The 2019 AWESOME Symposium will begin on May 1 with a special Starbucks coffee tasting followed by welcome remarks from Hans Melotte, Executive Vice President, Starbucks Global Supply Chain. According to Heather Sheehan, Executive Director of AWESOME, “The opportunity to see and experience this iconic company’s headquarters, with its rich and vibrant environment and culture, will be eye-opening.”
Hans Melotte has led Starbucks supply chain since June 2016, and previously served as Chief Procurement Officer for Johnson & Johnson. He participated as a panelist at the 2017 AWESOME Fifth Anniversary Symposium in Chicago and is a firm believer in the power of diversity. In a comment after Starbucks made the decision to host the Symposium, Hans said, “Starbucks is thrilled and I am personally excited to host the 7th Annual AWESOME Symposium. Starbucks entire supply chain leadership is greatly looking forward to welcoming and interacting with all attendees.”
The coffee tasting, to be held as participants gather in the conference center at Starbucks Seattle headquarters for the official Symposium opening, will be led by Virginia Tenpenny, vice president, Global Social Impact for Starbucks. As Starbucks experts know, there is an art and a science to tasting coffee and participants will experience firsthand what that is.
A Symposium session focusing on “Customer Experience” is being organized by Starbucks and will be announced soon.