General Sessions

Opening General Session: Sunday, July 12

Ben Nemtin
Writer, Inspirational Speaker and Television Personality

SNA is excited to reveal that inspirational speaker Ben Nemtin will address #ANC2020 conference goers at the Opening General Session. A #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? and a star of MTV’s top-ranked show “The Buried Life,” Nemtin is the co-founder of The Buried Life movement. Its message of radical possibility has been featured on news outlets nationwide and television programs including “The Today Show” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Hit with depression in his first year of university, Nemtin was forced to drop out. In an attempt to feel more alive, he created the world’s greatest bucket list with his three best friends. In a borrowed rickety old RV they crisscrossed North America, achieving the unthinkable. And most importantly, every time they accomplished a dream, they helped a complete stranger cross something off their bucket list. From playing basketball with former President Obama to having a beer with Prince Harry, from reuniting a father and son after seventeen years to surprising a young girl with a much-needed bionic arm—Nemtin’s bucket list quest has inspired millions to thrive personally and professionally. See what could be next for your own bucket list with insight from this amazing keynote address. Sponsored by Jennie-O Turkey Store

Closing General Session: Tuesday, July 14

Erik Qualman
Best-Selling Author and Digital Influencer

Join SNA in welcoming Erik Qualman, a can’t miss keynote speaker who thrilled attendees of SNA’s School Nutrition Industry Conference. Known as the “Digital Dale Carnegie,” Qualman is the best-selling author of Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way we Live and Do Business. His works have been featured on programs from “60 Minutes” to the Wall Street Journal and used by companies from the National Guard to NASA. In fact, his book Digital Leader propelled him to be voted the “2nd Most Likeable Author in the World” behind Harry Potter’s J.K. Rowling.

Qualman’s book What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube, earned him “Top 100 Digital Influencer” by Forbes and Fortune magazines. His business books are used in more than 200 universities and he has received an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work.

In this Closing General Session, Qualman will fascinate you with details of how we’re operating in a world where “word of mouth” is on steroids—in fact, it’s “world of mouth.” From cautioning the audience (or suggesting they embrace) that what happens in Vegas (or anywhere) “stays on YouTube,” to urging a nimbleness that allows you to capitalize on “momentum marketing,” to setting some things on a “don’t do yet list,” Qualman will help you to see the way to what will be your ultimate digital legacy. Sponsored by TITAN School Solutions