FMS Profit Summit Agenda

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

All Sessions at the Fairmont, Washington DC

12:00 PM - Lunch with NGA Executive Conference & Public Policy Summit | Registration

1:30 PM – Welcome & Keynote
Robert Graybill, President & CEO

The Future of Decision Support

For decades, data meant massive volumes of information that only highly experienced experts—often with 20–30 years in the industry—could interpret and turn into operational decisions. But those days are fading, and businesses need new ways to bridge the gap.

That’s where FMS comes in. Our next-generation tools start by pinpointing your operational opportunities with clarity and accuracy. From there, AI-driven solutions step in to instruct, educate, and coach both new and seasoned team members—helping them make smarter decisions, faster.

With FMS, you’re not just keeping pace—you’re equipping your team and your business to thrive in a new era of success.
Robert Graybill
President & CEO, FMS

2:00 PM – FMS Profit Summit Guest Keynote: Overcoming Adversity in Uncertainty
Terry Wayne Virts Jr., Retired NASA astronaut, International Space Station commander, and colonel in the United States Air Force

From commanding the International Space Station to flying combat missions in the U.S. Air Force, retired NASA astronaut Terry Virts knows what it takes to lead when the stakes are high and the future is unclear. Drawing powerful parallels between space exploration and the independent grocery industry, Virts will explore how preparation, adaptability, and innovation can help leaders thrive in uncertain times. With timely insights on navigating today’s challenges—from inflation to supply chain pressures—this inspiring session will leave you equipped to face the unknown with confidence.
Terry Virts
Retired NASA Astronaut

3:30 PM – The New FMS Solutions | FMS Futures

Unveiling Profit Hound™: Your Fast Track to Actionable Data

With a growing talent gap in accounting and major industry shifts on the horizon, how can grocers stay ahead? This session explores how FMS is using AI, automation, and deep grocery expertise to help retailers adapt—replacing up to 40% of routine tasks and giving you greater control in an uncertain world.

The Future of FMS: Tech, Talent, and the Road Ahead:


GOT Systems 

- While inflation is subduing, PPI Indexes are increasing, which will soon translate to higher consumer prices and retail prices. In this environment it is more important that you are taking advantage of deal pricing and reducing shrink in order to offer a better value to a stressed consumer. In this session we will show you how GOT Systems will lead you to success with your customer base.

Workhappy™ Suite

- We all focus as retailers on the customers experience so we can compete against the majors. There is an experience we all forget with the employee. We are competing with the majors for good talent and loyal employees. Make your employee experience great with the Workhappy™ Suite.
Robert Graybill
President & CEO, FMS
Charlie Rapier
Chief Revenue Officer, FMS
Doug Haworth
General Manager, GOT Systems
Rachel Gideo
Sr. Dir. Solutions Engineering, FMS

5:00 PM – Sponsorship Reception - Transportation will be provided from the The Fairmont to the Awards Gala at the Smithsonian National Air Museum

Award Gala and Dinner at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

7:00 PM - Cocktail Reception + Awards Gala and Dinner

Bring a Guest and Celebrate at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum
Join us for an unforgettable night of celebration at the iconic Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Set against a backdrop of legendary aircraft and historic space artifacts, the FMS Profit Summit Awards Gala is an elegant evening dedicated to honoring the outstanding achievements within the independent grocery industry.

Dress Code is Business Cocktail

Dress Attire

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23 

All Sessions at the Fairmont, Washington DC

7:30 - 8:00 AM - Networking Breakfast | Registration | Sponsorship Pavillion

8:30 AM - Economic Outlook 2025: Insights for Independent Retailers
Dr. Anirban Basu, Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group

Dr. Anirban Basu, Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, is known for delivering sharp economic analysis with a healthy dose of wit. In this engaging keynote, he’ll unpack today’s economic trends, outline what’s ahead, and share practical strategies to protect your bottom line in 2025 and beyond. You’ll walk away informed, prepared, and maybe even laughing.
Dr. Anirban Basu
Chairman & CEO
Sage Policy Group

9:15 AM - Cyber Security in the Age of AI
Tony Cartolaro, Vice President, Weidenhammer

Data thieves are getting more skilled everyday and your security policies and infrastructure need to keep up. We have read the stories of big retailers and even wholesale being crippled by these tech pirates. Preparing your infrastructure, training and policies go from prevention to post attack communication, PR and insurance. Don’t get caught flat footed. In this session you will hear concrete steps you should be taking to prepare. WSC has been FMS’s infrastructure provider and security provider for 40 years. You will hear from a 25 year veteran in data security.
 Tony Cartolaro
Vice President
Weidenhammer

10:30 AM - “What If? Building a Business That Survives the Unexpected”
Carey Berger, Founder & President at the BSR Group

What would happen if you—or one of your key team members—couldn’t come to work tomorrow? For many grocers, the answer is unclear until it’s too late. In this powerful session, a dynamic family owned independent will share how they rapidly grew their stores and learned the hard truth: growth means nothing without a plan for survivability.

Panelists: Jason Cook and Alea Ausmer, By Chance Markets and Investments
Carey Berger
President, The BSR Group

11:30 AM - Strategies to Better Control Labor Costs
Sunil Vatave, Co-Founder and President at Canary Hiring Technologies

Labor costs continue to put pressure on grocer margins. This talk will discuss three of the major cost drivers and strategies to manage down your labor costs. - How the Big Beautiful Bill can negatively impact labor cost and what to do about it. - Reducing turnover costs through early detection of attrition drivers. - Mitigating benefits costs through alternatives to traditional health plans.
Sunil Vatave
President & Co-Founder
Canary Hiring Technologies

12:30 - Lunch & Sponsor Pavillion

1:30 PM - Executive Sessions

Mergers & Acquisition in Today's Supermarket Environment
David Schroeder

Some organizations are looking for growth opportunities, while others are looking to exit. This session will give you an in-depth look at multiples and what drives those multiples up for your business. Listen to David Schroeder, industry veteran and luminary.

David Schroeder

GOT Systems and the Future
Doug Haworth, GOT Systems

Explore the next generation of GOT Systems and how the launch of real-time, data-driven tools can help retailers improve performance by department. Learn how to transform your store’s operations, maximize profits, and respond quickly to trends by leveraging the new GOT Portal. 

Doug Haworth
General Manager, GOT Systems
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2:30 PM

FMS Financial Outlook
Robert Graybill, President & CEO

We have seen the trends from pre-Covid 19 to post Covid 19 inflation. In today’s current economic environment we are seeing softening in the marketplace and ever stronger competition. Learn what the profit leaders are doing to both excel in today’s market and prepare for what’s next.  

Robert Graybill
President & CEO, FMS

The Impact of Empowering Key Associates with Supermarket Math and Timely Data & KPIs
Doug Madenberg

Over the past two months, many of your employees have been trained on the fundamentals of supermarket math—understanding KPIs, what they mean, and how they affect business outcomes. The next challenge is ensuring they have timely access to the right data to act on those insights.

This session will show you how to bring KPIs directly to your store teams—enabling associates to learn faster, make smarter decisions, and improve performance.

Moderator: Doug Madenberg, Chief Listening Officer, The Feedback Group

Panelists: Mandy Tomlin – CFO, Brookshires Grocery Group, Paul Rowton – VP, Edwards Food Giant, and William Burns – President, Grenada Markets

Doug Madenberg
Chief Listening Officer The Feedback Group
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3:30 - 4:30 PM

GOT! to Improve the Bottom Line

Global and domestic economic impacts of changes  legislation and geopolitical conflicts,  managing shrink is required for a succesful grocery operation. In this session Doug Howarth and the GOT Team will show GOT users how to: Combat Losses
• Identify shrink and markdown trends to refine product mix and display strategy. Order Smarter
• Use real-time sales data to make the best ordering decisions.
• Proactively manage out-of-stocks to keep customers satisfied.
• Fine-tune milk ordering to boost sales while avoiding overstock.
Control Inventory
• Track DSD inventory accurately.
• Reduce excess on-hand stock.
• Manage perishable goods using grind logs and meat cooler tracking.
Enhance Placement
• Maximize labor efficiency with targeted tag printing.
• Verify prices while ordering.
• Focus on top sellers with informed product mix decisions.

FMS Account Platform (Apps) Tips & Tricks
Don Heinerichs, FMS

Automate your process to upload sales, time & attendance, billbacks, payroll, fixed assets, and invoices through leveraging interfaces and uploads in the FMS accounting platform. In this session our tenured FMS experts will help you better leverage the platform to decrease error prone manual inputs that can lead to data entry mistakes or lack of data. By learning to decrease data collection times with precision accuracy you will empower your people to make data driven decisions faster.  

Smarter Benchmarking and Budgeting For The Data Driven Grocer

The “Post Covid” economy is taking us back to pre 2020 trends. In this session Rachael Gideo Sr. Director at FMS will help you better build a budget that is designed to help retails benchmark near time data against expectations and forecasts.

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4:30 - 5:00 PM – Closing Reception

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Post-Profit Summit Programming

Training Sessions

– GOT Systems: Deepen your understanding of GOT tools and functionalities.

– Apps/Vision: Hands-on training to maximize the impact of our applications and Vision platform.

Customer Advisory Board (By Invitation Only)
An exclusive session for invited members to provide strategic input and feedback on key FMS services/platforms.

 

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My Education

Workshops & Training

Advanced UX Strategies
Jan 2023 - May 2023

Certifications & Courses

Google UX
Jan 2023 - May 2023

Bachelor’s Degree

University Name
Feb 2020 - May 2022

High School Diploma

School Name
Jan 2020 - May 2020

Dale Normal Reeves

Leadership & Communication Expert
Author of Inspire People to Greatness
Creator of The Reeves Connection Method

Dale Reeves is an author and a nationally recognized leadership and communication expert who teaches leaders how to connect deeply, communicate authentically, and inspire greatness in the people around them. With more than 30 years of experience in corporate management, Dale equips leaders with the one skill AI can never replace—real human connection through one-on-one conversation that influences behavior and inspires action. He is also a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI), interrogator.

Steve Morrow

Allen’s Food Market

A 50+ year grocery veteran, Morrow has managed Allen’s Food Market in Bella Vista, Arkansas, just seven miles from Wal-Mart’s corporate offices in neighboring Bentonville, since 1999. He was named Associated Wholesale Grocer’s National Store Manager of the Year in 2015, chosen from over 3,400 stores. A master of social media, community connection, and shopping experience, he’s shared his unique passion and enthusiasm with grocers all over North America. His creative “no holds barred, 100 miles per hour” style will surely inspire you to look at your store, staff, and shoppers in a whole new and exciting way.

Richard Wardwell

President & CEO, Superior Grocers

Richard Wardwell is the President & CEO of Superior Grocers, one of Southern California’s largest independent supermarket chains operating 74 locations. In this role, he directs daily operations and strategic initiatives driving growth and innovation.

Richard’s 44-year grocery career began in 1982 as a courtesy clerk at Raley’s Supermarket in Reno, Nevada. Over nearly three decades, he worked his way up to General Manager, overseeing store operations across Nevada, California, and New Mexico. He later held leadership roles at Save Mart Supermarkets and Walmart before returning to Raley’s in 2011 as Vice President of Operations for their Food Source Division.

In 2014, Richard joined Superior Grocers as Vice President of Operations. Over the 12 years, he has played a key role in the company’s success, ultimately becoming President & CEO.

Richard serves as Chairman of the board for the California Grocers Association and is a member of the C-Level Roundtable Sharegroup. He has also served on the boards of the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC), Olive Crest, New Mexico Grocers Association, and the Northern Nevada Food Bank.

Bhavdeep Singh

President & CEO, National Grocers Association

Bhavdeep Singh is an accomplished international executive with a very strong background in Healthcare, Retail Logistics, and Leadership Development. He has led private and public companies on three continents and has a very strong track record of building teams and delivering results.

Founder of WHA Partners and Whitehawk Associates (wha-partners.com) an advisory platform launched in 2020 with a focus on Healthcare, Retail, Logistics, and Leadership Development. His client list includes several multi-billion-dollar companies with brand presence all over the world. With offices in USA, India and Thailand, WHA/Whitehawk is quickly building a brand as a leading advisory platform.

Bhavdeep is also the Founder of Global MedTeam (globalmedteam.com) an exciting new platform that is focused on healthcare staffing and has offices in USA and the Philippines.

Founder and Chairman of Redesign backed HealthQuarters, a fast-paced healthcare start-up in NY, where Bhavdeep launched a visionary healthcare concept - healthquarters.com, an exciting new healthcare platform that brought together clinical and wellness under one roof.

CEO of Fortis Healthcare (Asia-based), one of the largest private hospital chains and healthcare platforms in the world, with over 30 hospitals. This is a highly specialized tertiary care hospital and diagnostics system with almost 4000 beds, 400 plus diagnostic lab centers, and one of the largest organ transplant programs in the world. Over two stints, Bhavdeep ran Fortis for six plus years.

Former Head of USA Operations at Ahold for 5 years where he had oversight for a $26 billion business with almost 800 stores, 30 warehouses, and was on the Executive Board of Ahold USA. He oversaw the entire US operation and had four Division Presidents reporting to him. He had a dual role where he was also the CEO of bfresh, an Ahold-backed venture that featured a small store concept, focusing on fresh foods.

Greg Fararra

President & CEO, National Grocers Association

Greg Ferrara is the President and CEO of the Washington, DC based National Grocers Association (NGA). NGA is the national trade association that is the voice of the retail and wholesale companies which comprise the independent sector of the supermarket industry, as well as those companies that provide products and services to the industry. In his role as President and CEO, Mr. Ferrara is responsible for working with NGA’s Board of Directors to develop and implement a strategic vision which advances the Association’s efforts and public policy positions. Prior to being appointed President and CEO in September 2019, Mr. Ferrara served for many years in various leadership roles at NGA, including as the organization’s chief lobbyist.


Mr. Ferrara brings a wealth of experience in the grocery industry, having managed his family’s century-old supermarket in New Orleans before the store was ultimately destroyed in 2005 in Hurricane Katrina. Greg holds a BA in Political Science from Loyola University New Orleans and is a fellow of the prestigious Institute of Politics at Loyola University. He is a graduate of the US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management (IOM), is a graduate of the NGA Executive Leadership Program at Cornell University and is an Eagle Scout. Greg and his wife Nicole are the proud parents of two children, Matthew and Katelyn.