Business development pro Chris Stevens keynotes Cabinet & Closets Conference 2017
Chris Stevens will keynote the business development conference April 11 at Cabinets & Closets 2017.
The founder and CEO of CS 74 Ventures, and retired VP Customer Development of Keurig Green Mountain, Stevens is currently Adjunct Professor in the Mendoza College of Business at University of Notre Dame. 

His keynote presentation will set an inspiring and motivating tone to the conference, part of a three day event for managers and designers at custom cabinet and closet businesses, running April 11-13 at the Renaissance Convention Center & Hotel in Schaumburg, Illinois, near Chicago. 
 
Following Steven's keynote, the day-long conference consists of three tracks, focused on closets businesses, cabinetry firms, and a lean business operations track for all woodworking companies. Click for complete schedule>>. A plant tour and networking reception take place at the end of the afternoon 
The founder and CEO of CS 74 Ventures, and retired VP Customer Development of Keurig Green Mountain, Stevens is currently Adjunct Professor in the Mendoza College of Business at University of Notre Dame. His high-energy presentation at the 2016  Wood Component Manufacturers Association Fall Meeting earned high marks among attendees. 

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By-the-numbers management at Cabinets & Closets Conference

How to run a business better is the recurring theme for a three-track conference as the Cabinets & Closets Conference comes to Chicagoland April 11, 2017.


Stevens' CS 74 Ventures LLC is a holding company of 20-plus initiatives in which Stevens has invested or owns with the commitment of donating at least 50 percent of the profits to charitable and social causes.

Stevens retired from Keurig, Inc. in May, 2013 in order to teach as an adjunct professor in the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame and to pursue other business and charitable ventures. He was one the original four team members to develop and launch the Keurig Premium Coffee System in 1998, now the No. 1 coffee brewer in North America.
 
In his latest position, Stevens was responsible for all aspects of  Keurig’s Corporate Responsibility initiatives as part of GMCR’s commitment to donate at least 5% of its pre-tax profits to environmental and social causes.
 
Joining the Keurig co-founders in 1996, Chris developed the Keurig brand, sales, distribution and marketing strategies for the Company. He brought to Keurig more than 20 years of experience in consumer goods sales and marketing as well as general management from consumer companies such as Procter & Gamble and Anheuser-Busch. Chris received his BS from Notre Dame, where he also played basketball.
 
A native of Washington D.C., Chris is a frequent lecturer at numerous educational, civic and corporate venues. He has been an angel investor in several start-ups, has done acting, broadcasting and voice-over work and is the executive producer of the award winning movie “Three Days of Hamlet.” Chris is also the author of "Fighting to Give" a book he self-published about an ND classmate who died after a courageous battle against ALS. 100% of the proceeds go to research for Lou Gehrig's Disease with the goal of raising $1 million. The book is on amazon.com and in the Notre Dame bookstore.
 
Chris is a past board member of Mass. Crinc, the ALS Association of America, the Chicago Chamber of Commerce and the Monogram Club of Notre Dame. He is the Chair of the world-wide Council of Business Professions of the Fetzer Institute, whose mission is to “foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community”. Chris is also active in several other charities.
 
Beginning in the fall of 2012, Chris began teaching two under-graduate classes in the Mendoza College of Business on “Business Problem Solving”. Since then, he has taught more than 1,800 students. After retiring from Keurig, he added an MBA class in 2013 as well as Principles of Management to 100+ undergrads each term, 6o one-year MBAs in “Business Problem Solving” and “Change Management” in the Executive MBA Education program at Notre Dame in the Chicago and South Bend campuses.
 
Stevens also teaches in the ESTEEM program with a self-designed course, “Sales and Sales Leadership for the Entrepreneur.”
 
He is the 2014 as well as 2015 winner of the Frank O’Malley award as professor of the year for all of the undergraduate schools and the Basil Moreau winner for the same in the Mendoza College of Business in 2014. In 2015, Chris was awarded by the Alumni Association of Notre Dame the prestigious 2015 Harvey G. Foster award recognizing “distinguished service in civic and university activities.”
 
Chris is a father of five and is now a full-time resident in South Bend and annually host a fund raiser for the families of our fallen military heroes.
 

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About the author
Bill Esler | ConfSenior Editor

Bill wrote for WoodworkingNetwork.com, FDMC and Closets & Organized Storage magazines. 

Bill's background includes more than 10 years in print manufacturing management, followed by more than 30 years in business reporting on industrial manufacturing in the forest products industries, including printing and packaging at American Printer (Features Editor) and Graphic Arts Monthly (Editor in Chief) magazines; and in secondary wood manufacturing for WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Bill was deeply involved with the launches of the Woodworking Network Leadership Forum, and the 40 Under 40 Awards programs. He currently reports on technology and business trends and develops conference programs.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Bill supports efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities in the manufacturing sectors, including 10 years on the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation; six years with the U.S. WoodLinks; and currently on the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee. He is also supports the Greater West Town Training Partnership Woodworking Program, which has trained more than 950 adults for industrial wood manufacturing careers. 

Bill volunteers for Foinse Research Station, a biological field station staddling the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one of more than 200 members of the Organization of Biological Field Stations.