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SPESA Announces Final Agenda for 2026 Executive Conference
Press Release
This year’s event features discussions on workforce development, trade, artificial intelligence, and doing business in Texas.
Raleigh, N.C. - October 21, 2026 - The Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) is excited to share the final agenda for the upcoming 2026 SPESA Executive Conference, taking place October 28-30, in San Antonio, Texas.
One of SPESA's keystone events, the annual conference is designed to facilitate networking — bringing suppliers and manufacturers together — and learning, with a focus on the latest issues, trends, and policies impacting the global sewn products industry. The bulk of the education will take place on Thursday, October 29th, with morning sessions dedicated to "Texas in Focus," and afternoon sessions encouraging attendees to "Think Globally."
New for 2026, the San Antonio conference will also include an added Women's Leadership Breakfast and a variety of breakout sessions designed to allow attendees to pick the session that best fits their business. In addition, SPESA has enlisted TV Style Expert Michelle Washington to serve as the event emcee. Read more here.
The agenda also builds on fan-favorite activities from previous SPESA events including local factory tours, an interactive group workshop-style session, and a dueling piano after-party for even more networking.
2026 SPESA Executive Conference Agenda
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Welcome Reception
Kickstart your networking early and get to know your fellow attendees!
Thursday, October 29, 2026
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.
Speakers:
Michelle Washington, TV Style Expert & Conference Emcee
Casey Russell, Founder, Wild Pony Hat Bar
Welcome & Introduction
Michael McDonald, President, SPESA
Panel | San Antonio Industry Leaders
SPESA is thrilled to have the leaders of three 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, Owner, Richter Goods
Nancy Richardson, CEO, San Antonio Shoemakers
Moderator:
Saige Thomas, President, Texas Fashion Industry Initiative
SPESA Snapshot | Texas Suppliers
This brief session will introduce one of SPESA's Texas-based members and provide an overview of what it's like to do business in Texas from the supplier perspective. It will also kickstart discussions for our supplier-focused breakout session later in the day.
Bert Feinberg, President, Frontier Distributors/Phillocraft
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.
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
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.
Breakout Topics Include:
Industry Update | Headwinds and Tailwinds: The Global Economic and Sustainability Trends Shaping Our Industry
Manufacturer Roundtable | Diving into Handmade and On-Demand Manufacturing
Supplier Roundtable | Sharing Practical Ideas and Resources with Your Peers
Association Roundtable | Learn the Benefits of Membership and Collaboration
Policy 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.
Ned Steiner, Managing Director, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
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.
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
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.
Networking Reception
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!).
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:
Experience "San Antonio | The Saga"
Take a cruise with Go Rio Narrated River Boat Tours
Friday, October 30, 2026
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. Attendees will discuss access to current resources, explore future needs, and consider the practical and ethical applications of artificial intelligence in the workforce.
Factory Tours
Conference attendees are invited to join SPESA 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.
Click here to learn more about the 2026 SPESA Executive Conference.
Click here for a direct link to the event registration.
About SPESA
SPESA is the industry association for suppliers to the sewn products industry. These suppliers are manufacturers and distributors of machinery, systems, technology, supply chain solutions, equipment, and parts, along with other products and services used for the development, manufacture, or distribution of soft goods. SPESA’s mission as an organization is to provide its members with the highest quality networking, education, and advocacy for advancing their businesses and the sewn products industry in the Western Hemisphere. Please visit www.spesa.org for more info.
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