The 4th Annual Dream Event
October 24, 2023
Experience an event like no other! You will get the stories,
knowledge, and tools for your success.
On October 24, 2023, in the Hudson High School Auditorium in Hudson, Ohio we will hold the 4th annual Dream Event to help High School students keep dreaming, and never give up!.
At the Oct. 24, 2023 Ohio Dreamer event, we were happy to have Thom Knepp & Jim Rose as speakers.
1. Thom Knepp - Founder & CEO ofPulp Juice & Smoothie Bars
2. Jim Rose - Global Managing Director of Client Services at Deloitte Consulting
5 min version of the highlights. from Oct. 2022 event
The Dream Event
October 2023
The objective of The Dream Event - October 2022
Experience an event like no other! You will get the stories, knowledge, and tools for your success.
“The Dream Event”, will feature executive guest speakers, give student attendees the opportunity to listen to leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and others speak about how they followed their dreams. They will speak of their experiences and how to pave a path and how to follow your own dreams. Students will be able to ask questions and learn how the panel members overcame their struggles to achieve their dreams. This engaging conference is meant to motivate and inspire our next generation of leaders to dream big and have the tools to achieve their dreams.
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Thom Knepp
Founder & CEO of
Pulp Juice & Smoothie Bars
Thom Knepp graduated from Hudson High School in 1993. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (concentration in Marketing) from Kent State University. He lives in Hudson Ohio with his wife Misty, and 3 children: Samantha, Alexandra and Nathan.
Thom Knepp created Pulp Juice and Smoothie Bar and opened the original store in Kent, Ohio in 2005. Thom always had the desire to open something of his own, but it wasn’t until his first smoothie that he figured out what that “something” was. He was instantly in love with the idea of a smoothie as a quick, healthy meal and loved the fun vibe many smoothie shops had. He immediately set out to find the perfect smoothie franchise to bring to Ohio. After visiting many different locations across the country, Thom liked a lot of what he saw, but couldn’t find a single concept that he loved everything about. To make his idea of the perfect smoothie bar, Thom decided that he would need to develop the concept himself. Soon after, Pulp was born.
The original Pulp was not an instant success but with time and effort, the store became a hit. After seeing the first Pulp become a successful operation, Thom began selling franchises to expand the brand. Today there are over 60 locations open or under construction with plans for many more. Thom is a big fan of all things Ohio and is a big reason why 57 of those locations are located within the state’s borders. Pulp has been recognized as one of the fastest growing restaurant chains in America and one of the 500 biggest restaurant chains in America.
Thom loves being an entrepreneur and has a passion for helping others follow their entrepreneurial dreams.
Jim Rose
Global Managing Director of Client Services at Deloitte Consulting
Jim serves as the Global Managing Director of Client Services for all Deloitte member service firms to the Ford Motor Company. He is responsible for delivering the firm’s multidisciplinary solutions, including business innovation and IT consulting, digital transformation, privacy and enterprise risk management, tax, and financial advisory services to Ford Motor Company worldwide.
With more than 20 years’ experience, Jim’s career has been accentuated by leading edge engagements to assist automotive manufacturing companies and executives with innovation, technology and business performance improvement. He specializes in corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain optimization, automotive aftermarket, marketing, information technology and new product development.
Additionally, Jim takes great pride in supporting senior executives with role development and career transitions both internal to the company and externally to the global marketplace.
Prior to joining Deloitte, Jim worked as an advanced engineering Director for Tata Technologies, held executive management roles in consulting and software services at Carlisle and Company, Vice President Blue Titan Software, Vice President and Corporate Officer at OEConnection [a Ford, GM, FCA Joint Venture] and IBM, his seminal experience, where Jim held many positions from marketing through headquarters Corporate Strategy within both the Commercial Server and Enterprise Software Organizations with his career culminating as the Director and Business Unit Executive of Global Automotive Software and Services.
Jim is distinguished within Deloitte as a Deloitte CIO Fellow awarded to the highest-level professionals specializing in advanced Information Technology Services to Corporate Clients. Also, Jim has a distinguished track record of service to many leading automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) globally where he has used a broad array of skills to drive excellence in Complexity Reduction, Corporate Scenario Planning, Global Advanced Marketing and Planning.
Jim is a multi-disciplinary individual who holds a BA Degree in Music Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music, Post-Graduate Studies at the Julliard School of Music and is a Graduate of the IBM Executive Education Program with a concentration in Marketing from Warwick University in England and the Harvard University Executive Negotiation Clinic. Recently, Jim was awarded the “Deloitte Innovator of the Year Award” for exceptional strategic client service.
Currently, Jim serves on the Board of Trustees to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra; the Community Board of Beaumont Hospital and was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees of Olivet College.