The following speakers are confirmed for the event.

SPEAKER BIOS

Sami Chebir
What’s Brewing
San Antonio Coffee Roasters

San Antonio Coffee Roasters has been family-owned and operated for more than 30 years. Mr. Chebir joined the family trade when he was 16 years old. Today, he runs operations and is in charge of cupping, quality control and blending. Mr. Chebir is an advocate on the concerns of sustainability and environmental issues that producers now face.

James T. Edmonds
Chairman of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority
President of Edmonds & Company, a business consulting firm

Chairman Edmonds joined the Port of Houston Authority as a commissioner in October 1996 and was appointed chairman in June 2000. He successfully led efforts at having a state constitutional amendment placed on the ballot exempting ad valorem taxes for green coffee and raw cocoa imports stored in Harris County. Chairman Edmonds was a leader in pursuit of the nation’s first Ship Channel Security District. In 2002, under his leadership, PHA implemented its Small Business Development program, which has been awarded nearly $272 million in contracts to eligible businesses.

Leecia Manning
Director of Membership, Marketing & Events
National Coffee Association

Ms. Manning has worked for the National Coffee Association since 2007 and is director of membership, marketing & events with NCA membership, representing 90 percent of the coffee sold in the United States. For the previous seven years, she served as director of member services for Magazine Publishers of America. She is a graduate of The University of Dallas in Irving.

Scott McClelland
President
H-E-B Houston

Mr. McClelland joined H-E-B in 1990 as Vice President of Operations. Since then, he has served as Vice President of General Merchandise, Senior Vice President of Marketing, and was named Chief Marketing Officer in 2000. In 2003, he was promoted to President of the division and now oversees operations in Houston and East Texas. He holds a business administration degree from the University of Southern California. He is also a graduate of Harvard Uniersity’s Advanced Management Program.

Doan Trieu Nhan
Senior Advisor for VICOFA (Vietnam Coffee & Cocoa Association)
Former Chairman of VICOFA
Representative, Thai Hoa Group Joint Stock Company

Mr. Doan was a four-term chairman of VICOFA from 1990–2007. He was recognized in the Tea & Coffee Journal as one of the “People of the Year” in 1999. He has served for more than 40 years as a researcher and spokesperson for the Vietnamese coffee industry. Mr. Doan holds an undergraduate agricultural science degree and a master’s degree in soil science from China Agricultural Institute.

Rodolfo Sabonge
Vice President of Market Research and Analysis
Panama Canal Authority

Mr. Sabonge has worked with the Panama Canal Authority for 23 years, holding several key management positions before his appointment to vice president of market research and analysis. He previously served as general manager of Panama Railroad before becoming assistant to the president of Panama’s largest cement and concrete manufacturer. He holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Notre Dame. He holds a master’s degree of maritime development from the University of Panama. Mr. Sabonge is also an alumnus of the 1997 International Program for Port Planning and Management.

Joseph P. Simrany
President of Tea Association USA, Inc.
President of the Tea Council USA, Inc.
President of the Specialty Tea Institute

Mr. Simrany has worked in the tea industry since 1991, where he tracks trends, disseminates information and represents the interests of the wholesale and retail tea industry. As president of the Tea Council, he leads the industry’s education and public relations’ efforts. Prior to working in the tea industry, he worked for 25 years in the biscuit industry, recently serving as vice president of marketing for Sunshine Biscuits, Inc. Prior to Sunshine Biscuits, Mr. Simrany was a product group director for Nabisco Brands, Inc.

Monica Walker
Marketing Director
Walker Coffee Trading

Ms. Walker was born and raised in Cali, Colombia before moving to Houston in 1989. She has toured the world’s most prominent coffee countries since 1989 and brings a rich knowledge of the cultures involved in producing coffee. She founded her own roasted coffee brand, MONICAFE Inc. in 2003. She now works for Walker Coffee Trading, a family owned business specializing in importation and distribution of specialty green coffee. Ms. Walker is a graduate of The University of Houston having previously studied at Javeriana University located in Colombia.