GFAI 2023 Convention & Trade Show
Peoria Civic Center: 201 SW Jefferson Ave, Peoria, IL 61602
Trade Show is in Exhibit Hall D
February 19-21, 2023
Trade Show is in Exhibit Hall D
February 19-21, 2023
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Attendee Registration
*Must log in to receive member pricing! Convention Games and Entertainment! Scholarship Meet & Greet: Meet the current GFAI Scholarship Recipients at a reception in the trade show. The first 150 people to stop by and say hi will receive a gift! Sunday 4:45 - 5:45 pm at the Scholarship Table inside the Trade Show. ~Sponsored by Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. Casino Night: Try your hand at Craps, Blackjack or Roulette and cash in your winnings for tickets to win great prizes. Free for convention registrants. Not a gambler? Stop by to visit and have an after dinner drink and wind down the evening. Sunday 8:30-10:30 pm; Marriott Marquette Ballroom ~Sponsored by Illinois Soybean Board Play the "Parade Through the Trade Show" game: Game instructions and game board will be available in the convention booklet. Answer the Mardi Gras trivia questions and you could win $500! Must be present on Monday, February 20th to win. ~Sponsored by Central Life Sciences Vote For The Best Exhibitor Booth: Cast your vote for the Exhibitor Booth with the best Mardi Gras theme! Ballots will be available at the Registration Desk. Live and Silent Auction: Visit the Silent Auction Table in the Trade Show. Bidding will close on Monday at 4:45 pm. Bid on a GAC2700UGMA Dickey John Moisture Tester at the Live Auction during the Monday Morning General Session! ~Donated by Seedburo Equipment Co. |
See Who Came To Convention!
*GFAI will never sell the attendee list. If you receive an email or call to sell you our attendee list, it is a scam. 
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Exhibitor Information
The exhibitor packet contains all the information needed including set up and tear down times, the Trade Show Layout and Exhibitor Booth Reservation. You must order your electricity through the Peoria Civic Center. **Decorate your booth to fit our Mardi Gras theme and the booth that receives the most votes for best theme will receive a free regular booth for the 2024 Trade Show! |
Sessions and Speakers
Monday Morning Keynote Speaker: Craig Zablocki, Positive humorist & leadership speaker
Greater than You & Me: Synergy in Action
Monday, 10:00 am - 11:00 am (Peoria Civic Center, Room 400); Sponsored by GFAI Energy Consortium
Listed as one of the top speakers in the country, Craig is an expert in the art of "unlearning" and has encouraged and inspired thousands of people with his unique blend of humor and authenticity. Get ready to Unmask Your Potential and take an honest look at how you might "up your game," personally and professionally by incorporating practical tools to loosen up, become more creative, and live in the moment!
Monday Morning Keynote Speaker: Craig Zablocki, Positive humorist & leadership speaker
Greater than You & Me: Synergy in Action
Monday, 10:00 am - 11:00 am (Peoria Civic Center, Room 400); Sponsored by GFAI Energy Consortium
Listed as one of the top speakers in the country, Craig is an expert in the art of "unlearning" and has encouraged and inspired thousands of people with his unique blend of humor and authenticity. Get ready to Unmask Your Potential and take an honest look at how you might "up your game," personally and professionally by incorporating practical tools to loosen up, become more creative, and live in the moment!
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Legislative Council for Better Government Breakfast: Patrick Pfingsten, The Illinoize
Clashing Cymbals and Loud Horns – Cutting Through Political Noize Monday, 7:15 am - 8:30 am (Marriott LaSalle Ballroom); Ticketed Event Like a noisy Mardi Gras celebration, the political climate in Illinois may seem out of rhythm with everyone playing louder to get attention. As a political reporter, campaign manager, and communications professional, Patrick believes there has been a hollowing out of newsrooms to the point he started “The Illinoize” to cut through the noise of Illinois politics and government. Join Patrick for a look back at the most recent election and an analysis of the 103rd Illinois General Assembly. |
Monday Afternoon Keynote Speaker: Jake Brodbeck, Vice President, ARTCO
Are the Wheels Coming Off Agricultural Transportation?
Monday, 2:45 pm - 3:30 pm (Peoria Civic Center, Room 400); Sponsored by Illinois Soybean Board
Truck, rail, and barge movement of grain has been a key advantage of agricultural infrastructure. The last few years have exposed transportation issues including lack of workers, escalating fuel prices, delayed maintenance, potential strikes, and low river water levels. Join Jake Brodbeck to learn more about these ongoing challenges, suggestions for working through these issues, and the projected outlook for when the good times for transportation may roll again.
Are the Wheels Coming Off Agricultural Transportation?
Monday, 2:45 pm - 3:30 pm (Peoria Civic Center, Room 400); Sponsored by Illinois Soybean Board
Truck, rail, and barge movement of grain has been a key advantage of agricultural infrastructure. The last few years have exposed transportation issues including lack of workers, escalating fuel prices, delayed maintenance, potential strikes, and low river water levels. Join Jake Brodbeck to learn more about these ongoing challenges, suggestions for working through these issues, and the projected outlook for when the good times for transportation may roll again.
Tuesday Closing General Session: Ken Eriksen, Senior Vice President, Agri Supply Chain, IHS Markit Agribusiness
Unmasking the Agri Supply Chain: Moving Commodities from Farm to Market
Tuesday, 8:15 am - 9:00 am (Marriott, Cotillion Ballroom)
Global supply chain issues caused disruption and chaos in 2022 and is carrying over into 2023. Ken will unmask the current situation of the global agri supply chain and provide a clear understanding of the direction things are heading, the hidden roadblocks and the opportunities for smoother sailings for 2023.
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Tuesday Closing General Session: Michael Seyfert, President & CEO, National Grain and Feed Association
All Jazzed Up – What’s Happening in D.C. Tuesday, 9:00 am - 9:45 am (Marriott, Cotillion Ballroom) Will the new Congress be able to harmonize in D.C. or will they all be playing from different music? As the leader of the NGFA band, Mike will provide an update on the federal legislative and regulatory issues impacting the industry and where opportunities exist for us to help others march to our tune. |
Tuesday Closing General Session: Matt Reardon, Senior Atmospheric Scientist, Nutrien Ag Solutions
Throw me something Mister!: Predictions for Managing Weather Risk
Tuesday, 9:45 am - 10:30 am (Marriott, Cotillion Ballroom)
Understanding weather predictions and forecasts can be difficult to interpret, so we brought in an expert to untangle the graphs and charts and toss out the important take aways in an entertaining, enlightening, and engaging session. Matt’s predictive, analytical software helps manage weather risk for agricultural production and his analysis and predictions for the 2023 weather outlook will increase your confidence in long-rage weather predictions impacting yield on US crops.
Throw me something Mister!: Predictions for Managing Weather Risk
Tuesday, 9:45 am - 10:30 am (Marriott, Cotillion Ballroom)
Understanding weather predictions and forecasts can be difficult to interpret, so we brought in an expert to untangle the graphs and charts and toss out the important take aways in an entertaining, enlightening, and engaging session. Matt’s predictive, analytical software helps manage weather risk for agricultural production and his analysis and predictions for the 2023 weather outlook will increase your confidence in long-rage weather predictions impacting yield on US crops.
Monday Educational Breakout Sessions
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Monday Morning Sessions: 11:15 am -12:00 pm
Untangling the Beads of Regulations, Brian Bothast – Safety & Occupational Health Specialist, OSHA and John Lee – Director, Safety-Health-Environmental Services, Grain and Feed Association of Illinois Peoria Civic Center, Room 401/402 OSHA and EPA regulations often look like a tangled mess of beads, causing frustration and misunderstanding. In this session, John Lee and Brian Bothast will provide practical tips to help you untangle these regulations to stay in compliance. Parading Through the Hiring Process, Mark Heil – General Manager, Prairie Central Co-op; Kayla Tobias, Sr. Manager, Talent Acquisition & Member Employment, GROWMARK, Inc.; Pennie Groezinger – Chief People & Customer Officer, Pearl City Elevator, Inc.; Margaret Vaessen – Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Peoria Civic Center, Room 403/404 What does a company need to do to attract and retain top talent? Short of throwing employees a parade in their honor, learn what people are prioritizing in today’s world when it comes to employment, how people are looking for employment versus how companies are seeking employees, and the factors impacting decisions to accept a position or hire a candidate. Building the Float for a Successful Board of Directors, Dr. Keri Jacobs, Executive Director, Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership, University of Missouri Peoria Civic Center, Room 405/406 Does your board of directors know their role in building the “float” for your company? Is their role to do the work or to provide strategic direction? This board of director focused session will provide a high-level overview of the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors with time to discuss governing versus managing. |
Monday Afternoon Sessions: 1:30 pm -2:15 pm
Seeing Through the Mask: Identifying Potential Grain Bin Problems, Jeffrey Decker, President, Decker Consulting & Investigations, Inc. Peoria Civic Center, Room 401/402 Aging grain bins can mask potential problems that are present but hiding in plain sight. In this session, Jeffrey Decker will help you see through the mask of hidden dangers of your aging grain bins and learn what to look for, action steps to take to prolong the life of your bins and how to determine if the bins are too dangerous to continue using. Floating Cost Savings Options for Company Health Insurance 2023 Steve Leesman, President, Midwestern Insurance Associates Agency, Inc. Peoria Civic Center, Room 403/404 Health insurance is one of the top five expenses for a company, and finding ways to lower those costs can be complicated and confusing. Steve will help explain which health insurance options are available and best suited for your company for 2023 and beyond. While these suggestions won’t help you recover from a long night celebrating Mardi Gras, they will help you uncover health insurance options to potentially save money. Carnival Celebration or Fasting – Understanding Your Business Financial Picture, Dr. Keri Jacobs, Executive Director, Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership, University of Missouri Peoria Civic Center, Room 405/406 Do your company financial documents represent the wealth of a carnival celebration or a time of fasting and how can you tell? This session will help you to better understand how to analyze your balance sheet, income statement and related documents to determine if your business is sustainable. A discussion of working capital, gross margins, accounts receivable, and company valuation will be included and offer valuable insights for board members and management. |
Convention Agenda
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Sunday, February 19, 2023
Exhibitor Set Up & 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Registration Open Trade Show Open 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Scholarship Meet & Greet 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm *First 150 people receive a gift! Sponsored by Consolidated Grain & Barge Co. Reception in the Trade Show 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Sponsored by Consolidated Grain & Barge Co.; CLA; Homefield Energy; Valley View Agri Casino Night at Hotel 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm *Free event to all convention registrants Sponsored by Illinois Soybean Association |
Monday, February 20, 2023
Registration 7:00 am - 4:00 pm Legislative Council For Better 7:15 am - 8:30 am Government Breakfast (ticketed event) Trade Show Open 7:30 am - 5:00 pm Breakfast 7:30 am - 9:00 am Sponsored by CLA; John Stewart & Associates; McPherson Concrete Storage Systems General Session, Annual 9:00 am - 11:00 am Meeting, Live Auction Sponsored by GFAI Energy Consortium Educational Sessions 11:15 am - 12:00 pm Lunch in the Trade Show 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Sponsored by CLA; John Stewart & Associates; McPherson Concrete Storage Systems Educational Sessions 1:30 pm - 2:15 pm Break in the Trade Show 2:25 pm - 2:45 pm Afternoon General Session 2:45 pm - 3:30 pm Sponsored by Illinois Soybean Association Reception in the Trade Show 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm Sponsored by Consolidated Grain & Barge Co.; CLA; Homefield Energy; Valley View Agri Draw Down Raffle Drawing 4:15 pm Trade Show Game Winner 4:30 pm Sponsored by Central Life Sciences Exhibitor Booth Winner Announced Silent Auction Closes 4:45 pm Exhibitor Tear Down 5:00 pm |
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Breakfast 7:00 am - 9:00 am Closing General 8:00 am - 10:30 am Session |