Charles Cain, Business Development, Adagio Teas
Charles is an entrepreneurial executive with extensive business development experience and a unique perspective on the U.S. Tea Industry. Since 2004, Charles has opened and tested four different retail models (two approaches to traditional tea retail, a tea café, and a tea restaurant), launched a tea-based E-Commerce site, built an international wholesale program, and developed a tea shop franchising operation. Today Charles is leading Adagio Teas' expansion into Tea Retail and advising on the company’s E-Commerce and international wholesale operations. Adagio Teas operates the most popular tea website in the U.S. and manufactures a custom line of packaged loose tea, bagged tea, ready-to-drink iced tea, and teaware products.

Babette Donaldson, Author, Emma Lea Books
Babette Donaldson is the author and creator of the illustrated books, "Emma Lea's First Tea Party," "Emma Lea's Magic Teapot," "Emma Lea's First Tea Ceremony" and the non-fiction workbook, "Fundraising With Tea." She has a bachelor of arts in Creative Writing and another in Ceramic Art from San Francisco State University. Through her work in ceramics, she was introduced to World Tea Expo.

Tea Suite was her first tea business; it was a non-profit tea fundraising program supporting art education in schools and is now promoting her books and her love of tea in elementary schools, bookstores and tearooms.

Mim Enck, President, The East Indies Company
Co-owner-blender, The East Indies Company, Mim Enck began her career in 1986. Having a strong culinary background, tea blending was the perfect "next step". Tea blending is really learning to taste, and as in the culinary world, tea blending is about learning what works, innovative ideas and the courage to follow the creative within.

Ms. Enck has been past Vice-President of the American Premium Tea Institute and presently a member of the Specialty Tea Institute Advisory Board. Ms. Enck is passionate about this amazing beverage because it is a "connector to many people and their cultures" and is a healing and healthy element in today's world.

Brian Keating, Tea Buyer / Blend Master, Allegro Coffee Co. (A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Whole Foods Market) Brian Keating has spent more than 25 years working within the U.S. specialty tea industry; most recently assisting Allegro Coffee with their expansion into specialty tea. His tea business experience spans tea retailing, branded consumer products, wholesaling, and product development. He is also the publisher of the Specialty Tea Is “Hot” Report™ (www.teareport.com).

Sascha Karimpour, Dethlefsen & Balk
Sascha grew up in Northern Germany where specialty tea has a long tradition and which is one of the highest per capita tea consumptions in the European Union.

Sascha studied Business Administration in California 1990-94 upon which he returned to Germany to co-manage a specialty goods importer & exporter. In 1996 he underwent his military duty for 1 year after which he decided to go back to university for graduate classes in Nuremberg, Germany.

Sascha returned to the US in 1998 working for an international logistical provider in New York. Sascha was responsible for the operations of mainly Far Eastern countries. In 2005 Sascha joined Dethlefsen and Balk helping to open their US daughter company in Aurora, IL. Since then Dethlefsen & Balk Inc. has grown to become one of the top suppliers to the specialty tea industry in North America.

Scott Stephen Svihula, Regional Sales Director & Teasmith, China Mist Brands®
Scott Svihula has established himself globally as an expert in the Tea Industry, offering 13 years of progressive experience in the field. He travels extensively, presenting educational programs to small and large organizations nationwide. Since 2006, Scott has been a key contributor to China Mist Brands®, serving as the Teasmith and Regional Sales Director. Scott is charged with product development, purchasing, new product roll outs, and quality assurance.

Scott and his wife Rhonda founded Tea Daddy LLC® in 2006, selling directly to customers through private, in-home parties. In 1996, he launched his career in the Tea and Coffee Industry at FETCO®, working diligently for ten years. An innovator, Scott drives Tea Industry trends as a respected leader in professional associations and as a published author of numerous articles. He sits on the Specialty Tea Institute (STI) Advisory Board. He helped write, implement, and currently teaches the STI Tea Certification Program. He is also a member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and sits on the Business Advisory Board for the World Tea Expo (WTE).