About Alt-Meat
Plant-based meats are currently a $1 billion market in the USA. Alt-Meat reaches the whole spectrum of alt-meat producers. It is for pure-play alternative meat producers – plant based and cultivated, and meat processors expanding their reach into the meat alternatives area. Many of these forward-thinking meat processors are deeply immersed in this burgeoning niche through investments, acquisitions and start-ups. Some meat processors are co-packing for new brands, while others are launching their own initiatives.
Our coverage of the meat alternatives market include business and financial updates, best practices, scientists, visionaries and entrepreneurs to watch, regulatory and more. Our award-winning team of journalists and highly-respected contributors have the knowledge and experience to cover this emerging industry in depth with perspective and strategic analysis.
Editorial
Lisa M. Keefe
Editor
Lisa M. Keefe joined Meatingplace as editor in 2008 and has since led the editorial team to 11 Jesse H. Neal Awards and numerous other editorial honors. She also authors The Center of My Plate blog on meatingplace.com, where she offers commentary on the news and issues of the day affecting the meat and poultry industry. Before joining Meatingplace, she held key editorial positions at the American Marketing Association, Crain’s Chicago Business, Forbes and the Orlando Sentinel. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Contributing Editors:
Ed Finkel, Annemarie Mannion, Chris Scott
Design and Production
Brittney Hackbart
Associate Art Director
Brittney Hackbart is an award-winning designer who has spent nearly a decade in the B2B publishing industry, refining her skills. As Associate Art Director she is involved in both print and website design for all MTG brands. In her free time, this design aficionado and outdoor enthusiast enjoys rock climbing.
Carolina Martinez
Graphic Design
Carolina has more than 10 years of experience designing for companies in the editorial, marketing and advertising industries and has worked on Meatingplace since 2016. As part of the design team for one of Colombia’s largest media companies, she contributed to the production of Cromos Magazine, and led the redesign of the marketing publication Mi Bebe. When she is not designing, Carolina is busy illustrating, painting and entertaining her dog Walter.
Steve Vanden Heuvel
Vice President/Creative Director
Steve is an award-winning creative director and 20-year veteran of B2B publishing, a film enthusiast and connoisseur of the craft beer variety. He's responsible for creative direction on all of MTG's properties and user interfaces for all of MTG’s web products.
Karen Ruesch
Production Manager
Karen Ruesch has more than 25 years worth of production experience for business-to-business publications. “I am very happy to work with the award winning editorial and design teams for Meatingplace and CarneTec, as well as the publishing, sales and marketing teams." In her spare time, Karen is an artist and photographer, enjoys travel, and spends time in the woods with her rescue lab/corgi.
Sales and Marketing
Bill Kinross
VP, Group Publisher
As Vice President, Group Publisher, Bill leads the Alt-Meat, CarneTec and Meatingplace brands. Now in his 14th year of leadership, Kinross and his team continue to be at the forefront of the processing industry with high engagement content and innovative multimedia advertising platforms. “We help ensure that the industry leaders continue to lead, that up-and- comers can break through the clutter to be recognized and that new entries can be noticed by our audience."
Laurie Hachmeister
VP/Corporate Marketing
As Vice President, Corporate Marketing, Laurie Hachmeister oversees efforts to elevate the company’s brands through integrated marketing programs, face-to-face events and custom publishing. With Laurie’s more-than 25 years of marketing and branding expertise, Meatingplace and its sister brands have experienced a myriad of sales and event successes.
Sales:
Jim Shannon
Senior Account Executive
A born and bred Long Islander, Jim Shannon has been involved with sales and marketing with the Marketing & Technology Group since its inception in 1993. He brings more than 30 years of industry experience to suppliers. “Gratification comes when my customers consistently achieve their advertising goals with both the Meatingplace and CarneTec brands,” explained Shannon. He is grateful to work in an organization that values award-winning editorial expertise for its core processor readership along with effective marketing vehicles for its advertising base.
Mike Walsh
Senior Account Executive
Mike Walsh enjoys helping customers find creative, impactful and effective ways to communicate their brand messages to the marketplace. “My job is to help our customers tell their story in a meaningful, positive way and to help them to project a strong image.” A belief in the value that Meatingplace and CarneTec deliver has guided his efforts to build a high level of trust with customers over the past 19 years. "I really like helping my clients connect with their customers. We’re able to do that because of our readership and the connections we have built and nurtured with key decision makers."
Karen Moriarty
Account Executive
Karen Moriarty has spent more than 15 years connecting suppliers who are passionate about serving the meat industry with Meatingplace and CarneTec. “Helping them get their product in front of processors is the most satisfying part of the job,” said Moriarty. She listens carefully to client objectives and provides clear options based on those objectives. She believes that a salesperson really needs to care for customers to be successful. “The industry feels like family,” added Moriarty. “I love working with people who are passionate about what they do.
Danielle Dancu
Sales and Marketing Coordinator
Danielle is hospitality aficionado. After getting her degree in Advertising, a part-time hostessing job for extra cash quickly turned into a full-time restaurant industry immersion. She’s passionate about crafting memorable guest experiences and is all about a well-orchestrated special event. When she’s not touring the countryside of Italy, she’s trying out new vintages in Napa Valley or on the hunt for the next great craft beer. A Chicago native, she enjoys being a part of the vibrant restaurant scene. Her must-have foods include ramen, fried chicken, and anything from Lula Café.
Corporate Management
Mark Lefens
President
With more than 35 years immersed in the meat and poultry industries, Mark Lefens has personally visited hundreds of packing and processing plants around the world. Seeing a need for more targeted meat and poultry industry publications, in January of 1993, he founded Marketing & Technology Group. He is a recognized authority on industry trends and issues by packers, processors and suppliers. Lefens holds a B.S. in Economics from Utah State University.