Chris Cooley is a seasoned procurement and supply management leader with deep expertise in indirect category management, supplier engagement, and supplier diversity. He serves as Global Indirect Category Manager at G&W Electric, driving category strategies, strengthening supplier relationships, and advancing process maturity across the organization. Previously, Chris led enterprise supplier engagement at UScellular, revitalizing the Supplier Inclusion program His earlier experience at Blue Cross Blue Shield and Sonoco includes negotiating multimillion-dollar agreements, implementing demand planning processes, and managing critical supply lines supporting manufacturing operations. Across every role, Chris brings a mission-driven approach focused on creating value, mitigating risk, and elevating supplier partnerships to strengthen organizational performance, and he has served as ISM-Chicago’s Supplier Diversity Committee Chair for the past two years, organizing programming that supports members’ supply chain goals.

Antoine Hinton is a seasoned business executive with over 25 years of progressive leadership experience across Fortune 500 retailers, specializing in merchandising, sourcing, supplier development, and strategic business growth. His career spans impactful roles at Dollar General, True Value Company, Sears Holdings, and Ace Hardware, where he consistently drove multimillion-dollar category growth, built high-performing teams, and led enterprise-wide initiatives. Currently serving as Senior Director of Small Business Development, Antoine is recognized for his visionary leadership in supplier inclusion, strategic sourcing, and cross-functional collaboration. His expertise in mentoring small and diverse suppliers, optimizing supply chains, and aligning business strategies with community needs underscores his commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth.

Alison Jennings is the Senior Director of Business Development at Milo's Tea Company, a family-owned, woman-owned beverage company, where she builds strategic executive partnerships across the company's top national accounts. With more than 20 years of experience in food and beverage, Alison has played a central role in Milo's extraordinary growth — helping scale the brand from $10 million to over $900 million in retail sales, growing market share from 9% to 36%, and establishing Milo's as the #1 item in the U.S. tea category. Her work sits at the intersection of supplier strategy and customer partnership, aligning Milo's growth priorities with the initiatives that matter most to Milo’s retail partners. Alison has been recognized as a Birmingham Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 honoree, a Women of Influence honoree by the Shelby Report, and a Rising Star by Progressive Grocer.