Leveling Up Leadership: Highlights from the Kemin North America Leadership Summit

In November 2025, Kemin people managers from across Canada, the United States, and Mexico gathered in Des Moines for the third Kemin North America Leadership Summit, a two-day event focused on leadership growth, connection, and career development.

Held at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown, the summit brought Kemin leaders together to explore the evolving landscape of people management and to equip managers with tools to “level up” as they guide teams toward excellence. President and CEO, Dr. Chris Nelson’s message emphasized that people managers have a profound influence on employee success and culture, and that “leveling up” leadership strengthens outcomes for the entire organization.

Inspirational Keynote Speaker - Dr. Rebecca Heiss

Turning Inspiring Ideas into Actionable Skills

The 2025 Kemin North America Leadership Summit tackled some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing today’s leaders, offering actionable insights, practical frameworks, and real-world strategies through a dynamic lineup of leaders, industry experts, and Kemin talent. Each speaker contributed unique perspectives and practical wisdom, making the event a rich learning experience for all attendees.

Sessions explored timely topics such as:

• AI Management: Led by Alex Nelson, Data Scientist and Founder of JetWolfe Labs, who guided managers in identifying high-impact AI use cases and building team literacy.
• Empowering Careers at Kemin: Debbie Goldbarth, Lead Consultant at LHH, emphasized the importance of career development as a retention strategy.
• Leading by Influence: Alan Feirer, Consultant and Trainer at Group Dynamic, led a session that explored how true leadership is about influence, not authority.
• Creativity Under Pressure: Yanni Amouris, Senior Principal at Cornerstone OnDemand, inspired managers to make innovation part of everyday work, not just special projects.

Additional sessions on Gallup tools, time and energy mastery, productive conflict resolution, and situational leadership broadened the skill set for managers across various functions.

Building a Stronger Leadership Culture

Across every session and speaker, one message was clear: developing great managers is central to Kemin’s long-term success. The summit reinforced Kemin’s commitment to leadership excellence by empowering managers to:

• Embrace Change: Adapt to evolving technologies, workplace dynamics, and employee needs.
• Invest in People: Use coaching and development conversations to retain top talent and build a culture of growth.
• Lead with Influence: Build trust and rely on relationship power rather than role authority alone.
• Foster Innovation: Encourage curiosity and psychological safety to unlock creativity, even under pressure.
• Prioritize Well-being: Manage time and energy intentionally to support smarter work and healthier teams.

As leaders across the region return to their teams, they carry forward new tools, renewed energy, and a shared commitment to enhancing the employee experience and advancing Kemin’s mission.