Event
GCCA Cold Chain Connection Midwest – Kansas City
Event Overview
Join Us for the GCCA Cold Chain Connection Midwest – Kansas City
Join us for the GCCA Cold Chain Connection Midwest this August in Kansas City, where professionals from the temperature-controlled warehouse, logistics, transportation, and design/build industries will gather for networking and learning.
The event kicks off with facilitated networking round tables and an evening reception, followed by a half-day of educational programming, covering topics like technology & innovation, advocacy, and association updates. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to network, learn, and enjoy a truly unique experience.
This event is open to GCCA Members, and non-members.
What to Expect
This year’s program is designed to give you the knowledge and connections you need to thrive in the North American temperature-controlled supply chain sector in the coming years. Here is a preview of what you can expect:
| August 26 | Session |
|---|---|
| 1:00 p.m. | Registration Open |
| 1:30 - 3:30 | Warehouse & Logistics Regional Forum Warehouse & Logistics Operators Only |
| 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Cold Chain Café Roundtable Discussions |
| 5:00 – 6:30pm | Reception |
| August 27 | Session |
|---|---|
| 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. | Networking Breakfast |
| 8:15 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. | Association Update Sara Stickler, President & CEO, GCCA |
| 8:45 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. | A Practical Guide to Understanding and Adopting AI |
| 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Protein Market Trends and Ag Sector Insights |
| 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Coffee Break |
| 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | Cargo Theft in the Digital Age: How to Spot Warning Signs |
| 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | USDA & FSIS Export Update: Protein Exporting and Regulatory Developments |
| 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Real Warehouse Legal Case Studies & Lessons Learned |
Schedule subject to change.
Program Details
Association Update
Sara Stickler, President & CEO, GCCA
Join us for an overview of association’s impact on your business, industry trends, advocacy efforts and new resource preview.
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A Practical Guide to Understanding and Adopting AI
Craig Sizemore, Co-Founder, Managing Principal, STEPS Consulting
Artificial intelligence is no longer just an emerging technology—it is a practical tool that can help cold storage professionals work smarter and more efficiently today. This session provides a practical framework for understanding what AI can and can’t do, offers tips for helping your organization get started with adoption, and focuses on real-world applications already helping organizations reduce administrative burden, improve individual productivity, and make better team decisions.
Attendees will learn a clear way to think about AI’s capabilities, gain a starting approach for rolling out AI across their teams, and walk through concrete examples drawn from everyday operations and administrative work.
Protein Markets & Agribusiness Outlook: Trends Shaping the Cold Chain
Lance Zimmerman, SVP – Senior Animal Protein Analyst, RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness
Gain valuable insights into the forces influencing today’s protein and agribusiness sectors. This session will explore market trends, supply and demand dynamics, trade developments, and economic factors impacting the protein industry, while highlighting what these changes mean for cold chain warehousing, logistics, and food supply chain operations.
Cargo Theft in the Digital Age: How to Spot the Warning Signs
Cornell Heldenbrand, Vice President of Security, JB Hunt Transport, Inc.
Learn how to recognize warning signs of fraud and cargo theft, improve vigilance across operations, identify suspicious activity, and strengthen your first and last lines of defense through proactive prevention strategies, operational awareness, and effective cargo recovery strategies to help recover stolen goods and minimize business disruption.
USDA & FSIS Export Update: Protein Exporting & Regulatory Developments
Barry Rhodes, Director of Recall Management and Technical Analysis Staff, Office of Field Operations (OFO), Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S Department of Agriculture
Hear the latest updates on protein exports, FSIS regulations, and evolving compliance requirements impacting international trade.
Real Warehouse Legal Case Studies & Lessons Learned
Kevin Phillips, Partner, Scopelitis, GCCA Service Partner
Join this interactive session exploring real-world insurance and claims scenarios impacting the cold chain and transportation industries. Gain insights into emerging legal developments, claims trends, and practical risk management strategies while learning valuable lessons from actual cases and industry experiences.
Registration Fees
| Registration Type | Rate USD$ |
|---|---|
| Warehouse & Transportation, Member | $395 |
| Warehouse & Transportation Non-Member | $695 |
| Industry Solutions Provider, Member | $495 |
| Industry Solutions Provider, Non-Member | $695 |
Venue
901 W 48th Pl., Kansas City, MO 64112
The GCCA room block for this event is sold out. You can still make a reservation directly through the venue. The hotel cancellation policy states that cancellations received within 72 hours prior to arrival will incur a one night’s room and taxes charge.
Sponsor Cold Chain Connection Kansas City
Position your brand at the forefront of the cold chain industry. This event gathers influential professionals working in the temperature-controlled sector – warehouse, logistics, transportation, food, supply chain, and design/build industries. Benefits of sponsoring include:
- Recognition as a sponsor on event website, and pre-event marketing emails.
- High-impact signage at the event.
- Distinctive ribbons to identify your staff as key event partners.
- 2 complimentary event registrations.
| Opportunity | Rate USD$ |
|---|---|
| Cold Chain Connection Sponsor (Non-exclusive) | $5,250 |
Sponsorship is available to GCCA Members.
Interested in sponsoring or joining? Contact Holly Coughlan.
Can’t make it to Kansas City? Explore our full GCCA Events Calendar to find an event near you.
GCCA Event Registration, Cancellation, and Code of Conduct Policies
By submission of your conference registration, you (Registrant) and/or the persons you are registering acknowledge acceptance of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) Code of Conduct and Event Policies.
Sponsors
