2026 Feature Speakers
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Time 3:30PM – 4:45PM – Part 1 – “The New Behavior of Hungry Consumers”
Speaker – Dr. Thomas Weinandy, Principal Research Economist at Upside
Dr. Weinandy kicks off his first talk by diving into the state of spending at restaurants and ice cream parlors. He will ignore media headlines and show actual data on how the food service and frozen treat sectors are performing nationally, focusing on the trends across important measures like check size, foot traffic, daily revenue, and consumer choice.
Friday, January 23, 2026
Time 8:45AM – 11:00AM – Part 2 – “The Changing Economic Climate: Will You Survive or Thrive?”
Tariffs & Inflation & Recessions, Oh My! In his second talk, Dr. Weinandy will explore the state of the U.S. economy and the forces shaping its next chapter. He will cover what matters to food service operators and what is likely to happen around prices, interest rates, household finances, and consumer sentiment. By the end, you will have a better grasp on such economic mysteries like; If consumers are so pessimistic, why do they keep spending? Which headwinds and tailwinds are most likely to change the economy tomorrow? What are the odds of a recession happening this year?
Dr. Thomas Weinandy holds a B.A. in Social Entrepreneurship from John Carroll University, an M.B.A. from Wheeling Jesuit University, and a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from Western Michigan University. He leads the company’s industry research and analyzes billions of real-world transactions to uncover meaningful trends in consumer behavior. His work helps retailers understand how price sensitivity, inflation, and competition affect where people shop – and what earns their repeat business.
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Time 2:00PM – 3:15PM – “Serving Smiles – Building Loyalty Through Customer Care”
Speaker – Cynthia Kay, Founder of Cynthia Kay & Company
Seminar details to follow.
Cynthia Kay is the founder of Cynthia Kay and Company, former Board Chair of the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM), and Chair of the SBAM Political Action Council. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Marketing Department of the Seidman School of Business at Grand Valley State University.