2026 Agenda
Applied AI For Distributors
Join distribution leaders June 23-25, 2026, to discover how AI is already creating market leaders and leaving others behind.
Agenda
10:30 AM – 11:45 AM
Optional Workshop
Pre-Show Strategy Session | Get a Head Start on What’s Really Working in AI
The first 75 conference registrants are invited to an exclusive pre-conference strategy session led by Jonathan Bein, PhD, and Ian Heller of Distribution Strategy Group. Before the main conference begins, you’ll get a clear head start with a grounded overview of where AI is actually working in distribution today—no theory, no hype, just what real companies are achieving right now.
Ian Heller, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer
Distribution Strategy Group
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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.
Jonathan Bein, PhD, Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Distribution Strategy Group
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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.
Sponsored By
12:00 PM – 12:15 PM
Welcome + Agenda Review
Conference hosts Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein preview the conference!
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
Opening keynote | Economic and Labor Market Update – What to Expect in 2026 and Beyond
Alex Chausovsky, President
3DM Consulting
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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.
The US macro economy finished 2024 on a strong note, with the consumer acting as the main growth driver. However, the industrial (B2B) sector faced substantial headwinds as aggressive interest rate policy decisions by the Fed mostly stamped out inflation but also raised borrowing costs and stifled capital investment. Now that the rate cutting cycle has begun, the Fed is looking to strike a balance between keeping a lid on inflation while preventing the economy and the job market from deteriorating.
Leading indicators point to an improvement in the US economy in 2025, but President Trump’s agenda, particularly his tax cut, immigration, and tariff policies, are bound to have a substantial impact. What does all this mean for the economy and for your business? This presentation will deliver practical and actionable advice designed to help business leaders plan for future economic conditions and continuously improve their organization’s strategic planning initiatives.
Attendees will walk away from the session with the following insights:
- Time-sensitive economic events of concern such as inflation, interest rates, tariffs, immigration, labor market conditions, consumer spending, business investment, and industrial activity
- Concrete advice on how to navigate the current macroeconomic climate and plan for the future
- Tools that company leadership can use to become better data-driven decision makers in running their businesses
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Welcome Event sponsors!
A brief introduction round for event sponsors where each sponsor is given 1 minute to introduce themselves, share their core offerings, and explain how they align with the event’s mission.
2:15 PM – 2:45 PM
Official Exhibit Hall Opening and snack break
Connect with your peers and Sponsors in the Exhibit Hall for a networking break. Enjoy complimentary beverages and snacks as you mingle, exchange ideas, and explore opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to make meaningful connections.
2:45 PM – 3:15 PM
A Series
Track 1
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GoMotivate, Inc.
GoMotivate delivers AI-powered sales automation solutions purpose-built for B2B distributors, helping companies automate quote-to-order processing, generate sales insights, and streamline customer communication. The platform automates over **50 % of manual order entry, integrates with existing systems, and enhances eCommerce with patent-pending PO-to-Cart technology to help distributors operate more efficiently and grow revenue.
Track 2
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Matterhaul, Inc.
Matterhaul is building the AI operating system for the physical world, connecting disconnected systems like ERPs, CRMs, and supplier portals to unify data and power intelligent automation across quoting, product knowledge, lead generation, voice intelligence, and order workflows. The platform helps distributors and manufacturers work faster, smarter, and stay more connected by bringing connected data and AI-driven workflows to complex business processes.
Track 3
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Revolutionizing ERP: How AI and Automation Are Transforming Business Operations
In this session, we will explore how AI and automation are reshaping traditional ERP business processes, enabling organizations to streamline operations, reduce manual workloads, and enhance decision-making. Through real-world examples, we’ll demonstrate how AI-driven technologies and intelligent agents are being applied to optimize core functions, driving efficiency and preparing businesses for the future of intelligent automation. Discover how integrating AI into ERP systems can elevate performance, improve customer experiences, and deliver measurable results across the enterprise.
Key Topics:
- AI-Powered Document Processing: Automating accounts payable with intelligent document recognition (OCR).
- Computer Vision for Asset Verification: Using image recognition to enhance accuracy in asset identification.
- AI Agents for Customer Service: Improving support response times and satisfaction through automation.
- Machine Learning for Delivery Optimization: Applying predictive analytics to increase delivery efficiency.
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM
Passing Break
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Tech Leader Panel
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Epicor Software Corporation
Epicor drives business growth by providing flexible, industry-specific enterprise software designed to fit the precise needs of manufacturing, distribution, retail, and service industry customers and improve performance, profitability, and operational simplicity. Epicor’s solutions combine deep industry knowledge with smart software to streamline processes and help businesses “make, move, and sell” more efficiently.
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Turn App
Turn App is an online events discovery platform that enables users to create, discover, and share social events happening around them, helping people find parties, concerts, workshops, and experiences matched to their interests via an intuitive mobile interface. The app focuses on making event discovery easy, fast, and accessible for everyone, building community engagement through shared event content and interaction.
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HawkSearch
HawkSearch is an AI‑powered site search and product discovery platform that enables companies to capture more traffic, increase order value, and drive conversions by delivering highly relevant, personalized search experiences across complex eCommerce catalogs. Designed for organizations with technical product catalogs — including manufacturers, distributors, and B2B brands — HawkSearch powers smarter search, merchandising, and content discovery to help buyers quickly find the products or information they need.
4:15 PM – 5:15 PM
Keynote: Session details coming soon!
5:15 PM – 5:45 PM
B Series
Track 1
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Epicor
Epicor is best known for delivering industry-specific ERP and supply chain solutions that help businesses “make, move, and sell” more efficiently. Unlike one-size-fits-all software providers, Epicor differentiates itself through deep vertical expertise, offering solutions purpose-built for industries like manufacturing, distribution, retail, and building supply. This industry focus allows Epicor to better address real-world operational challenges and simplify complex processes. Customers choose Epicor because of its innovative, flexible technology designed to fit their needs, streamline operations, and drive growth — making it true to the promise that “Every day is easier with Epicor.”
Track 2
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Boost Same-Day Shipping and Order Accuracy with Conexiom AI
Satisfying your customers with accurate, on time orders begins at the first mile: when a customer sends in an order. Yet many distributors add unnecessary risk to every order they receive by still relying on manual effort to interpret and enter unstructured purchase orders sent via email, or even handwritten notes. Teams struggle to accurately enter new orders by your daily shipping cut-off time. Making it harder is that 3 out of 4 of those orders have wrong or missing info like part numbers or pricing that need to be caught, researched, and fixed. Worst of all, many of the most costly issues are from ‘repeat offenders’ inside and outside your company.
The result? A heavy burden on customer service teams, fulfillment delays, and costly errors that hurt both profitability and customer satisfaction.
Learn how new self-learning AI in the Conexiom Ideal Order Platform automates your toughest sales orders and helps you eliminate the costly sources of fulfillment issues by turning root-cause insights into an automated action plan.
What you’ll learn:
- Why the ‘first mile’ of order processing is the most overlooked driver of customer experience and cost to serve
- How, through a live demo, self-learning AI can now pinpoint action-oriented root cause insights and accurately automate all your orders, including the toughest unstructured order formats like emails, images, and handwritten notes
- Lessons from a distributor using AI to accurately automate complex inbound POs today
Track 3
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Navigating the AI Revolution: A Practical Guide for Distribution Leaders
The distribution industry stands at the cusp of a significant transformation driven by artificial intelligence. While AI buzz is prevalent, many distributors face the challenge of understanding its practical implications and how to leverage it for competitive advantage. This session will demystify AI and provide a clear roadmap for distributors seeking to lead this revolution, not just survive it.
We will begin by defining what AI truly means for your business, moving beyond the hype to explore the core concepts of machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI. We will address common concerns surrounding AI adoption, such as job displacement and security, offering a balanced perspective grounded in today’s reality.
Key takeaways include:
· Defining AI and its relevant branches for the distribution sector.
· Understanding the common barriers to AI adoption in distribution, including legacy systems and lack of in-house expertise.
· Gaining practical insights into how AI is currently being applied within ERP solutions to enhance operational efficiency, from automating accounts payable to improving supply chain management.
· Identifying actionable first steps your organization can take to begin exploring and implementing AI, emphasizing readily available tools and low-risk entry points.
This session aims to equip leaders with the knowledge and confidence to harness the power of AI and transform their businesses for the future.
5:45 PM
Welcome Reception
Kick off the conference in style at the Applied AI 2026, Welcome Reception! Join us for an evening of connection, conversation, and celebration as you mingle with fellow attendees in the Exhibit Hall.
Enjoy a delectable selection of heavy hors d’oeuvres and a variety of drinks while you network and set the stage for an unforgettable event. Don’t miss this perfect opportunity to make new connections and reconnect with colleagues!
Sponsored By:
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
All Attendee Breakfast
8:00 AM – 8:15 AM
Welcome + What We Learned
Join Ian and Jonathan to kick off day 2! Hear about yesterday’s highlights and what day 2 has in store.
8:15 AM – 9:15 AM
Keynote | LLMs: The Most Useful AI Tool You’re Not Fully Using Yet
Brian Hopkins, Chief Operations Officer
Distribution Strategy Group
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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.
Large Language Models aren’t just chatbots—they’re conversational intelligence engines that can transform how distributors work, compete, and scale. But most companies are barely scratching the surface.
In this keynote, you’ll learn what LLMs actually do (and what they don’t), how to choose between ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity for different business needs, and why Projects—centralized AI workspaces—unlock team-level productivity that individual prompts never could.
You’ll see real distributor use cases in action: prospecting dashboards built in 5 minutes, sales commission modeling with interactive scenarios, process documentation extracted from meeting notes, market research briefings sourced in seconds, and institutional knowledge captured before it walks out the door.
We’ll demystify prompting—the skill that separates mediocre AI results from game-changing ones—and show you how to integrate AI notetakers with LLMs to turn conversations into SOPs, training materials, and strategic reports automatically.
Most importantly, you’ll learn how to lead AI adoption from the bottom up: empowering your team, assigning change champions, and modeling the behavior that makes AI stick.
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM
tech leader panel
Panelist
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Cognitive ERP: Unlocking AI’s Potential Through the Power of Data Platforms
Explore how Cognitive ERP is transforming enterprise software by embedding artificial intelligence into core business processes. This session will examine how AI capabilities—like agentic networks, predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and natural language interaction—are redefining ERP value. We’ll also highlight the foundational role of modern data platforms in enabling these innovations, ensuring ERPs can learn, adapt, and drive smarter decisions at scale.
- AI-Powered ERPs: Embedding AI boosts ERP efficiency and smarter decisions.
- Enhanced User Experience: Tools like agentic networks and natural language reshape ERP usability.
- Data-Driven Innovation: Modern data platforms enable adaptive, scalable ERPs.
Panelist
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From Unclear to Unstoppable: Mapping Digital Maturity & AI Readiness in Ecommerce
Ecommerce. AI. Everyone’s telling you they’re the future—yet for many distributors, the present feels messy.
Maybe you’ve launched a site—or three—which still isn’t delivering. Maybe you’re still trying to get buy-in to begin. Either way, the pressure is mounting. Leadership wants ROI. Sales reps feel threatened. Customers still pick up the phone because your site isn’t helping them get what they need.
While all that’s happening, Amazon is changing the market, and your competition is quietly winning over your customers—offering scale, buyer-specific pricing, and credit terms all of which used to be your differentiators. If you’re not your customers’ go-to digital partner, then you’re not their go-to partner.
This session is a practical reset.
We’ll walk through a self-assessment based on the market-leading B2B Ecommerce Maturity Matrix—a proven framework based on 30 years of experience helping distributors move from digital noise to strategic action. The matrix evaluates critical areas like self-service capabilities, customer experience, organizational alignment, and digital tools, to build a clear, actionable roadmap.Whether you’re starting, or trying to finally unlock the full potential of your digital channel, you’ll leave with a practical tool to:
- Understand your current ecommerce maturity—what’s working, what’s missing, and which gaps to fill first
- Prioritize where AI and ecommerce can drive the most business value
- Align your teams and take the next step with confidence
If you’ve ever thought, “We should be further along by now”, “We don’t know where to begin”, or “I’m pretty sure we’re way behind everyone else”—this session is for you.
Wayne Teigen, Regional Director
Intershop
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Wayne Teigen is the Regional Director at Intershop and a B2B eCommerce strategist with over 15 years of global experience helping distributors navigate the complexities of scaling their digital operations. As AI reshapes B2B commerce, Wayne specializes in leveraging AI-powered personalization to drive smarter product discovery, enhance customer experiences, and remove operational bottlenecks that limit growth.
At the AI Summit for Distributors in Chicago, Wayne is here to connect with industry leaders, share insights on the real-world impact of AI in sales operations, and discuss how advanced technologies—combined with the right strategy—can unlock new opportunities for growth. If you’re exploring how AI can optimize your digital commerce channel, be sure to connect with him at the event.
Andy Stanis, EVP and Managing Director
Intershop
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Andy is a senior executive with experience leading progressive organizations to deliver business value and results. While serving on executive management teams, grew this experience by appointment to varied strategic roles including operations, business development, marketing, HR, communications and process improvement within eCommerce software companies and digital agencies. A client-centered professional known for building world-class organizations with strong and sustainable cultures spanning the Americas and Europe. Leader and strategist with a strong financial acumen who enables organizations to achieve superior competitive advantage at a reasonable cost. Seasoned at cultivating strong partnerships to deliver high impact results. Specialties: strategic leadership, digital transformation, marketing, sales executive, business development, eCommerce, coaching, The Challenger Sale, Intershop Commerce Management, Intershop Order Management, Intershop Product Information Management, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Exact Target, web analytics, CRM, salesforce.com, Salesforce Sales Cloud, mentoring, customer loyalty, sales growth, team building, talent management, sales training, territory management, Agile, transformation, portals, cloud, predictive analytics, data management, business intelligence, BI, social media, SEO, IOT, progressive web apps, PWA, Java, AI, machine learning, ML, enterprise mobile, mobility, cloud, SAP, SAP Commerce, SAP Hybris, .Net, Hybris, Magento, Demandware.
Octavio Perales, VP of Professional Services
Intershop
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Octavio has a 20+ year track record of successfully leading the deployment of business-enabling technologies. As Vice President of Professional Services for Intershop North America, Octavio serves as chief product evangelist and as a trusted advisor to client leadership. He is responsible for defining a path to success for our customers looking to establish or modernize their B2B e-commerce business operations and technical architecture. This includes matching business goals, budget, timeline, and integration requirements to Intershop’s capabilities and professional services.
Panelist
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From Search to Sale: How AI Mobile Tools Are Transforming Contractor Buying
Discover how Moblico and HawkSearch are transforming the way contractors find and order products on the go. This session explores how AI-powered Hawksearch mobile search and Moblico’s mobile engagement solutions streamline product discovery and automate ordering through text, chat, email, or app. Learn how distributors can boost sales, increase productivity, and deliver a seamless customer experience — anytime, anywhere.
- Explain how AI-powered mobile search and engagement tools enhance product discovery and ordering for contractors.
- Identify the key features of HawkSearch and Moblico that streamline mobile customer interactions through text, chat, email, and apps.
- Evaluate how mobile solutions can help distributors increase sales, improve productivity, and create a seamless customer experience.
10:00 AM- 10:15 AM
Passing Break
10:15 AM – 10:45 AM
c Series
Track 1
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Proton.ai
Proton.ai is an AI-powered CRM built specifically for distributors that centralizes customer, product, and sales data to help sales teams focus on revenue-generating activities rather than administrative work. Its platform uses artificial intelligence to guide sales reps on who to call, what to sell, and when to follow up, enabling distributors to grow faster and operate more efficiently.
Track 2
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Wizcommerce
Ecommerce. AI. Everyone’s telling you they’re the future—yet for many distributors, the present feels messy.
Maybe you’ve launched a site—or three—which still isn’t delivering. Maybe you’re still trying to get buy-in to begin. Either way, the pressure is mounting. Leadership wants ROI. Sales reps feel threatened. Customers still pick up the phone because your site isn’t helping them get what they need.
This session is a practical rese
Wayne Teigen, Regional Director
Intershop
Learn More
Wayne Teigen is the Regional Director at Intershop and a B2B eCommerce strategist with over 15 years of global experience helping distributors navigate the complexities of scaling their digital operations. As AI reshapes B2B commerce, Wayne specializes in leveraging AI-powered personalization to drive smarter product discovery, enhance customer experiences, and remove operational bottlenecks that limit growth.
At the AI Summit for Distributors in Chicago, Wayne is here to connect with industry leaders, share insights on the real-world impact of AI in sales operations, and discuss how advanced technologies—combined with the right strategy—can unlock new opportunities for growth. If you’re exploring how AI can optimize your digital commerce channel, be sure to connect with him at the event.
Andy Stanis, EVP and Managing Director
Intershop
Learn More
Andy is a senior executive with experience leading progressive organizations to deliver business value and results. While serving on executive management teams, grew this experience by appointment to varied strategic roles including operations, business development, marketing, HR, communications and process improvement within eCommerce software companies and digital agencies. A client-centered professional known for building world-class organizations with strong and sustainable cultures spanning the Americas and Europe. Leader and strategist with a strong financial acumen who enables organizations to achieve superior competitive advantage at a reasonable cost. Seasoned at cultivating strong partnerships to deliver high impact results. Specialties: strategic leadership, digital transformation, marketing, sales executive, business development, eCommerce, coaching, The Challenger Sale, Intershop Commerce Management, Intershop Order Management, Intershop Product Information Management, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Exact Target, web analytics, CRM, salesforce.com, Salesforce Sales Cloud, mentoring, customer loyalty, sales growth, team building, talent management, sales training, territory management, Agile, transformation, portals, cloud, predictive analytics, data management, business intelligence, BI, social media, SEO, IOT, progressive web apps, PWA, Java, AI, machine learning, ML, enterprise mobile, mobility, cloud, SAP, SAP Commerce, SAP Hybris, .Net, Hybris, Magento, Demandware.
Octavio Perales, VP of Professional Services
Intershop
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Octavio has a 20+ year track record of successfully leading the deployment of business-enabling technologies. As Vice President of Professional Services for Intershop North America, Octavio serves as chief product evangelist and as a trusted advisor to client leadership. He is responsible for defining a path to success for our customers looking to establish or modernize their B2B e-commerce business operations and technical architecture. This includes matching business goals, budget, timeline, and integration requirements to Intershop’s capabilities and professional services.
Track 3
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From Search to Sale: How AI Mobile Tools Are Transforming Contractor Buying
Discover how Moblico and HawkSearch are transforming the way contractors find and order products on the go. This session explores how AI-powered Hawksearch mobile search and Moblico’s mobile engagement solutions streamline product discovery and automate ordering through text, chat, email, or app. Learn how distributors can boost sales, increase productivity, and deliver a seamless customer experience — anytime, anywhere.
- Explain how AI-powered mobile search and engagement tools enhance product discovery and ordering for contractors.
- Identify the key features of HawkSearch and Moblico that streamline mobile customer interactions through text, chat, email, and apps.
- Evaluate how mobile solutions can help distributors increase sales, improve productivity, and create a seamless customer experience.
10:45 AM- 11:00 AM
Passing Break
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
d Series
Track 1
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GAINS (GAINSystems, LLC)
GAINS helps businesses keep their promises by democratizing supply chain planning with its AI‑driven cloud platform, which delivers continuous cost and profit optimization via machine learning, proven algorithms, and actionable analytics for global manufacturing, distribution, retail, and service operations. Its mission is to deliver rapid, real results where inventory matters, enabling companies to improve service levels, free up working capital, and optimize complex supply chain decisions from design through execution.You’ll also get to see a quick demonstration of how AI can automatically structure data into a schema.
Track 2
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Cavallo
Cavallo is a leading innovator in AI‑powered Order Intelligence and Profit Maximization solutions that help distributors, manufacturers, and product‑centric brands unlock hidden profit potential and optimize order processes at scale by turning raw ERP data into clear, actionable insights. Built by distributors with decades of real‑world experience, Cavallo’s purpose‑built platform integrates with leading ERP systems to empower businesses to maximize profitability, reduce inefficiencies, and drive smarter growth across their operations.
Track 3
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A New Era: AI Workflows Revolutionizing Wholesale Distribution
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept in wholesale distribution—it is actively transforming critical workflows today. This session delves into the significant shift from traditional software solutions to AI/ML-driven approaches, highlighting how this evolution is revolutionizing key processes such as sales and accounting. Tools specifically designed for distributors, like Canals AI, are reshaping the landscape by automating time-consuming tasks like sales order entry, where recalling part numbers and entering orders line-by-line are now seamlessly handled by AI. These solutions preserve vital institutional knowledge through machine learning, delivering it to sales teams precisely when needed, freeing up human capacity for strategic problem-solving and value-added activities. The result? Increased efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
11:30 AM- 11:45 AM
Passing Break
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM
e Series
Track 1
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Bluemeteor, Inc.
Bluemeteor is an AI-powered product content engine and unified platform that helps organizations acquire, create, optimize, and syndicate product information at scale, replacing complex spreadsheets and outdated systems with a single source of truth for product content. Its solutions combine automation, machine learning, and cloud-native tools to streamline product data workflows, improve data quality and governance, and accelerate time-to-market across sales channels.You’ll learn how to: Double down on what’s working and steer clear of what’s not
Track 2
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Canals AI
Canals AI is an AI‑powered automation platform that eliminates manual tasks in sales order entry, accounts payable, purchasing, and other workflows for wholesale distributors by turning diverse inputs like emails, PDFs, and spreadsheets into ERP‑ready transactions in minutes instead of hours. As your team uses it, the machine learning models continuously get smarter about your business, enabling faster quoting, fewer errors, and more time for strategic work.
Track 3
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Is Voice AI ready for B2B Prime Time?
Your B2B sales team didn’t sign up to answer “Do you have this in stock?” fifty times a day — or spend nights logging CRM notes. But that’s the reality: repetitive inbound calls, constant data entry, and hours lost on admin instead of selling. In this session, we’ll explore how Voice AI — built from the ground up for B2B — is being designed to change that. We’ll walk through how AI can:
- Answer routine inbound calls about stock, pricing, and order status using live ERP data → So inside sales teams stop acting like a call center and get back to selling.
- Help field reps prep and log meetings just by talking → No more scribbled notes or end-of-day CRM marathons. Just talk, and move on.
- Cut sales admin across the board → So your team focuses on deals, not dashboards.
We’ll close with a look at how teams can start experimenting — with no heavy systems overhauls or big budget spends. Just focused pilots, minimal IT lift, and practical ways to track AI impact.
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
All Attendee Lunch
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Keynote | Cybersecurity in the Age of AI: When Trust Becomes the New Attack Surface
Jeff Crume, PhD, CISSP, IBM Distinguished Engineer, Master Inventor, Cybersecurity Architect
IBM
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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.
Artificial intelligence is transforming cybersecurity — but not in the way most executives expect.
For decades, technology has helped organizations defend themselves against digital threats. AI changes that equation. But the same tools that make businesses more productive also make deception cheaper, faster, and more convincing than ever before. Deepfake voices, synthetic video, and AI-generated identity fraud are no longer theoretical risks — they are already being used against real companies, often exploiting long-standing trust between employees, customers, and partners.
In this eye-opening keynote, Jeff Crume of IBM, a globally recognized cybersecurity leader and one of the most widely followed AI educators on YouTube and the conference circuit, explores how AI is fundamentally reshaping the threat landscape. Drawing on real-world examples, Jeff explains why traditional security thinking — and even many emerging “AI detection” tools — are no longer sufficient.
The session will examine:
· How AI dramatically expands the cyber attack surface
· Why deepfakes and impersonation attacks are especially dangerous for transaction-heavy, trust-based businesses
· What executives often misunderstand about AI “detection” and why humans, not technology alone, must be part of the solution
· How AI will simultaneously eliminate some jobs, create others, and force organizations to rethink how they train people for work in a world where trust can no longer be assumed
· What leaders should be doing now to reduce risk, strengthen governance, and prepare their organizations for what comes next
This is not a technical deep dive. It is a candid, executive-level conversation about risk, responsibility, and resilience — delivered by someone who has spent decades at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise reality.
Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the cybersecurity risks AI introduces, why those risks are different from anything before, and what practical steps leaders can take to mitigate them.
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM
Passing Break
2:30 PM -3:00 PM
f Series
Track 1
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Distro
Every day brings a new AI startup out of the woodwork. Every turn has an employee mention a can’t miss AI opportunity around the corner. How can executives navigate the current technology landscape while addressing today’s most pressing issues? We’re inviting you to a hands-on workshop based on our insights gained from building ERP workflows for every key role in wholesale distribution that are infused with AI and automation, as well as an AI assistant for sales reps. We will use AI to individually brainstorm bespoke technology evaluation, adoption, and rollout strategies for your organization based on your key objectives.
Track 2
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From Spreadsheet to Smart Sheet: Connecting MS Excel to ChatGPT
In this live session, Mark Gilham, VP, Rebate Advisory at Enable will unlock the potential of integrating artificial intelligence directly into Microsoft Excel. Participants will discover how to establish a seamless, functioning connection between everyday spreadsheets and OpenAI’s sophisticated GPT models all without external plugins, additional downloads, or complex coding knowledge.
The session begins with foundational concepts, demonstrating how to set up your first API connection with a simple query like “What is the capital of France?” Through clear, methodical instruction, the session progressively builds toward advanced applications, culminating in a practical demonstration of how AI can automatically classify product descriptions, a task that typically requires hours of manual work.
You’ll also get to see a quick demonstration of how Enable’s AI-Powered Analytics can help you analyze, act on, and optimize your rebate data.
Learning objectives:
- Master the technical implementation of OpenAI API connections within Excel using VBA
- Develop practical skills to transform routine Excel tasks into AI-powered workflows
- Apply AI integration techniques to solve real business problems with existing spreadsheets
Track 3
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Beverage Break
3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
g Series
Track 1
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Driving Growth with Augmented Intelligence
This presentation explores the transformative impact of augmented intelligence on the distribution industry. Learn how AI can be easily harnessed to automate complex processes, unlock valuable insights, and ultimately fuel sales growth using AI. Gain actionable insights on leveraging AI to enhance workforce capabilities, improve customer satisfaction, and drive smarter decision-making.
Walk away equipped with strategies to:
- Drive Business Agility: Harness data-driven decisions to stay ahead in a competitive and rapidly evolving market.
- Streamline Operations: Automate repetitive tasks, implement AI powered recommendation systems and pricing strategies
- Elevate Workforce Productivity: Empower teams with AI-driven tools and insights.
Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, this presentation delivers practical steps to integrate AI into your operations, ensuring your business thrives in the age of AI.
Track 2
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Oro Inc.
Oro Inc. is the company behind OroCommerce, a unified cloud‑based B2B digital commerce platform built for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers that combines commerce, CRM, marketplace management, invoicing, payments, and workflow automation to give organizations a single view of customers, transactions, and processes. Founded by the original creators of Magento with a mission to deliver long‑term business resilience and flexible solutions for complex sales models, OroCommerce is recognized by industry analysts and powers hundreds of mid‑market and enterprise businesses worldwide.In this session, Distro CEO Jason Sullivan breaks down why change management often fails when AI is treated like a feature instead of a foundation.
You’ll learn how leading distributors are driving real revenue growth with a complete quote-to-close platform that combines automation with something most tools don’t offer: an embedded selling agent.
Track 3
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Sales Effectiveness: AI’s Strategic ROI Sweet Spot
In this session, we’ll cut through the AI hype to explore why sales effectiveness use cases consistently emerge as the most successful entry points for industrial organizations beginning their AI journey. Unlike the moonshot projects that capture headlines but drain budgets, sales effectiveness applications offer predictable returns paired with practical learning opportunities that build organizational muscle memory for larger transformations.
We’ll map how sales effectiveness projects naturally integrate into broader technology strategies, creating the technical infrastructure, data governance frameworks, and stakeholder confidence that enable more ambitious AI applications downstream. The session’s core focus addresses the fundamental truth that successful AI adoption depends more on change management than algorithmic sophistication.
Through concrete examples drawn from 20+ years of B2B industrial implementation experience, participants will discover proven approaches for designing implementations that augment human capabilities rather than threatening them—understanding not just what works, but why it works and how to replicate that success.
Learning Objectives:
- Position sales effectiveness use cases strategically within broader AI roadmaps for maximum organizational impact
- Apply people-first design principles that ensure sustainable adoption and measurable business outcomes
- Understand the specific characteristics that make these implementations successful and replicable
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Passing Break
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
h Series
Track 1
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Pivotree, Inc.
Pivotree is a provider of frictionless commerce solutions that helps organizations design, build, and manage complex digital platforms in commerce, data management, and supply chain to improve how customers find, buy, and receive products. The company supports more than 200 major retailers, branded manufacturers, and distributors globally with end‑to‑end strategic planning, implementation, and managed services as they work toward a future of frictionless commerce.
Track 2
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The AI No-Brainer: Clean Your Data, Unlock Conversion, Fuel Everything Else
Every AI vendor is promising magic for pricing, personalization, and automation — but here’s the hard truth: none of it works without clean, enriched product data. This session spotlights the highest-ROI AI investment a distributor can make right
now: fixing their product catalog. Matt Johnson from Pivotree will reveal why AI that actually works starts with better
SKUs — and how Pivotree uses machine learning and generative AI to instantly turn messy supplier files into enriched, channel-ready products that drive conversion. Attendees will see real results from top distributors using these tools to improve findability, reduce returns, and increase sales — while multiplying their data output without complex rules or integrations.
● 20–50% increase in conversion
● Up to 30% fewer returns
● 70% faster SKU onboarding
● 50%+ cost savings through automation
You’ll also be given the 5-stage Data-for-AI Success Flywheel — a proven framework to govern, enrich, consolidate, activate, and optimize product data. With a centralized PIM engine at its core, this model powers everything from eCommerce to delivery — and ensures your AI strategy is built on a rock-solid data foundation.
Learning Objectives
● Understand why AI fails without clean product data — and why enrichment leads to faster ROI.
● See how distributors use AI to automate SKU enrichment and drive measurable gains.
● Apply the 5-stage Data Success Flywheel to build a scalable, ROI-positive data foundation.
● Discover Pivotree’s AI-powered SKU Build tools, and how they make SKU quality trackable, fast, and transformation-ready.
Track 3
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Driving Profitability with Intelligent Pricing and AI-powered CRM Systems
During “Driving Profitability with Intelligent Pricing and AI-powered CRM Systems,” you will learn how cutting-edge technologies can transform your pricing strategies and customer relationship management.
In this session, you’ll gain:
- More Time Back: Discover how automated tasks can free up your sales team’s time.
- Intelligent Pricing to Improve Margins: Use dynamic pricing models and data analytics to boost your bottom line.
- Tips for Using AI: Enhance customer insights, automate sales processes, and forecast trends effectively.
- Consistency: Understand the steps for integrating and optimizing these advanced systems.
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Break
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Keynote | AI, Skills, and the Future of Work
Matt Sigelman, President
Burning Glass Institute
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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.
AI is rapidly transforming work—but not in the way most leaders expect. The biggest changes aren’t happening at the level of jobs; they’re happening at the level of skills, learning curves, and career pathways.
In this keynote, Matt Sigelman, President of the Burning Glass Institute, draws on real-time labor-market data and historical insights from prior technology revolutions to explain how AI is reshaping productivity, entry-level work, and workforce structures. He explores why some skills are being automated while others are becoming more valuable, how AI is compressing traditional career ladders, and what this means for hiring, training, and talent strategy.
Designed for senior business leaders, this session provides a clear framework for understanding AI’s impact on the workforce—and practical guidance for navigating talent decisions in an era of rapid change.
6:00 PM
Reception and networking
Cap off the second day of the conference with a lively networking reception designed for connection and fun! Mingle with fellow attendees over complimentary drinks and appetizers. Spark new connections or deepen existing ones! It’s the perfect way to unwind, recharge, and build your network as we head into the final day.
Make sure to stick around for Prize Giveaways!
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
All Attendee Breakfast
8:00 AM – 8:15 AM
Welcome + What We Learned
Wrap up the event with Ian and Jonathan! Revisit all the note-worthy events from the 2 previous days and review what today has in store.
8:15 AM – 9:00 AM
Distribution Leader Panel
This session features senior executives from major wholesale distribution companies sharing how they are approaching AI decisions at the enterprise level. Rather than theory or vendor-driven perspectives, the discussion focuses on how experienced distribution leaders evaluate AI opportunities, set priorities, and determine where investment will deliver real business value.
Panelists will discuss how they assess organizational readiness, sequence initiatives across sales, pricing, operations, and customer service, and avoid common pitfalls that slow progress or dilute ROI. Attendees will gain practical insight into how executive teams are moving from experimentation to disciplined, scalable execution.
Dwayne Roberts, President
Summit Electric Supply
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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.
Stu Tisdale, Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Office
ADI Global
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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.
9:15 AM – 11:00 AM
Speed Networking
Maximize your conference experience with this fast-paced and fun speed networking session! This interactive event gives you the opportunity to make meaningful connections with solution partners. In a series of quick, one-on-one conversations, you’ll have the chance to exchange ideas, discuss industry trends, and explore potential collaborations.
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Closing Keynote | Session details coming soon!
12:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Workshop 1: Build Your AI Roadmap
Brian Hopkins, Chief Operations Officer
Distribution Strategy Group
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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.
$499 | Boxed lunch included
Stop guessing. Start planning.
Work through a facilitated process that maps AI applications directly to your operations—your workflows, your bottlenecks, your quick wins. You’ll use our AI Roadmap tool and ROI Calculator to build a customized implementation plan you can present to leadership.
You leave with:
- A prioritized AI roadmap tailored to your business
- ROI projections for your top 3 use cases
- Exclusive access to the AI Roadmap tool (yours to keep)
No fluff. No theory. Just the plan you need to get budget approved and execution started.
Best Suited for C-Suite, VP, Directors
*Add this Workshop to your cart during the registration process
12:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Workshop 2: Hands-On With Agentic AI in Distribution
Nick Pericle, Founder
Tenexity
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Nick Pericle has spent the last decade working with distributors across the country, from branches to boardrooms. As founder of the AI Enablement Firm, Tenexity, he focuses on helping distributors understand and implement artificial intelligence in practical and impactful ways. He’s a podcast host of the show Distribution At the Crossroads, a fellow with the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, and a user of most AI tools available on the market today.
$499 | Bring your laptop | Box lunch included
We find the best way to understand AI agents is to build them yourself.
In this session, we’ll start by walking through common terminology—what agents actually are, how they differ from simple automation, and why the distinction matters. We’ll look at specific distribution use cases where agents make sense: transaction processing, product information, sourcing and procurement, customer service, and sales support.
Then we’ll get practical. Together, we’ll build the core architecture: the bones that handle input, reasoning, and tools integration. You’ll see how an agent receives a request, decides what to do with it, connects to external systems, and produces a useful output. We’ll provide sample datasets so you can experiment with real scenarios (customer inquiries, purchase orders, product lookups) and see the workflow in action.
By the end, you’ll have a working framework you can take home and extend. The patterns we build together apply whether you’re automating order entry, answering product questions, or routing customer requests. The architecture is the same; the application is yours to shape.
There are a few prerequisites: we’ll ask you to sign up for some technology platforms beforehand so you’re ready to build when we start. Details will be provided in advance.
Bring your laptop, fully charged. Are you in?
Limited to 50 seats. Laptops required.
Best Suited for CIO, CTO, IT, Technical professionals, or anyone interested in Agentic AI
*Add this Workshop to your cart during the registration process