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!​​​​​

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Thursday, October 29, 2026

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​8:00 - 9:00 a.m. | Registration

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8:15 - 9:00 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. 

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Speakers:

 

• Michelle Washington, Style Expert & Conference Emcee

• Casey Russell, Founder, Wild Pony Hat Bar

 

Additional breakfast offerings will be provided for anyone not attending the Women’s Leadership Breakfast.

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9:00 - 12:00 p.m. | Morning Education Sessions | Texas in Focus
Emcee: Michelle Washington​

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Manufacturing in Texas

We will kick off our day with an overview of the manufacturing trends we are currently seeing in the region and a discussion on the opportunities for growth.

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Fireside Chat | San Antonio Shoemakers

We’re calling this an anniversary special edition session. Representing its city in both name and spirit, San Antonio Shoemakers is a family-owned company celebrating its 50th year of operation in 2026. CEO Nancy Richardson —  who some attendees may remember from SPESA’s 2016 event in San Antonio — will share insights on the company’s history, mission, and goals for the next 50 years.

• Nancy Richardson, CEO, San Antonio Shoemakers

 

SPESA Snapshot | Texas Suppliers

This panel discussion will feature cut-and-sew industry suppliers from across the state.

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Speakers:

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• Bert Feinberg, President, Frontier Distributors/Phillocraft

• (Additional speakers to be announced)

 

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 for building 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:

 

• Charles Freeman, Texas Christian University

• (Additional speakers to be announced)​​​​

 

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

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

To help ensure all attendees access educational content relevant to their business, we will offer a few more narrowly-focused afternoon sessions.

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Breakout Topics Include:​

 

• Automation for large scale manufacturing

• Resources for handmade and on-demand manufacturing

• Retail Strategy

• Business Resources
   

2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Afternoon Education Sessions | Think Globally
Emcee: Michelle Washington

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State of the Industry

A sewn product industry update, focusing on the Western Hemisphere.

 

Policy Update

An overview of the latest policy changes and trade maneuvers (including tariff actions) impacting the sewn product industry.

 

Resource Round-Up

An informational session on the resources available to U.S. manufacturers and other businesses.

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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.​​​​​

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6:00 - 8:30 p.m. | Networking Reception

Offsite location TBA

Round out the day with some final networking, good food, and great cocktails. 

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8:30 p.m. - 'til | After Party
Howl at the Moon

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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.

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11:00 a.m. | Conclusion

Thanks for coming! Attendees are welcome to stick around for more networking time.

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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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