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AGENDA

ARRIVAL & RECEPTION

SOLARIUM BAR RECEPTION

5:30-6:30pm

Location: The Fontaine Solarium

 

Because of differences in arrival times, attendees who have arrived by 5:30 can meet in the bar and go out to dinner with friends, hosts, or MKA team members.

 

There are 10+ restaurants within short walking distance of the Fontaine including Rye, Ocean Prime, Eddie V’s, Seasons 52, The Capital Grill, Jack Stack Barbecue, and Gram & Dun. Or, an Uber will take you to The Restaurant at 1900, Story, Bella Napoli and Thai Waldo.  

 

The concierge can direct you to your preferred location.

Day1_Update
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info

April 8-10, 2025

​Kansas City, Missouri

Contact

patrick@mkakc.com

MKACollective.com

© 2025 MKA COLLECTIVE

Day3_Update

MORNING SESSIONS + LUNCH

BREAKFAST

7:00-8:00am

  • Location: The Artist Foyer

  • Seating in The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

AGENDA & REVIEW

8:00-8:10am

  • Speaker: Patrick McDonnell, Senior Partner, McDonnell Kinder & Associates

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

WHAT'S NEXT FOR PRINT

8:15-8:30am

  • Speaker: Kathryn McDaniel, Chief Innovator, MEDiAHEAD & 
    Katrina Revenaugh, Print Packaging, and Portal Professional, MEDiAHEAD

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

CHANGING THE COMMUNICATION GAME

8:35-9:05am

  • Speaker: Jen Mac Kay, MPA, CAE, Former Executive Director of International Food Editors Conference

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

DREYER'S

9:10-9:25am

  • Speaker: Molly Hanson, Manager Category Account, Dreyer's

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

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Break

9:30-9:45am

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THE MODERN FOOD SCENE

9:45-10:15am

  • Speaker: Jenny Vergara, Food Columnist, INKC Magazine, Test Kitchen Underground Supper Club, Co-Host Hungry For MO Podcast

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

THE LAMB COMPANY

10:20-10:35am

  • Speaker: Brian Holland, VP of Sales & Dennis Suh, Sales Director

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

STEELITE INTERNATIONAL

10:40-11:10am

  • Speaker: Emily Meinen, Vice President of National Accounts

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

BREAK

11:15am-12:15pm

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FRED HARVEY KANSAS CITY UNION STATION REDUX LUNCHEON Circa 1945

12:15-1:30pm

 Chef Jill Garcia Schmidt, MKA, Chef Junior Laijo, Fontaine, & Chef Nile Shamwell, MKA

  • Location: The Fontaine Hotel Rooftop Nine Zero One Restaurant 

 

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AFTERNOON SESSIONS + DINNER EVENT

BEVERAGE ALCHEMY

1:45-2:45pm

  • Speaker: Chris Conatser, Botanist, Mixologist, Distiller, and Alchemist

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

EMMI ROTH MASTERS CHEESE SEMINAR

3:00-4:30pm

  • Speakers: Evan Topel, Corporate Chef, Richard Schon, Sales Director, & Dawn Scott, National Accounts Manager

  • Location: The Fontaine Solarium

WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON?

4:45-5:30pm

  • Panel:
    Jamie Carawan
    Maeve Webster
    Diana Endicott
    Patrick McDonnell

  • Elizabeth McFadden - MC

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

Pre-Dinner Event Break

5:30-7:00pm

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STEELITE INTERNATIONAL GALA + AWARDS DINNER

7:00pm-late

  • Hosts: Jack Eaton, Terry Tanael, & Emily Meine​n

  • Sponsor: Steelite International

  • Location: The Mezz at Stock Hill
    4800 Main St Ste G-001, Kansas City, MO 64112

    • Transportation: Uber or Lyft available to and from The Mezz

    • Attire: Semi-formal/cocktail

  • MORE DETAILS >

Day2_Update

MORNING + EARLY AFTERNOON SESSIONS

BREAKFAST

7:00-8:00am

  • Location: The Artist Foyer

  • Seating in The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

OPENING REMARKS

8:15-9:00am

  • Speaker: Patrick McDonnell, Senior Partner, McDonnell Kinder & Associates

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

Branding for Tomorrow: Marketing Across Generations, Staying True to Your Core

9:00-10:00am

  • Speakers: Elizabeth McFadden, CEO, Novella Brandhouse
    Kelly Klinkon, Director of Client Engagement, Novella Brandhouse
    Sarah Beth Tomes, Founder, Digital Otter
    Grant Gooding, Founder/CEO, PROOF Positioning
    Susan Brewington, Senior Digital & Audio Account Manager, Cumulus Media

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B
     

WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON

10:15-11:15am

  • Speaker: Maeve Webster, President, Menu Matters
    Leading consultant and thought leader for the food industry

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

BREAK

11:15-11:45am

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INTRODUCTION TO IRINOX

11:45am-12:00pm

  • Speaker: Tim Murray, Executive Vice President & Mark Ortiz, National Sales Director

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

INTRODUCTION TO RATIONAL

12:05-12:20pm

  • Speaker: James Baxter, Director National Key Accounts

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

INTRODUCTION TO AMITY PACKING

12:25-12:40pm

  • Speaker: Mario Mancino, Sales Director

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

Transport to MKA Collective Innovation Center for lunch and product demos

12:45-1:15pm

Shuttle-bus transportation provided

CHEFS ON THE EDGE: Concepts Lunch
RATIONAL, IRINOX, & AMITY PACKING

1:15-2:30pm

  • Chef Roberta Olea Condit, Camino Verde - Modern Southwestern

  • Chef Mike Yakura, Onokan Grill - Modern Asian

  • Chef Joel Elliot, Rational

  • Chef Michael Marsh, Irinox

  • MKA Chef Jill Garcia Schmidt

  • MKA Chef Nadine Donovan

  • MKA Chef Nile Shamwell

  • MORE DETAILS >

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Transport back to The Fontaine Hotel

2:30-3:00pm

​Shuttle-bus transportation provided

AFTERNOON SESSIONS + EVENING EVENT

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN & INNOVATION

3:05-3:20pm

  • Speaker: Joe Jimenez, Hermanos Design + Build

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

REAL FOOD NATION

3:25-3:55pm

  • Speaker: Diana Endicott, Founder & Director, Good Natured Family Farms' Alliance & Kendra Wyatt, Vice President, The Food Conservancy

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

Watermelon Board

4:00-4:15pm

  • Speaker: Megan McKenna, Senior Director of Marketing

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

HEARTBRAND AKAUSHI BEEF

4:20-4:35pm

  • Speaker: Jordan Beeman, CEO, Heartbrand Beef

  • Location: The Fontaine Conference Room: McCoy A/B

EVENING BREAK

4:35-6:30pm

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TRANSPORT TO CHICKEN N PICKLE SOUTH

6:30pm

​Shuttle-bus transportation provided

EVENING EVENT: Modern, fun, food & Craft beer at chicken n pickle

7:00-9:30pm

  • Hosts: Chef Alex Staab & Bill Koning
    The Chicken N Pickle team    ​

  • Location: Chicken N Pickle, Overland Park
    5901 W. 135th St. Overland Park, Kansas 66223    ​

    • Attire: BBQ Casual

TRANSPORT BACK TO FONTAINE HOTEL

9:30pm

​Shuttle-bus transportation provided

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