Executive Leadership Development Program at Cornell University Schedule

Sunday, March 27, 2022

6:30 PM - 7:15 PM

Reception

7:15 PM - 8:30 PM

Orientation Dinner

Monday, March 28, 2022

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Changing Dynamics of the Produce Marketplace

Our industry is evolving at a rapid pace. The pandemic has accelerated everything from how a customer shops to how they get their groceries delivered. Now more than ever, firms must have a clear strategy but also be agile enough to adapt and do it quickly. This session will cover the most relevant and important topics in the fresh produce sector.

10:15 AM - 11:45 AM

Leadership and Teams

You’ll explore the four paradigms of leadership and determine which is the best fir for your company. You will also receive feedback on your own leadership styles and discuss your own personal growth.

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM

Lunch

12:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Collaboration and Conflict Management

Given the current forces driving change and complexity in the business environment, it is more important than ever for managers to resolve conflicts and collaborate with colleagues. This session will focus on proven techniques to enhance performance on the conflict/negotiation/collaboration continuum.

2:45 PM - 4:15 PM

Critical Industry Issues

Jim Prevor is widely recognized as a leader in assessing the state of the perishable-food industries and analyzing the prospects for the retail and foodservice venues. In this session, Jim will provide his insight on a broad range of subjects — including food safety, genetically modified organisms, irradiation, consumer dynamics, the state of food prices, sustainability, and the competitive dynamics in the fresh-food retailing industry.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

The Global Produce Industry. Implications for the U.S.

Dr. Miguel Gómez will discuss the drivers and trends of international trade of fruits and vegetables. He will examine the interdependence of the U.S produce industry with global partners, both in exports and imports and address other factors affecting U.S. produce trade including trade agreements, tariffs on imports and exports and other policies affecting global produce supply chains.

10:15 AM - 11:45 AM

Strategic Sleep for Top Performance

This is an interactive session on identifying strategies to enhance sleep and optimize performance on a regular basis.

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Produce Strategy - Wegmans

Martha Hilton, VP of Produce and Floral at Wegmans Markets and IFPA Foundation Chair will share her view on the fresh produce and floral industry, evolving consumer and strategy at Wegmans Food Markets.

2:45 PM - 4:30 PM

Strategies for Growth in Entrepreneurial Environments

The acceleration of economic and competitive dynamics and the likelihood of macro-shocks such as information technology, pandemics, and climate change require us to think as entrepreneurs. You will engage in an exercise in ideation and teamwork to understand how to bring new business ideas to reality. We will explore entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, compare them to management, and induce techniques and processes to apply entrepreneurial approaches in business management.

5:15 PM - 7:00 PM

Dinner at Wegmans

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Leading with Heart

This interactive and thought-provoking executive session will provide you with the business case and the mindset and skill set of servant leadership. Through discussion, video scenarios, small group exercises and self-reflection, you will craft your personal vision for becoming a servant leader.

10:15 AM - 11:45 AM

Leading with Heart (continued)

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Workforce Issues

Workforce issues continue to challenge the fresh produce industry around the globe. This presentation explores economic trends, policies, and social changes that affect the agricultural workforce. You will develop fresh perspectives about workforce issues in your own organizations and supply chains, and new strategic thinking about how to develop and maintain an effective workforce.

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Industry Panel

Ed McLaughlin will moderate a candid discussion of corporate vision, management philosophies, and critical industry issues with an invited panel of leading industry senior executives.

5:15 PM - 8:00 PM

Dinner

Thursday, March 31, 2022

8:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Strategy

Discover how strategy is inherently different than operational effectiveness. Find out why executives must master this concept to ensure sustained, maximized performance.

10:00 AM - 11:45 AM

Decision Making

The ability to make effective and timely decisions is an essential skill for successful executives. Mastery of this skill influences all aspects of day-to-day operations as well as strategic planning and identifies decision traps and how they can be avoided. You will leave this session better equipped to confidently tackle decisions large or small.

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Decision Making (continued)

2:45 PM - 5:45 PM

Supply Chain Simulation

Gain firsthand experience managing inventories and back-orders. Learn why rational decision-making can lead to suboptimal performance in an environment where collaboration is absent.

6:15 PM - 8:30 PM

Reception and Dinner

Friday, April 1, 2022

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Managing Change

We all recognize the pressures driving changes in the industry but leading these changes can be frustrating. This session will examine the two most popular methodologies to managing change in organizations.

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Break/hotel check-out

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Forecast for the Future

In a provocative and interactive session, you’ll create your own consensus forecast for the future of the industry, and, in turn, develop strategies that will enable your firm to cope with and prepare for the future.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Certificate Presentation