Champaign, IL
#AgTech16
research park
un iversity of illin ois urbana champaign
COLLEGE OF
OFFICE OF
CORPORATE RELATIONS
Dear Friend,
Laura Frerichs,
Pradeep Khanna,
Neal Merchen,
research park
university of illinois urbana champaign
COLLEGE OF
OFFICE OF
CORPORATE RELATIONS
8:00AM
8:30AM
Registration
Opening Remarks
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8:45AM
Morning Keynote
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9:15AM
10:15AM
Moderated Discussion
15 MINUTE BREAK
10:45AM
Future of Food
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11:25AM
Moderated Discussion
12:00PM
12:30pM
Lunch Buffet
From Academic Life to Foods Entrepreneurs
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Wes Jarrell and Leslie Cooperband, Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery
15 MINUTE BREAK
1:10pM
Entrepreneurial Resources
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1:40pM
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2:20pM
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2:55pm
Closing Remarks
Be sure to visit the Lincoln Break Room
coffee and water service, vendors and resources, casual networking
AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY
INNOVATION SUMMIT
2016
8:00AM
8:30AM
Opening Remarks
Laura Frerichs, Director of University of Illinois Research Park
Laura Frerichs is the Director of University of Illinois Research Park and the Director of Economic Development for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. Her responsibilities include managing startup company services at the EnterpriseWorks technology incubator, marketing the Research Park, and supporting the Universitys economic development
efforts. Laura has developed innovative entrepreneur support programs and attracted many
new companies interested in engaging with the University of Illinois. Laura is a graduate of
the University of Illinois College of Media.
8:45AM
Morning Keynote
Lee Strom, Director of Farm Illinois, and Tyler Strom, Manager of Farm Illinois, will present its bold strategic
plan to develop Illinois and the Chicago region into a global hub for food and agriculture innovation. They will
show how we can address the challenges of local food security and sustainability.
9:15AM
Learn more about how data analytics, GPS, drones and the Cloud are revolutionizing how growers conduct
their daily operations and forecast into the future. The panel discussion will be moderated by Rob Dongoski,
Partner and Global Agribusiness Leader at Ernst & Young.
10:15AM
10:45AM
Future of Food
Roger Vanhoy, University of Illinois Corporate Relations Director of Life Sciences, leads a panel discussion on
how technological innovations are changing the way we produce, process and distribute our food.
Jeffrey Castilo is the Quality and Food Safety Senior Manager for the Americas at Barilla Group. He is
responsible for Quality and Food Safety for the Americas, and operates within the Research, Development and Quality (RDQ) Americas Unit, and works closely with the Global RDQ Excellence Center of
Parma.
11:25AM
12:00PM
Lunch Buffet
12:30PM
Lunch Keynote
Leslie Cooperband & Wes Jarrell, Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Leslie Cooperband and Wes Jarrell own and operate Prarie Fruits Farm & Creamery, Illinois first
licensed goat dairy and farmstead creamery. For more than a decade, they have produced artisan goat
cheeses and goat milk gelato, and have hosted farm-to-table meals, tours, workshops and private
events.
1:10PM
Entrepeneurial Resources
1:40PM
2:20PM
Investors
2:55PM
Closing Remarks