CPG Summit: Warm-up

We had the welcoming reception Monday night.  In the middle of the hotel atrium is a replica of Ft. Augustine, the original fort and settlement in North America.  To put this in context, the central atrium of the Gaylord appears large enough to house a major league baseball field.

IRI needs this large of a venue as there were 1,500 attendees to this year’s summit.  Advanced analytics are needed even more in a difficult times (let alone stagflation).

I ran into several people I knew from previous conferences, and many IRI people introduced themselves with the, “Oh, you’re Rob Saker.”  Not sure if that’s infamy, but I’ll assume positive intent and thank Menucha for encouraging people to say hi.

Joined Cannon and Art at the sushi bar.  Those two are inseparable at these conferences.  Rachel Norton, Mollie DeBrie, Raj Rajaratnam and Jesse Niermeyer were there as well.   

Raj is a brilliant guy with a very good memory, who also runs a hedge fund that invests in CPG’s.  My comments were uncharacteristically vague and non-descript.

Jesse and Mollie are onsites for IRI.  The conversation turned quickly to Jesse and her caring parents, including a mother that delivers flowers to the office at least once per week.  We offered a suggestion on how to cut the umbilical cord, but I think she secretly enjoys the attention.

At dinner in the hotel at the Old Hickory Steakhouse.  Adequate dinner.  If you’re from Chicago or Omaha, your expectations for steaks are already higher.

Returned to the sushi bar but called it quits at about 1:00, with Cannon and Art still going strong.

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