ARLINGTON, VA. — Howard Friedman, chief executive officer of Utz Brands Inc., will take part in a fireside chat as part of SNAXPO23. The annual event put on by SNAC International will be held March 19-21 in Orlando, Fla.

Mr. Friedman has more than 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry and in late 2022 joined Hanover, Pa.-based Utz Brands as chief executive officer. Prior to Utz he was chief operations officer of Post Holdings, Inc., and also has worked for Kraft Heinz Co. During his career has worked with some of the most well-known food and beverage brands in the world, including Utz, Pebbles cereal, Lunchables, Philadelphia cream cheese, Kool-Aid and Kraft. 

In addition to Mr. Friedman, SNAC said Shane Battier also will take part in the meeting as a keynote presenter. Mr. Battier is a two-time National Basketball Association champion and former vice president of analytics and basketball development for the Miami Heat. Mr. Battier is known for elevating his team to championship levels by focusing on the intangibles that aren’t reflected on the stat sheet, according to SNAC. He now takes that message off the court to share ways in which “sacrifice, ownership, embracing failure, championship professionalism, and a Hunger Games mentality contribute to the powerful and significant intersection of art and commerce,” SNAC said. 

“We’re thrilled to provide such prominent keynote speakers who live, breathe, and foster success,” said Christine Cochran, president and CEO of SNAC. “SNAXPO is the capstone of our association’s education and networking pillars and provides a venue for our industry to gather to set their companies up for growth. These speakers provide endless inspiration to those around them to reach new heights. Whether you’re the next great rising star or a well-established manufacturer, SNAXPO will provide the tools for success.”  

To register for SNAXPO23 or for more information, visit www.snaxpo.com.