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 – Musical Entertainment provided by Franki
Moscato; Interactive Games, Mascots, Gift Baskets provided by Higher Education in the New North
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.
Mary Goggans is an accomplished executive and board member with extensive experience across various industries, including consumer goods, paper and specialty chemicals. Known for her innovative leadership style, Mary has a strong track record of fostering cultures that drive consistent double-digit organic growth.
One of Mary’s notable achievements includes founding Encapsys, LLC, a pioneering microencapsulation company that gained international recognition for its innovative solutions. Under her stewardship, Encapsys flourished and was eventually acquired by Milliken & Company.
In addition to her professional endeavors, Mary is dedicated to community service. She serves on the boards of ThedaCare North Region, Fox Valley Humane Society and the New North, Inc. Mary holds a bachelor of science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia.
Oliver Mihm is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Plexus Corp., which is globally headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin. He is responsible for overseeing the company’s operational model while advancing its commitment to flawless execution and customer service excellence. Oliver holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in international business from Marquette University. Mihm’s presentation will highlight Plexus’s sustainability journey by harnessing innovation and technology.
This innovative housing program was created through the public-private partnership of four privately-held companies – Johnsonville, Kohler Co., Sargento and Masters Gallery, with the support of Sheboygan County and the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation. The purpose is to increase housing availability for talent recruitment efforts and address the lack of entry-level homes available to workers seeking to live and work in Sheboygan County. Through this collaboration and funding, the Live Work Housing Program has been recognized statewide and nationally as a best practice in addressing local housing needs.
Don Hammond, CFP®, AIF®, MBA, is Senior Vice President and Managing Partner at Merit Financial Advisors, where he leverages over 25 years of experience to provide clients with comprehensive financial, estate, and investment planning services. In addition to his role at Merit, he serves as Chair of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) Board of Directors, contributing to the region’s economic growth and development.
Steve Westphal serves as a senior attorney at Kohler Co., where he specializes in corporate, antitrust, and trade law. He also contributes to the community as president of the board of directors at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.
Jeff Gentine is the President and CEO of Masters Gallery Foods, a leading national cheese supplier based in Plymouth, Wisconsin, with over 1,100 employees and $1.7 billion in annual sales. A third-generation leader in the cheese industry, Gentine joined the family business in 1996 and became CEO in 2017, continuing a legacy that began with his grandfather, Leonard Gentine Sr., founder of Sargento Foods, and his father, Leonard
“Butch” Gentine Jr., founder of Masters Gallery Foods.
Louie Gentine is Chairman and CEO of Sargento Foods, a third-generation family-owned company where he has held diverse leadership roles and guided strategic growth since becoming CEO in 2013. With a deep commitment to innovation, community, and family legacy, Louie continues to drive Sargento’s mission to be the most innovative, best-loved real food company.
Alayne Krause serves as the County Administrator for Sheboygan County, providing executive leadership and oversight across all county operations, including managing department heads, executing the annual budget, and ensuring effective service delivery to taxpayers. Under her guidance, Sheboygan County continues to be recognized for its responsive, efficient governance, supporting 19 departments, 875 employees, and over 200 community programs.
Akeem Shannon is a Story Architect, serial entrepreneur, and dynamic speaker who helps businesses and organizations scale through the power of strategic storytelling. As the founder of Flipstik, he took a late-night idea inspired by NASA technology and transformed it into a nationally recognized brand, earning a deal on Shark Tank, distribution in over 3000 retailers including Target and AT&T and a spot on Inc. Magazine’s 50 Fastest Growing Consumer Brands. His journey—from college dropout to CEO—is a testament to the power of resilience, reinvention, and relentless storytelling.
Akeem’s expertise in business storytelling has led him to share insights on some of the world’s biggest stages, including SXSW and CES, and earned him invitations to speak at Salesforce, Facebook, Google, and other industry leaders. He works with founders, executives, and organizations to help them refine their messaging, captivate their audience, and build brands that resonate.
Through his 3456 Storytelling Framework, Akeem teaches businesses how to craft compelling narratives that convert audiences into loyal customers, engaged employees, eager investors, and passionate advocates. Whether guiding a startup to a winning pitch or helping a Fortune 500 leader communicate with impact, Akeem’s mission is simple:
Your business grows when your story flows!
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
An afternoon breakout session will be presented by Mike Lee on New Rules for the Future of Leadership: How to Elevate Engagement, Win the War for Talent and Create a Culture of Belonging.
In a world of disruption, change, and adversity Mike Lee helps individual contributors, leaders, and organizations activate the purpose-driven, future-focused, and heart-centered skills that drive engagement, win the war for talent and create cultures of belonging.
Mike’s engaging, inspiring, and interactive programs at F500 companies and professional associations like Morgan Stanley, AmFam, Cisco, SHRM and IBM have earned rave reviews from bold and driven leaders. He’s delivered this approach through keynotes in packed ballrooms of a thousand where he’s shared the stage with cultural icons and speakers such Mike Tyson, Eric Thomas and Jesse Itzler, as well as, intimate workshops with 10-person senior leadership teams. Mike has been described as “the easiest and most conscientious speaker I’ve worked with”, “the perfect choice to kick off our event” and having “an impeccable ability to tell a story”.
For 15 years, he worked with some of basketball’s elite earning testimonials from NBA players such as MVP Steph Curry. Through his experience building an international basketball brand from his college apartment, and growing it while battling anxiety and depression, Mike understands the challenges leaders face in this volatile, uncertain, and complex world. His unique combination of personal adversity and basketball background gives him the ability to connect in a vulnerable and authentic way with a diverse range of audiences from the stage. His latest book, The New Rules For The Future of Leadership, has been endorsed by the likes of the Nieman Marcus Chief People and Belonging Officer and other Fortune 500 leaders.
Kristin’s Kitchen Bakery, presented by Kristin Lambrecht:
Peggy Bakes, presented by Peggy Sonnenburg:
Creative Crusts Pizza, presented by Shawn Brokaw:
A dynamic entrepreneur and forward-thinking leader, Anna Steinfest brings over 20 years of expertise in developing business mentorship and partnership programs designed to empower local enterprises. As President/CEO of AFF Resources, LLC (AFFR) and co-creator of the renowned Green Bay Packers’ Mentor-Protégé Program, Anna has consistently driven sustainable growth through innovative leadership initiatives.
Holding a Master’s degree in Economics, Anna’s creative focus is on cultivating leadership and teamwork by forging strategic community partnerships. Through her programs, small businesses gain invaluable access to mentorship, specialized training, and connections with established community leaders, resulting in a proven track record of job creation and enduring economic development.
Maria Perl is the owner of Spark Ops Metalworks, a woman and minority-owned metal fabrication company in Fond du Lac, WI that provides end-to-end manufacturing and other fabrication services to both local and global clients.
Before her tenure with Spark Ops starting in 2022, Maria worked as Chief Doctor and Chief of Medical Area in Mexico before moving to the United States in 2018. She has diversified her career into various sectors, including research, management, operations, and human resources.
Maria was selected for this year’s Packers Mentor-Protégé Program, a year-long program pairing 15 participants with mentors. She was paired with Jim Filter, Executive Vice President at Schneider National. Maria will have the opportunity to learn from Jim’s extensive experience and knowledge in various business aspects.
Maria graduated from Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina in Cuba as a Doctor in Medicine and is continuing her education with a masters program focused in Neuro Linguistic Programming.
A native of Oshkosh, Franki Moscato is a 23-year-old professional musician who has performed at over five hundred community events. At 16, Franki won the Golden Ticket to Hollywood on the 2019 season of ABC’s American Idol.
She is well known for performing patriotic music and has sung the Anthem for NASCAR, the Green Bay Packers, the Milwaukee Bucks, Miss Wisconsin Pageants, and the President of the United States. Franki has been in front of the camera since a young age and has appeared in several award-winning music videos and films as a stage and film actress.
In addition, she travels the country, giving school lectures where she speaks and performs music on the topics of kindness, anti-bullying, and suicide prevention. Her non-profit entity, the Franki Moscato Foundation, raises funds to fight teen suicide in Wisconsin.
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.
For more information about New North, Inc., go to: https://www.thenewnorth.com/
