2025 MIBE Summit
JANUARY 26-28th | DENVER, CO
Our marquee annual event for the MIBE community. A gathering of heart leaders who are committed to creating better workplace environments and making a difference in the lives of the people they work with.
Over the course of two and a half days, we will review what it means to be a heart leader and dive deep into heart leadership in action. Through speakers, breakout sessions and activities, you will have the opportunity for introspection on your heart leadership journey, strengthen connections with other heart leaders, and be inspired with tools that will help you to become an even better leader. If you’re in need of a spark to light your leadership fire, or have people on your team that need to level-up their own leadership, you won’t want to miss this event.
Bring your team! Use code SUMMIT443 to receive 4 registrations for the price of 3!
PRICE
$2195
YOUR REGISTRATION INCLUDES:
Award-winning speakers and content on heart leadership and intentional culture building
Opportunities for meaningful connection with other attendees
A look behind the scenes of one of Colorado’s best places to work
Deep dive breakouts to discuss heart leadership in action
Happy hour drinks and hors d’oeuvres on Sunday evening
Breakfast and lunch on Monday and Tuesday
Dinner and drinks at the MIBE Awards Ceremony Tuesday night
An overall awesome experience that will leave you energized and inspired
presented by
Speakers
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Anthony Lambatos
FOUNDER/KEYNOTE SPEAKER
2024 NACE ONE AWARDS SPEAKER OF THE YEAR WINNER!
Anthony Lambatos grew up in the catering business working for his father and founder of Footers Catering in Denver, Colorado. Anthony and his wife, April, purchased the business in 2010 and have successfully made the transition to a second-generation family business. As a sought-after speaker nationally within the hospitality industry, Anthony is passionate about helping leaders create a culture that allows their businesses to thrive. He specializes in heart leadership and management of teams with a focus on operational structure and employee engagement.
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Chester Elton
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING BUSINESS AUTHOR
Through his provocative, inspiring, and always entertaining talks, Chester will equip attendees with the knowledge to build extraordinary workplace cultures that drive engagement, innovation, and performance through practical strategies and actionable insights! One of today's most influential voices in workplace trends, Elton provides real solutions and his work is supported by research with more than one million working adults.
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Brother Luck
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
CHEF & AUTHOR
Chef Brother Luck is a James Beard nominee, a fan favorite on culinary competition shows like Top Chef, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay and a passionate restaurant owner in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Brother most recently appeared on The Rachael Ray Show, The Today Show and was featured in Food and Wine Magazine. When he isn’t wowing taste buds and pushing culinary boundaries, you can find Brother on stage inspiring large audiences across the country. He thrives on mentorship and creating a safe place for mental health discussions and he is excited to share his personal journey through his highly reviewed memoir, “No Lucks Given: Life is hard but there is hope.”
And yes, that’s his real name.
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Tommy Spaulding
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND WORLD-RENOWNED SPEAKER
Founder and president of Tommy Spaulding Companies, a leadership development, speaking, training, and teambuilding organization based in Denver, Colorado. A nationally acclaimed speaker on leadership, Spaulding has spoken to thousands of organizations, associations, educational institutions, and corporations around the globe. Spaulding was also named by Meetings & Conventions Magazine as one of the 100 MOST FAVORITE SPEAKERS in the nation.
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Bri Borin
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Bri believes that Snooze is about so much more than just serving up amazing breakfasts — it’s also about mindfully sourcing and preparing sustainable food, giving back to local communities, creating a sense of home for Snoozers and Guests, and allowing each Snoozer to show up authentically as their true self.
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Jeremy Edmonds
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Jeremy’s relentless pursuit of the best employee experience and passion for culture has been a driving force throughout his career. After 11 years in talent recruiting, Jeremy turned his focus toward the science of engagement, and has built a career as a thought leader in the culture, performance development, and leadership space.
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Megan Palmer Rivera
CEO | PALMER'S MARKET & PALMER'S CATERING
Megan is a part of the 5th generation of her family to own and operate Palmer's Market, their high-end gourmet grocery store located in Darien, Connecticut. At the helm of a company that just celebrated 103 years in business, her main focus is on longevity and ensuring that Palmer's will be around to support 100 more years of customers, employees, and local non-prots and charities.
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Rich Schneider
OWNER & TORTILLA SAVANT | RAQUELITAS TORTILLAS
Since joining the family business in 1979, he's been crafting the most innovative, hyper local tortillas and chips with Raquelitas Tortillas in Denver. To search out unique grains, he’s inspected hundreds of wheat & corn fields and sunflower farms in several states. His creations have graced tables at The Broadmoor, James Beard House, and beyond. Raquelitas was the first tortilla bakery powered by wind, now running on solar too. Rich also serves on multiple hospitality boards. He’s even been on Sesame Street, Food Network and ESPN—proving tortillas can be famous too!
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Melodi Polidori Harris
CHIEF SAUSAGE OFFICER | POLIDORI SAUSAGE
Melodie Polidori Harris, Chief Sausage Officer at Polidori Sausage, boasts over two decades of entrepreneurial prowess in the culinary world. She's led alongside her brother Steve Polidori, shaping their family legacy into a thriving fourth-generation enterprise. As they celebrate nearly a century in production, Melodie's unwavering dedication and innovative spirit have propelled Polidori Sausage to new heights, setting a precedent for women entrepreneurs and the next generation of females in food service.
Agenda
*Events/times subject to change
Sunday
January 26th
1-2 pm | Registration @ Social Capitol
2-2:45 pm | Welcome | April + Anthony Lambatos
2:45-3:45 pm | Session
3:45-5 pm | Breakout 1 | Get to Know Your Group
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5:15-6:30 pm | Happy Hour | Tours | Cryo Sessions @ Social Capitol | Footers Catering
7-9 pm | MIBE Masters Dinner | Invite Only
Monday
January 27th
8-8:45 am | Breakfast | Footers Catering
9-9:45 am | Session
9:45-10:30 am | Session
10:30-11 am | Morning Break
11-12 pm | Breakout 2
12-1 pm | Lunch | Footers Catering
1-2 pm | Session
2-3 pm | Breakout 3
3-3:15 pm | Afternoon Break
3:15-4:15 pm | Challenge 1
4:15-5 pm | Hour Happy Preview
5:15-6:30 pm | Hour Happy | Experiential Activities
*Footers Catering will provide all-day snacks and beverages
Tuesday
January 28th
8:00-8:45 am | Breakfast | Footers Catering
9-10:30 am | Panel
10:30-11 am | Morning Break
11-12 pm | Breakout 4
12-1 pm | Lunch | Footers Catering
1-1:45 pm | Challenge 2
1:45-2 pm | Afternoon Break
2-3 pm | Session
3-3:30 pm | Closing | Anthony Lambatos
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7-12:00 am | MIBE Awards & Flower Power Party
@ Social Capitol | Footers Catering
*Footers Catering will provide snacks and beverages
MEET OUR MIBE AWARD FINALISTS
Heart Leader of the Year
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BOBBY WOOLWINE
DelightMore Catering Cincinnati, OH
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JEN DEVOS
Copper Kitchen
Baltimore, MD -
LAURA FABIAN
24 Carrots
Costa Mesa, CA -
NICOLE CANTRELL
Firekeepers Casino
Battle Creek, MI -
RACHEL MALECKY
Hamby Catering
Charleston, SC
Heart Leader on the Rise
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CHELSIE MUELLER
Mitchell Casteel
Raleigh, NC -
COLLEEN KELLY
Avanti Mansion
Buffalo, NY -
PHOEBE HERNICK
Partyman Catering
Avon, NY -
RACHAEL ANTHONY
David Alan Hospitality Group
Berlin, CT -
RYAN JEWELL
Personal Touch Dining
San Diego, CA
MIBE of the Year
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24 CARROTS
Costa Mesa, CA
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DAVID ALAN HOSPITALITY GROUP
Berlin, CT
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SNOOZE
Denver, CO
Best Activation of Core Values or Mission
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DAVID ALAN HOSPITALITY GROUP
Berlin, CT
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DISH FOOD & EVENTS
Queens, NY
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HERRINGTON ON THE BAY
North Beach, MD
Best Employee Recognition Program
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DOVER HALL
Manakin-Sabot, VA
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SIMPLY FRESH EVENTS
Gaithersburg, MD
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THE CHEF'S TABLE
Marshfield, MA
Best Company Event
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24 CARROTS
Costa Mesa, CA
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AVANTI MANSION
Buffalo, NY
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COPPER KITCHEN
Baltimore, MD
PAST FINALISTS & WINNERS
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HEART LEADER OF THE YEAR
Anna Chaney | Founder | Herrington on the Bay | *WINNER*
David Victor | Owner | On the Vine Catering
Dilushka Wanigatunga | VP Operations | Beets Hospitality
Jeremy Edmonds | VP People & Culture | Snooze | *WINNER*
Keyon Hammond | Co-Owner & Executive Chef | Get Plated Catering
Marina Patton | Director of Events | Domenico Winery
Matt Phelan | Owner/President | Simply Fresh Events | *WINNER*
Megan Palmer Rivera | CEO | Palmer’s Market, Catering & Events | *WINNER*
Nathaniel Neubauer | CEO/Owner | Contemporary Catering | *WINNER*
Paige Carney | Owner | Purple Onion Catering
HEART LEADER ON THE RISE
Allison Moening | Executive Pastry Chef | Copper Kitchen | *WINNER*
Jared Barnachea | Office Administrator | Catered Too!
Katelyn Reisma | Catering Manager | Vibrant Occasions Catering
Michelle Stout | Recreation Manager | APEX Park & Recreation District
Xavier Vasquez | Catering & Event Production Manager | NV Catering
MIBE of the Year
David Alan Hospitality Group | Berlin, CT | *WINNER*
Domenico Winery | San Carlos, CA
Herrington on the Bay | North Beach, MD
Best Activation of Core Values or Mission
Palmer’s Market, Catering & Events | Darien, CT | *WINNER*
Simply Fresh Event | Gaithersburg, MD
The Hometown Chef Catering Co. | Humble, TX
Best Employee Recognition Program
Cherry Creek School District | Centennial, CO | *WINNER*
David Alan Hospitality Group | Berlin, CT
The Chef’s Table | Marshfield, MA
Best Company Event
A Fare Extraordinaire | Houston, TX
Herrington on the Bay | North Beach, MD | *WINNER*
Partyman Catering | Avon, NY
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HEART LEADER OF THE YEAR
Andrew Matroni | QC Catering | Charlotte, NC
AnnieLaurie Alkire | Preferred Sonoma Caterers | Petaluma, CA
David Lheureux | David Alan Hospitality Group | Berlin, CT | *WINNER*
JT Thomas | Partyman Catering | Avon, NY | *WINNER*
Lisa Ware | Catering by Michaels | Morton Grove, IL
Mary Krikorian | Vibrant Occasions Catering | Benton, AR | *WINNER*
Nathaniel Neubauer | Contemporary Catering | Encino, CA
Rachel Malecky | Hamby Catering | Charleston, SC
Serge Krikorian | Vibrant Occasions Catering | Benton, AR | *WINNER*
Steve Sanchez | JDK Group | Camp Hill, PA | *WINNER*
MIBE of the Year
Palmer’s Market, Catering & Events | Darien, CT
Partyman Catering | Avon, NY | *WINNER*
PEJ Events | Round Rock, TX
Best Activation of Core Values or Mission
Butlers Pantry | St. Louis, MO | *WINNER*
Hamby Catering | Charleston, SC
Vibrant Occasions Catering | Benton, AR
Best Employee Recognition Program
Palmer’s Market, Catering & Events | Darien, CT
Snooze | Denver, CO | *WINNER*
Vibrant Occasions Catering | Benton, AR
Best Company Event
Catering by Michaels | Morton Grove, IL
David Alan Hospitality Group | Berlin, CT
Palmer’s Market, Catering & Events | Darien, CT |*WINNER*
Watch the 2022 MIBE Awards video!
Hotel Partners
Origin Hotel Westminster
10 minute drive to Social Capitol. Special Group Rate when you book through MIBE!
Residence Inn Marriott
5 minute drive to Social Capitol. Special Group Rate when you book through MIBE!
If you prefer to stay closer to Downtown Denver, there are many great hotel options (appx 20-25 drive).