Useful Information

Dear Conference Attendees:

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the SQF International Conference at the Hilton Netherland Plaza in . Before you pack your bags and head off to , there are a few important things to note. We hope the following checklist will be helpful in preparing you for what promises to be a memorable conference experience! Email us if you have additional questions or concerns that are not addressed in this checklist.

AGENDA

Please familiarize yourself in advance with the agenda and the session descriptions, so that you can select the activities you want to attend prior to arriving. On Wednesday, there are 10 breakout sessions that will be repeated in the afternoon. You can therefore attend a maximum of 4 out of 10 breakout sessions on that day. On Thursday, we will offer 8 sessions and you will be able to select 2 out of 8. If you are bringing more than one person from your company, we suggest you divide and conquer and make copious notes, so that you can report back to your team. Remember, the majority of the presentations will be available online prior to and after the conference (see “Presentations”).

Download the latest agenda and session descriptions

Room names are printed underneath the session title. A map of the hotel is provided in the workbook (and in this document) and there will be signs directing you.

ARRIVAL

When you arrive for the conference, please proceed to the Registration Desk outside the Pavilion Ballroom on the 4th Floor (see “Room Locations”). You will be able to pick up your conference badge ONLY at the following times:

Tuesday, November 6 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 7 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Thursday, November 8 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

All attendees, including exhibit staff must wear a badge at all times.

If you are arriving on Tuesday, November 6th, and are planning to attend the evening event, please proceed to the Hall of Mirrors, located on the 3rd floor of the hotel (take the steps in front of the registration desk down to the level below) at 5:00 p.m. for the Solutions Showcase and Election Night Bash.

ASK-THE-EXPERT

All conference attendees will have the opportunity to meet with SQF experts who can answer your questions on SQF implementation and food safety challenges and provide you with actionable ideas to positively impact your food safety programs and policies. Appointments are available on Wednesday, November 7 (7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) and Thursday, November 8 (7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) with the following companies and are complimentary to all attendees.

 TÜV America  SGS  Food Safety and Quality Systems  Safe Quality Food Institute (Reliance)

To register in advance, please contact Henok Alemayo ([email protected]). Alternatively, you may sign up for an appointment onsite, on a space available basis. Appointment times are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please enquire at the registration desk to make an appointment.

ATTENDEE WORKBOOK

All attendees will receive a conference directory and workbook. The workbook will have space for you to write notes and to jot down your key learnings. There are also a set a self-evaluation questions, so you can determine what you have learned from the session. The answers are provided in the back of the book, but no peeking until you’ve at least attempted to answer the questions!

Please make sure to write your name and contact information in the front of the book, so you don’t lose your valuable notes. There is a limited supply of books, so if you lose yours we may not be able to replace it!

ATTENDEE LISTS

An up-to-date attendee list can be found on the conference website.

Click here to access this list

Please be aware that, for privacy reasons, we do not supply the email addresses of our attendees either to other attendees or to exhibitors/sponsors. Make sure to ask for a business card when you meet someone. There’s also space in the workbook to jot down the contact information of anyone you meet.

BADGES

Badges must be worn at all times and serve as your entry ticket to all meal and reception functions. Everyone, including spouses and exhibitor staff must have a badge.

CHECK IN / OUT TIME

Check-in time at the hotel is 3:00 p.m. Check-out time at the hotel is 12:00 p.m.

CLIMATE

Weather in Greater Cincinnati is moderate with temperatures averaging 31 degrees in winter, and 76 degrees in summer. The annual high average temperature in November is 53 degrees and the average low is 35 degrees.

DINING

The Hilton Cincinnati has 4 dining options in the hotel in addition to room service. Click here for more details.

Orchids at Palm Court

Orchids at Palm Court features a seasonally updated menu using local ingredients. The creative works of Executive Chef Todd Kelly, the 2011-2012 American Culinary Federation's USA Chef of the Year, and Pastry Chef Megan Ketover have earned Orchids Zagat’s #1 Cincinnati restaurant title (2012 and 2011). Ketover has appeared as a 'chef’testant' on Bravo's 'Top Chef Just Desserts.'

PC Express

PC Express offers coffee and specialty coffee drinks, soft drinks, juices, fruit and pastries for guests on the go. This breakfast kiosk is located right next to the front desk. Open Monday-Friday

The Bar at Palm Court

Located on the lobby level, this award-winning bar features 1930s French including a large Rookwood Pottery fountain, two story Romanesque murals and rare Brazilian rosewood. Pick American favorites from the Bar Menu; Happy Hour features half price appetizers created by Chef Todd Kelly. Enjoy cocktails with live jazz on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Grille at Palm Court

The Grille at Palm Court has a casual dining atmosphere serving American fare for breakfast and lunch daily and Sunday Brunch.

In addition to the dining establishments at the hotel, attendees may explore shopping and dining options at Fountain Square in , Carew Tower and via enclosed skywalk at such restaurants as Morton’s Steakhouse or Boi Na Braza Brazilian Steakhouse. The tower also hosts downtown’s only food court. The expansive Banks entertainment area, just four blocks from the hotel, hosts such restaurants as Toby Keith's, Crave and Orange Leaf.

DRESS CODE

The dress code for the conference is business casual. Meeting rooms are notorious for being somewhat chilly, so we advise you to bring layers to ensure your comfort

EXHIBITORS

Exhibitors may pick up their badges at the regular registration dates/times. Please note that all exhibit staff must be registered at the full conference rate. There are no exhibit-only badges.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Your conference registration includes meals and snacks (2 breakfasts, breaks, 2 receptions and 2 lunches). Breakfast will consist of a cooked buffet to include breads, meats, eggs, potatoes, fruit and cereal or yogurt. Lunch will be a 3- course plated hot meal or salad/soup combination. Receptions usually include hot and cold hors d’oeuvres. Vegetarian selections will be available upon request. Please let the wait staff know if you wish to order a vegetarian entrée at lunch. During the breaks we provide coffee, sodas and light snacks (at selected breaks only). For environmental reasons, we do not provide bottled water. However, there are water stations available in every room.

FITNESS CENTER

Attendees who booked a room at the Hilton Netherland Plaza through the FMI/SQF room block will receive complimentary use of The Gym at Carew Tower. The Gym is open: Mon-Thu 5:30 am – 9:00 pm Fri 5:30 am -11:00 pm Sat 7:00 am – 11:00 pm Sun 8:00 am – 9:00 pm

HANDOUTS

For environmental reasons, we do not provide printed copies of the presentations onsite. Some of the presentations may be included in the attendee workbook, if they were received prior to the printing date. You may download presentations from the conference website prior to the conference and print them out in advance. To access the presentations, please visit www.sqfi.com/conference and click on the link to “My Meetings” on the right hand sidebar. Enter your username and password (the one you used to register for the conference). If you have forgotten your username and password, please click on the link “Obtain Password” and follow the instructions.

HOTEL

Located across from Fountain Square, the AAA Four-Diamond Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza is situated right in the heart of downtown Cincinnati. As a National Historic Landmark, the hotel is one of the world’s finest examples of French Art Deco.

Explore shopping and dining options at Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati, Carew Tower and via enclosed skywalk. Browse a variety of retail stores such as TJMaxx, I Love Cincinnati Shoppe and Martz Jewelers at Carew Tower. Indulge in a dinner at Morton’s Steakhouse or Boi Na Braza Brazilian Steakhouse or simply enjoy a drink at Penguin Dueling Piano Bar. The tower also hosts downtown’s only food court. Take the convenient skywalk to Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., Brooks Brothers, Joseph A Bank and Palomino.

Conference travelers appreciate the hotel's proximity to Duke Energy Convention Center. Consider visiting sports, arts and museum venues downtown. This Hilton hotel is just minutes from Great American Ball Park, Paul Brown Stadium, US Bank Arena, Aronoff Center for the Performing Arts, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Contemporary Arts Center and Taft Museum. The expansive Banks entertainment area, just four blocks from the hotel, hosts such restaurants as Toby Keith's, Crave and Orange Leaf. Explore its green space on bike trails or admire the fountains and listen to a concert there.

IDEA EXCHANGE

Join fellow food safety professionals in a peer-driven informal discussion about today’s top food safety topics. This one- hour session will give you an opportunity to reflect on and share what you’ve learned at the conference, exchange best practice ideas, and take home actionable solutions to your toughest food safety challenges. The Idea Exchange Sessions take place in the Caprice, Rookwood and Rosewood rooms on the 4th floor on Thursday, November 8 from 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm. In each room there will be tables with signs showing which topic will be discussed at that table. There will be a facilitator (either a conference speaker, committee member or SQF staff member) for each topic who will lead the discussion. There will also be a few tables open for self-guided discussion without a facilitator. Topics to be discussed include: Allergen Management, Ethical Sourcing, Food Defense, Traceability, Identification and Verification of Prerequisite Programs, Training, HACCP and SQF for Small Business. A full list of topics and their location will be made available onsite.

INTERNET

Complimentary high-speed wireless internet access is provided for hotel guests providing that you are registered at the Hilton under the FMI room block. If you reserved a room through a travel agent or via an online third party (Expedia, Travelocity etc.), your rate does not include the FMI free internet access.

Free internet access will also be available in the conference rooms. Please note that this service is provided by the hotel according to their server capacity and is limited to basic internet surfing and email download. It may not be suitable for large file downloads.

LOCAL AREA

For a full list of things to do and see in the local area, visit the official Cincinnati Travel Guide Site

PARKING

A discounted self-parking rate of $ 12.00 per day (NO in and out privileges) is available at the Tower Place Garage, located at 30 West 4th Street, Cincinnati, OH adjacent to the hotel.

PRESENTATIONS

All presentations received by FMI prior to Monday, October 29th will be made available on a USB drive that will be given to you at registration, providing that we have received permission from the presenter. Presentations (including those submitted after October 29th but prior to November 1) will also be made available for download on the SQF web site www.sqfi.com after the meeting.

To access the presentations, prior to the conference, please visit www.sqfi.com/conference and click on the link to “My Meetings” on the right hand sidebar. Enter your username and password (the one you used to register for the conference). If you have forgotten your username and password, please click on the link “Obtain Password” and follow the instructions.

PRESENTERS

Bios of the presenters can be found in the conference directory and also on the conference website

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CREDITS

Full participation in the SQF International Conference meets the 15 hour continuous professional development requirements for re-registration as an SQF Professional. In addition, participation in the pre-conference SQF Professional Update course or SQF Edition 7 Code Update may be used as an alternative to the SQF Professional Update Webinar. For more information, please contact a member of the SQFI staff onsite.

REGISTRATION

The registration desk is located on the 4th floor in the Pavilion Ballroom Foyer

The official registration hours are:

Tuesday, November 6 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 7 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Thursday, November 8 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

You may pick up your badge during these hours only. Please note that if you are attending the pre-conference training sessions, you will be able to pick up your badges at your allocated training room, the name of which will be sent to you prior to the start date. You will not be able to pick up your conference badge until the times / date indicated above.

The cost for onsite registration is $ 1,095. You or your co-workers may register at the LOWER pre-event rate ($ 995.00) up until Friday, November 2nd.

If you want to check that you are already registered, please click here. If you can’t find your name, but thought that you already registered or someone else registered for you, please contact us

ROOM LOCATIONS

The majority of the meeting rooms are located on the 4th floor.

Keynotes/General Sessions Pavilion Ballroom (4th Floor) Breakouts Rosewood, Rookwood, Caprice, Salon HI (4th Floor), Continental (Mezzanine Level). Cocktail Receptions Hall of Mirrors (3rd Floor) Lunch (Wednesday) Pavilion Ballroom (4th Floor) Awards Lunch (Thursday) Hall of Mirrors (3rd Floor)

A map of the hotel is provided in the onsite directory/workbook. All room locations are noted in the agenda. We will notify you if there are any changes.

ROOM TEMPERATURE

Regardless of the outside temperatures, meeting rooms are notorious for being somewhat chilly, so we advise you to bring layers to ensure your comfort. Meeting rooms are generally set at 70 degrees. For some this is too cold, for some too warm. So, just like Goldilocks, we unfortunately can’t please everyone! Please plan accordingly.

SOLUTIONS SHOWCASE

Gather with friends and potential business partners to find a wealth of new tools, technologies and solutions to kick start or improve your food safety plan. Support our generous sponsors by planning to attend this evening, taking place on Tuesday, November 6th and Wednesday, November 7th from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in the Hall of Mirrors.

On November 6th, to celebrate Election Day, there will be special drinks, prizes, live election coverage and a fun opportunity to have your picture taken with the candidates in The Oval Office! FREE to all registered conference attendees.

SURVEY

Within 5 days of the conference you will receive a survey by email that will ask you to rate the education program, social events and logistics. Please take the time to fill this out so that we can use the information to improve future conferences. Your cooperation is appreciated.

TRAINING

If you are attending the Training Classes on Tuesday, November 6th and have already registered, please proceed to your allocated room as follows:

Principles of Internal Auditing Rookwood (4th Floor) Advanced HACCP: Verification and Validation Salon HI (4th Floor) Environmental Monitoring Salon BC (4th Floor) Food Safety Hazards in Food Manufacturing Facilities Salon G (4th Floor) Preventing an Allergen Recall Salon F (4th Floor) 2012 SQF Edition Code Update Salon DE (4th Floor) 2012 SQF Code Ed. 7 Professional Update Salon DE (4th Floor)

You will pick up your badge and training materials at the allocated room. If you are registering onsite, please proceed to the registration desk outside the Pavilion Ballroom on the 4th floor.

Please note that you will not be able to pick up your conference badge until registration begins at 2.00 p.m. on November 6th.

TRANSPORTATION

The hotel address is:

35 West 5th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202

Taxi

Cincinnati / International Airport (CVG) is 12 miles from the hotel (approximately 15 minutes drive time). The approximately one-way taxi fare is $ 30.00.

Shuttle

Airport Executive Shuttle (800) 990-8841 $ 32 round trip / $ 22 one way.

Call for reservations

Driving

The Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza is located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati at the corner of Fifth and Race Streets. It is easily accessible from Interstates I-71 and I-75. Directions from CVG airport: Take I-275 East to I-75 North. Take the Fifth Street Exit. The hotel is three blocks on Fifth Street and Race.

Parking is available in the adjacent Tower Place Garage for a reduced daily rate of $ 12.00 (NO in and out privileges). Valet parking is available for $ 24.00 / day with in and out privileges.