2025 Conference Agenda

(All times are tentative and listed in local time)

CONFERENCE LOCATION

Conference Programming and Registration will take place at the following address:

Revelle College, 9201-9243 Scholars Drive South, La Jolla, CA 92037

Eighth College, 11th Floor Conference Center

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025

Registration will be open from 2:00pm - 5:00pm on Tuesday at the Revelle College address listed above.

12:00pm - 2:00pm UPCoP Board Meeting

(Board meeting is limited to UPCoP Board members)

2:00pm - Bus will be available to shuttle attendees to 101 Sessions from Host Hotel

2:30pm - 5:00pm UPCoP 101 Sessions (Revelle College)

2:30pm - Introductions & UPCoP 101

3:15pm - Introduction to Cardinal Creative

3:30pm - Partnerships 101

4:15pm - Valuation 101 & 201

5:00pm - Bus will be available to shuttle attendees from 101 Sessions to Conference Hotel / Reception Location

5:30pm - 7:00pm Welcome Reception Presented by Trooh

Lucrezia Restaurant, 4301 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 1050

(Please note that this location is also walkable from Conference Hotel)

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025

Registration will be open from 8:00pm - 4:30pm on Wednesday at the Revelle College address listed above.

All Conference Programming will take place at Revelle College (address listed above) unless otherwise noted.

7:45am - Bus will be available to begin shuttling attendees to Conference Location

8:00am - 8:30am Breakfast is available

8:30am - 9:15am Welcome & Introductions

Host Welcome (Heather Vinograd, IPPS Executive Director @ UC San Diego)

Executive Welcome (Ted Johnson, Assistant Vice Chancellor and CPO, Residential, Retail & Supply Chain Services @ UC San Diego)

• As the financial and operational realities for higher education institutions continues to evolve, we need to examine our respective value propositions to ensure it is still relevant in the eyes of our stakeholders. University partnerships are uniquely positioned to contribute significant value during these times and this talk will focus on some of the ways to transform vendors to partners.

Housekeeping & Opening Remarks (Beth Pickard, Emcee & Managing Agent for UPCoP & Founder, BMP Consulting Solutions)

9:15am - 10:15am Partner Success Stories

Our hosts at the University of California San Diego have gathered some key partners to talk through the dynamics and successes of their collaborations. The panel will delve into the unique nature of their relationships and allow these partners to discuss the benefits of partnering with UC San Diego. This panel will be moderated by Heather Vinograd.

• Kyle Haskin, National Account Manager, Collegiate @ Red Bull

• Megan Eisenhard, Chief Growth Officer @ University Credit Union

• Jake Webb, Senior Director, Workplace @ Pepsi

10:15am - 10:30am Introduction of Exhibitors

Exhibitors at this year’s event currently include:

• Display Devices

• Infinit Solutions

• Scientist Solutions

• Trooh

10:30am - 10:45am Break

10:45am - 11:15am Driving Revenue Through Alumni & Athletics (Herff Jones)

Herff Jones will explore and discuss new and enhanced opportunities around products and programs for Alumni and Athletics, including revenue-sharing opportunities.

• Zach Baird, VP College & Commercial @ Herff Jones

• Sheri O’Neal, Director of Business Development @ Herff Jones

11:15am - 12:00pm Case Study: Airlines Partnership - Improving Relationship Internally & Externally to Maximize Partnership Value

University suppliers and partnerships have the opportunity to work with all stakeholders across campus, from Procurement to Athletics. Recognizing the needs of those varying groups is generally inherently different, today’s conversation will highlight how multiple stakeholders across The University of New Mexico collaborate with Southwest Airlines to collectively realize value from one shared UNM partnership agreement.

• Marcos Roybal, Associate Director, Finance & Administration @ University of New Mexico

• Kerry Masock, Director, State & Higher Education @ Southwest Airlines

12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch

1:00pm - 2:00pm Transforming University Partnerships: Breaking Barriers & Unlocking Potential (Display Devices)

Through the lens of creating a campus-wide digital network, this case study demonstrates how asking the right questions—'what else' and 'who else'—can foster stronger, more effective partnerships that move beyond transactional relationships to achieve lasting success.

• Jake Sorensen, Associate Director of Business Development @ University of Utah

• Brett Eden, Director of Auxiliary Services @ University of Utah

• David Schmitt, Sales & Business Development Director @ Display Devices

• David Ehrlich, Executive Director @ Urban Activation Institute

• Eric Perkins, General Manager @ Display Devices

2:00pm - 2:45pm Maximizing University - Retailer Partnerships & NIL Activations

This panel discussion will focus on the evolving landscape of NIL and how Universities are maximizing the opportunities for the Student-Athletes, the Retailers, and the Universities. Marty Ludwig, AVP of Trademark Licensing & Brand Engagement from the University of Cincinnati will moderate this panel.

• Mike Harris, Director of Business Development & Partnerships @ Rally House

• Erika Austin, Director of Licensing @ Michigan State University

• Monica Middendorf, Associate Director for Trademark Licensing @ Arizona State University

2:45pm - 3:15pm Exhibitor Break

3:15pm - 4:15pm Navigating Partnerships with Multiple Campus Stakeholders

Hear from several universities about how they've developed multi-party partnerships on their campuses. This session will help set expectations around realistic timing, challenges that may be encountered, but also highlight the keys to success! This panel will be moderated by Brandon Fudge, Director of Corporate Strategic Partnerships at Boise State University.

• Audra Daniels, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships @ University of Washington

• Hank Charles, Associate Director, Campus & Community Partnerships @ University of Colorado Boulder

• Ashli Brummel, Director of Corporate Sponsorships, Jayhawk Community Partners @ University of Kansas

4:15pm - 4:30pm Wrap-Up & Housekeeping

4:30pm - Bus will be available to begin shuttling attendees back to Host Hotel

5:30pm - Bus will be available to begin shuttling attendees to Networking Dinner Location

6:00pm - 8:30pm Networking Dinner (Scripps Seaside Forum)

Scripps Seaside Forum - 8610 Kennel Way, La Jolla, CA 92037

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Thursday, July 24th, 2025

Registration will be open from 8:00pm - 3:00pm on Thursday at the Revelle College address listed above.

All Conference Programming will take place at Revelle College (address listed above) unless otherwise noted.

7:45am - Bus will be available to begin shuttling attendees to Conference Location

8:00am - 8:30am Breakfast is available

8:30am - 8:45am Welcome Back & Housekeeping

8:45am - 9:45am UPCoP Annual Meeting

This meeting is open to all Higher Education practitioners (members).

9:45am - 10:30am Experiential Marketing Agencies - Revenue Opportunities

Practical advice and guidance when working with Marketing Agencies to help Brand Partners make lasting connections with your sutdents. Learn how to elevate your school and become a priority location for Agencies and Brands to work with.

• Glenn Wahlgren, Campus Sponsorship Manager @ University of Wisconsin

10:30am - 11:00am Break in Exhibitor Space

11:00am - 11:45am Case Study: Reimagining Retail with Amazon “Just Walk Out”

This session will share how UC San Diego realized cost savings and efficiencies while improving the student retail experience with Amazon Just Walk Out technology. This technology can be implemented for retail markets, concessions, special events, bookstore, and other environments.

• Heather Vinograd, IPPS Executive Director @ UC San Diego

• Jeff Palmer, Executive Director of Retail & Dining @ UC San Diego

• Hardy Meyer, Head of Global “Just Walk Out” Technology Business Development @ Amazon

11:45am - 1:00pm Lunch

1:00pm - 1:45pm Going to Market: Activating Your Campus Partnership Plan (The Superlative Group)

You identified your partnership assets, established their value, and have buy-in from campus leadership. So... now what? In this interactive session, we will dive into breathing life into your partnership plan. We will review the key parts of the business development process, including: Preparation and Prospecting: Where to find partnership prospects, and what you should know about them. Pitching and Presenting: How to approach potential partners, and what information are they looking for? Negotiating and Closing: Overcoming objectives and holding the line on value. Activating and Evaluating: Following through on a partnership plan.

• David Almy, Principal @ ADC Partners

• Kyle Canter, COO @ The Superlative Group

• Pat Neiser, EVP, Corporate Partnerships & Business Development @ The Superlative Group

1:45pm - 2:45pm Academic Partnerships Beyond Philanthropy

This session explores how academic institutions can engage with corporations through strategic partnerships that go beyond traditional philanthropy—helping to clarify when a contribution is considered a philanthropic gift versus a sponsorship—while focusing on corporate sponsorships, sponsored research, and business agreements that advance shared goals and innovation.

• Kelli Fuhrman, Senior Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations @ UC San Diego

• Jason King, Director of Corporate Relations @ UC Irvine

2:45pm - 3:15pm Break in Exhibitor Space

3:15pm - 4:00pm Maximizing Value: Incorporating Corporate Partnerships Into the RFP Process

Incorporating corporate partnerships into the RFP process can bring additional value, resources, and expertise to a project. Corporate partnerships often involve businesses with complementary strengths, resources, or market presence, and integrating them into your RFP process requires careful planning. In this session, we will discuss how you can effectively work corporate partnerships into the RFP process.

• Brandy Zamora, Executive Director, Corporate Partnerships @ Indiana University

• Brett Eden, Director of Auxiliary Services @ University of Utah

4:00pm - 4:45pm Case Study: Innovation & AI, University-Industry Partnerships

This session will focus on how Microsoft is engaging in the higher education space and how the University of Cincinnati is engaging with corporate partners as a great model for success through the Office of Innovation and the Cincinnati Innovation District.

• RJ Sargent, AVP Learning Services @ University of Cincinnati

• Chris Carper, Director of Customer Success (Data & AI Expertise) @ Microsoft

4:45pm - 5:00pm Wrap Up & Closing Remarks

5:00pm - Bus will be available to begin shuttling attendees back to Host Hotel

TBD - Additional Post-Conference Networking Activities for those staying until Friday