Date & Time: Thursday, January 18, 10:30-11:45 AM

Speaker: Nick Poindexter

Recruiting diverse talent is critical. However, retaining employees is even more important to the sustainability of your organization. In this presentation, we take a dive into employee recruitment and retention to discover what is effective and ineffective in your current approach. Nick Poindexter will breakdown recruitment and retention efforts to look at the critical elements needed, share lessons learned from managing a successful workforce development initiative, discuss potential pitfalls that can come up and highlight what success looks like for both employees and employers. You will leave the presentation with a renewed understanding of what is needed as you think about creating or enhancing your recruitment and retention approach.

Date & Time: Thursday, January 18, 2:00-3:15 PM

Speaker: Mike O’Gorman

An advanced level discussion on various alcohol labeling topics with cider producers in mind. This presentation will seek to provide ready to use information for making your product labels and packaging more compliant. There will be a deep dive into the nuances of FDA labeling regulations, as they relate to under 7% alc./vol. wines, with the goal of providing useful tips that can be applied on your next label refresh or product launch. There will also be an update and discussion on state bottle bills and the evolving labeling elements required in various states.

Date & Time: Friday, June 19, 3:30-4:45 PM

Speaker: Tina Azarvand

You may be familiar with the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), but it’s important to also be aware of the IRS warnings regarding ERC preparers and what to do if you may have over-claimed ERC. The IRS has issued warnings about companies that charge a fee based on a percentage of the refund amount, make unsolicited calls or advertisements promoting an “easy application process,” or require large upfront fees to claim the credit. These are just a few examples of warning signs to watch out for.

Date & Time: Friday, January 19, 10:00-11:15 AM

Speaker: Dr. J Nikol Jackson-Beckham

People, planet, and profit are the cornerstones of triple bottom line strategies that guide conscientious, values-centered businesses. This strategy expands conventional business success metrics to include an organization’s contributions to social well-being, environmental health, and a just economy. Thoughtfully built and managed teams that leverage a diversity of thought, experience, and culture are not only a product of triple bottom line strategies; they are also the drivers of positive triple bottom line outcomes.

Performative diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are not just ineffective; they waste valuable time and resources. In this presentation, Dr. J Jackson-Beckham challenges attendees to abandon the “diversity for diversity’s sake” approach and get real about leveraging diversity for positive business outcomes—from greater innovation and improved community relations to more productive teams and enhanced customer acquisition. Attendees will learn practical frameworks for building and managing teams based on current organizational and behavioral research, receive a brief overview of triple bottom line accounting principles, explore entertaining real world examples these principles in action, and be empowered to stop equating “diversity” with charity and start thinking about inclusion, equity, and justice as winning business development strategies.

Date & Time: Friday, January 19, 3:30-4:45 PM

Speakers: TTB Representatives

In this deep dive on formulas, a TTB senior labeling specialist will walk you through the ins in outs of entering formulas into TTB’s Formulas Online system. Step-by-step, they will discuss challenges, common errors, and tips for successfully entering more complicated formulas— everything you will need to know for speedy formula approval!

Date & Time: Thursday, January 18, 3:45-5:00pm

Speaker: Katie Muggli, Dr. J Nikol Jackson-Beckham, Maura Hardman, Ben Calvi

The beverage industry is facing an epidemic level of burnout. In this session, Katie Muggli of Infinite Ingredient will discuss the Importance of understanding burnout in the workplace, including how it impacts team dynamics and overall success, how burnout affects the body, and how to recognize, combat, and prevent burnout as a leader.

Date & Time: Thursday, January 18, 2:00-3:15 PM

Speakers: Felix Madrid, Louann Casares

Discover how to implement a preventative maintenance approach by understanding the benefits and strategies of integrating skilled maintenance personnel directly into your cidery’s operations. This session will not only emphasize the compelling financial case for this strategic investment but will help provide practical insight to help you improve equipment uptime, enhance working conditions, and boost team morale; along with HR considerations associated with integrating in-house maintenance personnel into these facility roles.

Date & Time: Thursday, January 18, 2:00-3:15 PM

Moderator: Darlene Hayes

Speakers: Ellen Cavalli, Abram Goldman-Armstrong & Robby Honda

Beverage businesses come in many shapes and sizes from megacorp to boutique. Big isn’t necessarily better nor need it be every cider company’s goal. Still in a world that can equate success with constant growth the possibility of staying small is often left unexplored. Panelists will explore the strategies they’re using to create and sustain a successful business of modest size and the factors that informed their decision to stay small.

Date & Time: Wednesday, January 17, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Speakers: TTB Staff

The TTB Federal Compliance Bootcamp will include the following sections in more or less one hour chunks: TTB overview/updates and permits (originals and amendments; records, operational reports & tax returns; formulas; and labeling (including information on how to label cider with spirits added).