Education Event: Doing Well By Doing Good
To continue providing education for real world situations (“where the rubber hits the road…”) we present our ongoing Education Events. Learn from experts how to succeed with your business.
Topic: Doing Well By Doing Good
When: February 21, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Where: New Hope Network (5541 Central Ave, Boulder, CO 80301)
Description
Join the Naturally Boulder community as we discuss the idea of business as force for good! Corporate responsibility goes hand-in-hand with a smart brand strategy: consumers vote with their wallets, supporting companies that demonstrate concern for employee welfare, community development, environmental sustainability, and human rights.
With an ever increasing number of companies taking steps to be more responsible in how they treat employees, communities and the planet, we are seeing businesses emerge as real change makers. Our panelists will share insight about why and how they are engaged for good, and why they are as passionate about giving back as they are about running smart, successful companies.
Learn from the Experts
Deanna Bratter – Senior Director of Sustainable Development for Danone North America
Robert U. Craven – Natural Industry & Innovation Mentor
Steve Savage – CEO of 1908 Brands
Robbie Vittrano – CEO & Co-Founder of Good Spread
Kyle Garner – NB Board Member
Diana Mercer – Senior Client Strategist at ForceBrands
Registration
Members: $25, Non-members $35 (Includes catered snacks)
Day of the event: Members: $35, Non-members $45
Refund requests will be honored up to 48 hours before the event.
Panelist Bio’s
Deanna Bratter
Deanna is the Senior Director of Sustainable Development for Danone North America, the largest public benefit corporation and the largest Certified B Corporation in the world. Deanna drives the company sustainability strategy and programs to support the interconnectivity between the health of people and the health of the planet; and works to amplify the positive impacts of sustainability within business. Deanna oversees the organizations nature and sustainability focus areas including commitments to advancing regenerative agriculture, water stewardship, carbon reductions, improving packaging, and supporting people and communities. Prior to Danone North America, Deanna led Corporate Sustainability for WhiteWave Foods where she began in 2005 and was instrumental in creating and driving WhiteWave’s sustainability initiatives. Deanna integrates her passion for making the world a better place through leadership, education and innovation with her dedication to transforming the sustainability ambitions of business into meaningful results.
Robert U. Craven
As a CEO, Robert Craven is well-known for being deeply focused on making a difference in the lives of others and for building fast-growing, award-winning, high integrity products, brands & businesses for companies such as MegaFood and Garden of Life. He was voted one of the ‘Top Conscious Business Leaders’ of 2018 by Conscious Company Media. The Nutrition Business Journal awarded him its Business Achievement Award for Management after he successfully led MegaFood’s sale to Pharmavite. Robert describes himself as a “passionate life-long learner and teacher” who seeks to identify cutting-edge trends and support purpose-driven leaders of high-growth companies through his mentorship, public speaking, and writing.
Steve Savage
Steve Savage is the Founder and CEO of 1908 Brands, a family of brands that develops natural and trusted products for a healthier home and planet. 1908 Brands currently consists of six brands: Boulder Clean, Schultz’s, Thrive Tribe, Three Bears, Pasta Jays and Bundle Organics.
Steve’s started his first business endeavor, Eco-Products, in 1990. By 2008, Eco-Products was the nation’s leading compostable foodservice products company in the USA. Eco-Products won numerous environmental awards, including the State of Colorado Gold Leadership award and The Small Business Association’s National Green Leader award. From 2008 to 2011, Eco-Products was on INC Magazine’s list of fastest growing businesses and in 2009 was The Colorado Company to Watch by Colorado Biz magazine. Eco-Products also won the Association for Corporate Growth Emerging Company Award in 2010 before they sold the business to Waddington North America (WNA) in 2012. Personally, over the last few years, Steve has received prestigious awards such as Natural Foods Merchandiser’s 40 Under 40 Award, Thorne Ecological Institute’s “Champion of the Environment”, Boulder County Business Report Eco-Hero, Boulder Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year and a finalist for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Robbie Vitrano
Robbie is a designer who works as a ceo, investor, and mentor. His focus is on high impact, profitable, social innovation—working through the food system, e-commerce, and media. He manages his holdings through portfolio company Innisfree.
He is CEO/co-founder of Good Spread, an organic food brand that activates solutions to the global malnutrition crisis (1 billion starved, 2 billion obese) through the $10 billion nut butter market, transparency and integrity in the supply chain, advocacy and adventure. Good Spread was launched from a non-profit that makes a nutrition-fortified peanut butter-based treatment that has a 96% cure rate for the chronic disease of severe acute malnutrition (SAM, the leading cause of death among children globally). A child dies every 10 seconds from SAM; a preventable death. Good Spread uses peanut butter a second way; each purchase funds one lifesaving treatment for a severely malnourished child.
Robbie is a serial entrepreneur by necessity, co-founding international healthy fast casual franchise Naked Pizza, social entrepreneurship accelerator The Idea Village in post-Katrina New Orleans, brand studioTrumpet, and natural food+e-commerce media company Natchcom. Naked Pizza was sold to Mark Cuban in 2012. Both Trumpet and Naked Pizza were named Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies in the World.” He is on the board of Tulane’s Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine and the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute. Innisfree holdings include Natchcom, Porchjam Spirits, Uncanny full-spectrum hemp-derived cbd, and Freedom Pizza. His latest obsession is helping to restart the heritage and landrace grain ecosystem in the Front Range of Colorado as a platform for addressing cultural, economic, and environmental regeneration. Robbie splits his time between the food epicenters of his hometown New Orleans and Boulder with his wife of 31 years, artist Patricia Duffy Vitrano
Kyle Garner
Kyle Garner, isn the former CEO of ORGANIC INDIA USA, a leading mission-driven manufacturer of herb-based wellness teas and functional supplements based on the principles of Ayurvedic medicine. Kyle joined ORGANIC INDIA USA in April 2015 following 3 years as CEO of New Chapter, Inc. in Brattleboro, VT. Kyle joined New Chapter in June 2012 following the acquisition by Procter & Gamble. Under his leadership, the New Chapter brand scaled-up in all facets including sales, marketing, scientific research, certifications, and innovation. He led the process for New Chapter to achieve B Corp certification. Kyle began his career with P&G working in Consumer and Market Insights for the Fabric Care business in 1998. He served in a variety of roles on both the consumer and retail sides of the P&G business. He moved into P&G Health Care in 2009 where he played a leadership role in the development of a Joint Venture with Teva Pharmaceuticals and the acquisition of the New Chapter business. Kyle earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Kyle lives in Boulder with his wife (Maggie), 6-year-old son (Oscar), 2-year-old daughter (Audrey), and giant, fluffy dog (Belle). In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, beer, and making pickles.
Diana Mercer
Diana is a lifelong, passionate wellness educator, serial entrepreneur, and natural and organic products expert with more than 15 years experience growing businesses in the natural, organic and better-for-you space including ForceBrands, Clementine Art, Beautycounter, Lazo Foods, and many more. Her specialties include sales, organizational design, business and team building, brand development, copywriting/blogging, content storytelling, digital marketing, social media, live and online events, webinars, and trade shows. Fun Fact: Diana was formerly a singer in Latin jazz, salsa, rock and indie bands.