March 4-5, 2017
River’s Edge Convention Center
St. Cloud, MN 56301
Register HERE
(Public can view cakes, baked foods, and cake challenge with a $5 donation to the Upper Midwest Bakery Association’s Scholarship Fund. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-12 p.m.)
2017 Convention Schedule:
Friday, March 3
2 p.m., Vendor Setup
2 p.m., Pre-Registration
3-6 p.m., Registration
3-6 p.m., Cake Drop-off
7 p.m., Board of Directors Meeting, UMBA Members Welcome
Saturday, March 4
7 a.m., Registration
8 a.m.-1 p.m., Cake and Baked Foods Drop-off
9 a.m.-3 p.m., UMBA Cake Challenge
8-10:50 a.m., Educational Sessions:
8-11 a.m., Hands-on Decorating Session
More than Your Standard Cake- Buttercream Figure Piping and Flowers for Professional Decorators, Chrissy Meisner – Chrissy’s Bloomer Bakery, $50
* Pre-Registration Required. This intermediate hands on class will teach buttercream figure piping plus explore the next level of buttercream flowers. Some supplies will be provided… registered attendees will be sent a list of decorating equipment to bring.
Chrissy Meisner is the owner of the Bloomer Bakery in Bloomer, Wisconsin. She was previously employed by Denny’s Fifth Ave in Bloomington and is a member of ICES. She enjoys competing in both the baked foods and cake decorating competitions at UMBA and has won a number of gold medals and baked food trophies.
9-9:50 a.m.
Right Person-Right Seat, Beth Fahey, Creative Cakes
Many of our work frustrations come from people issues. Whether its a peer, a supervisor, or a direct report, we often know when someone isn’t a good fit. The trouble is, we don’t know the reason why things aren’t working, or what to do about it. Beth Fahey, owner of Creative Cakes and EOS Implementer, explains how your company’s core values are the key to distilling most people issues. Concrete tools for analyzing the real issues, coupled with actionable steps to correct behaviors, are provided.
Developing and Marketing Your Business, Tina Rexing, T-Rex Cookie Company
Tina Rexing started her cookie company and is applying marketing and analytic skills from her previous career to grow both her retail and wholesale business selling her 8 ounce all butter cookies.
10-10:50 a.m.
Trans-Fat Free Solutions with Mitch Riavez, CMB, Stratus Foods
By 2018, all partially hydrogenated shortenings will be removed from the market because of the latest FDA ruling. Mitch Riavez will share the solutions that shortening companies are working on for the bakery market. Learn about your options for baking, frying and making icings as we move into a trans-fat free world.
Mitch is a Certified Master Baker and Executive Pastry Chef. He is a true 4th generation baker, born and bread (no pun intended) into the industry. Mitch has more than 30 years of experience in Bakery operations, Production, Manufacturing and Distribution. He has worked as a Bakery Technician, R&D and in National Sales Management with Durkee, Pennant, BakeMark, CSM and others.
National Retail Bakery Day, John Lupo, CMB, Grandma’s Bakery
John Lupo started Grandma’s Bakery in 1978 without any retail baking experience. Thirty eight years later Grandma’s Bakery employs over 125 people, operates two retail locations and serves several hundred wholesale customers every day of the year in the Minneapolis St Paul area. John is a self taught baker who was certified as a Master Baker by the RBA in 1989. John is the President of the White Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce and involved in many local civic groups. The bakery has been featured in numerous trade publications over the years and the business has won many awards for small business excellence. John has made just about every mistake you can and he’s here to share his years of experience with Tips, Tricks, Gadgets and Interesting Factoids for the Professional Baker.
11-11:50 a.m.
Food Code Update, Jeff Luedeman, MS, RS, Retail Food Program Manager, Food and Feed Safety Division, MN Department of Agriculture
The Minnesota Food Code is being updated. Find out what’s new and how it affects your bakery.
YouTube It: Training Employees with Online Video Content, Speaker Beth Fahey, Creative Cakes, Bakery & Café
Is there anything more energy-draining than training employees? What if there were a better way to train your employees, while at the same time, monitor their progress as they move through the levels? Beth Fahey, owner of Creative Cakes in Tinley Park, IL, discusses her bakery’s approach to employee training with videos and other cloud-based content. For today’s digital employee force, it’s the next great way to capture their attention and get them to learn in a mobile world.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Show Floor Open
Demos on the Show Floor, Show Floor Stage
12 p.m. Clean Label Presentation, Ralf Tschenscher, Lesaffre
1 p.m. Fondant Demo, Nyla Stromberg, Sponsored by Satin Ice
2 p.m. Value Added Items For Your Bakery, Gregory’s Foods
3 p.m. Buttercream Decorating Demo, Amanda Hanson, Sponsored by Coborn’s
1:30 p.m. Judging of Contests
5:30-6:30 p.m., Reception
6:30 p.m., Banquet and Program
9-11:30 p.m., Entertainment, Duelly Noted, Dueling Pianos
Sunday, March 5
9 a.m.-12 p.m. Show Floor Open
8-9:50 a.m. Educational Sessions:
8-11 a.m., Hands-on Decorating Session
Fondant Techniques, Marietta Vossen, Cold Spring Bakery, $50
* Pre-Registration Required. This hands on class will have attendees covering a square layer plus learning multiple fondant techniques including ruffles, bows, swags, molded fondant pieces and more. All supplies will be provided.
Marietta Vossen is the head wedding cake decorator at Cold Spring Bakery. She has won numerous awards at the UMBA conventions in wedding and sculpted cakes.
9-9:50 a.m.
Pinterest and Profitability: getting control of the cake ordering process – Beth Fahey, Creative Cakes Bakery & Café
How much time are you spending quoting cake prices to customers? Tools like Pinterest and the Internet are great for idea generation, but are they actually killing your bottom line? Beth Fahey, owner of Creative Cakes in Tinley Park, IL, offers tips on how to get emails, wedding cake consultations, and walk-in inquiries under control and back on track – making your bakery profitable while also delivering excellent customer service.
Licensing Issues for Decorators – Lynn Schurman Cold Spring Bakery
Cake decorators are struggling with which copyright and trademark materials can and cannot be used on cakes and cookies, including issues involving animated characters, corporate logos, phrases, and photos taken by hired professionals (weddings, graduations). RBA has put together a task force to look at this issue and this session will explore what the task force is working on to develop guidelines for decorators and possibly open up new options.
11 a.m.-12 p.m., Award Ceremony – Prizes
Close of Show