2019 Pure Michigan Agriculture Summit

Eve Turow Paul

Author Bio Eve Turow Paul is a journalist and advisor who studies the wants and needs of young people around the world. She investigates the latest research in psychology, sociology, anthropology, speaks to thought-leaders and interviews people of the Millennial and Gen Z generations to gain a better understanding of their anxieties, hopes and passions. She then looks at how individuals soothe themselves and fulfill many of their needs through food culture, where young people overwhelmingly spend their discretionary incomes.
Eve is the author of A Taste of Generation Yum: How the Millennial Generation's Love for Organic Fare, Celebrity Chefs and Microbrews Will Make or Break the Future of Food. Today, Eve utilizes her years of empirical research to advise Fortune 500 companies, start-ups and independent entrepreneurs on how to connect with and better serve Millennials.
Eve Turow Paul formerly worked for New York Times contributor and cookbook author Mark Bittman. She is a Forbes contributor. Her writing has appeared in a number of publications including The Chicago Tribune, Plate, The Village Voice, on The Atlantic, Refinery29, Huffington Post and more.

• 10:20 - 10:50 AM, Mar 19, 2019

  Keynote Presentation: Shaping the Future of Food in the Digital Age

Trevor Pawl

Group VP, PlanetM, International Trade and Procurement Programs

Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Trevor Pawl is the group vice president of PlanetM, international trade and procurement programs and directly oversees Pure Michigan Business Connect, a Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) initiative to connect Michigan companies with growth and expansion opportunities.

Pawl was previously the founding director of Connection Point, an economic development program within the Detroit Regional Chamber that uncovered more than $200 million in sourcing and R&D opportunities for Michigan suppliers. He was named Crain’s Detroit Business “40 Under 40,” and Development Counsellor’s International “40 Under 40” Economic Development Rising Stars to Watch.

• 10:00 - 10:10 AM, Mar 19, 2019

  Welcome

Jeff Mason

CEO

Michigan Economic Development Corporation

As CEO, Jeff Mason is charged with implementing and executing MEDC’s core mission of business development and attraction, community development, providing access to capital and improving Michigan’s image and brand.

From 2009 to 2017 Jeff was the Executive Director of Michigan’s University Research Corridor which is an alliance between Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University to transform, strengthen, and diversify Michigan’s economy. The vision of the University Research Corridor (URC) is to play a key role in creating a vibrant Michigan economy that leverages the intellectual capital of its three public research universities, to work proactively to attract the knowledge economy businesses that can find the research activity that feeds new enterprise, educate the workforce, and plants the seeds for the new industries of tomorrow.

Prior to joining the URC as Executive Director he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. In that role Mason led a team responsible for the retention and expansion of existing Michigan businesses as well as the attraction of national and international companies to Michigan.
Before becoming Chief Business Development Officer, Mason headed up the Technology Development Group working to grow Michigan’s technology oriented segments of our state’s economy. Technology Development was engaged in the areas of technology transfer and commercialization, venture capital, entrepreneurship, and business development. Their focus was in the sectors of life sciences, homeland security, and advanced automotive technologies.

• 10:10 - 10:20 AM, Mar 19, 2019

  Opening Remarks

Ken McFarlane

Deputy Director

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Kenneth McFarlane serves as the Deputy Director for MDARD overseeing the administration and operation of the Food & Dairy Division, Laboratory Division, and the Office of Organizational Innovation. He has worked with MDARD since June of 2014 when he started as the Director of Strategy and Business Performance. Prior to that he worked in the private sector as a civil engineering consultant on public infrastructure and large land development projects in the Midwest and Western United States.

He has been integral in multiple enterprise-wide strategic planning and implementation efforts involving service delivery, employee engagement, sustainable operations, and information technology.

Mr. McFarlane graduated from Trine University (IN) with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and from the University of Michigan with a master’s degree in Public Administration. He is a registered Professional Civil Engineer in both Michigan and Nevada.

• 12:30 - 1:00 PM, Mar 19, 2019

  Economic Development Lightning Round

Josh Hundt

Chief Business Development Officer and Executive Vice President

Michigan Economic Development Corporation

• 12:30 - 1:00 PM, Mar 19, 2019

  Economic Development Lightning Round