consumption statistics by Joe Simrany, President of the Tea Association of the U.S.A., panelists will explain how all conference attendees can capture their share of the growing US market for tea.

Case Study: How Green Mountain Coffee is Using Research in Coffee Communities to Change Their Business
Rick Peyser, Green Mountain Coffee Company
Green Mountain will share research and findings from the “on the ground” work they’ve been doing in coffee communities, and will speak to the ways they are meeting specific challenges and developing new opportunities with the information.

Looking Ahead at The Commodities Market-A Journalist's Perspective
Marvin Perez, CoffeeNetwork
Back by popular demand, this widely read and respected commodities reporter and the editor of Market Analysts CoffeeNetwork in New York, will review the coffee market fundamental picture and will offer an overview of what's expected in the next two years. 

International Women in Coffee Luncheon (IWCA) (ticketed event)
Luncheon Speaker: David M. Neumann

Mitigating the Global Impact of Warming with a Credible Carbon Monitoring Methodology for Coffee Farms
Sabrina Vigilante, Director, Markets (Americas and Australia), Sustainable Value Chains, Rainforest Alliance
Business solutions are vital in the effort to confront climate change. Rainforest Alliance has recently collaborated with International Finance Corporation (IFC), ECOM (the third largest coffee trading company in the world) and coffee farmers in Mexico and Nicaragua to create a way to measure and verify carbon stored on coffee farms. This program will promote reforestation, allow farmers to earn additional income from the carbon their trees take out of the atmosphere, avoid the high transaction costs of other carbon offset programs, and become a model for other regions and industries. Come hear more about this innovative program.

The Trend Relationship Between Coffee and Other Beverages
Margaret Heery , VP Strategic Marketing, Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
Bonnie Riggs, Director, Restaurant Industry Analyst, The NPD Group
Coffee consumption trends continue to be favorable around the world. How do these trends relate to the consumption of other beverages such as tea, juice, and even water? This presentation will compare and consider drinking trends data from NCA as well as NPD Crest and other sources, and discuss “influencers” on consumption, such as news, social trends, economic factors and age.

Tea Cupping for Coffee Professionals
Richard Guzauskas, noted tea industry consultant
Skip Finley, Cirqua Customized Water
Although the protocols for cupping coffee and tea are very similar, participants will discover that Camellia Sinensis offers its own unique flavors, distinctive aromas and special pleasures. This hands-on workshop will offer a guided visual evaluation and tasting of several premium quality teas selected especially for coffee lovers.