KEYNOTE & GENERAL SESSION SPEAKERS

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Opening Keynote: Over the Wall Thinking 
Speaker: Andy Papathanassiou
Get ready to be inspired by "Over the Wall," a high-octane keynote fueled by Andy Papathanassiou’s groundbreaking 30-year NASCAR career. Discover how world-class pit crews—operating under immense pressure—deliver flawless teamwork, swift problem-solving, and relentless trust in every second. Andy brings these adrenaline-charged lessons to life, showing how their athletic mindset and culture of innovation can supercharge your business and leadership. Packed with behind-the-scenes stories and actionable strategies, this keynote will ignite your willingness to break through barriers, communicate fearlessly, and achieve more together. Leave energized, empowered, and ready to take your team’s performance to the next level—because in today’s fast-paced world, being good isn’t enough. It’s time to go Over the Wall!

About Andy: Andy Papathanassiou revolutionized NASCAR as the sport’s first pit crew coach with Hendrick Motorsports in 1992, helping lead Jeff Gordon’s #24 team to unprecedented success. A Stanford University graduate and former football player, Andy introduced an athletic, team-focused approach—centered on practice, coaching, and continuous improvement—that transformed how NASCAR teams recruit, train, and perform. His Over the Wall® philosophy has become the industry standard, contributing to over 250 wins and 16 championships. Today, Andy shares his expertise worldwide, focusing on high-performing teams, leadership, culture, and innovation.

General Session: My Way Highway: Navigating Uncertainty on the Road to Success 
Speaker: Alan Amling
The sign is clear: “Caution: Speed Bumps Ahead.” But which bumps are signals and which are noise? How will you guide your organization through the road hazards of digital, demographics, and diplomacy? Supply Chain Futurist Dr. Alan Amling combines new trends and timeless insights to demystify the road ahead and equip decision-makers with GPS navigation for a successful 2025 and beyond.

About Alan: Dr. Alan Amling is a TED speaker and supply chain transformation expert, named a Top 50 Global Thought Leader on Digital Disruption and a LinkedIn “Top Executive Management Voice.” A former UPS executive with a 27-year career, he draws on deep industry experience and research to guide businesses through digital change. Alan is the author of Organizational Velocity, and his expertise has been featured in leading publications such as Fortune, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. He currently teaches in the #1 ranked Master of Supply Chain program at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville and leads the advisory firm Thrive and Advance, LLC. Alan holds a Ph.D. in Management, an MBA, and a BA in Business and Psychology.

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Morning Keynote: Reclaim Your Workday: Accelerate Productivity, Navigate Distractions,  and Drive Results
Speaker: Marcey Rader
Struggling to stay focused between meetings, messages, and endless to-dos? Ready to optimize your workday and drive real progress? The modern workplace is filled with distractions, overloaded inboxes, and unproductive meetings. We’ve been conditioned to be reactive—constantly switching tasks, checking notifications, and trying to keep up—a recipe for exhaustion. True productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things, sustainably. Transform how you work in a fast-paced industry and get ready to cut the chaos, value your time, and design a workday that works for you, your team, and your company.

About Marcey: Marcey Rader is a multi-award-winning speaker, consultant, coach, and author focused on health- powered™ productivity after a preventable medical diagnosis shifted her relentless pursuit of more. As the founder of RaderCo, she's inspired people across five continents. As a Certified Speaking Professional®, Virtual Master Presenter®, and TEDx speaker, Marcey helps individuals and companies discover what truly matters, fostering sustainable habits to reclaim their workday, work well and play more!

General Session: AI Full Throttle 
Speaker: Jena Dunham
Ready to put AI to work for you? This fast-paced session introduces practical strategies for writing better prompts and using ChatGPT effectively. Learn how to unlock AI’s full potential to save time, spark creativity, and boost productivity — no technical background required.

About Jena: Jena is an Atlanta-based B2B marketer who loves diving into brand strategy and fine-tuning agency operations. She currently serves as the Vice President of Marketing & Creative Services for Etherio, an internationally ranked association management and strategic meeting planning company. Her strength is crafting and executing plans that boost brand growth and streamline processes for better efficiency and results. She was an early adopter of AI, and her goal is to leverage human creativity and available technologies to make her clients sound good and look good, with a pinch of healthy ROI. She has sailed around volcanic rocks in the Aegean Sea, played golf at the Old Course in St. Andrews, picnicked with a sunset view over the Grand Canyon, attended a bullfight in Seville, and had a monkey encounter on the Rock of Gibraltar. Professional motto: "All forward motion counts."

General Session: Elevate Your Focus: Drive Focus in a Distracted World
Speaker: Marcey Rader
Reach the end of the day low on willpower?
Feel decision fatigue from constant multitasking?
Ring, ping, buzz, knock! Distractions are lurking around every corner, ready to pounce on your attention. Fear not! You don't need a secret hideout to gain control.
Join us to learn how to ditch the noise and be present.

Closing Keynote: Gearing Up for 2026 
Speaker: Connor Lokar
Business cycle conditions are set to generally improve in 2026 (and beyond). It is important to know how much rise to expect, and for how long, for the general economy and specifically by markets. Additionally, we expect inflation pressures to heat up beginning in 2026 and in the following years. Beyond looking at the drivers of that inflation, we will present how much inflation to expect, and how high interest rates are likely to go through 2027. Not all markets and businesses are interest-rate sensitive. We will be looking at different relevant markets with an eye toward gauging how much of a headwind rising interest rates will present. Earlier-turning segments of the economy will need to know how soon they will likely experience business cycle degradation and to what extent. The presentation will cover markets specific to the audience along with ITR Economics’ outlook through 2027 for inflation, interest rates, downside risks, upside potential, and ITR Economics’ extended outlook for the 2030s where appropriate.

About Connor: Connor Lokar, senior forecaster at ITR Economics, is known for delivering authoritative, accurate, and engaging economic insights with humor and clarity. Since 2014, he has captivated audiences across North America with keynotes, workshops, and webinars that are both practical and actionable. As a trusted advisor, Connor consults with companies of all sizes to align strategy with custom forecasts, particularly specializing in construction and industrial markets. His expertise has been featured in outlets such as AMT Online, NTD, and The Epoch Times.