conventionguide

Chairman's Welcome

The Convention Committee, IGIA staff and I are excited to be back in Coralville with such a strong lineup of events, speakers and networking opportunities. We’re especially excited to be trying a new format for our IGEF fundraising with our Kickoff Night at PinSeekers! It’s sure to be a lively two days convening with folks from across the grocery industry. Enjoy the entertainment, the insights from our great speakers, and the many opportunities to get connected with longtime industry friends and new connections alike!

Sincerely,
Scott Barnard
Hiland Dairy
2024 IGIA Convention Committee Chairman

Don't forget to pick up your Premier Sponsor Perks Pack at the Convention Check-In table!

IGIA Premier Sponsors are foundational for the strength and success of the association. Thank you to our amazing sponsors for their support and for providing these awesome perks to Convention attendees!

Schedule

Wednesday, September 11, 2024
4:00 pm – 6:00pm Convention Check-in – Hyatt Recency Hotel & Conference Center
4:00 pm Hotel Check-in starts
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm VIP Premier Sponsor Reception (Invitation only)
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Gallo Kickoff Night at Pinseekers — Education Foundation Fundraiser

(Requires separate registration — Register here if you haven't already)
PinSeekers: 1515 Andersen Place, Tiffin, IA
Free shuttle will pick up at the Hyatt lobby starting at 5:30 pm and will return starting at 8:30 pm. Will run every 20 minutes.

9:30 pm Informal After Hours – 30hop

Thursday, September 12, 2024
6:30 am – 7:30 am Check-In and Breakfast
7:30 am – 8:30 am Erik Therwanger, Leading Through Chaos
8:30 am – 9:30 am Kevin Kush, Championship Traits of Teammates & Leaders
9:30 am – 9:45 am Refreshment Break
9:45 am – 10:15 am Legislative Update
10:15 am – 10:45 am Annual Meeting – IGIA Highlights, Financial Report, Board and Officer Elections

Board Member Recognition
Chairman Recognition & Gift Presentation
Outgoing Chairman Remarks
Incoming Chairman Remarks

10:45 am – 11:15 am Successful Iowa Business – Cylinder Express

12:00 pm – 3:30 pm Explore Coralville Tour – Meet in Hyatt lobby at 11:55
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm IGIA Golf Tournament – Brown Deer Golf Club, Coralville

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm Cocktail Reception – Coral Ballroom
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Jan Jensen, Iowa Hawkeyes Women's Head Basketball Coach

8:00 pm Informal After Hours – Iowa Athletic Club

Dress Code

Wednesday at PinSeekers: Suggested attire for Wednesday night is casual. Comfortable golf attire or resort attire are appropriate. The golf bays are outdoors (and heated if it’s chilly), so weather-appropriate layers are recommended.

Thursday: Business casual, so feel free to be comfortable in khaki pants, slacks, short-sleeved polo shirts and long-sleeved shirts (no ties or jackets needed). We recommend dressing in layers or bringing along a light sweater as temperatures will vary in meeting rooms. We also suggest you wear your golf attire to Thursday morning’s activities, so it’s an easy transition to the afternoon IGIA Golf Tournament for those registered.

Event Highlights

Premier Sponsor VIP Reception
4:30–5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11
(By invitation only)

IGIA Premier Sponsors continually go above and beyond in supporting the Association and its many members. The financial investment that Premier Sponsors make each year helps the IGIA continue to offer quality programs and services and keeps the cost of membership affordable for us all. The VIP Premier Sponsor Reception is just one way we like to say thank you.

Gallo Kickoff Night at PinSeekers
6–9 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11

Join us for a fun night of games, dinner, and networking at the newly-opened Pinseekers in nearby Tiffin! With hybrid golf, duckpin bowling, and other fun games, there's something for everyone! Plus, endless opportunity to connect with Convention attendees in a casual, lively atmosphere.

All proceeds from Kickoff Night will benefit the IGEF, which awards scholarships to youth with ties to the grocery industry.

Explore Coralville
12-3:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 12
Meet in Hyatt lobby at 11:55am (walking tour)

11:55: Meet at the Hyatt Regency (hotel) lobby
12:15 p.m.: Lunch at Iowa Athletic Club
1:30 p.m.: Shopping Iowa River Landing on East 2nd Avenue
2:45 p.m.: Backpocket Brewery Tour + Sampling
3:30 p.m.: Return to Hyatt Regency

IGIA Convention Golf Tournament
12:00-5:00 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 12
Brown Deer Golf Club, Coralville

The IGIA Get Connected Convention features a great golf experience, including one-of-a-kind networking opportunities, special prizes and a great day of golf as participants head to Brown Deer Golf Club. Prizes will be awarded at the check-in table at the Hyatt after golf.

Sponsored by Frito-Lay, Mueller Yurgae Associates and Pepsi Beverages

Speakers

Erik Therwanger — Leading Through Chaos

Erik Therwanger is one of the nation’s leading thinkers on issues of personal growth, professional development and organizational excellence. Understanding the challenges faced by businesses striving for greater results, Therwanger focuses on the skills he honed in the U.S. Marine Corps, the financial services industry and the entertainment industry, to impact growth-oriented companies and their teams.

Kevin Kush — Championship Traits of Teammates & Leaders

Kevin Kush has been involved in coaching and teaching for over thirty years. Coach Kush spent 21 of those years working with at-risk youth at Boys Town in Omaha Nebraska. As a head football coach, he compiled a remarkable record of 164 wins and just 58 losses with 13 of those teams finishing in the top 10. Mr. Kush now shares his experiences with a variety of groups including teachers, youth organizations, and companies. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in marketing and business education, and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska in vocational and adult education. Mr. Kush was featured on ABC World News Tonight as their Person of the Week.

Cylinder Express — Successful Iowa Business

Cylinder Express has been in business since 1993. It is a subsidiary of Johnson Propane Heating and Cooling Company of Battle Creek, Iowa, which has been in business since 1945 and sits on the west side of Battle Creek in northwest Iowa. Cylinder Express operates as an Iowa-based propane, cylinder exchange and HVAC dealer.

Cylinder Express has over 800 exchange locations throughout Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and a small mark in Minnesota. The company serves grocery stores, convenient stores and hardware stores; and provides about 170,000 grill tanks for their vendors. Cylinder Express also offers 33-pound forklift cylinders to manufacturers, warehouses, grocery stores, hardware stores and seed companies. Cylinder Express is family owned and has 30 full-time employees.

Jan Jensen — Evening Keynote Speaker

Jan Jensen is in her 25th season with the Iowa women’s basketball team and her first as the head coach. She has helped guide Iowa to 22 postseason appearances including 18 NCAA Tournaments. Jensen was instrumental in mentoring the Hawkeyes to five Big Ten Tournament titles, including three straight, and sharing two regular season conference championships. Jensen and the Hawkeyes advanced to back-to-back National Championships in 2023 and 2024.

Coach Jensen is a native of Kimballton, Iowa, and played her college ball under Coach Lisa Bluder at Drake University, earning a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 1991, followed by a master’s degree in higher education in 1996. After college, Coach Jensen played professionally in the European Professional Basketball League for BTV-Wuppertal in Germany, winning the German Cup. She began her coaching career at her alma mater in 1993 as an assistant to Coach Bluder at Drake. She joined Coach Bluder’s coaching staff at the University of Iowa in 2000 and became associate head coach in 2004.

Coach Jensen and her spouse, Julie Fitzpatrick, have a son, Jack, and a daughter, Janie.

Convention Committee

Joel Allen, Hy-Vee
Scott Barnard, Chairman, Hiland Dairy
JD Campbell, Hy-Vee
Erin Demichelis, Hy-Vee
Mike Foell, Bimbo Bakeries USA
Ryan Gay, Capital City Fruit
Bob Gostomski, Mueller Yurgae Associates
Kyle Peterson, Bimbo Bakeries USA

Steven Peterson, Fareway Stores
Tracy Prouty, SpartanNash
John Rasley, Gallo
Alex Smith, American Pop Corn
Jeff Stearns, Fareway Stores
Jeremy Thompson, Sazerac
Jerud Thompson, Fareway Stores
Chris Yurgae, Mueller Yurgae Associates

2024 Convention Guide