Distribution executives from across the country will gather June 24–26 at the Marriott Chicago O’Hare for the Applied AI for Distributors conference, an event hosted by Distribution Strategy Group. Unlike broader tech summits, this conference focuses squarely on one question: How can distributors use artificial intelligence right now to solve business problems?
Spanning two and a half days, the program features five keynote sessions and a full lineup of breakouts that cut through AI buzzwords and instead offer grounded, operational guidance. Topics range from embedding AI in logistics and pricing to transforming HR, scaling innovation, and avoiding common pitfalls. The tone is pragmatic: AI won’t replace distribution fundamentals—it will augment them, if used wisely.
Trent Gillespie, CEO, Stellis AI (former Amazon executive)
Session: Designing an AI-Enabled Business
Trent Gillespie will open the conference with a blueprint for AI-first thinking—something he helped lead during his tenure at Amazon and now advises on as CEO of Stellis AI. His session will dive into what it means to structure a distribution business where AI is not an add-on but a strategic foundation.
Gillespie will detail how Amazon’s realization—that it couldn’t scale with human labor alone—led to the deliberate integration of AI into every operational layer. From demand forecasting and inventory optimization to routing, pricing, and customer personalization, AI became core infrastructure.
Drawing parallels for distributors, Gillespie will explain how companies can apply similar principles by mapping specific business goals to AI capabilities and building cross-functional teams that embed those tools into everyday workflows. He’ll also outline common traps—like isolated pilot programs with no follow-through—and how to avoid them by adopting a more systemic, metrics-driven approach.
Second Keynote – June 25, 8:15–9:15 a.m.
Don Sarno, senior vice president, digital enterprise Americas, Sonepar
Session: AI in Action – Delivering Real Value for Distributors
Don Sarno of Sonepar will provide a behind-the-scenes look at one of the largest electrical distributors’ real-world journeys with AI. Rather than focus on theoretical opportunities, Sarno will walk attendees through how Sonepar has delivered measurable results using AI across multiple business units.
His session will emphasize the critical role of data governance and quality as foundational elements in AI adoption. He’ll outline Sonepar’s framework for prioritizing initiatives based on business impact and discuss how internal buy-in and cross-department collaboration have played a role in the success of the company’s digital enterprise program.
A standout feature of Sonepar’s approach is its support for encouraging employees without technical backgrounds to suggest and shape AI tools. Sarno will highlight case studies of frontline teams identifying inefficiencies and co-creating AI-powered solutions that reduce friction and enhance decision-making.
He’ll also discuss how Sonepar evaluates return on investment, manages change, and prepares its workforce for evolving roles as automation scales.
Third Keynote – June 25, 1:15–2:15 p.m.
Tracie Sponenberg, founder and chief people Officer, Tracy Sponenberg LLC
Session: People-Driven, AI-Enabled – Strategic Workforce Innovation in Distribution
As AI reshapes core business operations, human resource (HR) departments are increasingly tasked with preparing organizations for the people-side of digital change. In this session, Tracie Sponenberg, a veteran HR executive and advisor to distribution firms, will present a roadmap for doing that exactly.
Sponenberg will offer detailed guidance on how AI can improve core HR functions—from streamlining talent acquisition with automated screening tools to reduce administrative overhead and customizing learning and development. She’ll present real examples of distributors already applying AI to support skills-based hiring, employee retention, and onboarding.
Beyond tools, her session will address change management, including how to overcome skepticism among both leadership and frontline employees. Her message is that digital transformation must be grounded in workforce engagement and that HR leaders must become active partners in shaping AI strategy, not passive recipients of its outcomes.
Her approach, tested at companies like The Granite Group, emphasizes aligning AI with business goals while protecting company culture, especially in industries where labor challenges remain acute.
Fourth Keynote – June 25, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Noelle Russell, Founder and Chief AI Officer, AI Leadership Institute
Session: Scaling Responsible AI – From Enthusiasm to Execution
Renowned AI strategist Noelle Russell will close out the June 25 programming with a keynote on responsible and scalable AI adoption. Founder of the AI Leadership Institute and author of Scaling Responsible AI: From Enthusiasm to Execution, Russell works with global organizations on ethical, secure, and high-impact AI deployment.
Her keynote will examine how companies across sectors—including distribution—are implementing generative and applied AI systems while building internal safeguards against bias, privacy breaches, and regulatory risk.
Russell will present more than a dozen applied AI models currently in use—from intelligent automation in customer service to AI-driven fraud detection and predictive logistics. She will explain how each model is governed, how it ties to business KPIs, and how organizations can scale responsibly without stifling innovation.
A key part of her session will focus on organizational readiness: how to train leadership and staff, establish internal AI governance boards, and assess risk continuously. Russell will argue that responsible AI isn’t a barrier to progress, it’s the pathway to sustainable competitive advantage.
Fifth Keynote – June 26, 11:00 a.m–12 p.m
Jamie Head, chief information officer, Parts Town
Session: Wins and Learnings in Digitization & AI
On the final day of the conference, Parts Town CIO Jamie Head will share a candid, first-hand account of what it takes to scale AI in a modern distribution business. His keynote will focus on the company’s multi-year journey to digitize operations and implement AI across the supply chain, customer experience, and back office.
Head will walk through a timeline of what’s worked and what hasn’t—offering insights into specific use cases such as AI-enhanced forecasting, automation of manual processes, and personalized digital interactions with customers. He will explain how Parts Town approached internal readiness, from data infrastructure upgrades to change management across departments.
Importantly, Head will speak directly to the hurdles many distributors face, such as integrating AI into legacy systems, developing internal capabilities, and prioritizing initiatives amid competing business pressures. He’ll also provide a look at what’s next for the company’s AI roadmap, with a focus on scalability and long-term value creation.
His session will resonate with attendees looking to ground their AI ambitions in real-world experience, complete with lessons learned and tactical takeaways.
Over all three days, the Applied AI for Distributors conference is structured to reflect the real operating environments of distribution companies—not tech startups. The focus is on execution, not experimentation. Attendees will leave with frameworks, case studies, and implementation strategies to begin putting AI to work immediately—regardless of where they are on the digital maturity curve.
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