Annual Convention Speakers

sharing their expertise and insight

NARA Opening General Session Keynote Speaker

Scott Shellady

The Cow Guy Close

Scott will present during Wednesday's NARA Opening General Session.

Scott has a broad and strong range of technical and trade experience in cash equities, commodities, and financial products in the three main geographies of North America, Europe, and Asia. From 1990 to 1993, after graduating with a finance degree from the University of Colorado in 1988, Scott was the European Managing Partner of Prime International Trading London, a proprietary options trading group based out of Chicago. He built the group up to one of the largest options proprietary trading firms on the London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE) and was responsible for all aspects of firm management, from risk controls to regulatory reports.  

In 1993, Scott built a similar group for Muirpace Ltd. as a board member and Director, which was sold and merged into Speer Leeds in 1995. Scott was then retained by Deutsche Bank AG as an Associate Director Level 3 to revitalize all their financial options execution on the floors of London and any exchange staffed by Deutsche Bank personnel in Europe.   

In 1998, Scott was hired by The Industrial Bank of Japan – (now Mizuho) to become the Managing Director of their London futures operations overseeing all aspects of the futures division of a large triple A rated, international investment bank. During this same period, Scott was helping to get patsystems plc off the ground as a technology company for electronic futures trading. Scott was the first shareholder after the founder and committed time and resource from 1996 to 2000 when he was named Chief Operating Officer for a listing in March of 2000 on the London Stock Exchange raising over $100 million US Dollars leading to an over $400 million market cap.   

After almost 16 years in London, Scott returned to Chicago to run a small family investment business that was started over 50 years ago. Scott grew up working on the family dairy farm in Northwest Illinois where they grew corn and beans as well as tending to the dairy herd.

Currently, Scott is back from London. He can frequently be seen wearing his trademark ‘Cow Jacket’ hosting his own show on RFD – TV ‘The Cow Guy Close’ or on CNBC Europe, Bloomberg, CNN, BBC, and Fox Business News. Most recently Scott has added both radio and print to his media mix with radio gigs on AM560 in Chicago and on WJOB Indiana as well as having been a weekly contributor to the Northwest Indiana Times, The Omaha World Herald, and the Lincoln Journal Star. Scott currently resides in Nashville. He is a citizen of both the U.S. and European Union.

NARA Welcome Luncheon Guest Speaker

Steve Rizzo

The Attitude Adjuster

Steve will present during Wednesday's NARA Welcome Luncheon.

Steve offers more than the usual nuts and bolts on how to succeed. He stresses the importance of enjoying yourself during the process of achieving your goals, and building a solid foundation to stand on when all else fails, because he absolutely knows that no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, attitude is everything. 

When Steve Rizzo shares his blueprint for success with Fortune 500 companies and associations across the globe, he delivers a powerful message for living an extraordinary life, because he lives the Common Sense Success Strategies that have made him a member of prestigious Speakers Hall of Fame—an honor bestowed on fewer than 250 speakers worldwide since 1977. 

Steve is the author of the bestselling books Motivate THIS! and Get Your SHIFT Together. He is a regular contributor for Success magazine and often called upon as the go-to guy on the topic of personal and professional development for many network, cable and radio media outlets. 

FPRF INNOVATE Conference

Dr. Martin Alm

European Fat Processors and Renderers Association

Martin will present "Experience With GFLI" during Tuesday's FPRF INNOVATE Conference.

Dr. Martin Alm studied chemistry at the Technical University of Braunschweig. In 1998 he started his career at SARIA Bio-Industries, responsible for “Research and Development” and “Regulatory Affairs” representing SARIA and Germany in different national and international interest groups and research committees.  Since 2009, Dr. Alm is the director of “Dr. Alm Research and Consulting GmbH” and Technical Director of EFPRA, European Fat Processors and Renderers Association. He is also a member of the scientific advisory panel of the World Renderers Organisation (WRO) whose president he was from 2019 to 2021. Since 2005 he has joined the FPRF Research committee.

FPRF INNOVATE Conference

Dr. Hélène Dieck

Neste

Hélène will present "Value of a sustainability audit" during Tuesday's FPRF INNOVATE Conference.

Hélène Dieck is responsible for implementing Neste's Sustainability Vision in the Americas. Prior to joining Neste, Hélène started her career at the French Ministry of Defense and later worked for the Qatar Foundation and Shell. Hélène earned her Ph.D in Political Science from Sciences Po, Paris.

FPRF INNOVATE Conference

Dr. Jennifer Martin

Colorado State University

Jennifer will present "Sustainable recruiting and training practices" during Tuesday's FPRF INNOVATE Conference.

Jennifer is an Associate Professor in Meat Safety and Quality and Meat Extension Specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University. In 2022, Jennifer was named a Presidential Leadership Fellow and currently spends part of her time assisting in strategic initiatives from the President’s Office. She is originally from Central Texas and received her M.S. (2010) and Ph.D. (2014) from Texas Tech University before joining the Colorado State University faculty in the Spring of 2015.

Jennifer has an active research program focused on the quality and safety of meat and related products. Her program seeks to explore opportunities and the development of solutions with and for industry partners.  In addition to research, Jennifer works closely with meat and livestock industry members across Colorado and the nation. Notably, she is the coordinator of the Pet Food Alliance, a collaborative industry organization focused on exploring solutions for the pet food and rendering industries. She also serves as the co-leader for the Upskilling Initiative, a workforce development and innovative educational program within the College of Agricultural Sciences which seeks to provide novel career pathways for the agri-food industries. She also plays an active role in on campus programs, including the Provost’s Council for Engagement, Faculty Council, and numerous Department and University committees.

In addition to her University work, Jennifer is actively involved in numerous livestock organizations across the country. Jennifer, her husband Chad, and their dog Mel, live in Timnath, CO.

FPRF INNOVATE Conference

Laura Nobel

Global Feed LCA Institute

Laura will present "GFLI, supporting the global metrics for sustainable feed" during Tuesday's FPRF INNOVATE Conference.

Laura was born and raised in Rotterdam, the most international city of The Netherlands. She is in charge of the overall management for the Global Feed LCA Institute. The institute is an independent feed industry initiative. It has the vision of becoming the global reference of feed LCA data through a high quality database measured through a transparent, harmonized methodology. Laura’s role is contributing to the bigger picture, stimulating companies to prioritize sustainability through the LCA method, and finding synergies with relevant stakeholders. On the day-to-day basis, she engages in nearly all aspects of maintaining and growing the institute. Such as preparing key meetings and working groups like the Technical Management Committee and the Board of Directors, coordinating communication streams, drafting documentations, and developing and maintaining relevant partnerships.

Employed as project coordinator at consultancy company Agribusiness Service (ABS) since 2020, she has the support of her professional colleagues that offers a variety of expertise for their (agriculture-related) clients. While Laura enjoys the many opportunities and challenges the GFLI offers, her workplace at ABS facilitates the opportunity to act in diverse projects and gaining insights on both national and international developments in sustainable agriculture.

Before graduating in a Masters in animal science at Wageningen University, Laura developed a passion for sustainability and social matters. This led her to follow courses on (social) entrepreneurship, volunteer at a start-up company developing a floating farm, and find ways to integrate those interests into her study life. Her ambitions can also be found in her personal life, as she enjoys thrifting or upcycling clothes and finding alternative shopping solutions against plastic packaging  as her personal tribute to create a more sustainable world.

NARA Industry Issues Forum

Chef Pete Geoghegan

Cargill North American Protein Group

Chef Pete will present "Cooking with Animal Fats" during Thursday's Industry Issues Forum.

Pete joined Cargill Meat Solutions in March 2004 after working in several areas of the foodservice industry (Supermarkets, Catering, Fine Dining, Country Clubs, and Corporate Dining). Chef Pete Geoghegan brought over 20 years of extensive and diverse experience to the position of Corporate Chef, Research and Development at Cargill Meat Solutions’ Culinary Center of Excellence in Wichita, KS. Chef Geoghegan served as a resource for product, recipe and menu development, product evaluations and demonstrations, cooking and product handling recommendations and sensory evaluation. In late 2009 Pete relocated to Cincinnati, OH and joined Brand Management Solutions LLC. (Owned by Cargill) that exclusively works with the Kroger Co. In this role Pete was the culinary resource for the Kroger Corporate Deli/Prepared Foods team. He collaborated with Chefs from all of Kroger’s divisions across the USA to bring consistency to many of Kroger’s food programs. In late 2013 he moved back to Wichita as Sr. Corporate Chef in Cargill’s new Culinary Innovation Center where he works with a team of R&D Scientists, Marketing and Sales on products for Cargill’s many Retail and Foodservice customers. In the fall of 2015 Pete was promoted to Culinary Director of Cargill Meat Solutions in Wichita. This role included the same duties as his last role with the additions of Strategic and Team Development. Cargill Meat Solutions went through a large transformation which changed the way we go to market and work with our customers. In the new Cargill North American Protein Group, Pete’s focus was on the new Ingredient and International Channel which focuses on some of our top manufacturing partners, expanding our overall Protein presence in the international markets we service and focusing on the growth of the Sterling Silver Beef brand through culinary engagement. In 2023 Pete became Director of Culinary for Cargill’s North American Protein group leading a team of 9 chefs who focus on our Customers, Innovation and spreading the food culture throughout Cargill.

Pete is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). After graduating with honors, Geoghegan taught at the CIA as a Fellow (assistant instructor) in Seafood Cookery and Fabrication and in the American Bounty Restaurant.

NARA Industry Issues Forum

Kevin Good

Cattlefax

Kevin will present "Looking to the Future: The U.S. and Global Livestock Industry & Sustainability" during Thursday's Industry Issues Forum.

Kevin is Vice President of Industry Relations & Analysis at CattleFax, an organization focused on helping member cattle producers make more profitable marketing and management decisions. Kevin joined CattleFax in 1982 and works with agricultural companies to explain changes taking place in farm commodities, with an emphasis on animal proteins. He analyzes interactions between supply, demand, production trends, weather and other factors affecting markets.

Kevin grew up on a purebred cow/calf operation and graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in animal science. At Kansas State, he was a member of the meats and the livestock judging teams. Kevin and his wife have three grown children.

NARA Industry Issues Forum

J. Alan Weber

MARC-IV

Alan will present "The Future of the Biomass-based Diesel Industry and Low Carbon Feedstocks" during Thursday's NARA Industry Issues Forum.

Alan is a founding partner of MARC-IV, a consulting company that fosters the development of biobased innovations, and has been involved with biodiesel commercialization activities since 1991. He currently helps lead the annual economic effort to examine the impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) which have helped to quantify the economic benefits associated with increased biodiesel & renewable diesel use and create markets for US farmers. Alan is a nationally-known economist with extensive experience in the soybean industry, including cover crop analysis in row crop production.  He also is a producer himself, farming almost 900 acres with his family in Central Missouri and using cover crops on many of those acres.  Alan has an M.S. degree in Agriculture Economics from the University of Missouri.

International Market Forum

George Chamberlain

The Center for Responsible Seafood

George will present during Friday's International Market Forum.

George started his aquaculture career in 1975 as a researcher, instructor, and Extension Aquaculture Specialist at Texas A&M University. For the next ten years, he directed the aquaculture programs at Ralston Purina International and Monsanto. From 1999 to 2020, he founded and managed several shrimp breeding, nutrition, and farming companies ultimately known as Kona Bay with operations in Malaysia, Brunei, and Hawaii. Concurrent with his commercial activities, George served as a Board member and President of the World Aquaculture Society and later helped found both the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GSA) and The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS). He served for 25 years as President of GSA and now leads TCRS, where he launched a successful Shrimp Summit in Vietnam earlier this year in collaboration with NARA to help guide the sector toward a more efficient and sustainable future.