Ilan Sobel has been the CEO of BioHarvest Sciences since July 2020. Ilan has brought the company’s first product, VINIA, to North America, building a direct-to-consumer machine that is now generating significant revenues. VINIA’s go-to-market success has established a template for the company’s near-term product pipeline of nutraceutical plant cell banks. In addition to commercial focus and planning, Ilan has scaled production capabilities from R+D up to industrial levels, and is building a biotech company with novel, and even patentable plant-based products that are based on science and backed by clinical trials.. Prior to BioHarvest, Ilan served for 6 years at Weissbeerger, as both Chief Operating Officer and then Chief Commercial Officer. In this capacity, Ilan played a major leadership role in building a disruptive BIG Data, IOT & Software Company servicing major Beverage players which was ultimately purchased by Anheuser Busch InBev. Previously, Ilan served an 18 year stint as an International Employee of The Coca-Cola Company, where he played a pivotal role in key senior leadership positions generating significant revenue and profit growth and improving brand health trends across diverse global markets including the United States, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and South Africa.

• COMPANY WEBSITE: https://bioharvest.com/
• CEO LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilansobel/

Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., serves as president and CEO of American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization and the first to serve animals, whenever and wherever they are in need of rescue, shelter or protection. She is the executive producer of the acclaimed documentary, Escape from Extinction, narrated by Dame Helen Mirren, and its follow-up, Escape from Extinction Rewilding, which features narration by Oscar winner Meryl Streep. She is also the executive producer of the annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards which aired for ten years on Hallmark Channel and most recently aired on A&E and fyi networks. Additionally, she is the author of The Humane Table: Cooking with Compassion, Mission Metamorphosis and Animal Stars. Her next book, Escape from Extinction, is set to come out in 2025. Dr. Ganzert serves on the board of Loro Parque Foundation, the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and is a member of The Explorers Club, the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce Trustee Program, and the International Women’s Forum. She has been awarded the prestigious Gorilla Prize by world-renowned zoological organization Loro Parque for her efforts in conservation. 

Dr. Ganzert is frequently highlighted in prominent national news and media platforms as an authoritative advocate for animals. In the recent season, she made appearances on shows like Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, Fox News Saturday Night, and America’s Newsroom, among others. During her tenure at American Humane, she has been a guest on broadcast outlets such as the TODAY Show, MSNBC, World News Tonight, CNN, and Fox Business News, to name a few. Additionally, her insights have been featured in major newspapers, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Globe. 

Under her leadership, American Humane continues to earn recognition for its commitment to transparency, accountability, efficiency, and financial responsibility. Thanks to this dedication, American Humane is a top-rated charity having earned, for six years, Charity Navigator’s “FourStar” rating; the “Seal of Excellence” from Independent Charities of America – awarded to fewer than three percent of charities nationwide; an “A” rating from Great Nonprofits; and is one of the few charities that meet all of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance 20 Standards for charity accountability

Charlie Youakim is a serial technology entrepreneur with over a decade of experience driving fintech companies to success. He is the Co-founder, Executive Chairman, and CEO of Sezzle, a leading Buy Now. Pay Later platform that empowers consumers to gain financial freedom. Previously, he founded Passport, a pioneering software and payments service that transformed the transportation industry.

Chuck Runyon - CEO, Co-Founder at Self Esteem Brands, LLC, Anytime Fitness, Waxing the City, The Bar Method, Basecamp Fitness

LeeAnn is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas where she earned degrees in Mass Communications & Journalism – Public Relations and General Business Management. Throughout her career, LeeAnn has focused on consumer retail and financial services with an emphasis on brand building and digital transformations for Fortune 1000 companies including Macy’s, RBC Wealth Management, Sleep Number, and Securian Financial.

In recent years, LeeAnn completed a Diversity & Inclusion certification through Cornell University and earned her MBA at Hamline University. A lifelong learner and community servant, LeeAnn is inspired by creating meaningful change in the business world and in the local communities in which she works and lives. She has served as a leader in multicultural and diverse employee resource groups and taskforces. LeeAnn is known for driving policy and cultural change to create opportunities for women and people of color in the workplace.

LeeAnn joined the board of WomenVenture in 2018 and served as chair of the governance committee. She is highly passionate about the organization, its mission, and its long-term impact on the community. Supporting women business owners to thrive and solving the child care crisis is deeply important to LeeAnn.

Outside of the workplace, LeeAnn is a mom to four children and a Labrador retriever. She enjoys traveling the world, cooking, and entertaining while staying active through running, yoga, and cycling.

Justin Kehrwald is President, and CEO, and serves as a Board Member for Tradehome Shoes, Inc. Tradehome is employee-owned and operates 130 retail locations across 25 states, with Headquarters in the Twin Cities. Justin began his career with Tradehome Shoes in 1999. He has served several roles within the company including Store Manager, Regional Supervisor, and COO. In 2018 he became the fourth CEO in the company's 102-year history. Justin is responsible for all areas of the company's business performance and has grown revenue by over 80%. His vision for Tradehome updated its brand image, and store experience, opened 31 new locations, and launched its e-commerce, Tradehome.com. Under his leadership, Tradehome Shoes implemented the Trade-at-Home Giveback Program and, recently, launched a wholesale footwear brand.

Michael Hund is the CEO of EB Research Partnership (EBRP), a trailblazing medical research organization focused on curing Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a life-threatening genetic skin disease. Under his leadership EBRP has accelerated the landscape from 2 to over 40 clinical trials and via their award winning venture philanthropy methodology funded the first FDA approved treatment for EB in 2023, the first ever topical gene therapy.

Joe Ennen is the CEO of SunOpta, a pioneer fueling the future of sustainable plant-based and fruit-based food and beverages. An expert in driving dynamic growth at scale, and building vibrant company culture, Ennen believes in the power of people to build a more sustainable future.

Josh Fox has grown Bottom Line Concepts over the past 14 years to achieve billions of dollars in savings and refunds for many different organizations. In the day-to-day operations, his strength is building relationships as well as managing employees, vendors and an international sales team. He is hands on in overseeing all aspects of the business from meetings, contracts, negotiations, implementation and follow-up. Passionate about various charities, Fox gives back to his community and is also an avid animal rights activist and enthusiast. Fox earned a bachelor’s degree in business and managerial economics from the University of Michigan.

Brian Slipka is the founder and serves as the leader of True North. Throughout his career as a senior executive, Brian began investing in numerous independent operating companies, eventually forming the framework of today’s True North Equity Partners. Over time, and with his own hard-earned capital, Brian began acquiring controlling interest in independent operating companies across varied and diverse industries. Among these are Sunbelt Business Advisors and True North Mergers & Acquisitions, where he serves as chairman and CEO. He also is the founder and CEO of Honour Capital, LLC, focused on equipment financing. Today, the combined family of over 20 independently owned small businesses has revenues in excess of a quarter billion dollars. Brian’s experience includes building a startup, buying existing (including distressed) businesses, selling/exiting businesses, and angel investments in numerous companies, as a limited partner/investor, while serving on the boards of many. He is the owner of multiple types of commercial real estate, inducing retail, multi-tenant, medical office, and commercial. He is the very definition of “self-made”.