Agenda

AGENDA

WIFI sponsored by Centric Software

7:45 AM – Registration, Networking, Breakfast
sponsored by Jones & Vining

8:50 AM – Welcome & Event Overview – State of Shoe Sustainability: New Results from The Industry Benchmark Survey – where companies are leaning in, where they are struggling
Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation

9:15 AM – Critical Regulatory Updates: U.S. State Laws to Prepping for EU Compliance (Audience Q&A)
Chad Berton, Account Executive, North America, Centric Software
Pratik Ichhaporia, Technical Services Vice President North America, Eurofins
James Pollack, Partner, Marten Law
Moderator: Matt Priest, President & CEO, FDRA

10:00 AM – Responding to Regulations: Sustainable Solutions (Materials, Packaging, and EU Ops)
Ashton Zeller, Chief Scientist, BLOOM Sustainable Materials
Peter Erren, General Manager, Solutions4Good, Soles4Souls
Paul Saydak, General Counsel, Trillora Global Packaging Solutions
Moderator: Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation

10:30 AM – Networking Break
sponsored by Trillora Global Packaging Solutions

11:00 AM – The Traceability Thread: Connecting Data Across the Supply Chain
Allie Pettitt, Senior Director of Materials Management, OIA Global

11:10 AM – Circularity That Pays: Turning Sustainability Goals into Business Results
Peter Whitcomb, CEO, Tersus Solutions

11:20 AM – A Thorough Investigation of the Footwear Lifecycle
Chelan West, PhD Researcher, DTU – Technical University of Denmark

11:45 AM – Have Your Say: Open Audience Discussion on Circularity, Durability Standards, and more (Where can we Align)
Moderator: Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation

12:45 PM – Lunch
sponsored by Dynamic Foam

1:30 PM – Sustainability Built for Tomorrow: New Trends in Performance, Materials, and Construction Innovation
Marie Soudré-Richard, Co-Founder and CEO, THE 8 IMPACT
Justin Ter Har, Director of Innovation, INSITE Insoles
Katie O'Hara, Director of Account Management, Dynamic Foam
Gustavo Lombardi, Director for Business Development – Biopolymers, Braskem
Tom Iredale, SVP, Sales & Marketing, Jones & Vining
Moderator: Alan Lugo, Founder, alanandres; Core Team, Footwear Innovation Foundation's LaunchPad

2:15 PM – Innovation Spotlight: Smarter, Sustainable Returns, and Post-Purchase Solutions
Anthony Martore, Founder, Skiply; 2025 Footwear Innovation Foundation LaunchPad Finalist

2:30 PM – Networking Break
sponsored by Eurofins

3:00 PM – Bridging Footwear & the World of Outside Innovation
Andy Gilbert, Former President, Genesco Brands Group; Chairman, Footwear Innovation Foundation
Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation
Michael Seeley, Founder & Managing Director, Liminal Group; Core Team, Footwear Innovation Foundation's LaunchPad
3:20 PM – Footwear LaunchPad: 8 New Concepts to Transform Footwear
"This is the kind of thinking and solutions that could really transform footwear operations and open up new revenue streams.” — Industry expert who worked with the innovators
An exclusive first look at 8 fresh footwear ideas pitched to judges who will choose the Top 3 Winners before the end of the day – lean in and share our excitement for what we can build together for footwear. Many of these innovators have decades of experience in footwear. Their concepts are vetted, pressure-tested, and refined solutions that address real problems in footwear retail, operations, manufacturing, and product development.
The FIF LaunchPad Core Team identified a selection of 8 finalists from a competitive field of 150 applicants this year, guiding this Elite 8 through the FIF LaunchPad Elevation Lab to develop and refine their novel concepts. Watch the 2025 FIF LaunchPad Event highlights to get a feel for the dynamic energy of this event. The Elite 8 presenters will be announced soon!

5:20 PM – Closing Remarks
Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation

5:30 PM – Brews & Shoes Networking and Charity Event

Thank you to our 2026 Brews & Shoes Sponsors:

6:00 PM – LaunchPad Winners Announced
Thank you to our Summit Sponsors

Contact us to become a 2026 Partner
Read FDRA’s No B.S. Pledge to Summit Attendees
FDRA’s No B.S. Pledge to Summit Attendees
What We're Promising: This event will provide deep conversation and debate on critical topics and shoe components. It will actually directly help attendees make better choices, better measure their impacts, and sharpen ideas, skills and strategy.

How We Are Cutting the B.S.: Unlike other sustainability summits, we will not be having B.S discussions that don't move the dial or cover what is really needed for change. We aim to accomplish this though having speakers that are actual scientists, engineers, and subject matter experts. We are also prepping all speakers to focus on solutions, not sales pitches.

We’re Backing This Up: We are a non-profit aimed at real solutions for the shoe industry, not profiting off of events. If you feel like we didn’t live up to this pledge, FDRA will refund your cost of admission. If you don't get several new meaningful ideas or new insights on thinking about issues, make any new connections, or get practical ideas to take back to work to help you do your job better or enhance your company’s work, please see Andy Polk at the event.
This pledge is our promise that our format, topics, and partners will move the dial.
Seating is limited—Act Now! Contact us for discounted group rates
Seating is limited, register here today.
Contact us for discounted group rates (4+ attendees, FDRA Members Only) here.

*PLEASE NOTE: Event attendee contact information may be shared with our event sponsors. This information allows sponsors to provide additional resources, updates, or offers related to the event or their services. **REFUND POLICY FOR FDRA EVENTS: FDRA will issue no refunds for cancelled registrations for its summits less than 14 days prior to the event date (this includes in-person and digital events). FDRA members can transfer their registration to another attendee for the same event. Any questions on this policy should be directed to Andy Polk.
© 2026 FDRA

WIFI sponsored by Centric Software

7:45 AM – Registration, Networking, Breakfast

sponsored by Jones & Vining

8:50 AM – Welcome & Event Overview – State of Shoe Sustainability: New Results from The Industry Benchmark Survey – where companies are leaning in, where they are struggling

9:15 AM – Critical Regulatory Updates: U.S. State Laws to Prepping for EU Compliance (Audience Q&A)

10:00 AM – Responding to Regulations: Sustainable Solutions (Materials, Packaging, and EU Ops)

10:30 AM – Networking Break

sponsored by Trillora Global Packaging Solutions

11:00 AM – The Traceability Thread: Connecting Data Across the Supply Chain

11:10 AM – Circularity That Pays: Turning Sustainability Goals into Business Results

11:20 AM – A Thorough Investigation of the Footwear Lifecycle

12:45 PM – Lunch

sponsored by Dynamic Foam

1:30 PM – Sustainability Built for Tomorrow: New Trends in Performance, Materials, and Construction Innovation

2:15 PM – Innovation Spotlight: Smarter, Sustainable Returns, and Post-Purchase Solutions

2:30 PM – Networking Break

sponsored by Eurofins

3:00 PM – Bridging Footwear & the World of Outside Innovation

3:20 PM – Footwear LaunchPad: 8 New Concepts to Transform Footwear

5:20 PM – Closing Remarks

5:30 PM – Brews & Shoes Networking and Charity Event

Thank you to our 2026 Brews & Shoes Sponsors:

6:00 PM – LaunchPad Winners Announced

Read FDRA’s No B.S. Pledge to Summit Attendees