Jonathan Bein, Ph.D., is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Distribution Strategy Group. At the conference, to be held in Chicago on June 4th–6th, Jonathan will deliver the keynote, “AI Driven Revenue Growth.” 

He’ll explore how AI can bring new levels of effectiveness and efficiency to areas like:

• Salesforce management
• Customer relationship management
• Cross selling and upselling
• Marketing automation and campaign management
• Digital marketing
• eCommerce capabilities 

Jonathan Bein Ph.D. has worked with over 100 distributors to apply advanced analytics and AI to improve customer experience, define value proposition, estimate sales potential and create digital strategy.

Before Distribution Strategy Group, Bein has successfully led and been part of executive management for software product and services companies in information technology, healthcare and communications. Bein has been CEO of several companies. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Colorado with a focus in Artificial Intelligence and his BA in Computer Science at Indiana University.

Ian Heller has more than 30 years of experience executing marketing and e-business strategy in the wholesale distribution industry. He has written and spoken extensively on the impact of digital disruption on distributors.

Ian entered the distribution industry as a truck unloader at a Grainger branch while in college. He eventually became Vice President of Marketing there and has since held senior executive roles at GE Capital, Corporate Express, Newark Electronics and HD Supply. Ian most recently served as President and COO for Modern Distribution Management, a specialized information and analytics firm serving the wholesale distribution industry.

Ian earned a BA in History from Roosevelt University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where he was elected commencement speaker by his classmates and won the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award.

Jonny LeRoy is the Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of W.W. Grainger, Inc., a $17.2 billion leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. He is responsible for the technology systems, data, AI, security and operations that underpin Grainger’s business model. 

Jonny joined Grainger in 2020 after a 15-year career at ThoughtWorks, where as Head of Technology for North America, he led their technology organization, growing new offerings and capabilities, while also helping to progress their talent, culture and delivery expertise. In prior roles at ThoughtWorks, Jonny served as Market Tech Principal for the West Coast and Lead Developer in the U.S. and UK. Earlier in his career, Jonny was a founder and CTO of a successful UK start-up.  

Jonny holds CPE from Westminster University, and a MA, Literae Humaniores from the University of Oxford. Jonny is a 2022 Daniel Burnham Fellow with Leadership Greater Chicago and is on the governing body of the Evanta Chicago CIO community. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) College of Computing.  

Brian Hopkins is recognized for his expertise in customer service and operational efficiency within the industrial distribution sector. His career trajectory showcases a series of impactful leadership roles, marked by innovation and strategic growth. 

Notably, at W.W. Grainger (2002-2011), Brian significantly enhanced call center operations, and deployed the Grainger strategy by leading an operational staff of 7 direct reports and more than 800 employees in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa Call Centers. His tenure as District Branch Operations Manager and Branch Manager demonstrated his proficiency in managing large-scale operations, overseeing 18 branches with $200 million in revenue, and effectively running a $25 million branch operation. 

Subsequent roles include driving operational and customer service transformation at HD Supply Power Solutions (2011-2015), leading customer experience innovations at Hisco (2015-2020), and enhancing multi-site customer service strategies at Redi Carpet (2020-2022) and AZP Multifamily (2022-2023). 

Brian Hopkins’ career is a reflection of his unwavering dedication to customer service excellence and operational efficiency in industrial distribution. His tenure, especially at W.W. Grainger, has had a lasting impact, showcasing his capacity to innovate and lead in complex, multi-site operational environments. His academic background, including an MBA and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management, complements his extensive practical experience. 

 Brian has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead, innovate, and drive sustainable growth across various operational landscapes. 

Jeff Crume is an IBM Distinguished Engineer and Master Inventor with more than 40 years’ experience in the IT industry. He has a PhD in Cybersecurity and serves as an Adjunct Professor at NC State University. Jeff’s YouTube videos have been viewed more than 25 million times and he is the author of a book entitled “Inside Internet Security: What Hackers Don’t Want You To Know” as well as a contributing author to the “Information Security Management Handbook.” He is a member of the inaugural class of the NC State University Computer Science Alumni Hall of Fame and serves on the editorial board for the “Information and Computer Security” research journal. Jeff lived in Beijing on assignment in 2006 and has worked with clients in 50 countries. 

Danna B. Stone is Senior Vice President, Marketing and Board of Directors member at Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical and communications products and related supply chain management services.

Stone started her career in electrical distribution in 1999 and has held various director and VP positions. She joined Graybar in 2014 and has been VP – Strategic Accounts, District Vice President for the St. Louis District, and VP – Category Management. As SVP – Marketing, Stone combines the traditional role of negotiating distribution and incentive agreements with a heightened responsibility to drive growth and profitability in all product categories. In addition, she manages market development, marketing communications, pricing and purchasing for Graybar.

Stone holds a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has completed executive leadership programs at the International Institute of Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland, as well as the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She is currently pursuing her EMBA at Washington University.

Stone is a corporate partner team member for the St. Louis Symphony and the St. Louis Art Museum, and a member of the Board of Directors for the St. Louis Ronald McDonald House Organization, the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and the YMCA. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for both NAED and IDEA. In 2026, she is serving as Chair of IDEA.

She received the STL Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award in 2015, Graybar’s WINGS Leadership Award in 2019, and President’s Club in both 2017 and 2019. Further, Danna is the 2018 Courage Award recipient of the Melanoma Research Foundation.

She and her husband, Steve, have two children.

Alex Chausovsky is a trusted resource and advisor for owners and executives of private-and-publicly-held firms and industry trade associations on analytical, economic, geopolitical and business-oriented topics. He is a highly experienced market researcher and analyst with more than two decades of expertise across industries such as automation, industrial technology, healthcare, business services and manufacturing. He has consulted and advised companies throughout the U.S. and Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia.

Alex has delivered more than one thousand presentations, webinars, and workshops to small businesses, trade associations, and Fortune 500 companies and is the go-to source of industry data and insights for hundreds of enterprises across a spectrum of industries. Alex’s analysis has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, on the BBC, and on NPR.

Matt Sigelman is President of the Burning Glass Institute, a nonprofit data laboratory working at the intersection of the future of work and the future of learning to advance economic mobility, shared prosperity, and improved outcomes for workers and learners. Named by Forbes to its Future of Work 50, Matt has dedicated his career to bridging the gap between talent and opportunity. 

Previously Chairman and CEO of Lightcast, Matt pioneered the field of real-time labor market analytics, a breakthrough innovation that transformed the way employers, education institutions, policy makers, and workers understand, plan for, and connect with the world of work. 

He serves as Senior Advisor at the Harvard Project on the Workforce and a Futures Fellow at the Stanford Center on Longevity. He writes widely on the job market, has testified before Congress, and is consulted frequently by public officials and the global media. He is also Founder of the Main Line Classical Academy, an elementary school bringing the classical liberal arts curriculum and rigorous study in math and science to the kindergarten level on up and dedicated to the idea that children are never too young to learn great things. 

Matt holds an AB from Princeton University, an MBA from Harvard, and is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. 

Stu Tisdale is the Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer for ADI, responsible for setting the strategic direction and managing the company’s digital footprint to deliver a leading omnichannel customer experience across all touchpoints. He oversees the company’s e-commerce websites and apps, digital marketing, loyalty programs, strategic pricing, data science and analytics, creative services and technical sales support. 

Focused on delivering an exceptional omnichannel customer experience, Stu drives initiatives to enhance the customer journey across all channels. He has played a key role in leading numerous strategic initiatives including online shopping and e-commerce platform enhancements, cloud-based pricing, touchless ordering, ADI Pro Rewards, analytics, AI/ML-powered sales tools and more. 

Stu also leads all Voice of the Customer initiatives for the company, ensuring customer feedback is integrated into all product and services offerings. Additionally, he plays a vital role in cultivating M&A opportunities to accelerate ADI’s growth, resulting in seven acquisitions since 2020. 

Stu is an accomplished leader with deep expertise in B2B marketing, digital strategy and commercial excellence. Previously, he served as Vice President, Strategy and Commercial and has held a variety of roles within the company’s marketing and category management functions. Prior to ADI, Stu held roles in product management and marketing at Henry Schein, Inc. 

Married to my wife (Chante) for 14 years, with one child (son named Cameron).  Born and raised in western North Carolina (graduate of Appalachian State University with a BS in Business, focus in Accounting).  Entered the electrical distribution industry in 2000 with a large national distributor, before joining Summit in 2022.  Bulk of my career has been in finance and operations with experience across multiple geographies across the US (Central, Southeast and West Coast) with the bulk of my career being split between California (Los Angeles) and Texas (Dallas). Leadership philosophy is to be a strategic leader focused on building strong relationships with associates, customers, and supplier partners to create value across the supply chain.  Key focus on utilizing performance analytics to maximize company resources in support of profitable market share growth, while ensuring cross-functional communication that seeks to remove ambiguity from the organizations core mission. Experienced in multiple vertical markets (Comm / Data – Private & Public, Commercial / Electrical Construction, Industrial, Government and Institutional) within wholesale distribution.

Alok is the co-founder and CEO of Turn (turn.app), which builds intelligent ERP software and AI tools for distributors. A decade of building software for demanding, highly-regulated industries taught him one thing: the right operating workflows change what a team can achieve.

Turn was built alongside industry experts to reflect how distribution actually operates, helping teams process more orders, fulfill them quickly, and manage value-added services, collections, and payments in one place. Before Turn, Alok led products at Symphony and Intapp.

When he is not working on Turn, Alok spends time with his family in the San Francisco Bay Area.

As Co-founder and CTO at Kaavio, Sam works toward one mission: “Product data should work as hard as the people who depend on it.” 
Prior to Kaavio, Sam spent years as a data and engineering leader inside companies that sell technical products to professional buyers, driving 3x conversions and 50%+ revenue growth at Octopart (YC W07), building PIM and search for 10M+ products at Volition, and serving as Head of Engineering at Copia. 
 
It was these experiences that repeatedly surfaced the same problem: small teams, massive catalogs and no tool built for the workflow between “we have this data,” and “this product page is live.” And his time at Kaavio is spent looking to solve it. 
 
When he isn’t thinking about building revolutionary workflows, you can find Sam skiing, cooking and spending time with his dog Gus. 

Justin Johnson is the founder and CEO of Motivate, an AI-driven sales process automation platform for B2B distributors. Motivate empowers inside sales teams to reduce quote and order times by more than 50%, while its patent-pending eCommerce module has been shown to boost distributor online sales by more than 300%. A seasoned tech entrepreneur, Justin has a proven track record in B2B distribution and manufacturing solutions, having successfully built and sold multiple high-growth software companies, including LeadMethod (acquired by Revalize, backed by TA Associates) and MightyRep (acquired by Blue Agave). Justin is a regular contributor to technology and sales process automation thought leadership for B2B manufacturers and distributors. 

Sanjay Agarwal is widely recognized as a leader and innovator in the field of product content and data management. He presently serves as Chief Executive Officer at Blue Meteor, a company he founded that is revolutionizing the way organizations acquire, manage, and distribute product content through their Product Content Cloud solution. Before establishing Blue Meteor, Sanjay was the driving force behind Codifyd (formerly known as ByteManagers), a consultancy that specialized in data management, ecommerce, and related services. Prior to Codifyd, Sanjay held prominent leadership positions at AC Nielsen and Symphony IRI Group, where he gained substantial expertise in data management and information technology. 

Div Makkar is the Co-Founder and CEO of WizCommerce, the AI Operating System transforming wholesale distribution across North America. Under his leadership, WizCommerce has become the leading platform powering hundreds of customers including Atlas Lighting, Innovations Lighting, Ganz, Sagebrook Home, and Loloi Rugs.

An alumnus of UC Berkeley and a former EY-Parthenon consultant, Div spent his early career advising Fortune 500 CEOs across 20+ countries on digital transformation and growth strategy. He later joined Bessemer Venture Partners—a leading Silicon Valley venture capital firm and early investor in companies like Shopify and Toast—where he focused on SaaS and AI investments, shaping his perspective on how technology transforms traditional industries.

At WizCommerce, Div leads a fast-growing team reimagining how manufacturers and distributors sell, service, and operate through AI. The company is rapidly expanding across the U.S., helping B2B businesses modernize their sales, eCommerce, and operations through intelligent automation.Div is a frequent speaker on AI adoption, digital transformation, and the future of B2B commerce, and believes that AI’s purpose isn’t to replace people—it’s to amplify human intelligence, creativity, and connection in every business.

Colleen Daly is Vice President at The Howard Elliott Collection, a leading Chicago-area home décor distributor known for decorative mirrors, accent furniture, wall art, textiles, and accessories. At Howard Elliott, Colleen oversees key areas across operations, sales, marketing, customer experience, ecommerce, and product data management.

She is also an early AI adopter in the wholesale distribution space, using automation and AI to modernize workflows across order entry, buyer experience, ecommerce, and product content generation. Under her leadership, Howard Elliott has seen measurable gains in revenue, team efficiency, and speed to market by reducing manual processes and giving buyers a more seamless digital experience.

Colleen brings a practical, operator-led perspective on how distributors can adopt AI not as a future concept, but as a real business tool that improves sales productivity, content creation, and customer experience today.

Alex has spent the past 13+ years bringing technology solutions to distributors and manufacturers. In 2018, Alex was recognized by Distribution Trends, 40 under 40. With an emphasis on digital transformation, Alex has helped thousands of organizations to adopt profit driving strategies and processes. Today, Alex serves as Continuum’s CEO and Founder, on a mission to solve the challenges related to returns and warranties inside the multi-party reverse logistics supply chain.  

Benj Cohen is the founder and CEO of Proton.ai, the leading AI-powered sales platform for distributors. His mission is to help distributors sell smarter and grow faster. Benj’s journey started at Benco Dental, his family’s distribution business founded in 1930. With a deep understanding of distributors’ needs, he founded Proton.ai while studying data science at Harvard. 
A recognized voice on AI and modern sales in distribution, Benj has been featured in MDM, DSG, and Industrial Supply Magazine. In 2022, his company secured a $20 million Series A led by Felicis Ventures. The following year, he became the first leader in distribution to earn a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30. 

With over 20 years of experience in leading digital transformation and innovation in the B2B industry, I am the CEO and Co-Founder of Revalgo, a revolutionary platform that boosts sales efficiency and eCommerce adoption using generative AI. Revalgo empowers distributors and manufacturers to automate complex sales orders, source non-stocks without human intervention, and create highly enriched product content that drives customer engagement and loyalty. Our solution mimics the order-building process of a salesperson, not just a document converter, and provides a true omnichannel experience across web, email, phone, and chat. We help our clients achieve over 80% improvement in sales productivity, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth. 

Dan Hanrahan is an industry-leading warehouse automation expert with 35+ years of experience in helping companies solve their material handling automation challenges by leveraging process and technology improvements. He has channeled his extensive expertise in industrial engineering and technology into his role as the CEO and owner of the Numina Group, which specializes in defining, designing and implementing warehouse automation solutions that eliminate manual processes and increase efficiency, accuracy and profitability in fulfillment operations. 

An avid problem solver with visionary ideas in ways to leverage technology, he has worked with and implemented solutions for hundreds of companies and more than 1,000 distribution facilities in North America. 

Bharat Kulkarni is a Solutions Consultant and Data Scientist at Klizer, where he builds the proprietary AI models powering distributor eCommerce transformations. A two-time startup founder with expertise in deep learning, predictive analytics, and product management, Bharat has led Klizer’s AI engineering practice from its earliest data science foundations to today’s production-grade custom engines. He specializes in solving the complex catalog enrichment, SEO, and automation challenges that generic AI tools cannot address. 

Yassar Saleh is a Senior Technical Account Manager at Klizer, where he leads AI-powered eCommerce engagements for B2B distributors. With over a decade of experience spanning ERP integration, eCommerce architecture, and AI engineering for distributors across building materials, industrial, electrical, and automotive sectors, Yassar specializes in building custom AI solutions that solve the problems off-the-shelf products can’t. He holds a Stanford Continuing Studies certification in AI Product Management and is a Certified ScrumMaster®. 

Dikshant Batra is a Sr. Partner at Torinit, an AI consulting and product firm that works exclusively with wholesale distributors. Over the past decade, Dikshant has built Torinit from a technology services company into a specialized practice serving six distribution verticals — Industrial & MRO, Electrical & Electronics, HVAC & Plumbing, Building Materials & Supplies, Auto Parts, and Construction Supplies. 

Dikshant’s approach to AI in distribution is rooted in operational reality, not theoretical promise. Torinit’s engagements begin with structured discovery workshops alongside distribution leadership teams, identifying the highest-value AI opportunities buried inside quoting workflows, inventory decisions, pricing execution, and customer intelligence. From there, the team architects solutions that integrate directly into existing ERP environments — Epicor Eclipse, SAP, Infor, and others — ensuring AI delivers measurable ROI without requiring distributors to rip and replace their core systems. 

This hands-on methodology led to the creation of Monaro.ai, Torinit’s flagship AI-powered mechanical takeoff platform. Born from a real engagement with a national plumbing and HVAC distributor, Monaro uses OCR and AI to read mechanical drawings, generate bills of material, cross-reference distributor catalogs with preferred manufacturers, contract pricing, and real-time availability, and push completed quotes directly into the ERP. The platform has transformed estimating operations, enabling distributors to more than double their monthly takeoff volume while reducing fitting errors by over 80%. 

Dikshant is a firm believer that the distributors who win the next decade will be the ones who treat AI as an operational discipline — not a technology experiment. He holds various degrees from the University of Toronto.

Harry leads Phocas’ global Technical Sales and Enablement team, helping distributors get more out of their data every day.

He started in implementations, working shoulder to shoulder with customers on their data, and that grounding still shapes how he works. Harry knows distribution businesses inside out and he pairs that with deep technical command of the Phocas platform. It’s that combination – understanding the client’s business and knowing exactly how to make the technology work for it – that makes the difference for clients.

Today, Harry is leading Phocas’ AI innovation charge, focused on applying AI to real-world use cases that solve genuine customer problems –practical capabilities that help distributors make faster, better-informed decisions from their data.

John Pehler is the founder of E3 Omni, a consultancy and advisory firm specializing in digital commerce transformation for B2B manufacturers and distributors. With more than 30 years of senior operating experience, John has led large-scale digital transformation programs at some of the most complex organizations in industrial distribution, including Rexel USA, where he served as Chief Digital Officer, Caterpillar Inc., where he led Global Digital Customer Engagement, and W.W. Grainger, where he held progressive roles across digital commerce and customer experience.

John works with distribution and manufacturing executives navigating the gap between digital ambition and operational reality, helping organizations build the capability, data readiness, and operating model clarity required to make technology investments actually deliver. He also serves as a strategic advisor and early-stage investor in B2B technology. John speaks and writes on digital commerce strategy, AI adoption in distribution, and the future of the dealer and channel ecosystem.

Bryan Cain is the Director of AI Development at DataXstream, where he leads the integration of artificial intelligence into OMS+ and drives the company’s broader AI strategy. With more than 20 years of SAP experience, he has built expertise across implementation, support, development, BTP, Basis, Business Intelligence, and Integration. Bryan combines deep technical knowledge with an innovative mindset to shape the next generation of DataXstream solutions. His collaborative approach and versatility make him a key contributor to the company’s growth and ability to deliver lasting value for customers.

Abhay Kalra is the founder and CEO of Avent, the all-in-one AI platform for distributors. He grew up in his family’s industrial distribution business – starting at 14 doing everything from inside sales to category management – and built Avent to solve the problems he lived every day: staying competitive against the big players, solving labor shortages, and keeping customers at the center. In another world, he’d still be running that business looking for a solution like this. Abhay studied EECS at UC Berkeley with the goal of bringing Silicon Valley technology back to the industry he grew up in. Avent is backed by BMW i Ventures and Y Combinator.

Under Michael’s leadership, Cavallo has accelerated product development and driven double-digit recurring revenue growth. He previously served as CEO of Mapp Digital and held executive roles at Trilogy and Acxiom. Michael holds both a BBA and MBA from the University of Michigan and is known for his curiosity and innovation-driven approach.

Pratik Chakraborty is the Chief Product and Technology Officer at Blue Meteor. Pratik has been instrumental in the creation of Bluemeteor’s Product Content Cloud platform and its suite of products. Prior to this role, he has built disruptive software products solving complex business problems in other industry domains such as healthcare, finance and population management, restaurant operations, business finance, and manufacturing. Over the past 25 years, he has held leadership roles in Valence Health (now Evolent), The Advisory Board company, Trizetto, GE Capital, and Tata Engineering.

Pratik is from Aurora, IL, a suburb of Chicago. He is an avid follower of football, soccer and cricket, along with being an active Bridge player, and co-founder of an amateur theater group.

Brian Hopkins is recognized for his expertise in customer service and operational efficiency within the industrial distribution sector. His career trajectory showcases a series of impactful leadership roles, marked by innovation and strategic growth. 

Notably, at W.W. Grainger (2002-2011), Brian significantly enhanced call center operations, and deployed the Grainger strategy by leading an operational staff of 7 direct reports and more than 800 employees in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa Call Centers. His tenure as District Branch Operations Manager and Branch Manager demonstrated his proficiency in managing large-scale operations, overseeing 18 branches with $200 million in revenue, and effectively running a $25 million branch operation. 

Subsequent roles include driving operational and customer service transformation at HD Supply Power Solutions (2011-2015), leading customer experience innovations at Hisco (2015-2020), and enhancing multi-site customer service strategies at Redi Carpet (2020-2022) and AZP Multifamily (2022-2023). 

Brian Hopkins’ career is a reflection of his unwavering dedication to customer service excellence and operational efficiency in industrial distribution. His tenure, especially at W.W. Grainger, has had a lasting impact, showcasing his capacity to innovate and lead in complex, multi-site operational environments. His academic background, including an MBA and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management, complements his extensive practical experience. 

 Brian has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead, innovate, and drive sustainable growth across various operational landscapes. 

A results-driven Sales Leader with 20+ years of experience specializing in Enterprise SaaS and Digital Experience (DX) solutions. Has led the GTM team at Lucidworks for the past two years, serving an impressive roster of global B2B companies  to improve product findability while also powering AI driven experiences that help buyers to purchase with confidence. Customers include Mouser Electronics, Caterpillar, CDW, Avery Dennison, and TE Connectivity, amongst many others.

Lorenz Pallhuber is a co-founder at Didero. He previously spent his career at McKinsey advising Fortune 500 companies on AI, supply chain and

procurement. He holds degrees from Stanford and Cambridge.