Kincannon & Reed Recruits Executive Director for the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network
February 6, 2026 – Kincannon & Reed, which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, has placed Mariam Parker as executive director of the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network (CFBN). She succeeds founding leader Alan Reed, who is retiring after nearly a decade of service. “Mariam brings a rare combination of strategic vision, relationship-building, and mission-driven leadership,” said Lisa Johnson, managing director. “Her experience aligning industry stakeholders around shared outcomes makes her exceptionally well positioned to guide CFBN and Bigger Table forward.”
“Mariam brings the strategic leadership and collaborative mindset needed to guide CFBN into its next phase,” said Janet Garetto, board chair of the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network. “She understands how to strengthen industry relationships while ensuring our work continues to deliver measurable value to both members and the broader community.”
Ms. Parker brings deep experience in non-profit leadership and food-system collaboration. Most recently, she served as the inaugural executive director of the Texas Food & Wine Alliance, where she built partnerships among chefs, producers, and industry leaders while overseeing community grant programs focused on impact and innovation.
Founded in 2017, the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network has grown into a regional network connecting hundreds of food and beverage companies across Chicagoland. Under Mr. Reed’s leadership, the organization expanded its mission with the launch of Bigger Table, a 501(c)(3) that applies industry expertise and supply-chain capabilities to address food insecurity through innovative product development and distribution.
In her new role, Ms. Parker will lead both CFBN and Bigger Table into their next phase of growth, strengthening member engagement, advancing cross-sector collaboration, and scaling initiatives that deliver measurable value to the industry and the broader community.
“Bigger Table was created to turn the capabilities of Chicago’s food industry into real, nutritious solutions for families facing food insecurity,” said Andy Dratt, board chair of Bigger Table. “Mariam’s experience positions us to scale that work and extend our reach to even more in our community.”
“I am honored to lead CFBN and Bigger Table at this important moment,” said Ms. Parker. “Chicago is the heart of the nation’s food industry, and I look forward to working with our members to drive innovation, strengthen community connections, and expand the impact of Bigger Table.”
The Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network is an association that brings together the region’s food and beverage industry to drive innovation, collaboration, and economic growth. Bigger Table serves as its charitable arm, aligning industry expertise and resources to develop high-quality, nutritious food solutions for communities in need.
Founded in 1981, Kincannon & Reed serves clients throughout the world from locations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The firm is based in Arlington, VA. Kincannon & Reed’s mission is: “We recruit leaders for organizations that feed the world and keep it healthy.”
Related: Kincannon & Reed Places CEO at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy
Ms. Johnson focuses on the food & beverage, food distribution & retail, and food safety industries. She has expertise working with clients seeking general managers, presidents, and CEOs, as well as senior functional executives in marketing, sales, finance, business development, R&D, and food safety.
Låkril Technologies Search
Kincannon & Reed also recently recruited Justin Brown as the new CEO of Låkril Technologies in Chicago. “Justin’s leadership will accelerate the company’s mission to replace petroleum-based feedstock with sustainable, agricultural alternatives, enabling seamless drop-in solutions for the global chemical industry,” Låkril Technologies said. “Combined with co-founder Chris Nicholas, Låkril expands their strong leadership team. Chris will now accelerate development of an industry-leading technology suite backed by a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio as Låkril’s chief technical officer.”
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With two decades of experience in the energy and energy transition sectors, Justin brings a proven track record of scaling innovations through product management, strategic marketing, and cross-functional team leadership. He has guided global teams across North America, Asia, and Europe, delivering customer-centric innovations that bridge technology and market needs.
Låkril Technologies develops advanced catalysts and process technology to enable the drop-in replacement of petroleum with bio-based agricultural feedstocks for chemical production. Founded to advance the energy transition and strengthen feedstock security, the company delivers scalable, eco-friendly solutions that support industries worldwide.
Related: Kincannon & Reed Recruits President and CEO for CropLife America
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
