• September 16, 2026
  • Columbus, OH

2026 ENGINEERING BRAND LOVE SUMMIT

Join the 2026 EBL Summit

The premier marketing conference hosted by The Shipyard

The Engineering Brand Love Summit gathers masters of marketing to uncover strategies for sparking, scaling and sustaining brand love.

Join us on September 16 in Columbus, Ohio.

Register now

Speakers

Hear from CMOs, innovators, and culture-makers who know what it takes to rise above noise and indifference. Each speaker brings professional insights designed to inspire action and fuel growth.

  • Rick Milenthal

    Chief Executive Officer

    The Shipyard

  • Heather Ditty

    Vice President, Marketing & Events

    NHS Sports Group

  • Jim McCoy

    Vice President, Sports Marketing, Print & Promotions

    Nationwide

  • Traci Graziani

    Head of Brand and Trade Marketing | Away From Home

    Kraft Heinz

  • Tracy Hedrick

    Assistant General Manager, Promo Strategy, Marketing & Comms- Schottenstein Center & Nationwide Arena

    Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment

  • Sarah Townes

    Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer

    Experience Columbus

  • Aaron Sobol

    Head of NA Media Investment

    Unilever

  • Sarah Gormley

    Marketing Director

    Columbus Metro Library

  • Cam Potts

    Managing Director of Communications & Public Relations

    CLA

  • Reuben Webb

    B2B Editorial Lead

    The Drum

  • Amanda Moul

    Executive Vice President, Client Engagement

    The Shipyard

  • Emily Cushman

    Senior Brand Manager, Dinner Sides

    Bob Evans

  • Molly Lombardi

    Director of Marketing

    White Castle

  • Michael Reda

    Vice President, Omni-Channel Marketing & Insights

    The Marzetti Company

  • Kent Rademaker

    Director, Enterprise Creative Lead

    Scotts Miracle Gro

  • Chad Rogers

    Managing Partner, CRO

    Lemonlight

  • Leah Rogers

    Vice President, Select Advisor Group & Affluent Strategy and Support Manager

    JPMorgan Chase & Co.

  • Linda Lollo

    Director, Global Social Media

    Goodyear

Agenda

The 2026 agenda is designed to inspire and equip you. Expect unmissable panels, tactical workshops, and conversations that stay with you long after the day ends.

  • 8:00am

    Breakfast & Registration

  • 1:00pm

    Creativity in Marketing: Do the Magic Computers Help?

    Reuben Webb, B2B Editorial Lead, The Drum

  • 9:00am

    Welcoming Remarks

    Brandon Gutman, Co-Founder & Co-CEO,
    Brand Innovators
    Marc Sternberg, Co-Founder & Co-CEO,
    Brand Innovators
    Joe Varano, Vice President of Content & Community,
    Brand Innovators
    Rick Milenthal, Chief Executive Officer, The Shipyard
    Emcee: Patti Ziegler, Chief Marketing Officer,
    The Shipyard

  • 1:30pm

    Engineering the Conditions for Belief

    Amanda Moul, EVP, Client Engagement, The Shipyard

  • 9:15am

    Engineering Brand Love

    Rick Milenthal, Chief Executive Officer, The Shipyard

  • 2:00pm

    Beyond Trends:
    Building Brand Love That Lasts

    Emily Cushman, Senior Brand Manager, Dinner Sides,
    Bob Evans
    Molly Lombardi, Director of Marketing, White Castle
    Michael Reda, Vice President, Omni-Channel
    Marketing & Insights, The Marzetti Company

  • 9:45am

    The Modern Playbook for Engineering Brand Love

    Jim McCoy, Vice President, Sports Marketing,
    Print & Promotions, Nationwide
    Dan Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer
    Managing Partner, HNS Sports

  • 2:30pm

    Networking Break

  • 10:15am

    The Loyalty Loop:
    Turning Buyers into Believers

    Moderated by: Traci Graziani, Head of Brand and
    Trade Marketing | Away From Home, Kraft Heinz

  • 2:45pm

    What Keeps Consumers Coming Back?
    Designing for Lasting Affinity

    Kent Rademaker, Director, Enterprise Creative Lead
    from Scotts Miracle Gro
    Moderated by: Chad Rogers, Managing Partner, CRO,
    Lemonlight

  • 10:45am

    Networking Break

  • 3:15pm

    Beyond the Dashboard:
    Measuring What Makes People Love a Brand

  • 11:00am

    Reinventing Without Losing What Your Consumers Love

    Tracy Hedrick, Assistant General Manager, Promo
    Strategy, Marketing & Comms - Schottenstein Center
    & Nationwide Arena, Columbus Arena Sports &
    Entertainment
    Sarah Townes, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer,
    Experience Columbus

  • 3:45pm

    Turning Fans into a Fandom:
    Engineering the Ultimate Brand Connection

  • 11:30am

    Innovation Through Partnership:
    Engineering Experiences Consumers Love

  • 4:00pm

    Closing Remarks

    Rick Milenthal, Chief Executive Officer, The Shipyard

  • 12:00pm

    Lunch

  • 4:15pm

    Music Engineers Brand Love

    Rick Milenthal, Chief Executive Officer, The Shipyard

Register for the 2026 Engineering Brand Love Summit

Wednesday, September 16
8:00am-6:00pm
4030 Easton Station, Suite 300
Columbus, OH 43219

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