EVENT PROGRAM
Vitality in the Valley: Farm to Factory is an annual Manufacturing Expo that brings together New York State companies across the food, beverage, agriculture, and manufacturing ecosystems.
The event creates meaningful connections between producers, manufacturers, suppliers, and the technical and business resources that help companies grow, scale, and innovate.
Designed to foster collaboration from farm to factory floor, Vitality in the Valley highlights the intersection of agriculture, food and beverage, and advanced manufacturing, offering participants a focused environment to explore partnerships, discover solutions, and strengthen regional supply chains.
Be A Part of the Exclusive Reception – June 2, 2026
In addition to the expo, exhibitors, sponsors, and event partners are invited to an exclusive evening reception on June 2, 2026. This invitation-only event highlights the region’s food and beverage ecosystem through thoughtfully curated pairings from local restaurants, breweries, wineries, and producers.
The reception provides a welcoming environment for early introductions, meaningful conversations, and strategic connections ahead of the expo.
June 2-3, 2026
Location:
Herkimer College
100 Lou Ambers Drive
Herkimer, NY 13350
Lodging Options
The Red Roof Inn
100 Marginal Road,
Herkimer, NY 13350
(315)866-0490
Call and book under “FuzeHub” Room Block
Hampton Inn Utica
172 – 180 N Genesee Street,
Utica, NY 13502
(315)733-1200
JUNE 2-3, 2026 | HERKIMER COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Vitality in the Valley: Farm to Factory is an annual Manufacturing Expo that brings together New York State companies across the food, beverage, agriculture, and manufacturing ecosystems.
Location:
Herkimer College
100 Lou Ambers Drive
Herkimer, NY 13350
We are seeking companies that have something to crow about. Exhibiting at Vitality in the Valley is a unique opportunity to showcase and sell your products and services to a targeted audience of manufacturers, growers, processors, and ecosystem partners from across New York State.
We’re welcoming exhibitors from food, beverage, agriculture, and manufacturing to ensure strong representation across sectors. This is your chance to connect directly with customers, collaborators, and potential partners while positioning your business within a growing innovation-driven community.
Exhibiting goes beyond visibility—it’s an opportunity to generate sales, build relationships, and grow your brand. You’ll be able to:
- Showcase and sell your products to a wide audience of attendees, buyers, and media
- Connect directly with new customers and generate real-time sales
- Network at our exclusive evening reception on June 2 with other top-tier NYS businesses
- Gain exposure through FuzeHub’s marketing channels
We’re building a vibrant mix of exhibitors, and we want your industry represented. If you’ve been thinking about signing up, now’s the time to lock in your spot and be part of a dynamic event that brings farm-grown goods and factory-built solutions under one roof. Apply to Exhibit here.
We offer a range of sponsorship opportunities for organizations looking to show their support and gain meaningful visibility at Vitality in the Valley. All sponsors receive logo recognition on our website and in email promotions, verbal acknowledgment during the event, and access to our exclusive pre-event reception.
Sponsorship levels range from Bronze to Gold, with higher tiers including speaking opportunities, exhibit space, and enhanced brand exposure. Breakfast and Lunch sponsorships also provide valuable stage time during key networking moments. Sponsoring Vitality in the Valley is a powerful way to connect with industry leaders, elevate your brand, and support the growth of New York State’s food, beverage, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors.
AGENDA
June 2, 2026 - Day One
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3:00 PM
Exhibitor Setup Begins
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5:30 PM
Networking Reception
June 3, 2026 - Day Two
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7:30 AM
Doors Open
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8:00 AM
Registration & Breakfast
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8:30 AM
Event Begins
Welcome Addresses & Sponsors
- Dr. Everton H. Henriques – FuzeHub (MC)
- Cory Albrecht – AIM
- Bill McDonald – Herkimer College
- John Piseck – Herkimer IDA
- Dr. Scott Ferguson – The Institute for Rural Vitality at SUNY Cobleskill
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9:00 AM
Morning Keynote
- Frank Elias – President & Founder, Utica Coffee
- Dan Rickman – District Director, SBA
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9:45 AM
Exhibitor Showcase
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11:15 AM
Panel Breakout
- Moderator – Allison Madmoune, Regional Director Mohawk Valley Region Empire State Development
- Keri Pratico, Vice President and Senior Business Development Officer at Pursuit
- Patty Rechberger, Innovation Fund Manager, FuzeHub
- Grace Conners, Deputy District Director for the Syracuse District Office U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
- Tim Fitzgerald, Senior Vice President, Economic Development, Mohawk Valley EDGE
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Operations Manager, Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency
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12:15 PM
Lunch
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1:15 PM
Exhibitor Showcase
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3:00 PM
Event Ends
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
SPEAKERS & PANELISTS
EXHIBITOR GUIDE
Mia's Cocina
Mía’s Cocina is a New York-based, MWBE-certified food manufacturing and specialty dessert company focused on producing premium Puerto Rican-inspired products for retail, wholesale, hospitality, and event markets. Founded in 2021, the company is best known for its handcrafted gourmet flan packaged in signature glass jars that combine cultural authenticity with elevated presentation.
Mía’s Cocina is committed to preserving traditional Caribbean flavors while developing scalable, modern food products that meet today’s consumer demand for quality, storytelling, and artisanal experiences. The company actively participates in regional food innovation, entrepreneurship, and supplier diversity initiatives, creating opportunities for cultural rep
Pursuit
At Pursuit, our mission is simple: we’re empowering businesses in all communities by providing access to affordable loans and resources so that they can reach higher, transform, and grow. This transformation may start with an individual borrower, but ultimately extends into the broader community, taking shape as new employment opportunities, economic development, and positive change.
Through our work, we’re striving to create a more inclusive economy by ensuring every business owner has a path to success.
Our mission guides our lending. When you work with us, you’ll have access to a community-focused lender that’s invested in providing the best possible small business loan for you now, and in the future.
B-Blossom Catering
B-Blossom is a plant-based food company born from a passion for healthy cuisine. We aim to provide with a unique, high-level culinary experience, using the freshest and most locally source products and ingredients and innovative cooking techniques in all that we serve.
We develop recipes utilizing plant-based ingredients that environmentally friendly.
NYSP2I – New York State Pollution Prevention Institute
The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) helps businesses, municipalities, and institutions improve sustainability and operational efficiency through pollution prevention (P2) strategies. NYSP2I provides technical assistance, research, training, and implementation support focused on reducing waste, energy and water use, emissions, and hazardous materials while improving economic and environmental performance.
NYS Department of Labor – Registered Apprenticeship
Your DOL’s mission is to provide outstanding services to our customers – the workers and businesses that call New York home. We help New Yorkers find the careers they will love by connecting them to employment, training, and up-skilling opportunities. We build and support New York’s businesses, helping them find qualified workers and keeping them informed about tools and incentives to make their businesses thrive.
Registered apprenticeship offers businesses a highly skilled workforce and a pipeline of qualified workers through a structured and consistent training program. Explore our upgraded Apprenticeship Services system and discover if the registered apprenticeship program is right for your business.
Insitute for Rural Vitality at SUNY Cobleskill
The Institute for Rural Vitality at SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech is the outward-facing division of SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech. Our work focuses on entrepreneurship, training and credentials, shared-use facilities, economic development efforts, and using our farm to help feed our campus community. At our core, the IRV supports entrepreneurs, strengthens local businesses, educates the workforce, and helps drive New York’s economic growth.
Progress Industries / The Arc Oneida-Lewis Chapter
We’re a supply chain aggregator with a unique edge—we own and operate our own warehousing,
fulfillment, and contract manufacturing facilities. That means we don’t just connect businesses to a supply
chain network—we control key parts of it, giving our clients unmatched flexibility, speed, and quality. From
raw materials to last-mile delivery, we provide end-to-end solutions through a single, scalable platform.
With many contracts spanning several decades, we value a long-term commitment and work hard to
provide a value to partners every day. If you are looking to grow your business, whether it is well established
or just starting out, Progress Industries should be your customized solution partner
Vitality in the Valley 2025
PARTNERS
SPONSORS
