The Mercury Group

The premier shipper collective

August 5 - 7, 2024 | Nashville, TN

Mercury Group

2024 Conference Theme: Performing in the Next Era of Transportation

We are experiencing a reimagined transportation industry characterized by supply chain transformation, artificial intelligence, and a paradigm shift toward decarbonization. In this era of transportation, actionable data, smart technology, and true partnerships create strategic harmony for sustained growth and innovation.

A look inside The Mercury Group

Breakthrough brings solutions, research, and industry expertise to The Mercury Group, an annual gathering of Breakthrough shipper clients that drives deep conversations, peer-based learning, and collaboration.

An Exclusive Client Eventhttps://big-comfort-7ce80fc531.media.strapiapp.com/An_Exclusive_Client_Event_2_1_9af24c5a21.jpg

An exclusive client event

The Mercury Group is an exclusive event for Breakthrough clients.

2024 Agenda

5:00 - 9:00 PM

Proof Rooftop Bar & Lounge

Welcome Reception

Join us for an evening of cocktails and networking Proof Rooftop Bar located inside W Nashville. Enjoy the opportunity to connect with your peers and meet new contacts.

All attendees

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Strategy 1&2 OR Terrace

Breakfast

Join us for breakfast as we kick off the first day of content.

All attendees

9:00 - 9:25 AM

Main Stage - Great Room

Performing in the Next Era of Transportation

Leveraging the latest industry data, this keynote address will examine the challenges and opportunities posed by rapid technological advancements and shifts in operational paradigms. John will share key strategies for upholding core business principles amidst the intricacies of today's transportation sector, positioning you to stay ahead in a competitive and rapidly evolving market.

John Teggart & Erin Blaha, Breakthrough

9:25 - 10:25 AM

Main Stage - Great Room

Breakthrough Advisor Webinar LIVE

Explore the factors shaping the movement of goods in 2024 and 2025 during the highly interactive, inaugural “Breakthrough Advisor Webinar LIVE”. The Applied Knowledge team will share their insights on market fundamentals and trends that drive market dynamics, while providing their latest outlook on the freight, energy & sustainability markets.

Matt Muenster, Matt Snider, Josh Delfosse & Peyton Jack, Breakthrough

10:25 - 10:40 AM

Break

15-minute break

All attendees

10:40 - 11:10 AM

Main Stage - Great Room

Shipper Panel: Proven Strategies for Implementing Sustainable Freight and Energy Practices in Your Network

Transportation leaders need a pragmatic roadmap for designing their logistics network with sustainable freight and energy practices. Panelists will discuss near-term and long-term strategies intentionally designed to withstand the ebbs and flows of freight rate cycles and the pressing challenge of the transportation energy transition.

Jenny Vander Zanden, Breakthrough with Alex Ramos, Target & Gary Powell, Bridgestone & Brad Whitson, Kimberly-Clark Corporation

11:15 - 11:45 AM

Breakout - Great Room

Breakout 1: Industry Share: Achieving Transportation Sustainability Goals Takes a Team Effort

Discover how Graphic Packaging united its transportation and sustainability teams to align on targets and calculation methodology, creating a plan to reduce emissions in North America. Learn what’s next for Graphic Packaging as they focus on intermodal conversion, RNG dedicated fleet conversion, and the potential integration of EVs within their network.

Heather Ewing, Breakthrough

11:15 - 11:45 AM

Breakout - Strategy 1&2

Breakout 2: Roundtable: Insights for Designing and Managing Your Network

Join this networking roundtable to learn from peers and gather key takeaways for your organization. Attendees will have the chance to share insights and discuss strategies for developing enduring network plans that thrive in today's and tomorrow's transportation supply chain industry. Topics will include optimizing your transportation network for cost, service, and sustainability, leveraging collective experience to uncover solutions, and mastering the art of improvisation when unexpected challenges arise.

Heather Mueller, Breakthrough

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Strategy 1&2 OR Terrace

Lunch

Lunch break

All attendees

12:45 - 1:25 PM

Main Stage - Great Room

A Look Ahead at Artificial Intelligence's Impact

John Kahan, renowned expert in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, brings a wealth of experience from Microsoft. In this enlightening keynote address, Kahan will discuss common myths around artificial intelligence and offer how to unlock its true potential. Attendees can anticipate a thought-provoking exploration of AI’s abilities and the steps to take to build your own AI strategy.

John Kahan, Microsoft (Retired)

1:25 - 1:55 PM

Main Stage - Great Room

Leveraging the Breakthrough Ecosystem to Prepare for the Next Market Turn

Leveraging Breakthrough’s extensive industry expertise and data ecosystem, this session offers updated transportation benchmarking to enhance your supply chain operations. We will provide valuable insights from case studies and compelling data and statistics to empower attendees with actionable knowledge to optimize their transportation network.

Jared Spude & Matt Snider, Breakthrough

1:55 - 2:10 PM

Break

15-minute break

All attendees

2:10 - 2:40 PM

Breakout - Great Room

Breakout 1: Best Practices to Maximize the Value of Fuel Recovery

Ideal for prospective and new clients, this informative session discusses the fundamental metrics crucial for supply chain professionals to make informed decisions. We will delve into the metrics that form the backbone of fuel efficiency, rate competitiveness, and industry performance. Our focus will be on class 8 trucks’ MPG, base-rate benchmarking, and more to provide a clear view on strategic market positioning.

Allie Barthen, Breakthrough with Marc Dorau, Orgain & Charlie Dahlke, Owens Corning

2:10 - 2:40 PM

Breakout - Strategy 1&2

Breakout 2: Transportation Benchmarking to Sustainably Optimize Your Supply Chain

In today’s competitive landscape, improving supply chain efficiency is not just a goal but a necessity. Transportation benchmarking plays a crucial role in reducing cost and emissions and gaining competitive advantages for your organization. By leveraging transportation benchmarking, supply chain leaders can align freight networks with sustainability goals.

Peyton Jack & Heather Ewing, Breakthrough

2:45 - 3:15 PM

Breakout - Great Room

Breakout 1: Industry Panel: Real-World Applications and Outcomes of Intermodal Conversion

In this engaging panel, industry experts will discuss the economic and environmental advantages of adopting intermodal freight strategies while providing pragmatic insights on managing service issues and optimizing supply chain resilience.

Jenny Vander Zanden, Breakthrough & Herman Haksteen, PRFBA & Ari Ashe, JOC

2:45 - 3:15 PM

Breakout - Strategy 1&2

Breakout 2: Roundtable: Utilizing AI to Drive Your Transportation Strategy Into the Future

Discover how industry-leading shippers are leveraging AI to transform complex datasets into actionable insights in today's dynamic market. This engaging session offers the opportunity for peers to discuss strategies for utilizing these advanced tools to meet evolving market demands, enhance decision-making processes, and address the specific needs of their industries. Join us to explore innovative approaches to stay ahead and ensure your operations are aligned with the latest advancements.

Dave Tuttle & Allie Barthen, Breakthrough

3:15 - 3:30 PM

Break

15-minute break

All attendees

3:30 - 4:25 PM

Main Stage - Great Room

Guest Keynote: Exponential Growth Through the Third Door

Alex Banayan is the youngest bestselling business author in American history. A renowned expert on perseverance and exponential growth, Banayan has presented the Third Door™ framework to business conferences and corporate leadership teams around the world, including Apple, Google, Nike, IBM, Snapchat, Salesforce, Delta Airlines, Mastercard, and Disney. The Third Door chronicles Banayan’s seven-year quest to uncover the definitive mindset of success. The book is a #1 international bestseller, has been translated into more than a dozen languages, and has been acclaimed by the New York Post as “a joy to read.”

Banayan’s keynotes have had far-reaching effects, acting as the catalyst for a new way of thinking. The Third Door™ framework has helped individuals discover unconventional routes to achieve their biggest dreams and has aided Fortune 500 companies to take new approaches to sales, marketing, and exponential growth. Since the publication of The Third Door, Banayan has brought his message of possibility to millions of people in more than one hundred countries. At the core of Banayan’s mission is his belief that, “When you change what someone believes is possible, you change what becomes possible.”

Alex Banayan, #1 International Bestselling Author of The Third Door

4:25 - 4:35 PM

Main Stage - Great Room

Day Two Conclusion

Conclude the first day of content at The Mercury Group with insightful closing remarks. Receive detailed arrival instructions for the evening networking event at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Erin Blaha, Breakthrough

6:00 - 9:30 PM

Country Music Hall of Fame

Networking Event

Join us at the Country Music Hall of Fame for an evening of networking, featuring live music by Music City Thread and self-guided tours of the iconic museum.

All attendees

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Strategy 1&2 OR Terrace

Breakfast

Join us for breakfast as we kick off the second day of content.

All attendees

9:00 - 9:05 AM

Main Stage - Great Room

Day 3 Welcome

Join us as we set the stage for a day of insightful discussions and industry-leading innovations.

Erin Blaha, Breakthrough

9:05 - 9:45 AM

Main Stage - Great Room

Unpacking the USPS Transformation Strategy

The United States Postal Service is more than 3 years into its Delivering for America plan to revolutionize its business to achieve financial sustainability and service excellence! This will drive the organization's ability to meet the changing needs of its customers, including shippers like you.

John Teggart, Breakthrough with Jay Smith & Greg White, USPS

9:45 - 10:10 AM

Main Stage - Great Room

SmartWay and Smart Freight Centre Industry Panel: What's Next for Freight

Learn about sustainable freight market developments from key officials of EPA’s SmartWay program and the international Smart Freight Centre. This panel discussion will offer an opportunity to hear about updates from the federal government on the SmartWay program and its impact on supply chains. Additionally, the Smart Freight Centre will share their unique European perspective and a more global view centered on greenhouse gas reporting processes (GLEC).

John McCaw & Danielle Grant, Breakthrough with Buddy Polovick, SmartWay & Cristiano Façanha, Smart Freight Centre

10:10 - 10:25 AM

Break

15-minute break

All attendees

10:25 - 10:55 AM

Main Stage - Great Room

Breakout 1: Unveiling Best Practices for LTL Fuel Recovery

This informational session will shed light on the latest strategies and techniques being employed in the LTL sector. You will gain a firsthand understanding of how these best practices can bring greater transparency to your transportation fuel spend and drive efficiencies in your network. This is a must attend session if you are looking to leverage data-driven insights and innovative approaches to revolutionize your LTL fuel reimbursement strategy.

Nick Kornaus & Heather Mueller, Breakthrough

10:25 - 10:55 AM

Breakout - Strategy 1&2

Breakout 2: Global Supply Chain Trends: Taking Energy Management Beyond Our Borders

Thriving in the international current of market demands and geopolitical complexities requires visibility and agility. This session will provide valuable insights on the latest transformative trends that are reshaping global supply chains. Attendees will walk away with actionable knowledge to support international transportation decision-making and understand how Breakthrough's approach to energy management is creating opportunities to manage their transportation abroad.

Matt Muenster & Ankit Patel, Breakthrough

11:00 - 11:30 AM

Breakout - Great Room

Breakout 1: What You Need to Know for Upcoming Supply Chain Policy

In this rapidly evolving transportation industry, staying ahead of policy and regulatory changes and understanding their implications is paramount. This session will include a discussion and analysis of national and international energy and economic policies that will have resounding impacts on supply chain stakeholders.

Matt Muenster & Matt Snider, Breakthrough

11:00 - 11:30 AM

Breakout - Strategy 1&2

Breakout 2: The Impact of Managing Fuel Price Risk in Your Network – A Transformational Fuel Simulation

Participate in a market simulation focusing on managing fuel price risk in a volatile market. This simulation will emphasize the importance of designing and implementing an energy risk management plan, as well as the benefits to your organization’s budget and bottom line. Don’t miss this session discussing a trending topic in the logistics sector.

Nic Kumbalek & Josh Delfosse, Breakthrough

11:35 - 12:00 PM

Main Stage - Great Room

Conference Closing

John Teggart will conclude The Mercury Group by sharing closing thoughts. He will delve into Breakthrough’s collaboration with Truckers Against Trafficking and emphasize the significance of fostering sustainable partnerships, cultivating an inquisitive mindset, and working closely with your team.

John Teggart, Breakthrough with Esther Goetsch, Truckers Against Trafficking & Josh Holland, Bridgestone

12:00 - 1:00 PM

Strategy 1&2 OR Terrace

Lunch

Lunch and conference departure.

All attendees

Speaker

Keynote Speaker

Alex Banayan

Alex Banayan is the youngest bestselling business author in American history. The Third Door chronicles Banayan’s seven-year quest to uncover the definitive mindset of exponential growth and success. Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and Business Insider’s “Most Powerful People Under 30,” Banayan is his generation’s leading expert in high-performance and personal development, having been featured in Fortune, CNBC, Businessweek, The Washington Post, MSNBC, Fox News, and NBC News.

Speaker

See what attendees are saying

Read what past attendees have to say about their experience at The Mercury Group.

Overall, the event provided very insightful and strategic information I will be able to take back to my organization and implement rather swiftly. Moreover, the effort to build a platform which fosters the engagement and learnings is a testament to the value Breakthrough places on their partnerships and is greatly appreciated.

Nicole Buttcher

Sr. Manager of Logistics & Business Excellence | Materne North America

Great content, engaged/enthusiastic hosts & attendees.

Lisa Obency

Transportation Manager | Winland Foods

Thanks for this event. It was very well ran and professionally managed. The content was relevant and useful. The attendees were of high interest to me for discussions. I got more out of your event than most if not all conferences I regularly attend. Thanks for the invite to attend.

Brent Janezic Director

Supply Chain Sourcing | Danone

Great event! Always leave inspired and ready to build the content into my strategy.

Nic Kieper

Logistics Manager | Miller Electric

2024 Venue

We’re excited to host The Mercury Group at the W Nashville, in the heart of The Gulch neighborhood. Once registered, watch your inbox for more information on room reservations.

Mercury Group

Questions?

Please contact The Mercury Group team with any questions about this year’s event.

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