7:30 a.m. Registration, Breakfast and Networking
8:30 a.m. Summit Begins
1:15 – 2:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions (both run concurrently)
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Networking Reception & Fun Factor – Entertainment provided by Austin Skalecki.
Mary Snapp brings her experience and perspective from over 35 years at Microsoft to lead strategic initiatives in the Office of the Vice Chair and President. She is a frequent speaker on issues related to Microsoft’s corporate and social responsibility as well as technology policy, including in relation to AI.
She formerly led Microsoft’s Global Philanthropies, investing the company’s technology, financial support, employee talent, and voice to partner with nonprofits and communities to create lasting positive impact. Prior to that, Mary was Deputy General Counsel leading legal support for Microsoft’s engineering organizations.
Mary has been an active board member for many nonprofit organizations, including the YWCA of Seattle, King, and Snohomish County, the Seattle Art Museum, the National 4-H Council, Washington STEM, and Farm Foundation. She also serves on the University of Michigan’s President’s Advisory Group, and on the National FFA Foundation’s Corporate Sponsors’ Board.
Mary joined Microsoft in 1988 as its fourth attorney, and first female attorney. She grew up in Newton, Kansas, where she still has close family, and graduated from the University of Kansas School of Journalism before earning her law degree at the University of Michigan.
LeRoy Butler was raised by his mother, Eunice, in a crime-infested housing project on Jacksonville, Florida’s west side. His parents separated when he was a toddler and his mother supported LeRoy and his four siblings by working first as a secretary and later as a nurse. He was born so pigeon-toed that doctors had to break bones in both of his feet when he was only 8-months-old to correct the problem, and he spent much of his early childhood in a wheelchair. Between the ages of six and eight, he started wearing leg braces. During this time, doctors predicted that LeRoy may never walk normally.
When he was eight, LeRoy discovered that he no longer needed his leg braces after his sister inadvertently knocked him out of his wheelchair, sending his leg braces flying. Upon picking himself up, LeRoy determined that he could not only walk normally, but could also run pretty well.
By the time he was ten, Butler was starring on the neighborhood football team. He was recruited by football powerhouse Robert E Lee High School, where he became a unanimous All- American pick and accepted a football scholarship to Florida State University. At Florida State, LeRoy would be responsible for the famed “puntrooskie” and would also earn a consensus All- America honor. LeRoy was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1990 draft. During his 12-year career, he was selected All-Pro four times, named to the Pro Bowl four times, and named to the NFL 1990s All Decade Team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He became a Super Bowl champion after the Packers defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. He was inducted in to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2007, and in 2022, LeRoy become the 357 th member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
During his career with the Packers, LeRoy was the first defensive back in NFL history to gain entrance in the 20 Sack/20 Interception Club. In total, he recorded 953 tackles, 28 interceptions, 20 ½ sacks, 12 fumble recoveries, three defensive touchdowns and was the inventor of a very famous, touchdown celebration in Lambeau.
Jim VandeHei is the co-founder and CEO of Axios, a media company focused on breaking news and invaluable insights across business, politics, technology and the world. Axios helps readers and viewers get smarter, faster across the consequential topics reshaping our country and lives. As CEO, VandeHei has steered Axios into becoming one of the most celebrated digital media success stories of the past decade.
VandeHei is the author of the forthcoming book Just the Good Stuff where he shares lessons he’s learned from founding two successful media companies, and his tricks for thriving at work and in leadership. He also serves as the chairman of Axios HQ, a software company that helps organizations create essential communications. He was an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning docu-news series, “Axios on HBO” and co-author of Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less.
Before Axios, VandeHei co-founded and was CEO of Politico, the media company that upended and revolutionized political and policy journalism in Washington, New York, and Europe. Overseeing both the editorial and business teams, VandeHei was the leading strategist behind its highly scalable and successful business model. Prior to this, VandeHei spent more than a decade as a reporter, covering the Presidency and Congress for The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. He was named National Editor of the Year in 2016. VandeHei is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Melissa “Missy” Hughes is secretary and CEO of WEDC, Wisconsin’s lead economic development organization. Before joining WEDC in October 2019, she was general counsel and chief mission officer at Organic Valley.
Her previous positions include associate attorney at the firm of Holland & Hart, where she practiced in the areas of natural resources, construction litigation and corporate business transactions.
She served on the boards of the Environmental Working Group and the Organic Trade Association, where she was a three-term board president. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture appointed Hughes to the USDA Advisory Committee on Agriculture and Biotechnology in the 21st Century.
Hughes received her bachelor of arts in political science from Georgetown University and juris doctor degree from the University of Wyoming College of Law.
Ann Franz is the executive director of the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance. She has led the organization, since its inception in 2006. The over 300 members, mostly manufacturers employ 52 percent of the entire manufacturing workforce in the region. The NEW Manufacturing Alliance has been recognized nationally and internationally as a best practice in public/private partnerships. Mrs. Franz has presented at conferences throughout the on to develop and grow industry sector partnerships. She also spoke at an international conference in Italy on sector Alliances. The Alliance has received both state and international awards including from the Department of Public Instruction, ACTE’s Business; Education Partnership award and Frost; Sullivan’s Manufacturing Leadership Council’s Talent Management award.
Mrs. Franz earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh and her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations from Northern Michigan University.
She is on the Wisconsin’s Governor’s Council on Workforce Investment, Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce’s Partners in Education Board, Wisconsin Technology Education Association Advisory Board, and served as the Vice Chair of the National Shipbuilding Research Program’s Workforce Development Panel
NEW Compost LLC, presented by Connor Freimuth: Partnering with plant cultivator, the company will maximize profits by utilizing sustainable eco-friendly organic products and methodologies to reduce the need for century-old conventional cultivation practices. It repopulates and sustains a living ecosystem in the soil, marketing to houseplant owners, landscape professionals and local homeowners with outdoor landscape plants/lawns, aspiring towards large-scale agriculture.
Preempt Physical Therapy, LLC, presented by Sara Ziegele: Helps workers recover from costly preventive overuse injuries, educating people on the ‘why’ behind their injuries while translating it to safer, more sustainable work and providing the workforce with powerful education before injuries occur, workdays are lost and employers pay the high price of healthcare. This is done through workplace risk analysis, employee educational seminars and corporate wellness support.
Kids in Combat Boots, presented by Deanne Herber: Recognizes military children for their service to our country with a sustained recognition program, resources and a globally accessible community. It shares military children’s stories in a manner that builds community through common experiences and resources, using a shared network and technology that recognizes students through award accommodation.
Michelle Schuler leads TechSpark Wisconsin, an initiative of Microsoft that works to promote economic and workforce development in Northeast Wisconsin through computer science education, job skilling, digital equity and access, and supporting the startup ecosystem. Some of its investments include TitletownTech, Microsoft TEALS program, CW Talent Ecosystem Youth and gener8tor Upskilling. Schuler is also a co-founder and state president of Women in Technology Wisconsin Inc., the state’s largest member organization of female leaders in the technology industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Shivaram heads Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, a Manitowoc-based provider of aluminum- and copper-base alloy castings for multiple industries, including automotive, heavy truck and medical equipment. He relocated to the New North region in 2016 and joined Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry in June 2019. Previous to that, Shivaram held a variety of leadership roles within the industrial manufacturing industry, covering aluminum extrusions, steel and steel pipe, and metallics. Shivaram holds a bachelor’s degree in history & literature from Harvard University, a law degree from Yale Law School and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Cambridge.
Austin Skalecki is a singer-songwriter born and raised in Wisconsin set out on a journey to travel and share life experiences through his songwriting. Diving into Austin’s music you will discover heartfelt lyrics, singable guitar riffs, wailing harmonica, and foot stomping melodies.
Jill Enos is an experienced investor and operator in early-stage ventures. Prior to TitletownTech, Jill worked with Fortune 50 innovation leaders at StageThree to create, build, and spin out new ventures and capabilities. She co-founded and led the New Venture Foundry, an early-stage investment group providing seed capital and mentorship to regional startups. Jill also founded the Fox Connection, a collaboration of regional public and private universities to advance entrepreneurial opportunities and support for area college students.
Prior to returning to the Midwest from Washington DC, Jill was part of the leadership team at a venture-backed enterprise software services company that was acquired by AT&T. Earlier in her career she worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Jill has a BA in political science from the Honors College at Michigan State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Abi is an attorney, author, and lifelong food allergy sufferer.
She was named to Business Insider’s 2019 Top 100 Coolest People in Food & Drink. Her work has been published in several well-known periodicals and journals, including Forbes and The Atlantic, and her research has been featured in The Economist. Abi authored two guidebooks on corporate social responsibility, published by Patagonia & Yale.
She holds advanced degrees from Vermont Law School and Yale University, and is the co-inventor on one issued patent.
Abi is committed to making the world a safer place for the food allergy community, and using business as a force for good.
LOCATION: Lambeau Field
1265 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, WI 54304
Interested in becoming a sponsor for the largest regional economic development networking event? Contact us today at [email protected] or 920.336.3860.
