The Southeast Produce Council's 2015 conference and trade show could see record overall attendance, with excellent representation as always from the key retail and foodservice sides of the produce industry, according to one of the leaders of the council.

Total attendance at last year's conference and trade show, which is known as Southern Exposure, was 1,748, of which 361 were from the retail and foodservice sectors, according to SEPC Executive Director David Sherrod. For Southern Exposure 2015, "We have a little over 1,700 to date, and we're expecting over 1,800," he told The Produce News. "And right now we're at 382" from the retail and foodservice sectors.

"We continually see increases in attendance year after year, and we're excited about that," he stated. "There will be retailers from all over the United States and Canada. There will be a lot of decision-makers walking the show."

Southern Exposure 2015 will take place Feb. 25-28 at the Caribe Royale All Suite Hotel & Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

David SherrodLast year's conference and trade show also took place at the Caribe Royale, so the number of exhibitor booths last year, 267, will be the same this year. There is a waiting list of companies wanting to exhibit at this extremely popular show, and the council will be able to accommodate some of them in 2016 when Southern Exposure will take place at a new venue: the Curio Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, FL.

For the upcoming event in Orlando, a number of committee and directors' meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 25, but the action really begins Thursday morning, Feb. 26, with the Tom Page Golf Classic, at the Reunion Golf Club, about 15 minutes from the hotel. This annual tournament should conclude around 1:30 p.m., with a lunch and awards reception right after the tournament, running to around 3:30 p.m.

A new event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. that same day: the Southern Roots luncheon. Southern Roots is the council's new leadership program for women in produce. Skiing champion Picabo Street will be the featured speaker at this luncheon, which is by invitation only.

From 6 p.m to 7 p.m., SEPC member Walter P. Rawl & Sons Inc. will hold a very special reception, also by invitation only, celebrating its 90th anniversary. "Ashley [Rawl] has been a big supporter of the council for many years," said Sherrod. "This is a big milestone in that company's history. We're so glad that they choose to have this celebration at our venue."

Picabo StreetThe dinner for participants in the Southeast Training Education Program for Upcoming Produce Professionals, known as STEP-UPP, and the Southeast Top Agricultural Recruits Scholarship, known as STARS, will take place from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Friday's events will begin with two workshops. The first, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., is titled Save the Queen Documentary. Edwin Stepp, president of Django Productions LLC in Pasadena, CA, will talk about his "Save the Queen" documentary, which focuses on the honeybee and the threat of Colony Collapse Disorder, which was first identified in 2006 as a primary cause of the decline of bee populations all over the world. Attendees of this workshop will be the first to view segments of this documentary and hear from Stepp, according to the SEPC website.

Eric Sorensen, a consultant to a number of produce companies, will also speak at this workshop and "put the topic into perspective for all members of the produce industry," said Sherrod.

The second workshop, dubbed Ask a Retailer Game Show, will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Audience members will have the opportunity to challenge a panel of experts with questions about the retail side of the produce industry. The four panel members will be Jay Schneider of Acme Markets, Chris Dove of Delhaize America, Gary Myracle of Associated Wholesale Grocers and Scott Bennett of Jewel Osco. Reggie Griffin of Reggie Griffin Strategies will be the judge at this 1950s-style game show and will award points to the best answer to each question. The council will then make a donation in the winner's name to the winner's charity of choice.

Three receptions are scheduled next, all by invitation only. The directors' retail/foodservice appreciation lunch will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m., the Produce for Kids reception will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the Sponsors VIP reception will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. These will be followed by the always popular gala opening party, which saw record attendance last year.

Archie ManningSaturday's events begin at 10 a.m. with the keynote luncheon. The council's Lifetime Achievement Award, which was begun in 2008 in partnership with The Produce News, will be presented posthumously to Terry Vorhees, the council's first executive director and one of its founders.

Also at this luncheon, football legend Archie Manning will deliver the keynote address. When people think of Manning, they think football, but his appeal transcends his athletic achievements. He was selected Father of the Year by the National Father's Day Council, and he currently serves in public relations and consulting capacities for several local, regional and national companies.

"We are very happy to have someone with his legacy," Sherrod told The Produce News in a previous interview. "The family he comes from is so well known to people in the South and around the country. He will be a very inspiring speaker, and we are really looking forward to listening to him."

The trade show, which will immediately follow the keynote luncheon, is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. and run until 6 p.m.

The closing reception will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sherrod was eagerly looking forward to all of the social and business activities that comprise Southern Exposure 2015. But he was quick to point out three components to all of the council's events during the year that make the Southeast Produce Council the unique organization it is. One is networking opportunities that attract newcomers and veterans alike; another is educational opportunities in programs like STEP-UPP and STARS; and finally there is the council's ongoing commitment to charitable organizations, including its newest program, Sneakers for Charity, which benefits the Society of St. Andrew.