{"id":10344,"date":"2026-05-07T10:20:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T14:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/distributionstrategy.com\/?page_id=10344"},"modified":"2026-08-28T09:25:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T13:25:37","slug":"speakers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/distributionstrategy.com\/ai-forum-atlanta\/speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"AI Forum Atlanta – Speakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/span>
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

2026 Speakers<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Join distribution leaders August 12, 2026, to discover how AI is already creating market leaders and leaving others behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Register Here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Conference Hosts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Ian Heller<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer \/ Distribution STrategy Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ian Heller has more than 30 years of experience executing marketing and e-business strategy in the wholesale distribution industry. He has written and spoken extensively on the impact of digital disruption on distributors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More<\/summary>\n

Ian entered the distribution industry as a truck unloader at a Grainger branch while in college. He eventually became Vice President of Marketing there and has since held senior executive roles at GE Capital, Corporate Express, Newark Electronics and HD Supply. Ian most recently served as President and COO for Modern Distribution Management, a specialized information and analytics firm serving the wholesale distribution industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ian earned a BA in History from Roosevelt University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where he was elected commencement speaker by his classmates and won the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Jonathan Bein, Ph.D.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Co-Founder & Managing Partner \/ Distribution Strategy Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jonathan Bein Ph.D. has worked with over 100 distributors to apply advanced analytics and AI to improve customer experience, define value proposition, estimate sales potential and create digital strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More<\/summary>\n

Before Distribution Strategy Group, Bein has successfully led and been part of executive management for software product and services companies in information technology, healthcare and communications. Bein has been CEO of several companies including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n