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
Interested in Sponsoring?
Bolster the value of your brand, grow your contact lists and shake hands with peers and decision-makers.
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.
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.
2024 Agenda
Bronze Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
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
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.
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.
KristinThompson
SVP, Client Excellence
CCL Hospitality Group
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
Sean Rowe
CEO
MealSuite
Navigating the Roadmap to Technology Adoption Excellence
Technology has become an essential component of senior living. While many providers may be eager to implement technological solutions, it is crucial to approach technology adoption strategically. By following a systematic and thoughtful approach, operators can harness the power of technology to create a more efficient, engaging, and supportive environment for all stakeholders involved.
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
Meat and Potatoes: Navigating Nutrition, Dining, and Beyond
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
4:00 - 6:00 PM
Networking Reception
In-Person Event Experience
Get an overview of what to expect from attending a premier Senior House News event.
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.
Matt Stenerson
Co-Founder & CEO
eMenuCHOICE
Eric Johnson
VP, Culinary & Dining Services
Trilogy Health Services
Barb Minger
RD
Gordon Food Service
Mastering Self-Service Solutions for Senior Living
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
In this session, panelists will share insight into navigating increasing acuity in resident care along with resident satisfaction in dining.
Menu management: What have you found to be successful when managing kitchen operations along with unique diet modifications, food preferences, etc.?
Resident nutrition care – expectations, specialized diets, etc.
Creative budgeting and money management: What are some of the ways you have found to be successful at navigating budget for foodservice operations?
Adapting and adopting – new standards for food, menus, and dining
Mark Holmes, CDM CFPP
National Director of Culinary Operations
The Goodman Group
Mary Ann Thurman, MAM RD LMNT
Director of Culinary and Dining Services
Vetter Health Services
Andrew Poole
Chief Operating Officer
DDS Hospitality
Tess Sutter
Manager Menu Solutions
US Foods
Join industry frontrunners from eMenuCHOICE, MealSuite, and Volanté Systems for a dynamic panel discussion on self-service technology. Discover how personalized profiles and resident-facing tools are transforming the dining experience for seniors. Get insights from the leading point-of-sale companies on successes, challenges, and effective strategies. Don't miss your chance to learn from the best in the business and stay ahead in senior living dining.
Sean Rowe
CEO
MealSuite
Shannon Moyes
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Volanté Systems
Strategic Dining Services is a single-source support resource for self-operated dining and hospitality services. Our goal is to provide self-operated community dining management, culinary and service staff with valuable resources, technologies, coaching and hands-on support to enhance their skills, technologies, and leadership abilities. This support coupled with the power of the FoodBuy GPO purchasing resources and an end-to-end culinary management ecosystem drives efficiency, quality and develops dining leaders in the community.