Business Summit is a longstanding tradition at Haile College of Business. It's the vital link between the classroom and boardroom. This annual event exposes students to valuable, cutting-edge business-centered presentations from experienced professionals and provides students with networking opportunities with local employers.
This year the theme is "Innovating Today for Tomorrow's Success". We are focused on today's innovation and where business is heading so that we are prepared to succeed tomorrow.
Mark your calendar! Business Summit 2025 will be September 24 - 25 with keynote speaker, Pete Blackshaw, founder of BrandRank.ai. There will be breakout speaker sessions, 90+ hiring employers, a luncheon celebration and more!
On Wednesday, September 24 and Thursday, September 25 all Haile College of Business classes are canceled to allow students to participate in the two-day business-centered conference.
Pete Blackshaw
Founder of Brandrank.ai
Pete Blackshaw is the Founder and CEO of BrandRank.AI, a Cincinnati-based startup and SaaS platform and service that helps brands measure, protect, and grow trust through the power of AI-driven search and discovery.
Pete recently served as CEO of Cintrifuse, a startup catalyst, incubator, and venture fund backed by corporations such as Procter & Gamble and Kroger, and considered a national role model. At Cintrifuse, Pete and his team supported hundreds of startups.
Previously, Pete was the Global Head of Digital at Nestlé, Switzerland, the world’s largest food company. He also served as CMO at NM Incite, a Nielsen and McKinsey joint venture, and started his career in brand management at Procter & Gamble, where he co-founded the first “Interactive Marketing” team and later launched PlanetFeedback.com, a VC backed consumer feedback platform that was acquired by Nielsen.
Pete is the author of Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3000 (Doubleday). He holds an MBA from Harvard and a Bachelor’s from UC Santa Cruz.
Every year, the Haile College of Business recognizes three outstanding alumni for their contributions in humanitarianism, leadership and a young professional who is already making an impact.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Drinks and Networking
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Program
Cincinnati and Dayton Managing Parter
Cincinnati, Dayton, and Louisville Tax Managing Partner
Deloitte
鶹Ӿ Todd
Todd W. Best, CPA, serves as the Cincinnati and Dayton Managing Partner and the Tax Managing Partner for Deloitte’s Cincinnati, Dayton, and Louisville offices. With more than 36 years of experience in public accounting, he specializes in strategic tax planning and solutions for complex organizations and their shareholders. His expertise spans corporate and individual taxation, inbound tax strategies, accounting for income taxes, IRS examinations and settlements, and growth-company tax strategies. He has advised clients across industries such as manufacturing, transportation, and distribution.
As Managing Partner, Todd guides Deloitte’s marketplace strategy in Cincinnati and Dayton and oversees the execution of the firm’s tax strategy across the region. A graduate of 鶹Ӿ with a B.S. in Accountancy, he remains connected to his alma mater through service on the 鶹ӾAccounting Advisory Board and Foundation Board. He is also actively engaged in civic leadership, contributing to organizations including REDI Cincinnati, United Way, and other local boards.
President & CEO
Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence
鶹Ӿ Brigitte
Brigitte Blom, President & CEO of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, has dedicated more than 25 years to advancing education and public policy as a means to improve lives across Kentucky. Her humanitarian service is rooted in a commitment to breaking cycles of poverty, expanding opportunity, and uplifting communities through stronger education outcomes.
Before leading the Prichard Committee, Brigitte served as director of public policy for United Way of Greater Cincinnati, focusing on early childhood initiatives. She also spent a decade on the Pendleton County Board of Education and served as vice-chair of the Kentucky Board of Education. Blom has worked in policy, research, and advocacy on issues related to education, poverty, and state taxes and budgets – including work for universities in Ohio and Kentucky and for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. She holds undergraduate degrees in economics and international studies from 鶹Ӿ and a master’s degree in public policy from University of Kentucky’s Martin School of Public Administration.
Blom’s unwavering commitment to education and public policy has made her a transformative force within the realm of education in Kentucky, and her passion for creating a better future for all Kentuckians continues to remain at the forefront of her work.
Senior Product Manager
Frey Municipal Software
鶹Ӿ Garrett
Garrett Frey is a Senior Product Manager at FREY Municipal Software, where he represents the third generation of leadership in his family’s 51-year-old business. Today, he oversees sales, marketing, and modernization initiatives, driving innovation to ensure the company thrives for another 50 years. His efforts have already delivered remarkable results, including more than 30% revenue growth and expansion into new markets.
Before joining the family business, Garrett gained valuable experience in Cincinnati’s startup community. He began his career at 3DLT, a 3D printing e-commerce venture, where he discovered his passion for the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship. He went on to sharpen his product management skills at FamilyTech (Choremonster). Most notably though, he was part of the Ahalogy team that was acquired by Quotient Technologies in 2018. While there, he honed his Product Management skills helping build the product into a "Solutions Leader" by Forrester's New Wave Influencer Marketing report.
An 鶹Ӿgraduate with a degree in Entrepreneurship, Garrett is driven by both his early success and his vision for shaping the future. When not working, Garrett enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter as well as reading up on the latest baseball analytics.
Busting the Myths of Public Accounting
Blake Roe
Managing Partner
Plante Moran
TBD
Dave Bareswilt
Project Executive
Turner Construction
CPA or Not: Choosing Between Public and Corporate Accounting
Rebecca Wilson
Senior Accountant, Real Estate
Last Mile Investments
Creating Impact Through Sports
Ben Huffman
Executive Director
Cincinnati Regional Sports Commission
A Day in the Life of a Procter & Gamble Brand Manager
Malcolm Henderson
Brand Director, Charmin Upstream
Procter & Gamble
Built to Adapt: What They Don’t Tell You 鶹Ӿ the Real World of Business + Tech
Michael Marker
VP of Transformations
Accuserve
Startup Internship Employer Panel
Nate Nunemaker
Farmer Nate's Hot Sauce Co.
Sarah Thompson
Co-Founder, Honey Child Artisan Pops
Bridget Johnston
Head of Marketing, Flamel.ai
The Cold Truth: How Tariffs, Private Equity, and Seasonality shape Sara Lee Frozen’s Strategy
James Biro
CSCO / COO
Sara Lee Frozen Bakery
Choosing Your First Job When You Don't Know Your Dream Job: When I Found My Fit in Accounting
Sallie Willingham
Bancorp Controller | Sr. Vice President
Fifth Third Bank
TBD
Kolston Marshall, Director of Field Operations
Olivia Tarvin, Project Engineer
Seth Martin, Project Manager
Hemmer Construction
How to Stand Out and Succeed After College
Matt Frey
Executive Director of Public Policy, State Government Audits, and Technology
Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts
Who Let the Dogs Out? We Did...
In a Super Bowl Commercial
Emma Walker, Ed.D
Director of Communications, P&G Ventures
Procter & Gamble
Disrupting the Narrative: How I Built a Career that Talks Back
Sian Bitner-Kearney
Communications Expert & Founder
Sage Sure / Rock Your Beauty
Distribution in the Food Service & Hospitality Industries
Mike Haunert
Region President (ret)
Sysco
Get ready for the Back 2 Business Bash—the ultimate kickoff to our annual Business Summit! We’ve got a full taco bar, plenty of drinks, and a chill vibe with music, yard games, and more. Plus, student clubs will be there, so it’s a perfect chance to meet new people and make connections. 🌮🎶
Come hungry, bring your friends, and start the Summit off right—don’t miss it! Tacos + networking = a win you don’t want to pass up. 🙌
TBD
Jonathan Hickman, CPA, CVA
Senior Accountant
Muninghoff & Lange, Co.
TBD
Guy Harmon, Senior Process Manager
Dave Beiersdorfer, Senior Project Manager
HGC Construction
TBD
Bob Nienaber, JD, ChFC, President
Stacy Nienaber, JD, Director of Client Relationships
The Lyon Group
TBD
Kelsey Sucher, Director of Operations
Ashley Day, Talent Manager
AMEND Consulting
Flexing Resilience: From Bodybuilding to Building Startups
Josh Reid
Founder & CEO
Lunchtable
Entrepreneurship often runs in families, and Jolly Plumbing is proof of that. Founded by NKU’s own Barry Jolly (’76), the company has become a local fixture in Campbell County. His son, Brady, a graduate of NKU’s entrepreneurship program, has since stepped in to lead the company through a new chapter of innovation and growth.
This Local Business Spotlight session will highlight the family’s journey—starting a business from scratch, passing it on to the next generation, and re-imagining it for the future. Students will hear lessons on overcoming setbacks, building strong teams, and finding balance between honoring tradition and embracing change.
Building a Future in Business: Why a CPA is the Smart Choice
Michael O'Hara, CPA
Tax Senior Manager
Barnes Dennig
TBD
Chris Soto
Project Executive
Skanska
Where Sport & Youth Development Instersect: First Tee - Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky
Patty Lusheck Ragio, CEO
Ben Walker, Program Director
First Tee – Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky
TBD
Zach Richardson
Lead Consumer Researcher
84.51
The Art of the Interview
Michael Jones, Internal Sales Manager
Tiffany Hall, Director of New Business
Western & Southern Financial Group
Level Up: Building Grit by Doing Hard Things
Marty Boyer
Serial Entrepreneur
Public Accounting: Myths vs. Reality
Kendra Anderson
Talent & Engagement Coordinator
Rudler, PSC
Workplace Ready: How to Transfer and Elevate Your Skills Beyond College
Jenna Conn and Team
University Relationship Lead
Fidelity Investments
The Power of Partnership: How Sales and Marketing Work Together
Megan Torbeck, VP of Marketing
LaRosa's Pizza
Shannon Sherrard, VP of Sales
Graeter's Ice Cream
Kristen Meyers, VP of Communications and Marketing
Cincinnati Reds
Play the Long Game: Building a Career in Sports
Anthony Reed
Sr. Manager of Membership Sales
FC Cincinnati
A+ Women in Tech: From College to the Tech Channel
Sara Schlueter
Emily Jackson
A+ Women in Tech
Venture Capital 101: A Panel Discussion
Chad Scott, Managing Director of Tindall Capital
Bruce Seidel, Investments, Platform, and Growth, eGateway Capital
What I Wish I Knew Before Starting in Human Resources
Stephanie Coyle, SHRM-CP
HR Administrator
City of Erlanger, KY
Pete Blackshaw
Founder of Brandrank.ai
Explore full-time and internship/co-op opportunities with 90+ employers filling for business-related positions! Dress professionally and bring your resume.
Meet fellow graduate students at this exclusive happy hour event. Mingle with your cohort, engage with new connections, and more!
Business Summit exposes over 2,700 students to valuable, cutting-edge business-centered presentations from experienced professionals and provides networking opportunities with local employers. Proceeds generated from sponsorship will help cover expenses for this event, bringing quality learning and networking experiences to our students.
Contact Kimberly Roush, roushk3@nku.edu with any questions or to secure sponsorship today.