Unless otherwise noted, all events are to take place at the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk.

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​Wednesday, October 28, 2026

 

2:00 - 5:00 p.m. | SPESA Board Meeting

SPESA Board Members Only

 

6:00 - 7:30 p.m. | Welcome Reception​​

Kickstart your networking early and get to know your fellow attendees!

Hotel Valencia Terrace​​​​​

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Thursday, October 29, 2026

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​8:00 - 9:00 a.m. | Registration

Verona Ballroom Foyer

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8:00 - 8:45 a.m. | Rise & Shine | Women’s Leadership Breakfast

A new event for SPESA! This bonus session will include a unique discussion for women leaders in the sewn products industry, touching on a wide range of topics related to personal and professional development. 

Verona Ballroom

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Speakers:

• Michelle Washington, TV Style Expert & Conference Emcee

• Casey Russell, Founder, Wild Pony Hat Bar

 

A breakfast buffet will be available in the lobby rotunda for all conference attendees. Those who want to attend the women's breakfast, please fix a plate and bring it with you to the Verona Ballroom!

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9:00 a.m. | Morning Education Sessions Begin | Texas in Focus
Emcee: Michelle Washington |TV Style Expert

Verona Ballroom

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9:00-9:30 a.m. | Welcome & Introduction

• Michael McDonald, President, SPESA

 

9:30-10:30 a.m. | Panel | San Antonio Industry Leaders

We are thrilled to have the leaders of two iconic San Antonio-based brands and manufacturers share their companies’ histories, missions, challenges, and why they choose to manufacture in the great state of Texas. This panel provides an opportunity for the current and hopeful domestic manufacturers in the room to learn about their successes and hopefully be inspired to follow in their footsteps, and for the suppliers in the room to hear about their goals and impediments and what these brands might need from them to be more successful in the future.

 

Speakers:

• Sharon Durham, President, Jon Hart Design

• Mario Guajardo, CEO, Richter Goods

• Julie Shelton, Jon Hart Design

• Bronte Treat, COO, Richter Goods

 

Moderator:

• Saige Thomas, President, Texas Fashion Industry Initiative

 

10:30-10:45 a.m. | Break

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10:45-11:00 a.m. | SPESA Snapshot | Texas Suppliers

SPESA members are based all over the world and provide a wide variety of products and services. We are excited for the opportunity to introduce attendees to one of our Texas-based members who will share insights on the Texas customer base and how the Texas industry operates from a supplier perspective.​​

• Bert Feinberg, President, Frontier Distributors/Phillocraft

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11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Panel | Cutting the Skills Gap: Building the Workforce American Manufacturing Needs Next

Panelists in this session will tackle one of the biggest constraints facing domestic sewn products manufacturing: talent. The discussion will explore how manufacturers, universities, workforce organizations, and innovation ecosystems can work together to build faster, more responsive pathways into technical careers. Using Texas Christian University’s (TCU) TACTIC initiative as a case study, they will break down what is needed to build short-cycle, industry-informed training in advanced soft goods and textile manufacturing designed around actual employer competencies rather than traditional academic timelines.

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Speakers:

• Brett Bowden, Founder/Owner, Printed Threads, MADE Lab

• Robert Finnegan, Head of Community, Education, and Workforce Initiatives, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA)

• Charles Freeman, Director of Research and Creative Activities, Texas Christian University

 

Moderator:​

• Erin Tillery, Postdoctoral Fellow, Texas Christian University

 

12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | Lunch

Hotel Valencia Terrace​​​​​

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1:00 - 2:15 p.m. | Choose Your Own SPESA Adventure | Breakout Sessions 

Pick the session that fits your business! These focused breakouts give attendees time to dig into the issues specific to their sector of the industry.

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Breakout Session #1 (1:00-1:30 p.m.)​​​​​

• Option A: Introduction to Lean Six Sigma Process Improvement
  Lean Six Sigma is a team-driven management method that combines Lean (focused on waste reduction and speed) and Six Sigma (focused on reducing defects and process variation) to improve overall operational performance. TFII's Saige Thomas — green belt certified and black belt trained — will provide an intro to the methodology and information on how attendees can get started.
  Verona Ballroom
   

• Option B: Association Roundtable | A Collective Conversation
  As an association ourselves, SPESA has a deep understanding and appreciation of the value that associations offer. However, with so many options out there, how do you find the group that’s right for you? We’re bringing together representatives from four industry associations for a casual, interactive conversation about the value of association work and how to find the right partners for your business. We’ll explore the different ways associations support their members — from advocacy and lobbying to networking, education, and business development — and where those roles overlap. We’ll also spotlight the Alphabet Soup Collective, a collaboration of associations representing the textile, apparel, sewn products, and nonwovens industries, and the extensive network of members, expertise, and connections these organizations bring together. 
  Executive Boardroom
   

Break (1:30-1:45 p.m.)

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Breakout Session #2 (1:45-2:15 p.m.)

• Option A: Supplier Roundtable | Sharing Practical Ideas and Resources with Your Peers 
  SPESA was created to provide a forum in which sewn product industry suppliers could openly discuss their business challenges without their customers in the room. This breakout session does exactly that. The peer-to-peer roundtable gives suppliers, distributors, and service providers the opportunity to compare notes on the forces reshaping their business, including tariffs and import costs, longer sales cycles, the shortage of skilled technicians, competition from low-cost direct sellers, and building recurring revenue through service, parts, and training after the sale. Attendees will leave with practical ideas from their peers and help shape how SPESA can better support the supplier community in the year ahead.
  Verona Ballroom
   

• Option B: Manufacturer Roundtable | Diving into Handmade and On-Demand Manufacturing
  This discussion-based session is meant to be a space for the manufacturers in attendance — as well as designers, brands, retailers, and anyone who may have similar struggles — to dive deeper into the biggest challenges they are facing today and share ideas on how to address them. We’ve asked the team at Jon Hart Design to lead this discussion and share their own experiences tackling topics like workforce training, finding the right suppliers, and bringing in consultants or other outside help when necessary. Suppliers are also welcome to join in the conversation to learn more about their customers’ needs.
  Executive Boardroom
   

2:15-2:45 p.m. | Networking Break

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2:45 p.m. | Afternoon Education Sessions Begin | Think Globally
Emcee: Michelle Washington |TV Style Expert

Verona Ballroom

 

2:45-3:15 p.m. | Headwinds and Tailwinds: The Global Economic and Sustainability Trends Shaping Our Industry

Tariffs, regional conflicts, shipping disruptions, rising energy and material costs, and labor shortages in key sourcing countries are changing where and how products get made. With insights from September’s Cascale Annual Meeting in Athens, the Textile Exchange Conference in Vancouver, and Climate Week in New York, we will look at the risks and opportunities for companies across the Americas, and how sustainability can be a way to make money rather than only a compliance cost.

• Rick Horwitch, Chief Of Sustainability & Supply Chain Strategy, Bureau Veritas

 

3:15-3:30 p.m. | Speed Networking
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3:30-4:00 p.m. | Trade, Policy & Election Update

An overview of the latest policy changes and trade maneuvers impacting the sewn products industry, from the factory floor to the cost of importing equipment, parts, and supplies. With information changing daily, it can be hard to keep up! So, we asked one of our favorite trade wonks to leave D.C. and bring us a Texas-sized update on the latest tariff shenanigans, USMCA actions, and election predictions.​

• Ned Steiner, Managing Director, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.

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4:00-5:00 p.m. | Panel | FutureTEX: Building the Manufacturing Technology Backbone for American Textiles

FutureTEX is a next‑generation, execution‑driven Manufacturing Innovation Institute designed to strengthen the U.S. textile industrial base. For equipment and technology suppliers, FutureTEX offers more than access to R&D funding; it is building a national network that connects the entire value chain. This panel will discuss how FutureTEX will be structured, where the technology investment is headed, how suppliers and manufacturers can participate, and what domestic production can look like in the decade ahead.

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Speakers:

• Jeff Pacuska, Program Manager - OSW Revolutionary Fibers and Textiles Manufacturing Innovation Institute, U.S. Army DEVCOM Soldier Center OUSW R&E MANTECH

• Stephen Sharp, Chief Innovation and Manufacturing Officer, FutureTEX

• Gregg Woodcock, Executive Director, American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC)

 

Moderator:

• Michael McDonald, President, SPESA

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5:00 - 5:30 p.m. | SPESA Board Elections & Annual Business Meeting 

Led by SPESA President Michael McDonald. 

This annual meeting provides SPESA members an opportunity to receive updates about the association and the industry from SPESA’s staff and leadership; recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our members; and elect SPESA's Board of Directors. While only SPESA members are eligible to vote in the Board elections, all attendees will benefit from the updates provided during the meeting and are welcome to stick around for it.

The agenda and materials for this session are available here.​​​​​

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6:30 - 8:30 p.m. | Networking Reception & Dinner

Double Standard

114 E Houston St. (a short walk from the hotel)

Round out the day with some final networking, good food, and great cocktails. Wild Hat Pony Bar will be on-site making custom cowboy hats for purchase (or for free for our lucky winners!).

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8:30 p.m. - 'til | After Party & Adventures with the SPESA Team

​The party officially ends at 8:30, but for anyone not quite ready to go to bed, the SPESA team has a few suggestions that you might want to check out:

• Sing your heart out at Howl at the Moon 111 W Crockett St., #201

• Experience "San Antonio | The Saga," 9:00 p.m. at Main Plaza

• Take a cruise with Go Rio Narrated River Boat Tours, Boats leave every 15 minutes until 10:00 p.m.

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Friday, October 30, 2026

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8:15 - 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast

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9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | Workshop Session | AI in Action

This interactive session will provide attendees an opportunity to step out of the classroom, network in a creative way, and take what they learn during conference discussions and put it to use and thought right away. We will discuss access to current resources, explore future needs, and ask attendees to consider the practical and ethical applications of artificial intelligence in the workforce.

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12:00 - 3:30 p.m. | Factory Tours

Conference attendees are invited to join us for an exclusive industry-focused tour of the San Antonio Shoemakers factory followed by a tour of the Jon Hart Design handmade leather goods factory.

 

Tour attendees: Please wear closed-toed shoes and comfortable clothing.

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Tour Schedule:

• 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Free time to network or grab lunch.

  • Please note: we will have some snacks and water for the bus, but lunch will not be provided.

• 12:00 p.m. - Leave Hotel Valencia for San Antonio Shoemakers

• 12:30-1:30 p.m. - Tour San Antonio Shoemakers factory and store

• 1:30 p.m. - Leave for Jon Hart Design

• 2:00-3:00 p.m. - Tour Jon Hart Design factory

• 3:30 p.m. - Return to Hotel Valencia

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*Our speakers provide an incredible wealth of knowledge to the sewn products industry, and thus, are very busy. Speakers and topics are subject to change.

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For any questions about the agenda or event, please contact Marie@spesa.org or Maggie@spesa.org.​​​

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