Contributors

MARIA DUBUC

A creative and workflow expert in the retail landscape, Maria’s 30-year career translates branding experiences into eye-catching design that is unique and distinct for each client. he has created new private brands and redesigned/repositioned existing brands with leading retailers, while also implementing workflow management systems specifically tailored to the clients’ needs. Current clients include The Home Depot, Smart & Final, PetSmart, 7-Eleven, PriceSmart, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sprouts Farmers Market, WinCo Foods, Natural Grocers and more. With SKU counts from 1,000 to more than 10,000 annually.reinvention and innovative execution.

CHRISTOPHER DURHAM

Christopher Durham is the President of the Velocity Institute. Prior to this he founded the groundbreaking site My Private Brand. He is the co-founder of The Vertex Awards. He began his retail career building brands at Food Lion and Lowe’s Home Improvement. Durham has worked with retailers around the world, including Albertsons, Family Dollar, Petco, Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Metro Canada. Durham has published seven definitive books on private brands, including Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project and Vanguard: Vintage Originals.

HANS KRAAK

Hans Kraak is educated in biology and journalism and wrote three books about nutrition and health. He worked for the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food quality and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. As editor in chief he publishes in the Dutch Magazine for Nutrition and Dietetics, as a food and wine writer he published in Meininger’s Wine Business International and reports for PLMA Live EU and PLMA USA.

LIAN STEVENSON Director, Consulting Europe

& APAC-MEA Lian brings 19 years of experience delivering strategic content for a large portfolio of UK blue-chip retail brands. As part of SGK’s Consulting Team, she has delivered initiatives to help CPG clients such as Britvic, J&J, General Mills, and Iceland deliver improved supply chain workflows, increase speed to market, streamline resources, and reduce overall costs. Lian is Lean Six Sigma accredited and is a certified change management practitioner.

LYNDSAY STONE

Design Manager, MBD Lyndsay has 15+ years in the design industry, with food and beverage packaging as a significant focus. As Design Manager at MBD, she enjoys helping retailers and brands alike find their voice and express it through creative packaging design. She is always looking for ways to connect with, challenge, and lead clients so their design potentials are realized.

GEORGE PURO

President of the Puro Research Group, a market intelligence firm specializing in consumer insights, competitive/market intelligence and analysis. Puro’s services are designed to keep you abreast of the latest trends, make you look smart in presentations and help guide decision-making. The company has provided organizations and companies, ranging from Fortune 100 companies to startups, with aha! insights about competitors, customers and industries in a variety of topics and industries, including consumer products; retail; transportation, travel and hospitality; healthcare and health insurance; financial services and investment banking; traditional marketing, as well as digital and social media marketing.

PERRY SEELERT

A retail branding and marketing expert, with a passion for challenging conventional strategy and truths. Perry is the Strategic Partner and Co-founder of Emerge, a strategic marketing consultancy dedicated to helping Retailers, Manufacturers and Services grow exponentially and differentiate with purpose.