Skip Bennett is founder and owner of Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury, MA. He planted his first oysters in 1992 after three years growing quahogs in Duxbury Bay. Island Creek Oysters has grown into one of the largest oyster companies in the United States, consisting of a team of farmers and a distribution arm that sells more than 100,000 oysters a week.
Shore Gregory runs the wholesale operation at Island Creek Oysters, focusing mainly on marketing and strategy including the Island Creek Oysters Foundation and the Island Creek Oyster Festival.
Karen Hudson facilitates communication between the research community and the commercial oyster and clam aquaculture industry as a Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Specialist. She joined the Virginia Sea Grant Marine Extension Program at Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in 2011 after researching oyster aquaculture for 12 years as a member of the VIMS Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Technology Center.
Mike Hutt is Executive Director of the Virginia Marine Products Board, an organization set up by the state to promote, market, and research Virginia seafood with the aim of furthering the economic development of the seafood industry.
Dan Kauffman is a Seafood Business Specialist at Virginia Tech’s Seafood Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Hampton. Prior to coming to Tech he worked in the commercial seafood industry for 15 years. Among other things, he assists the seafood industry in expanding markets and exploring new market opportunities. He holds a Ph.D. from Michigan State University.
Luke LaBell is Seafood Manager at the Fairfax VA Wegman’s store.
Ris Lacoste is one of the most respected and dedicated chefs working in Washington D.C. today. For the last decade Lacoste has served as executive chef of Georgetown’s celebrated 1789 Restaurant. Her latest and most personal venture, RIS, is the culmination of a delicious career.
Rich Martin is Meat and Wegman’s Seafood Specialist for Virginia and Maryland.
Phil Muth is President of J.J. McDonnell Seafood in Jessup, MD.
Chris Sherman joined the Island Creek team after a few years of working boat gigs. He grew up working on Duxbury Bay , graduated fromWilliams College with a major in English and Maritime Studies and spent six weeks in Dartmouth’s Tuck Business program. He now runs the company’s many, many marketing projects.
Robb Walsh is a nationally known Texas food writer and oyster aficionado and the author of nine books including Sex, Death & Oysters: A Half Shell Lovers World Tour and The Tex-Mex Grill and Backyard Barbacoca Cook Book. The James Beard award winning author has contributed to Gourmet, Saveur and Fine Cooking. One reviewer wrote that his half shell lovers book “chronicles a global culinary road trip that takes Walsh from his local Galveston Bay to the coasts of North America, off to Ireland, England and France. Fact-filled and laced throughout with his wry humor, Walsh recounts hundreds of oysters shucked and prepared in myriad ways, and offers a fascinating history that goes beyond the expected , revealing coastal rivalries, recipes, shucking tips and what to drink with your oyster.” Walsh has encouraged the marketing of oysters with place names in Texas. You no doubt will squeeze a laugh or two in during his talk.
Differentiated Halfshell Marketing Workshop 