PRESS RELEASE

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) is excited to announce the lineup of keynote speakers and the detailed program for the FREE NABC/USHBC Virtual Conference & Expo, Sept. 28-Oct.

The NABC/USHBC Virtual Conference & Expo will be much more than just another Zoom meeting, with four days packed with inspiring keynotes, activities, giveaways and celebrations of the blueberry industry. This event is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of industry leaders, following on the heels of the 20th anniversary of the USHBC.

“USHBC is striving to be the global leader in knowledge, programs and content used by the industry to grow the value of blueberries,” said Kasey Cronquist, president of USHBC. “The blueberry industry has been built through collaboration. Our virtual conference is the culmination of resource-sharing and insightful discussions that we hope will help stakeholders across the entire blueberry supply chain make informed business decisions.” 

Keynote Speakers Include: 

• Michael Hyatt, bestselling author of The Vision-Driven Leader. A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Hyatt drives vision and innovation through his namesake leadership consulting firm. Hyatt will sit down with NABC and USHBC President Kasey Cronquist to kick off the conference with an inspiring start! 
• Todd Eagan, Costco buyer, has been responsible for the company’s berry category since 2000. In this role, he’s worked to improve packaging, specifications and vendor relations, and has significantly grown the category’s presence in stores.
• Eric Rimm, Sc.D., professor of epidemiology and nutrition, director of the cardiovascular epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School, is recognized internationally for his extensive work in the study of the health effects of blueberries, whole grains, micronutrients and polyphenols. He also studies the impact of local and national nutrition policy as it relates to the improvement of diets of those who use federal nutrition assistance programs. 
• Vonnie Estes, vice president of technology for the Produce Marketing Association, pours her passion for agriculture, technology and sustainability into her role, bringing technology across the entire produce supply chain. She’s spent her career working intimately with tech companies and ag and bio-industrial startups. 
• And many more!

Registration is completely free, and those who sign up have the chance to get a free Blueberry Swag Pack in the mail, on a first come, first served basis. More details are below and at blueberryevents.org.