OCTOBER 17 – 20, 2026
PHOENIX, AZ
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
Chris Christie | 55th Governor of New Jersey (Keynote Speaker)
Chris Christie was inaugurated as the 55th governor of the State of New Jersey on January 19, 2010. He was reelected with 60% of the vote in November of 2013 and served two terms as governor. He was a Republican candidate for president in both 2016 and 2024. Governor Christie was elected chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2014, leading the organization to the election of 31 Republican governors. In 2017, President Donald J. Trump appointed Governor Christie as chairman of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. Learn more about Governor Christie.
Monday, October 6, 9:15 am – 10:45 am
Keynote Address: The Business of America Is Business: Navigating Policy Impacts in Uncertain Times
Michelle Brakke | Vice President, Operational Excellence, Lube-Tech
Michelle Brakke joined Lube-Tech, a division of parent company Ascentek, in 2016, supporting the development, quality control and regulatory departments for metalworking fluids. In her current role leading the supply chain team, she is responsible for sourcing and planning support for the MWF product line in both direct manufacturing and regional distribution. Brakke began her career in lubricants with Benz Oil while earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Cardinal Stritch University. She spent 16 years building the company’s metalworking fluid line. She also has five years of sales and market management experience, both direct-to-consumer and through distributorship.
Tuesday, October 7, 10:45 – 11:45 am
The Evolving Business of MWF
Richard Camper | ILMA President and Vice President of Pacific Precision Formulators and Hasco Oil
Richard Camper has worked for Hasco Oil since 1999. His responsibilities include sales and marketing, product development, and supplier engagement for Hasco’s core offering of metalworking fluids, food-grade lubricants and high-performance lubricants. Camper holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from University of California, Los Angeles. He is president of the Board of Directors, on which he has served since 2019.
Tuesday, October 7, 10:45 – 11:45 am
The Evolving Business of MWF
Jim Carroll | Executive Vice President, Operations, Schaeffer Manufacturing
Jim Carroll has been with Schaeffer Manufacturing since 1998 and currently serves as Executive Vice President of Operations, overseeing internal and external lab services, field support for over 500 sales associates, quality control, R&D, customer incidents, logistics, engineering, and plant operations. He holds a Certified Lubrication Specialist certificate from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. Carroll is a retired colonel with 30 years of service in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve. He also serves as ILMA's current vice president and is chair of ILMA's Engine & Transmission Committee.
Tuesday, October 7, 9:15 – 10:30 am
LubeTrends Live! The Road Ahead: Commercial Vehicle Electrification Through 2040
Brenna Huovie | Vice President, Additives Americas, Lubrizol
Brenna Huovie serves as vice president of additives Americas at The Lubrizol Corporation, overseeing transportation and industrial additive solutions. With more than 25 years of experience in the energy and chemicals industries, she has held leadership roles at Honeywell, NextGen Consulting, and ExxonMobil. Prior to her current role, she led product development as vice president of additives technology at Lubrizol. Huovie holds a chemical engineering degree from Lehigh University and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Monday, October 6, 12:30 – 2:00 pm
Built to Evolve: Honoring Our Industry, Shaping What’s Next (Plated Lunch Session)
Annie Jarquin | Vice President, Kline & Co.
Annie Jarquin is vice president at Kline & Co., where she leads the global Energy Practice with a focus on base oils, lubricants and greases. She plays a key role in Kline’s lubricant value chain advisory and due diligence work. With a background in engineering and strategy, Jarquin previously managed global benchmarking projects at Malik PIMS and facilitated M&A integration workshops. She holds degrees in chemical engineering and chemistry from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and serves on the NLGI Women in Grease Interest Network committee and the advisory board for Lubricant Expo in Germany.
Tuesday, October 7, 9:15 – 10:30 am
LubeTrends Live! The Road Ahead: Commercial Vehicle Electrification Through 2040
Steve Knapp | Co-Founder, Plan. Grow. Do.
Steve Knapp is one of the UK’s most influential sales experts and a best-selling author. A former global sales leader at Shell, Steve now focuses on advancing sales practices in the lubricants sector. He co-authored Modern Sales Leadership and wrote Funnel Vision – Selling Made Easy, both widely acclaimed by sales professionals. Through groundbreaking research like the Buyer Revolution, Steve is helping companies adapt to evolving buyer expectations with practical, modern strategies. His work blends consultancy, speaking, and training to equip sales teams with the tools and confidence to thrive in a changing market.
Tuesday, October 7, 10:45 – 11:45 am
Final Findings from the Buyer Revolution: How to Create Value Instead of Destroying It
Craig Lundell | Chief Operating Officer, Sea-Land Chemical
Craig Lundell has been with Sea-Land Chemical Co. for 25 years in various roles and brings over 30 years of experience in the chemical industry. Prior to joining Sea-Land in 2002, Craig served as the North American business manager for Unilever Chemicals Group, and the North American distributor manager for Angus Chemical Co. Lundell is an active member of several industry associations in addition to ILMA, including the Alliance of Chemical Distributors (ACD) and the Society of Tribologist and Lubrication Engineers (STLE).
Tuesday, October 7, 10:45 – 11:45 am
The Evolving Business of MWF
Kaustav Sinha | General Manager, Global Strategic Accounts, Chevron Oronite
Kaustav Sinha is general manager of global strategic accounts at Chevron Oronite, where he oversees strategic planning, business development and global sales operations. With over 15 years of experience in the energy and chemicals sectors, his career spans leadership roles in technology, strategy, and commercial development at Chevron, Dow Chemical, Infineum, and Ford Research. Sinha holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Tuesday, October 7, 9:15 – 10:30 am
LubeTrends Live! The Road Ahead: Commercial Vehicle Electrification Through 2040
Rob Taylor | Co-Founder, Plan. Grow. Do.
Rob Taylor is a digital transformation and marketing strategist with over 20 years of experience. He’s partnered with global tech leaders like Google and Amazon, helping businesses embrace emerging technologies and evolve their growth strategies. As co-author of Modern Sales Leadership, Rob brings deep expertise in aligning marketing and sales to meet the expectations of today’s buyers. His work in the lubricants sector, particularly through the Buyer Revolution research initiative, is helping companies modernize customer engagement, build digital agility, and respond with greater relevance in a rapidly changing market.
Tuesday, October 7, 10:45 – 11:45 am
Final Findings from the Buyer Revolution: How to Create Value Instead of Destroying It