It's the scenario no one in the food industry wants to face: a potential food safety crisis leading to a product recall. With FDA recall rates at a 10-year high, the question isn't if it could happen, but when, and more importantly, "Who do you need on your team, and what do you need to effectively manage a recall and crisis in today's complex world?"

Join CFBN for an insightful evening of cocktails and appetizers as our expert cross-functional panel dives deep into the modern challenges of food safety crises. Using a real-life, "ripped from the headlines" scenario, our panelists will share critical insights and best practices for navigating the intricacies of food and beverage recalls.

This isn't just about reacting; it's about proactive preparation. Discover the ins and outs of not just surviving, but thriving and maintaining a healthy, growing brand by building a robust food safety culture. Our experts will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to prepare for the worst, ensuring your business is resilient in the face of adversity.

Don't miss this essential event designed to strengthen your crisis management strategies and elevate your food safety culture.

SPEAKERS

PETER BEGG

Chief Quality and Food Safety Officer

Lyons Magnus

Peter Begg is currently Chief Quality and Food Safety Officer for Lyons Magnus.  He oversees all aspects of quality and food safety across the company including risk management, regulatory and food safety conformity and product compliance for the business.  Lyons Magnus offers ingredient solutions across the food industry to numerous foodservice and consumer products companies. Peter joined Lyons Magnus from Hearthside Food Solutions where he was the Senior Vice President of R&D, Quality and EHS.  At Hearthside, Peter led food safety, regulatory, product development, and Health and Safety across their network of contract manufacturing plants.  Throughout his 30-year career, Peter has worked in a variety of business roles including Engineering, R&D and Quality.  Peter also represented Mondelēz International on the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) board of directors from 2012-2017. 

SABAHNUR DEMIRCI 

Vice President, Expert Partners - North America 

Mérieux NutriSciences

Sabahnur  is a seasoned executive with nearly 30 years of comprehensive experience across end-to-end supply chain operations, quality management, and product development. Currently serving as Vice President of Expert Partners at Mérieux NutriSciences North America, she drives strategic initiatives in consulting, training, label compliance and regulatory services. Previously, as Managing director at Mérieux NutriSciences Turkey, Sabahnur led transformational projects across the organization. Her leadership is marked by a commitment to excellence, innovation, and advancing industry standards.

MARTY DETMER

Crisis Management, Product Recall & Contamination Broker

AON

Marty is a leading broker in the product recall and contamination insurance marketplace. He works with some of the largest companies in North America to appropriately address exposures to product recalls, contaminations, and foodborne illness. Marty has managed Aon’s Central Region for product recall & contamination since 2017. Marty is an established thought leader on the topics of product recall and contamination insurance. He contributes regularly to speaking engagements and written publications. Marty was recently recognized as a 2024 Rising Star and 2024 Power Broker by Risk & Insurance for Manufacturers.

MATT de NESNERA

Vice President, U.S. Crisis & Risk 

Edelman

Matt brings more than 15 years of experience across some of the most recognizable brands in tech and sports to his role as vice president in Edelman’s U.S. Crisis & Risk practice, where he provides counsel to clients on reputation management and crisis preparedness. Matt’s background includes internal communications with Meta and corporate communications in professional sports with multiple NBA franchises. Matt began his career in TV news and graduated from the College of William & Mary.

BRIAN SCHANEBERG, PhD

Executive Director

Illinois Tech Institute of Safety and Health

Dr. Schaneberg is the Executive Director of the Illinois Tech Institute for Food Safety and Health, and an Industry Professor of Food Science coordinating the activities of an applied food science research consortium comprised of academia, the US FDA, and the food industry in the areas of food safety, food defense, and nutrition.  Previously, Dr. Schaneberg was a director within the Global Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory team at Starbucks Corporation with accountability in leading a team of scientists that interpret food and beverage regulations and consult with researchers and consortiums across multiple categories in areas such as coffee, nutrition, ingredients, claims substantiation, allergens, and risk assessments. Other experience includes the Quality & Food Safety and Scientific & Regulatory Affairs Director for Mars Botanical, a division of Mars, Inc., Director of Technical Services at ChromaDex, Inc., and Associate Research Scientist at the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi.  Additionally, Dr. Schaneberg is a Fellow of AOAC International.

CHRIS SCHLAG

Counsel

Nixon Peabody

Chris has extensive experience in regulatory compliance, product stewardship, sustainability, brand development and resilience, and managing complex supply chain risks (e.g., ingredient issues and customer expectations). She previously worked in-house with Tyson Foods and Whole Foods Market on global sustainability and business resilience issues and helped to develop compliance and risk management strategies for evolving regulatory frameworks and customer requirements. She has worked extensively with suppliers, brand owners, distributors, and retailers on issues ranging from regulatory risk management and compliance to supply chain due diligence, extended producer responsibility, brand strategy, and environmental marketing and labeling. Chris also has extensive experience working with brand owners on product development, product safety and quality, responsible sourcing practices, global compliance systems, and stakeholder relationship management.  

(moderator)

ALAN REED

Executive Director

The Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network 

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. 

This Event is in Collaboration With: