FCSI The Americas Denver 2018 Conference – Sessions
2018 FCSI-TA Conference
April 19-21, 2018 · Denver, Colorado
Special Events & Educational Sessions
Please note all events take place at the Hilton Denver City Center unless otherwise noted. Schedule subject to change. This conference qualifies for 9 CEUs.
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Do you need a professional headshot to add to your website or professional résumé? FCSI The Americas is offering free headshots during the Conference! Come by Thursday between 12:00 and 6:00 p.m. or Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and get your professional photo. Please note there will be one photographer onsite and it is first come, first served. Photos will be available online a couple of weeks after the conference.
FCSI Professional Membership Process – Making the Most of Your FCSI Membership
Doug Huber, FCSI, CFA, CFSP
Are you interested in pursuing Professional Membership with FCSI? Join Doug Huber, FCSI, a member of the Council for Professional Standards for the Americas (CPSTA), as he describes the process of preparing for and taking both exams required to become a Professional Member of FCSI. With the exams now being available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, becoming a Professional Member of FCSI is available to all members of The Americas Division. Sit in on this session and get your questions answered about what you need to do to become a Professional Member of FCSI.
Innovation Showcase
The Innovation Showcase is designed to recognize manufacturers whose commitment to research and development has resulted in a truly innovative product that is a clear leap forward for the foodservice industry. All FCSI The Americas Corporate member companies are eligible for participation. Judging will result in the selection of 10 products for inclusion in the Showcase. Consultant members will have the opportunity to examine the entries and obtain detailed information about them from corporate member company representatives during the Conference on Thursday and Friday. Please note the product must currently be on the market, and must be approved by at least one of the following testing authorities: UL, ETL, NSF, CE, ULC, CSA. Products that are still in the research and development phase are not eligible.
Come reunite with and meet new colleagues at the Pinnacle Club in downtown Denver. The Pinnacle Club is Denver’s most distinguished venue, windowed on four sides with panoramic views of the entire Rocky Mountain Front Range. You can even see Pikes Peak more than 100 miles away! Food and cocktails will be flowing to kick off our 2018 conference.
Friday, April 20, 2018
Presenter: Chip Eichelberger
In the opening keynote for the FCSI Denver Conference “Get Switched On!”, Chip Eichelberger will show attendees how to get plugged back in and switched on! This interactive, high-energy, challenging experience will get attendees involved and engaged. Rediscover what is really important and expand your compelling vision and mindset for what is possible. Attendees will leave this session with a renewed sense of purpose, and a drive to pursue their work with tenacity, high morale and contagious energy.
Chip graduated from the University of Oregon in the College of Business Administration. He worked as a sales rep with Jantzen Sportswear, but after two corporate buyouts that cut the sales force in half he was let go. The layoff was a career-changer as he moved on to work with world-renowned business leader Tony Robbins in San Diego. Chip proved himself, being the Sales Leader of the Year twice and mastering telemarketing and group presentation sales. As Robbins’ international point-man, he built the brand in Australia and the United Kingdom. Five years later, Chip started his own brand and has since presented at over 1,000 events for companies and associations.
Presenter: Beth Ziesenis… Author. Speaker. Nerd.
Every foodservice professionals’ conference leaves you with innovative takeaways to put into action as soon as you return to your office… if you have the tools to make them happen. This fast-moving, laugh-filled session takes you hour by hour through a day in the life of a tech-savvy professional. You’ll learn how a professional nerd solves a security crisis before 10 a.m., learns to make more of a lunch hour with an extra set of virtual hands, saves money on software before the staff meeting and brings the team together online before the day is done.
- Understand how technology fits into every part of your day
- Learn about technology systems that streamline projects and tasks
- Discover dozens of free and bargain apps and online tools that put the ideas from the conference into action!
BREAKOUT: How DO They Do That – Secret Tech Weapons for Foodservice Consultants
Presenter: Beth Ziesenis… Author. Speaker. Nerd.
What if you could whip up a graphic to brand your business in a matter of minutes? Or schedule a meeting without having to send three dozen emails to find a time everyone could meet? Or, create a dazzling multimedia video for your next client? Or automate your little tasks that keep you from your real work? Or pass off annoying projects to someone else – without breaking the bank?
And what if you could pull all this off straight from your mobile device – without an IT degree?
Join Your Nerdy Best Friend, aka Author Beth Ziesenis, to discover how to use free and bargain technology tools you never knew existed to work more efficiently with your teams, create professional-level graphics and wow your colleagues. This high-energy session will give you 30+ tools that will leave people asking, “How DO they do that?”
BREAKOUT: Revit – How Do You Stack Up?
Moderator: Joe Carbonara, Editorial Director, Zoomba Group
Panel Participants: Brett Daniel, FCSI, Shelby Wurscher, Chris Huebner
How is your company providing design solutions to your clients and industry partners? Are you offering options in Revit? This session explores what several foodservice consultant firms are doing to provide solutions in Revit, and how they are retaining their talent, whether it be on a contract basis, or through a full-time employee. Findings from a recent study by Foodservice Equipment & Supplies will also shed light on how far BIM-related technologies have made their way into the foodservice industry, the impact they are having on design projects and what’s in store for the future.
BREAKOUT: The Business of Cannabis Kitchens
Presenter: Jaime Lewis, VP of Operations for iAnthus, Founder and CEO of Mountain Medicine, COO of Mayflower Medicinals
Jaime Lewis began her career as an executive chef in San Francisco prior to moving to the medical marijuana and dispensary operations. As the cannabis industry expands into a legal entity in 29 states and counting, the regulated edible industry’s growth is booming. During this session, Jaime will explain the challenges faced from transitioning from a normal commercial kitchen operation to a cannabis edible kitchen operation as well as the regulations that go along with it.
CHEERS TO YOUR CHAPTER!
Join your FCSI TA Chapter Leaders and other FCSI TA members from your region to discuss what news, events, and information directly impacts your Chapter. Recap 2017, vote on new leadership, and offer a toast to your outgoing leaders!
All attendees are encouraged to attend. Allied Members should join the chapter region where their factory/headquarters are located or the region that best represents their ‘territory’. Non-members are welcome to sit in with the chapter of their choice.
Canadian Chapter – Canada
Upper Midwest Chapter – MN, WI, IA, IL, OH, ND, SD, NE, IN, MI
Northeast Chapter – ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, DE, MD, PA, Wash DC
Pacific Northwest Chapter – WA, OR, ID, MT, AK, WY
Southwest Chapter – CA, NV, HI, UT, AZ
Southeast Chapter – VA, WV, NC, SC, KY, TN, MS, AL, GA, FL
Lower Midwest – MO, KS, OK, AR, LA, TX, CO, NM
Latin America – Mexico, Central and South America
EVENING PARTY: Denver Street Fair
Enjoy food, drink and entertainment on the plaza at the host hotel, followed by the C4EC sponsored after-hours party.
AFTER-HOURS PARTY: Silent Disco
sponsored by FCSI’s Committee for Emerging Consultants
Join us for dessert and drinks and let the good times roll at the FCSI Conference host hotel for an after-hours party. Hosted by the FCSI TA Committee for Emerging Consultants, this Silent Disco is a unique, full sensory party experience you won’t want to miss.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
GENERAL SESSION: Banquet Food to the Rescue
Presenter: Larry Scott
Learn how a partnership between 3square and MGM hotels is helping to feed the Las Vegas homeless population. COO Larry Scott will discuss how the partnership came about, the challenges to get it started and what the future holds.
BREAKOUT: Virtual Reality for Foodservice Design
Presenter: Chris Huebner
This session will be a comprehensive guide to Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) as they relate to Foodservice Design. This session will begin with everything it takes to get started, including which headsets to buy and which software to use. We will explain the different Revit-to-VR workflows and show how easy it is to send your Revit model to VR. Attendees will also be able to participate in live demo of AR using an AR compatible smart phone or tablet. Finally, listen in as one firm explains how they use VR software with Xbox controllers for quality control, why they don’t recommend using VR with clients, and why they believe AR will change everything.
BREAKOUT: Resolving Labor Issues…It’s a People Business After All!
Presenter: Chris Tripoli, FCSI
Market conditions have tightened for most restaurant operators….flat revenue, increased competition, changing dining habits, high occupancy expenses and rising labor costs have created the need for improved efficiencies. As the industry continues to experience difficulty with finding, training and retaining staff, we are seeing new trends develop with use of technology, use of space, and the development of management and staff. This program explores ways we can assist our foodservice clients win the battle with their current labor demands! We will discuss improved approaches to selection and training, continued development, as well as trends in management development that reduce labor cost while promoting a work environment that succeeds with today’s employee!
BREAKOUT: Food Display Trends
Presenters: Joe Schumaker, FCSI, Danielle McMiller
What were once highly-decorative pieces of equipment placed as a piece of furniture to draw consumers’ attention are now cleaner, simpler displays integrated into the environment to blend and disappear. When the display fixture isn’t noticeable, the food stands out. Come learn how the way food is displayed plays a major role in attracting attention and stimulating the desire to buy. We’ll discuss new technologies in glass, lighting and refrigeration displays.
BREAKOUT: Recruiting and Retaining Talent in Consulting Firms – Roundtable Mixer
Join in on consultant-led round table discussions to learn what’s working within their own firms to recruit and retain top talent.
BREAKOUT: Technology ROI
Presenters: IFBTA Member Brian Anderson
In this session learn how important technology is to restaurant operations in the 21st century. Topics range from menu engineering, inventory controls and supplier integration, labor management, customer loyalty, and predictive analytics. Emphasis will be placed on establishing a tangible ROI so that operators can confidently embrace and invest in technologies that will make them more profitable.
BREAKOUT: You Want to Cook Where?
Presenters: Bill Caruso, FFCSI (PP), FCSI The Americas Chair, Scott Heim
Many foodservice operators are looking for ways to engage their guests with exhibition cooking in locations where traditional overhead ventilation is impractical, or in locations where it’s desirable to have a pop-up kitchen but no cooking ventilation exists. Learn about innovative recirculating ventilation systems that can be added to existing exhibition cooking equipment and available as integral cooking solutions to work in most any location without the need for external ducting or external ventilation systems.
CLOSING KEYNOTE: 1 Hour Stand-up Special
Presenter: Tom Papa
CLOSING PARTY: Punch Bowl Social*
Here’s to Going Out Right
Join us at Punch Bowl Social for a relaxed and fun evening of music, camaraderie, food and beverages, and games, such as bowling, arcade games, bocce ball, bags and pool as we celebrate another great FCSI Conference.
*Transportation provided.
QUESTIONS?
For questions about the FCSI TA Denver Conference, contact Kimberly, Penny or Wade via email or by phone at 309-808-2165.