Designing Resilient and Equitable Food Supply Chains for the Future
- 📅 Date: April 17, 2026
- 🕗 Time: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Eastern Time)
- 📍 Location: Entrepreneurship Lab (M025), The Minskoff Pavilion, Broad College of Business, Michigan State University
About the Event
Join us for the inaugural FAST Symposium at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. This high-impact event brings together industry leaders, academic experts, and researchers to explore innovative strategies for building resilient and equitable food supply chains.
Expect a full day of dynamic sessions, collaborative discussions, poster sessions, and networking opportunities focused on real-world challenges and emerging trends shaping the future of food supply chain management.
Why Attend?
- Gain insights from Broad College faculty and industry experts
- Explore cutting-edge research and practical solutions
- Network with leaders and peers in food supply chain management
- Be part of shaping equitable and sustainable systems and inform future research efforts
Event Highlights
- Keynote presentations from top industry voices
- Research presentations from academic experts
- Interactive panels on resilience, equity, and innovation
- Brainstorming sessions to discuss pressing issues and inform future research
- Opportunities for collaboration and partnerships
Keynote Speaker - Dr. Tim Boring
Director
Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD)
Dr. Tim Boring serves as the Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) supporting the department’s continued commitment to investing in the state’s rural communities, providing opportunities for food and agriculture businesses, protecting consumers from the pump to the plate, and preserving Michigan’s environmental resources. Director Boring approaches those commitments with a focus on economic prosperity, regenerative agriculture and diversifying agricultural production across the state.
His family operates a six-generation farm in Stockbridge, Michigan, which is why ensuring the next generation of farmers have the support they need is personal for him.
Director Boring’s previous roles include State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency, President and Founder of Michigan Agriculture Advancement, and Research Director of the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee. He has a Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Sciences from Michigan State University.
2026 Annual FAST Symposium Agenda
- Time | Topic
- 8:00 AM | Check-In & Breakfast
- 9:00 AM | Welcome by FAST Lab Co-Directors
- 9:15 AM | Opening by Broad Dean
- 9:25 AM | Welcome by Chair, Department of Supply Chain Management and Director, The School of Hospitality Business
- 9:30 AM | Keynote by Director, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
- 10:00 AM | Group Photo + Networking Break
- 10:15 AM | Panel 1: Hospitality Service & Operations
- 11:00 AM | Research Presentation 1: Third-Party Grocery Delivery and Implications for Inventory Management
- 11:30 AM | Panel 2: Food Logistics & Distribution
- 12:15 PM | Lunch + Poster Sessions
- 1:15 PM | Panel 3: Circularity and Food Waste Reduction Innovations
- 2:00 PM | Research Presentation 2: Volunteer Management in Food Rescue Operations
- 2:30 PM | Panel 4: Emerging Challenges in Corporate Food Sustainability and Supply Chains
- 3:15 PM | Networking Break
- 3:30 PM | Small-Group Brainstorm
- 4:45 PM | Group-Level Presentation
- 6:15 PM | Next Steps & Conclusion by FAST Lab Co-Directors
- 6:30 PM | Light Dinner & Networking
Reserve Your Spot Today!
FAST 2026 Program Chairs
Stanley Lim
- Associate Professor
Supply Chain Management
Karthik Namasivayam
- Director
The School of Hospitality Business - John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business
The School of Hospitality Business
Speakers
Aubree Carlisle
- Food Waste Specialist
Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
Adrian Choo
- Associate Professor
Supply Chain Management
Mark Coe
- General Manager
Great Lakes Farm to Freezer
Jason Collis
- Chief Relief Officer
World Central Kitchen
Steve Finn
- Vice President of Sustainability & Public Affairs
Leanpath
Michael Hamilton
- Vice President of Food and Beverage
FireKeepers Casino Hotel
John Herbert
- Director of US Supply Chain
Gordon Food Service
Julie Higgins
- Director of Hotel Operations/ Sustainability Officer
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Madeline Jerge
- Director of Product Operations
HelloFresh
Monica Johnson
- Sr. Director of Supply Chain
First Watch Restaurants
Brian Lipinski
- Manager
10x20x30 Initiative, World Resources Institute
David Ly
- Director
Business Services, ReFED
Benjamin Martynec
- Director of Product Management
Target Corporation
Bengü Nur Özdemir
- Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Ian Olson
- Executive In Residence
Supply Chain Resiliency - Co-Director
Landscape Intelligence Network
Erik Petrovskis
- Director of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability
Meijer
Joe Robbins
- Chief Product Officer
Food Rescue US
John Spink
- Fixed-Term Faculty
Supply Chain Management
Daniel Schoonmaker
- Executive Director
Michigan Sustainable Business Forum
Sri Thirumalai
- Director of Last Mile Delivery
Walmart
Judith Whipple
- Donald J. Bowersox and Robert W. Thull Professor in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Supply Chain Management
Chao Wu
- Assistant Professor
Wayne State University
Conference Team
Victoria Romanyshyn
- Social Media Coordinator
Seyeon Park
- Poster Session Coordinator
- Ph.D. Student
Jiachen Wei
- Postdoctoral Scholar
Andrew Cole
- Professorial Assistant
Kamaria Green
- Professorial Assistant
AFFILIATE INDUSTRY AND NGO PARTNERS
Hotel Information
Kellogg Center Hotel and Conference
Call: 517-432-4000 or 800-875-5090
The Graduate Hotel East Lansing
Marriott East Lansing at University Place
Residence Inn by Marriott East Lansing
Poster Titles
| Presenters | Poster Titles |
|---|---|
| Andrea Ramos Bonilla | Resilience to Multiple Shocks in Local and Regional Food System: Insights from the U.S. Midwest Apple Supply Chain |
| Andrew Cole | Uniworld Boutique River Cruises: Implementing a 50% Food Waste Reduction Strategy |
| Chaehwan Lim | Buy Online, Pick Up at Curbside Service: An Empirical Analysis in Grocery Retail and Implications for Parking Lots Design |
| Ahana Malhotra | CrowdFeeding the Vulnerable: Integrating Digital Innovation into Non-profit Food Logistics |
| Partha Sarathi Mishra | The Role of Cold Storage in Alleviating Food Insecurity: Empirical Evidence from a Refrigeration Donation |
| Goutham Takasi | Structural Estimation of B2B Demand in Local Food Distribution: Demand Insights and Incentive Design to Improve Farmer Sourcing |
| Jiachen Wei | Impact of Multi-Channel Adoption on Customer Purchasing Behavior during Supply Chain Disruption |
| Sophie Xu | Meijer Inc.: Backhauling to Cut Empty Miles and Carbon Emissions |