Whole Grains Conference FAQ

Oldways has a reputation in nutrition and health circles for conferences offering a unique mix of delicious food, cutting-edge science, and personal interaction. This FAQ will help you understand how it all works.

Q. Who usually attends an Oldways conference?

A. Most of our attendees fall into three groups: health professionals, marketing executives, and food/science writers from the top newspapers and magazines. Food technologists and chefs are also likely to be among the participants. In all cases, these folks are Key Influencers, not end users. Each doctor or dietitian influences hundreds of patients; each journalist reaches thousands if not millions of readers; each chef serves scores of patrons daily; and each food technologist creates new products that sell millions of units. Click here to see who attended the last three Whole Grains Conferences.

Q. How many people generally attend an Oldways conference?

A. Oldways conferences are usually small, with the emphasis on quality of participants rather than quantity. With an average of 125-150 key influencers participating, our conferences are big enough to have enormous ripple effects, reaching large masses of people. But they’re also small enough to be renowned for their networking opportunities: doctors are able to ask questions directly of leading researchers, and manufacturers may find their products featured in the New York Times or the Washington Post, or on a leading food blog or TV show.

Q. What makes an Oldways conference unique?

A. Oldways conferences are a unique blend of solid science and culinary craft. While we feature the latest research, our sessions are never dry and academic – we pick speakers at the top of their fields who know their subjects and know how to make that subject come alive. And we illustrate our scientific sessions with tasting breaks and meals that bring the subject of healthy food from the classroom to the dining room. It’s one thing to hear that whole grains are heart-healthy – and another to drive that message home by serving fragrant bulgur pilaf or farro salad.

Q. Who provides the food for meals and breaks?

A. Oldways works with our conference sponsors to determine the dishes that will be served at meals and breaks; our sponsors also provide participants with samples. Well-known chefs create special dishes on the conference theme. At a nut conference, for instance, a group of chefs each presented a recipe using a different kind of nuts.

Q. How do you measure the success of an Oldways conference?

A. We design each conference with measurable objectives and outcomes, and follow up before, during and after each project to make sure our objectives are met. We know our sponsors have finite marketing budgets and must be able to demonstrate that their sponsorship dollars were well spent.

Q. Is your conference content influenced by your sponsors?

A. We determine the scientific topics of every conference, and then approach sponsors whose products reinforce the science – never the other way around. In this way, Oldways maintains its reputation for objective, science-based conferences, and our sponsors can be assured that they’re well-matched with an audience that meets their marketing needs.

Q. Will Continuing Education Units be available?

A. Yes, our conferences regularly offer CEUs to RDs and some other health professionals. Due to the caliber of our speakers and our past experience in being awarded credits, we anticipate approval for these credits at each of our conferences.

Who will I be networking with at your conference?

Health professionals, marketing executives, government leaders, product development experts, and top national journalists attend our whole grains conferences.

As explained above, we generally aim for up to 150 "key influencers" at our conferences – a number large enough to have a major impact when each attendee in turn spreads the message to hundreds, thousands or even millions of others. Yet this number is manageable enough that serious professional networking can occur.

Here's who attended our last three whole grains conferences:

Manufacturing and Industry leaders

American Italian Pasta Co, Marketing Mgr.
Barbara’s Bakery, Dir. of Marketing; VP Sales & Marketing
Barilla, R&D; Marketing
Bimbo, Marketing
Blimpie Intl., Dir. of Field Marketing and Media
Bob’s Red Mill, Marketing Coordinator; Exec. VP Sales & Marketing
Campbell Soup Company, Research Scientist
Canada Bread, Marketing Manager
Certified Foods, President
Chef Solutions, Sr. Food Technologist
ConAgra, R&D Manager; Marketing
Dr. Kracker, Sales
Farmer Direct Foods, Sales Director; President
Foodways, Inc., Creative CEO
Frito-Lay, Director of Nutrition & Regulatory Affairs; Brand Manager;
Frito-Lay, Sr. Group Manager; VP Development; Corp Nutritionist
General Mills, Asst. General Counsel; Sr. Nutrition Scientist; VP Health & Wellness
George Weston Bakeries, Sales
Great Harvest Bread, Director of Brand Management
Hain Celestial, Marketing
Harvest Time Bread, President; Regional Sales Mgr.
Horizon Millling/Cargill, Marketing Manager
Indian Harvest Specialtifoods, Corporate Chef
Kellogg, Director of Nutrition & Regulatory Affairs
King Arthur Flour, Brand Manager; VP Sales & Marketing
Knorr-Lipton/Unilever, Sr. Brand Marketing Manager; Marketing Dir.
Kraft Foods, Innovative Product Designer; Nutrition Director; Research Chef
LaBrea Bakery, Marketing
Le Saffre Yeast, Dir. Sales & Marketing; Consumer PR
Lotus Foods, Director of Marketing
Masterfoods USA, Nutrition Communications Mgr.
MGP Ingredients, R&D
Montana Flour & Grains, President
National Rice Company, President
Natural Ovens, chairman of the board
Nature’s Path, Director of Marketing; VP Marketing & Sales
Oak State Products, Director of R&D
Panera Bread, Director of Bakery Products; Quality Assurance Mgr.
Pepperidge Farms, Regulatory Affairs
Publix Supermarkets, General Manager; R&D Manager
Quaker Oats, Director of Professional Marketing
RiceTec, VP Marketing
Rich Products, Sr. Marketing Manager; Scientist
Riviana Foods, Manager of PR and test kitchens
Roman Meal Co, Sr. Scientist; Dir. of Marketing; Brand Manager
Rubschlager Baking, Secretary-Treasurer; President
Rudi's Organic Bakery, Marketing
Sara Lee, Group Director Product Nutrition
Siemer Milling / Hodgson Mill, R&D
Snyder’s of Hanover, Marketing Director; Marketing Mgr, Retail; VP of Marketing
Sunnyland Mills, President
SunOpta Ingredients, Marketing
Sunrich, Sales Manager
The Bama Companies, Dir. Of Food Product Development
The NPD Group, Director
The Schwan Food Company, Marketing
The Teff Company, Owners
Uncle Ben’s, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs Manager
USA Rice Federation, VP Domestic Production; Foodservice Mktg.
Wegmans Food Markets, Sr. VP
Wild Blueberry Assn, Nutrition Advisor

Health, Government and Academia

Baylor College of Medicine Dept of Pediatrics, Professor
California Polytechnic State Univ., Professor Emeritus
College of St. Catherine, Professor Nutrition & Food Science
Compass Group USA, Director of Nutrition
Concept Nutrition, Registered Dietitian
Fairfax County Public Schools, Dir. Of Food & Nutrition Svcs.
Hampton Health, Registered Dietitian
Health Quality Partners, RD
Healthreach Diabetes, Endocrine & Nutrition Ctr, Medical Director
Marshfield Clinic, Vice Chair, Dept. of Cardiology
Meijer, Inc., Corporate Dietitian
Santa Barbara Inst. for Medical Nutrition & Healthy Weight, Medical Director
Stanford Univ. School of Medicine, Asst. Professor Pediatrics
Univ. of Minnesota, Dept of Food Science, Professor; Asst. Professor
Univ. of Tennessee Health Science Center, Asst. Professor
Univ. of Missouri, Nutritional Sciences
Univ. of Hartford, Instructor
Univ. of Rhode Island, Cancer Prevention Research Ctr, Director
USDA ARS, Research Leader
USDA Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion, Exec. Director
Wegman’s Food Markets, Corporate Nutritionist

Media

Baking Management, Editor / Assoc. Publisher
Better Homes & Gardens, Editor of Special Interest Publications
Chicago Tribune, syndicated columnist
Diabetes Health Magazine, Editor
Environmental Nutrition, Editor
Foodservice Monthly, Editor
Good Housekeeping Institute, Nutrition Director
Gourmet Retailer, Executive Editor
Health magazine, Food & Nutrition EditorLA Times Syndicate, food reporter
Low Carb Luxury, Editor in chief
Milling & Baking News, Managing Editor
Modern Baking, Editor
Naples Daily News, Nutrition writer
National Post, Nutrition writer
Organic Business News, writer
Parade magazine, syndicated columnist
Prevention Magazine, Trend Research Director
Shape, Sr. Editor Food & Nutrition
Star-Ledger, Journalist
Supermarket Savvy, Editor
The Food Network, Nutritionist
Times-Picayune, Food Editor
Today’s Dietitian, Food/Nutrition writer
Wellness Foods, Managing Editor

PR and Advertising Firms

Porter Novelli, Account Director
Koopman Ostbo, Account Manager
Tonic Partners, CEO
Marina Maher Communications, Sr. VP
Fleishman-Hillard, Sr. Vice President’ Vice President
Burson Marsteller, Account Executive
Pollock Communications, VP
Ketchum, Account Supervisor

Trade Associations and Non-Profits

National Restaurant Association, Director of Nutrition Policy
National Sorghum Producers, Research Director
American Institute of Baking, Director of Education
Kansas Wheat Commission, Nutrition Educator
National Barley Foods Council, Publicist; Research Consultant
Wheat Foods Council, Director
International Macrobiotic Shiatsu Society, Co-founders
Alberta Barley Commission, Manager

Culinary

Fidelity Investments, Pastry Chef; Lead Chef
Dominican Hospital, Executive Chef
Cooleatz Restaurants, Owner/Chef
Wegman’s Food Markets, Bread Artisan
Walt Disney World Resorts, Chef de Cuisine
Walt Disney World Resorts, Special Dietary Needs Manager
Traditions on Chestnut, Proprietor
Aramark, Concept Development Chef