Join the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network (CFBN) for our annual year-end review and celebration on Wednesday, December 10th.
We’re closing out 2025 with an unforgettable evening of reflection, networking, and festive cheer. As the year winds down, we'll look back at the key trends, innovations, and learnings that defined the food and beverage industry in 2025. You'll hear reflections from industry leaders who will share their professional and personal insights from the year, along with their goals and predictions for what’s to come in 2026.
After the discussion, we will enjoy amazing networking, festive food, and drinks while taking in breathtaking views of the skyline and Chicago River from the stunning rooftop deck (weather permitting) of our hosts, Edelman. With the train station and downtown festivities just steps away, it's the perfect opportunity to kick off your holiday season.
Don’t miss this chance to celebrate with your industry colleagues and friends.
AGENDA
5:00 PM Doors Open & Registration
5:30 PM Remarks & Reflections
6:30 PM Networking
8:00 PM Event Close
SPEAKERS
CARRIE BECKER
Senior Vice President
Edelman US
Carrie is a Senior Vice President at Edelman, where she leads strategic marketing communications for major food and beverage brands. She specializes in integrated B2C and B2B2C campaigns that marry cultural insight with measurable business impact. Her work includes driving earned share of voice for Perdue with the award-winning Beer Can Chicken Beer campaign, redefining relevance for the dairy industry through Dairy Management Inc.’s first unified brand platform, and elevating Barilla’s corporate reputation story.
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BRIDGET HEGG
Associate Director
Datassential
Bridget is an associate director at the market research firm Datassential. As a food enthusiast and dietitian, Bridget brings a unique point of view to the foodservice industry. Having worked in restaurants, colleges & universities, hospitals, and in foodservice sourcing she loves working with clients to develop creative foodservice solutions. She holds a degree in Nutritional Science and Dietetics from Cornell University and an MBA from Dominican University.
MARIEKE HOSTE
Incoming Executive Director
VAVI (the Association for the European Potato Processing Industry)
Marieke Hoste is an experienced public affairs professional with near 15 years in the food and agriculture sector. Raised on a small farm in the south of the Netherlands, food and farming have always been her passions. Before relocating to the United States, she led the public affairs strategy for Royal Cosun, an international farmers’ cooperative and multi-billion-dollar producer of food and ingredients.
After moving to Chicago, Marieke started her own consultancy and as part of that worked with CFBN as Strategic Communications Manager. In 2026, her family will return to The Netherlands, where she will start a new role as director of the trade association representing the potato processing industry.
ALAN REED
Executive Director
The Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network (CFBN)
Alan Reed is the Executive Director of the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network, a startup, nonprofit organization that brings industry players together, provides a forum for collaboration and support, and better connects the 4,500 companies in the industry across Chicagoland to drive innovation and growth in the region. The group leverages the power of the food & beverage industry in Chicagoland to grow the industry, and the local economy.
KYLE T. SCHULZ
Deputy of Strategic Advancement
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Kyle Schulz is the Deputy of Strategic Advancement for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) - the comprehensive planning organization for the seven counties and 284 communities of northeastern Illinois. Schulz works to build and manage relationships with external entities and partners directly contributing to achieving the agency goals by building partnerships, beneficial collaborations that achieve the region's comprehensive planning goals.
Prior to joining CMAP, Schulz served as Chief Growth Officer for World Business Chicago - the City of Chicago and broader region's economic development agency - where Schulz's work contributed to 775 + Pro-Chicago Decisions that created over 62,500 jobs for the region including the signature wins of PsiQuantum's $5 billion investment into Chicago - the largest economic development project in Chicago’s history, Discover Financials 1,000 person call center, Mars Wrigley's global R&D center, and Google's acquisition of the Thompson Center.
HANNA ZLOTNICK, PHD.
Market Insights & Strategy
J.P. Morgan
Hanna Zlotnick is an applied economist at JPMorgan, specializing in macroeconomic analysis, market insights, and industry trends. Prior to joining the firm, she held roles in research, strategy, and policy evaluation across academia and the public sector. She holds a joint PhD in Policy and Demography from Princeton University, as well as a Bachelor’s in Economics and Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Michigan.
This event is PRESENTED in partnership with:
We appreciate the collaboration of the following companies:
