MONTEREY, CA - Organic Produce Summit (OPS) is still six months away, but the summit’s latest announcement may have produce pros champing at the bit, waiting with bated breath, hotly anticipating—or any manner of cliché. The summit has announced that award-winning chef and The Third Plate author Dan Barber and consumer activist Robyn O’Brien will be the featured keynote presenters at this year’s event.
“We’re thrilled to have two dynamic and engaging leaders in their fields providing OPS attendees with thought-provoking and inspiring content, which highlights the growth and opportunities related to organic fresh produce,” said Susan Canales, President of OPS, in a press release. “Both Robyn and Dan are very excited about the chance to speak to OPS attendees on the importance of the products they are growing and selling that are truly impacting consumer’s lifestyles and eating habits.”
According to that press release, Barber and O’Brien will present a pair of TedTalk style presentations, which headline an informative and insightful series of educational sessions at OPS 2019.
In addition to authoring The Third Plate, Barber is the chef and co-owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. He has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world and has garnered numerous James Beard Awards—including Best Chef: New York City (2006) and the country's Outstanding Chef (2009).
As Co-Founder of Row 7 Seed Company, Barber has worked at bringing together chefs and plant breeders in the development of new varieties of vegetables and grains. His opinions on food and agricultural policy have appeared in the New York Times, among other publications.
O’Brien is the Vice President of rePlant Capital, a financial services firm focused on reversing climate change. She was a founding team member of AIM/Invesco’s first hedge fund of $100+ million and a team member on its $20 billion Constellation Fund and an advisor to Paul Hawken’s “Drawdown” (published in April 2017). O’Brien has advised startups, banks, and multinationals, while working with global CEOs and management teams in the food industry.
O’Brien is also the Founder of Do Good, a strategic advisory firm, and AllergyKids Foundation, which serves the 1 in 3 children with allergies, asthma, ADHD, and autism. Her book The Unhealthy Truth was published by Random House in 2009, and her TEDx talk has been viewed by millions and translated into multiple languages.
In addition to presentations by the two venerable keynote speakers, the keynote program for OPS 2019 will feature a Retailer Roundtable with three of North America’s most prominent retailers. And a series of six educational sessions featuring informative and engaging topics and leaders from the organic fresh produce industry are being finalized and will be announced in the coming weeks.
Registration is still available for OPS 2019, held July 10-11 at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, California. Maybe AndNowUKnow will see you there.
