May 16-17, 2024  Chicago, IL

Executive Connect

Get access to select conferences and events at no cost for your ticket*. As part of the Executive Connect program, qualified executives from providers or operators may apply for this ticket type and participate in a set number of meetings with pre-screened vendors at the event. If accepted, you will be granted a complimentary ticket to the event and required to attend scheduled meetings at the event and provide feedback on those meetings. *A refundable deposit is required to register and is refunded if you attend the required meetings at the event. No show or cancellations will forfeit the deposit, no exceptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More

Interested in Sponsoring?

Bolster the value of your brand, grow your contact lists and shake hands with peers and decision-makers.

Become A Sponsor


What is Executive Connect?
Qualified providers can get a complimentary ticket to the event through our new Executive Connect program. A qualified provider is a VP or higher title, your organization has greater than $5 million in revenue annually, and you are willing to take up to four 15-minute pre-scheduled meetings with our sponsors at the event, arranged by SHN. 

A $300 deposit is required to register for Executive Connect and will be refunded upon completion of meetings at the event. If a registrant fails to attend pre-scheduled meetings at the event, the deposit will not be returned. No refunds will be issued after 45 days out from the event - no exceptions.

Where will the event be held?
DISHED will be held on May 16 - 17, 2024 at Venue SIX10,  610 S Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60605.

What ticket should I purchase?
Owner/operator tickets are for senior living owners and operators. Vendor tickets are for finance, technology, consulting and other roles that do not directly own and/or operate a senior living community.

My company or organization owns or is an active investor in a provider. Which ticket type can I purchase?
If your organization owns or invests in a provider or providers in this space, your firm is classified as a private equity investor. If you wish to get the provider pricing, you would need to use that organization's email system/domain to register for the ticket to qualify as a provider. No exceptions.

What is a audio recordings ticket?
The ticket provides access to audio recordings only. Audio recordings will be provided within 48 hours after the in-person event.

What does my ticket include?
A ticket to DISHED Conference includes access to all sessions, breakfast, lunch, refreshments, coat/bag check at the event as well as a networking reception. 

What is the refund policy?
For all tickets, no refunds are available 45-days out from the event. 

Will there be vendor booths?
There are options for sponsor exhibit space. Please click 
here to request information on sponsorship opportunities.

How do I contact the organizer?
Email us at [email protected].

Senior Housing News (SHN) presents DISHED, a one-of-a-kind event covering the future of senior living dining and culinary innovation. At DISHED, you will have the opportunity to connect with owners, operators, developers & decision-makers in a unique, dynamic setting.

Who you can expect to meet at DISHED Conference:

  • Senior living owners, operators, developers and investors
  • Dining and culinary experts
  • Wellness and operations leaders
  • Resident & activities leaders
  • Architects and designers
  • Technology providers
  • Assorted vendors and service providers
  • And more..

If you are responsible for any part of your organization's dining or hospitality experience, this event is for you.

© Senior Housing News 2022.  All rights reserved.

Event Details

Hours
May 16 – 1:00 - 6:00 PM CT
May 17 – 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM CT

Hotel Accommodations
Click here to access our room block at The Blackstone Hotel. Reservation cut-off date is April 24, 2024.

BUY TICKETS

Agenda

EXECUTIVE CONNECTBUY TICKETS

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Sponsors

Past Attendees

Companies

Arrow Senior Living
Asbury Communities
Brandywine Living
Buckner Retirement Services
Commonwealth Senior Living
Confluent Senior Living
Frontier Management

Goodwin Living
Griffin Living
HRA
Jubilee Living
Juniper Village
Kisco Senior Living
Lifespark
Lloyd Jones Senior Living
Oakmont Senior Living
Pathway to Living

Priority Life Care

Titles

Area Director
AVP of Living Well
AVP of Senior Living
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Medical Officer
Corporate Director of Culinary
Corporate Director of Hospitality
Director of Business Development
Head of Innovation
National Director of Wellness
Asset Management
National Director of Dining Services
Regional Director
Programming
Regional Executive Chef Specialist

Dress Code
Business Attire

Ticket Prices
Executive Connect: Complimentary*
Provider: $650
Vendor: $1000

Networking Reception
May 16, 2024 4:00 - 6:00 PM CT

VIEW ATTENDEE LIST

Anthony Polito
VP of Hospitality
Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA)

Learn how senior living dining programs are expanding well beyond traditional dining venues, from creative use of food trucks to events that foster greater connection with the wider community, including prospective residents, workers and referral sources.

Panel coming soon

9:15 - 9:45 AM

Opening Remarks 

9:00 - 9:05 AM

Continental Breakfast & Networking

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Dana Fillmore
Healthcare Customer Marketing Manager
Gordon Food Service

How food and nutrition influence the physical and social components of wellness, and discuss practical ideas to evolve your wellness brand through food focused activities.

Panel coming soon

9:50 - 10:05 AM

Networking Break

10:05 - 10:45 AM

Jim Livingston
Senior Vice President of Sales
ServingIntel

Memory Care Executive Outlook: Solving problems, driving progress for a new era

10:45 - 11:45 AM

With food costs up and staffing under greater pressure than ever, senior living culinary leaders face daunting challenges, and are getting creative to keep diners happy, workers on payroll, and budgets balanced.

Dining Feels the Squeeze: Staffing Crisis, Cost Crunch Put Culinary Under Pressure

11:45 - 12:00 PM

Lunch & Networking

12:00 - 1:00 PM

Chris Nall
Chief Technology Officer
Atria Senior Living 

From Quick-Service Pizza to Atria: Translating tech lessons from restaurants to senior living

1:00 - 1:30 PM

Lisa Swafford
VP of Strategy & Business Development
Galerie Living

Luxury senior living operators find plenty of demand in the most affluent market segments. The challenge is that these communities often cater to those who are used to the finer things in life. Watch this panel to learn more about how senior living operators are offering truly top-flight dining experiences and what it takes to stand apart in dining as a luxury operator.

Top Senior Living Dining Trends: Challenges 
and Innovations Shaping the Culinary Future

1:35 - 2:05 PM

2:05 - 3:00 PM

Christopher Blair
VP of Dining Operations
Covenant Living

3:00 - 3:30 PM

Learn how and why three senior living operators, Wake Robin, Priya Living and Arbor Company, are changing up their culinary programs for a new era of senior living.

Executive Chef Roundtable: Leading culinary operations in a period of transition

3:25 - 3:55 PM

Caitlin Rogers
Vice President, Dining & Nutrition Services
Sunrise Senior Living

Larry Atwater
Executive Chef

Sage Oak

Kristen Burman
Executive Chef/Culinary Director
Trulee Evanston

Become an SHN+ Member and get 25% off your DISHED ticket.

Did you know that SHN+ members get 25% off their ticket to DISHED? They also get exclusive access to an SHN+ members-only luncheon during DISHED. Get an SHN+ membership today to meet the leading executives in senior living.

Get A Membership

Already a member? Contact Keelie Souders for your discounted ticket.

John Baillie, Jr. CDP
Director of Dining
Phoenix Senior Living Community

Tate Stewart
Senior Vice President, Operations

Thrive Senior Living

Brian Patterson
Innovation and Development Chef
Goodwin Living

Greg Strickland
Executive Chef
Vi Living

Mike DeGiovani
VP of Culinary Operations

MorningStar Senior Living

Nathan Madigan
Partner/President

Autumn Glen Management Group

With demand surging, medical breakthroughs occurring, and technology transforming operational and clinical practices, hear from C-suite leaders about how to embrace and drive innovation while rising to challenges.

May 16

 As they apply lessons from the pandemic, innovate for the boomers, and adapt to labor and cost challenges, today’s senior living dining leaders are shaping the future in a dynamic and sometimes difficult environment. Hear from leading culinary execs on what they identify as the top trends of today that will have the biggest impact in the months and years ahead.

Mike DeGiovanni
VP of Culinary Operations
MorningStar Senior Living

What’s Next for the Culinary Workforce: Staffing Pain Points and Progress

9:05 - 9:35 AM

Labor woes have been particularly acute over the last few years, prompting new approaches to attracting and retaining culinary workers. Gain perspective on current labor market trends, where providers have made progress in achieving greater stability, and in what areas the struggle is now the hardest.

Track A

Breakout Sessions

Track B

Dining for Wellness: Elevating health and wellbeing through food

Senior living providers increasingly are focused on the wellness of their residents, to extend quality of life while cutting down on medical issues and interventions. Learn how providers are harnessing their dining programs to deliver on key wellness goals, and the business case for doing so.

Max Rasquinha
National Director Dining Services
Grace Management

Today’s Special: Developing Winning Menus for Senior Living Dining

With intergenerational living on the rise and the boomers starting to move into senior housing in greater numbers, menus must serve diverse palates, while providers also are creating menus for multiple venues – all on a budget. Gain perspective on best practices for menu development, what makes for a winning menu, and where menu development is headed next.

Track A

Breakout Sessions

Track B

Margin, Mission, Mealtime: Driving a Better Bottom Line in Senior Living Dining

From staffing costs to supply chain considerations, from pricing strategies to new ways of driving food and bev revenue, senior living operators are having to get a handle on their budgets in a time of inflation and margin pressure – all without sacrificing quality. Get strategies for how to protect and drive margin while ensuring mealtimes remain a highlight of the senior living experience.

Rob Burkart
Vice President National Sales -Healthcare
US. Foods

Sponsored Panel brought to you by Strategic Dining Services

Track A

Sponsor Talk

Track B

Sponsor Talk Coming Soon

9:40 - 9:55 AM

10:00 - 10:30 AM

10:30 - 11:00 AM

Dining Across the Continuum: Food to feed body, soul and mind across different care levels

Operators have taken steps in recent years to increase wellness and lifestyle options for all residents, including those at higher acuity settings. This panel will answer important questions on how to translate a sustainable dining and culinary experience across the continuum, and the role that food plays in fostering whole-person wellness.

Track A

Breakout Sessions

Track B

Beyond ‘Compression Dining’: Extending the Culinary Experience Outside of Traditional Mealtimes

Niche dining times, late-night dining, and offerings such as brunch are all helping senior living operators spread out their meal services so residents are not all eating at the same time. Learn more about how operators are serving residents outside of traditional meal times, and the challenges and benefits of doing so.

11:00 - 11:30 AM

Mika Stevenson
Vice President of Culinary
Health Dimensions Group

Better Occupancy through Dining: Leveraging culinary operations for enhanced consumer reach

Track A

Breakout Sessions

1:00 - 1:30 PM

Rob Burkart
Vice President National Sales -Healthcare
US. Foods

Your Food. Your Story.

Track A

Breakout Sessions

Track B

11:30 - 12:00 PM

Lunch & Networking

12:00 - 1:00 PM

Rob Burkart
Vice President National Sales -Healthcare
US. Foods

Sponsored Panel brought to you by US Foods

From new ways of offering food and beverage to prospective residents and the community at large, to more effective ways of showcasing food through social media, to showing off the dining program during tours, learn how providers are leveraging their culinary offerings to build occupancy and reach new consumers.

Track A

Breakout Sessions

1:30 - 2:00 PM

2:00 - 3:00 PM

Rob Burkart
Vice President National Sales -Healthcare
US. Foods

Track A

Breakout Sessions

3:00 - 3:30 PM

Sponsored Panel brought to you by DiningRD

Matt Tremblay
Director of Procurement and Culinary Operations
Northbridge Companies

Dining and Data: Metrics show the present and future of senior living culinary ops

It’s no secret that senior living is becoming an increasingly data-driven business. In this session, dining leaders share metrics to paint a picture of where culinary ops stand today and where they might be headed.

Track A

Breakout Sessions

3:35 - 4:05 PM

Networking Break

Networking Break

Networking Break

5:00 - 7:00 PM

Networking Reception

In-Person Event Experience

Get an overview of what to expect from attending a premier Senior House News event.

Learn More

Hear from Atria Senior Living Chief Technology Officer Chris Nall about his journey from being a technology leader with a major pizza chain to CTO at one of the largest senior living operators in the United States. Learn why senior living appealed to him, how lessons he learned in the restaurant industry inform his work at Atria, and what he sees as the future of technology for culinary services and hospitality in senior living.

Ryan King
VP of Culinary
The Arbor Company

Ashleigh Pedersen
VP of Enterprise Culinary Services
Aegis Living

Kate Hays
Director of Dining Services
WakeRobin

Learn how and why three senior living operators, Wake Robin, Priya Living and Arbor Company, are changing up their culinary programs for a new era of senior living.

Panel Coming Soon

3:05 - 3:20 PM

Anjan Mitra
Head of Innovation

Priya Living

Ryan King
VP of Dining Services

The Arbor Company

Hear from culinary leaders about how they are leading the dining operations of their communities to serve today’s residents, attract new residents, and prepare for the residents of the future, all while facing budgetary and staffing challenges and adapting to new technologies and market dynamics.

Steve Sandblom
Corporate Director of Food and Beverage
Vi Living

Amy Robinson
National Director of Culinary Services
Solstice Senior Living

Paige Hoffman
Director of Sustainability
Cordia at Grand Traverse Commons

Frances Showa
Vice President Culinary
Volante Senior Living

From new ways of offering food and beverage to prospective residents and the community at large, to more effective ways of showcasing food through social media, to showing off the dining program during tours, to expanding menus and incorporating more tech-forward operations, learn how providers are leveraging their culinary offerings to build occupancy, reach new consumers and broaden the appeal of senior living to a new generation.

Greg Sever
VP Culinary Experience
Experience Senior Living

Travis Wick
Regional Vice President

12 Oaks Senior Living

Friday, May 17

Thad Parton
AVP, Restaurant Operations
Mather

Hagop Hagopian
Executive Chef
The Clare

Heather Tussing
President
The Aspenwood Company

Heather Parrott
CEO/Executive Director
Martha Jefferson House

Brian Gallo
Corporate Director of Culinary Experiences
Priority Life Care

Raymond Helou
Vice President of Culinary Operations
Ignite Medical Resorts

Jack Miller
VP of Business Development
Holbrook Life

Join this panel to explore various dining program approaches senior living communities have utilized to differentiate themselves in the market, enhance resident well-being, and foster a personalized sense of care and community. Hear firsthand accounts of successful implementations and discover how others have achieved differentiation through their dining programs.

Christian Gullet
Corporate Executive Chef
Cedarhurst Living

Eric Johnson
VP, Culinary & Dining Services 
Trilogy Health Services

Barb Minger
RD
Gordon Food Service 

Sponsored Panel brought to you by Volante Systems

Location
Venue SIX10, 610 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605

Krista Zvoch, RDN
Director of Nutrition
Story Point Group

Joshua Ordorff
Culinary Operations 
Manager
Lifespark Senior Living

Christy Turner
Director of Dining Services
Garden Spot Village

Steve Fowler
AVP of Food and Beverage Vi Living

Dan Novak
Corporate Director of Culinary

Beztak

Christian Ramsey
Director of Operations
The Kendal Corporation