The Southeast Produce Council has released its lineup of speakers for the upcoming Southern Exposure: Produce Means Family. Just as “ohana” means “family” in Hawaiian culture, SPC believes that the produce community is a family that supports and uplifts one another.
Set for March 6-8 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida, this year’s conference will encompass SEPC Chair Kristin Yerecic Scott’s platform celebrating the significance of family meals and the importance of eating together.
“Southern Exposure is more than a conference; it’s a gathering of our produce family to share meals, build connections and learn from incredible voices,” said Yerecic Scott, who also is EVP of customer experience and administration/co-owner of Yerecic Label. “We look forward to welcoming everyone with open arms and the spirit of aloha.”
The following guest speakers have been lined up for the event:
Celebrity keynote speaker – Bethany Hamilton
At age 13, Bethany Hamilton lost her left arm to a 14-foot tiger shark, which could’ve ended her career as a rising surf star. But one month after the attack, Hamilton returned to the water. Within two years, she had won her first national title. In 2007, she realized her dream of surfing professionally and her story has since been told in a New York Times best-selling autobiography and the 2011 film, Soul Surfer.
Hamilton is involved in numerous charitable efforts, including The Beautifully Flawed Foundation, which reaches out to amputees and youth. Using her platform as a professional athlete to promote living a fit and healthy lifestyle, she authored the book “Body and Soul” in 2014. “Unstoppable,” a surf documentary showcasing her career, was released theatrically in July 2019, accompanied by photo and children’s books.
Hamilton launched the Unstoppable Living online courses in 2019 and a mother-daughter mentorship program known as the “Ohana Experience” in 2022, along with another children’s book called “Surfing Past Fear.”
Industry keynote speaker – David Fikes
David Fikes is executive director of the FMI Foundation, whose mission is supporting the food industry through a focus on research and education in the areas of food safety, health and well-being and social responsibility.
Fikes formerly served as FMI’s VP for communication and consumer/community relations. Prior to that, he was the director of communication for the American Frozen Food Institute.
Southern Roots luncheon speaker – Dominique Dawes
Owner of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics and Ninja Academies, Dawes is committed to developing a healthy and compassionate culture in the sport of gymnastics. Her first academy opened in July 2020 and her second followed in 2023.
Dawes also holds minority ownership in the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League and served as the co-chair of the President’s Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition under the Obama administration alongside Drew Brees. Alongside LeBron James and Maverick Carter, she recently served as executive producer of the Peacock docu-series “Golden,” the journey of USA’s elite gymnasts on the road to the Tokyo Olympics, which has been nominated for a Sports Emmy.
A graduate of the University of Maryland, Dawes was inducted into UMD’s Hall of Fame in 2022.
[RELATED: SEPC Releases ‘What’s New’ Annual Consumer Research Results]
Good Seeds MENtor Program speaker – Jason Brown
A native of Henderson, North Carolina, Jason Brown is a former professional football player and community advocate.
Brown studied interpersonal communications at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill while on a football scholarship. After he graduated in 2005, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. As a free agent in 2009, Brown signed a five-year contract with the St. Louis Rams, served three and was released in March 2012.
After his departure from the NFL, Brown returned to North Carolina and bought a 1,000-acre farm in Louisburg that has since hosted several community events and collaborated with many faith and service organizations. The farm has yielded one million pounds of produce that was given to food pantries and churches throughout the Research Triangle area.
Brown and his wife, Tay, are also involved in Wisdom for Life Ministries and First Fruit Farm.
About Southeast Produce Council
The Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) was founded in 1999, the result of a shared vision for cultivating a nonprofit Southeastern-based produce organization. From the first formal meeting of the SEPC, where 100 agriculture, retail and foodservice professionals gathered, the association grew into an organization of more than 4,000 industry professionals.
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