MarTech Midwest Connect: One Day Members Only Conference (Hybrid)

This event is over.

MarTech Midwest brings together marketing leaders, technology innovators, and industry pioneers for an intensive one-day summit in the heart of Chicago. This event will explore the evolving intersection of marketing strategy, technology, data and GenAI in the modern marketing environment. Attendees will discover how MarTech transforms customer experiences, drives measurable ROI, and creates competitive advantages for brands across sectors.

Agenda

TIME	EVENT DETAILS	LOCATION
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
9:00am - 10:00am	WELCOME AND REGISTERATION
10:00am - 10:15am	OPENING REMARKS John Hardy Senior Vice President, Marketing Technology ANA
10:15am - 10:25am	A CEO'S PERSPECTIVE - "KEYS TO SUCCESS WITH AI AND MARKETING TECHNOLOGY IN THE MODERN MARKETING ENVIRONMENT" Aaron Fetters CEO Transparent Partners View Presentation
10:25am - 11:00am	REIMAGINING THE COMMUNICATIONS LIFECYCLE: PURINA’S JOURNEY TO DEEPER INTELLIGENCE As the pace of consumer expectations accelerates, so does the need for marketing systems that can deliver intelligence—not just data. In this session, learn how Purina rethought its entire communications lifecycle in pursuit of sharper insights, smarter orchestration, and stronger consumer connection. You’ll hear how the brand is transforming its marketing ecosystem across data, technology, measurement, and media to unlock real-time decision-making and AI-ready personalization at scale. This behind-the-scenes look at Purina’s journey will offer actionable takeaways for marketers looking to future-proof their own communications strategies—and create the intelligence advantage modern brands need to lead. Abby Goss Senior Manager: Marketing Operations and Consumer Experience Transformation Nestle Purina
11:00am - 11:35am	TRANSFORMING MARTECH WITH AI-POWERED CONSUMER INSIGHTS In this session, Michael Ramlet, CEO and co-founder of Morning Consult, will explore how AI-powered consumer insights are transforming marketing technology by enabling faster, more precise audience segmentation and hyper-personalized strategies. Leveraging a proprietary database of over 80 million survey interviews, Morning Consult's AI tool rapidly synthesizes vast amounts of data, providing real-time intelligence that fuels campaign optimization. Michael will provide actionable insights for advertising and marketing professionals on harnessing these advancements to drive data-driven decision-making at scale, highlighting how speed and accuracy in AI-driven research translate into competitive advantage. Michael Ramlet Co-Founder & CEO Morning Consult View Presentation
11:35am - 12:10pm	QUALCOMM’S WINNING CDP IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY: THE PATH TO AUDIENCE LED MARKETING In today’s digital landscape, connecting with core audiences is more critical than ever. Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) have become foundational to modern marketing technology, empowering organizations to orchestrate enterprise-scale strategies with targeting precision. Discover how Qualcomm tackled fragmented digital execution and undefined audience segments by implementing a CDP through a use case-driven model. Learn how this approach enabled them to become audience-led while scaling efficiently through automation and AI. Abdul Jomaa Senior Manager, Marketing Technology Qualcomm Tarun Kumar Martech Lead Architect Perficient View Presentation
12:10pm - 1:20pm	NETWORKING LUNCH
1:20pm - 1:55pm	FROM CAMPAIGN TO CODE – NAVIGATING THE JOURNEY TO MARTECH LEADERSHIP What happens when a marketer takes a sharp left turn into the world of IT leadership? You get a career that’s anything but linear—and one packed with insights for navigating transformation, building cross-functional influence, and leading in the ever-evolving world of MarTech. In this candid session, you’ll hear one leader’s story of moving from campaign execution to platform ownership, from managing influencers to managing engineers. She’ll share the mindset shifts that made the difference, the lessons learned (sometimes the hard way), and the real-world strategies that helped bridge the gap between creative and technical teams. Whether you’re early in your career or eyeing your next pivot, this session offers real-world lessons in navigating the nonlinear path to leadership—and how every step, risk, and learning moment can shape your ability to lead with both vision and versatility. Lauren Martinez Head of Consumer Engagement Technology Kimberly-Clark View Event Recap
1:55pm - 2:30pm	THE INTELLIGENT MEDIA MANDATE: NAVIGATING COMPLEXITY AND DRIVING GROWTH IN THE AI ERA In today's landscape, integrating AI and marketing technology is no longer an option—it's a strategic imperative. The challenge for leaders is navigating this complexity to unlock sustainable growth. Join us for a cross-industry discussion with executives from Hyatt, Discover, and Suntory Global Spirits who are leading the charge. We will explore the critical pillars of modern marketing: reshaping talent and team structures, harnessing the power of first-party data for true personalization, and evolving measurement frameworks to capture what truly matters. Leave with a high-level perspective on future-proofing your brand in an age of intelligent media. Moderator: Wes Waterston Chief Growth Officer Transparent Partners Jennie Peelle Vice President, Global Head of Media Hyatt Mercedes Ritchey Senior Director, Brand Media Discover Financial Services Brittney Duncan Sr. Director, Digital Activation Suntory Global Spirits
2:30pm - 2:40pm	NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK
2:40pm - 3:15pm	A NEW PARADIGM FOR CONTENT SUPPLY CHAINS: GETTING FROM BASICS TO BREAKTHROUGHS QUICKLY Do you want to elevate your Content Hubs to an AI-Powered Content Experience that propels your brand forward? Do you need to do more than just fix the basics? Are you ready to revolutionize your digital asset management (DAM) & Content strategy? If your answers are “Yes”, “Yes”, and “Yes”, this dynamic session is for you. Without full visibility on where all content resides, how it’s distributed, where it’s seen and where engagement takes place - optimizing your content and proving ROI will remain a significant challenge. But what if you could see and manage the entire content lifecycle—from creation to consumption and everything in between? Sal Hakimi, Co-Founder, Tenovos and Faith Robinson, Managing Director, Marketing & Customer Advisory, KPMG reveal how leading brands are leveraging new technologies and AI into the intelligent hub of their content lifecycle and ecosystem. Sal Hakimi Co-Founder Tenovos Faith Robinson Managing Director, Marketing & Customer Advisory KPMG
3:15pm - 3:50pm	TRANSFORMING MARKETING WITH GENERATIVE AI: A RESEARCH-BASED APPROACH BY KELLY CUTLER Generative AI (GenAI) is quickly transforming the marketing landscape, offering both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges. This session explores the integration of GenAI within marketing teams, drawing upon empirical research, including surveys, interviews, and case studies conducted within our research center. We begin by examining the disruptive influence of GenAI on traditional marketing paradigms, highlighting shifts in personalization, content, analytics, and the evolving dynamics of SEO and SEM. To navigate this disruption, we introduce a strategic framework for testing, piloting, scaling, and measuring new AI technologies within a marketing organization. This framework is informed by our research findings and offers practical guidance for integrating GenAI tools effectively. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the current GenAI landscape in marketing and acquire research-based actionable insights for implementing AI-driven technologies within their organizations. Kelly Cutler Associate Professor Northwestern University View Event Recap and Related Materials
3:50pm - 4:25pm	THE CREATIVE CATALYST: HOW AI TRANSFORMS MEDIA STRATEGY INTO A CREATIVE ENABLER Let's reposition media planning as a creative catalyst for brand strategy in the AI era and address how AI tools can fundamentally evolve the role of media strategists—not by replacing expertise, but by freeing us from transactional execution to become strategic partners who understand where, when, and how brands can truly breakthrough with consumers. Drawing from 20+ years of media leadership, I'll explore how AI creates unprecedented opportunity for media teams to elevate beyond campaign logistics toward deep consumer context—becoming the cultural interpreters and breakthrough strategists that fuel better creative briefs, more meaningful audience connections, and brand experiences that resonate rather than simply reach. Rather than another 'AI will change everything' presentation, this challenges media leaders to move from transactional relationships to strategic partnerships, offering actionable steps for positioning themselves as the consumer context experts who enable creative breakthrough rather than just campaign executors. Nick Jezarian Formerly VP, Media KraftHeinz View Presentation
4:25pm - 4:30pm	CLOSING REMARKS John Hardy ANA Senior Vice President, Marketing Technology
4:30pm - 6:10pm	RECEPTION

Cancellation Policy and Notes

No refunds will be granted for any cancellations or for 'no shows.' Unused registrations/applications have no monetary value and cannot be credited to future years or events. ANA will not issue refunds or credits due to failure to redeem a discount coupon during the registration process. You may transfer your registration to a colleague at no additional cost.