Crusonia on the Delta Transitions to Digital Forum at University of Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Crusonia on the Delta, formerly known as Davos on the Delta, will host a digital Food is Health forum on Wednesday, Sept. 30, which will be broadcast live online from The Zone at the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis.

The event—its fourth annual global forum—was originally scheduled for May 2020, but rescheduled due to COVID-19 and the safety of participants. This year's interactive digital forum will feature some of the most forward-thinking investors, cutting-edge farmers, agricultural leaders, frontline doctors, researchers and entrepreneurs, who will discuss the fact that Food is Health and how it is reshaping the global food system.

The goal of Crusonia on the Delta is to highlight the myriad ways Memphis and the Mississippi River Delta have become a proving ground for the next generation of food and health. While the September forum will be digital, Crusonia hopes to maintain a strong visible connection to the Delta, while leveraging the convenience and safety of an online forum to increase participants to as many as 3,000.

This year the Forum hosts a distinguished group of guest speakers:

• Lyman Aldrich, EVP and agriculture business lead, Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors; chairman, Crusonia on the Delta
• Roshun Austin, president & CEO, The Works, Inc.
• Leslie Bonci, dietitian, Kansas City Chiefs
• John Butler, CEO, Agricenter International
• Tyler Cowen, economist, author and professor, George Mason University
• Matt Crisp, president, CEO and co-founder, Benson Hill
• Rob Dongoski, partner and food & agriculture leader, Ernst & Young
• Erin Fitzgerald, CEO, U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA)
• Michelle Gloeckler, former EVP, consumables and health & wellness division, Walmart
• AG Kawamura, former California secretary of department of food & agriculture
• Barry Knight, SVP, head of Indigo research partners, Indigo Ag
• Julia Kurnik, director of innovation start-ups, World Wildlife Fund
• Robert Lustig, M.D., professor, University of California, San Francisco
• G. Scott Morris, M.D., M.Div., founder and CEO, Church Health Center
• David Perry, CEO & director, Indigo AG
• M. David Rudd, president, University of Memphis
• Fred Smith, CEO, chairman and founder, FedEx
• Rob Trice, founder and partner, Better Food Ventures
• Deneen Vojta, M.D., EVP, research and development, UnitedHealth Group
• Erin Wiggins, director of digital/physical transformation, Walmart
• Carter Williams, CEO and managing partner, iSelect Fund; co-founder, Crusonia on the Delta

Additional speaker information can be found at: www.crusoniaonthedelta.org.

"Crusonia has established itself as a leading global forum focused on the intersection of food and health," said Carter Williams, co-founder of the forum and CEO of iSelect Fund of St. Louis. "While we greatly wish we could have had this forum in person this year, we feel this will be one of our best years and lineups yet, and we look forward to the solutions-oriented conversations that will take place throughout Crusonia on the Delta."

The Forum also features a Solutions Showcase, which highlights a diverse group of Solution Providers who are tackling the most daunting challenges in Ag, Food and Health. This year's Forum will focus on a number of global challenges highlighted through both online presentations and virtual site visits to see solutions in action at Memphis-based facilities, such as Church Health at Crosstown Concourse and Agricenter International.

"This is an exciting time for attendees not only to learn more about the future of Ag, Food and Health, but also to learn more about the endless possibilities the city of Memphis and the Mississippi River Delta provides for new businesses," said Lyman Aldrich, executive vice president and agriculture business lead at Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors, LLC. "We look forward to sharing with those who virtually attend Crusonia all that Memphis and the digital forum have to offer."

Last year, Crusonia brought together over 50 food system start-ups, representing a total of $4.1 billion raised and three exits. That same year, 10 major food system investors attended, representing 1,067 total active portfolio companies, at least 180 exits and around $750 million in assets under management.

While COVID-19 has precluded large in-person gatherings this year, Crusonia has launched Crusonia Conversations—a series of monthly webinars to keep the vital conversations going between now and the digital forum. The next conversation will take place on Sept. 16 with Brian Thompson, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO, Elemental Enzymes and Vonnie Estes, VP of technology, Produce Marketing Association. To learn more about it, visit: www.crusoniaonthedelta.org/crusonia-conversations/.

Crusonia Sponsors include the following: A Partner of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Benson Hill, Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors, EY and UnitedHealth Group.

Crusonia Partners include the following: AgLaunch, Agricenter International, Archer Malmo, MFO USA, a multi-family office for agribusiness families, Sir Isaac, University of Memphis and U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action. iSelect Fund is a co-founder and programming partner of Crusonia on the Delta.

Crusonia on the Delta Inc. is a Tennessee-based nonprofit. Its board members include the following:

• Lyman Aldrich (chairman), EVP and agriculture business lead, Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors, LLC
• Roquita Coleman-Williams, U.S. sales leader, CN Rail
• Andy McCarroll (Treasurer), general counsel, Southeastern Asset Management
• Mike Kime, founder and managing partner, iSelect Fund
• Fred Nichols, SVP & ag account director, Archer Malmo
• John D. Santi SR., co-founder of Crusonia, Founder of MFO USA
• Tanya Stewart, M.D., MBA, former chief clinical transformation officer, UnitedHealth Group
• Carter Williams, co-founder of Crusonia, and CEO of iSelect Fund of St. Louis

Paul Noglows is president and executive director, Crusonia on the Delta Inc. and executive producer, Crusonia on the Delta Forum.

The Crusonia on the Delta forum will take place virtually on Sept. 30 from noon to 6 p.m. CST. Those interested in participating can register via the website www.crusoniaonthedelta.org.

About Crusonia on the Delta

Crusonia on the Delta is an invite-only leading global forum focused on the fact that Food is Health. For each of the last four years, over 350 of the best agricultural minds, investors, farmers and leaders in the industry meet at the intersection of Ag, Food and Health to share global food challenges, debate strategies and discuss solutions with the Delta as a Proving Ground for the Next Generation of food and health. The Forum provides the opportunity for participants to form cross industry relationships that are needed to accelerate real innovation. For more information, visit: https://crusoniaonthedelta.org.

SOURCE Crusonia

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https://crusoniaonthedelta.org