Eric Baden

Topic: Coffee Commune
Eric Baden is a German citizen who has lived in China continuously for the past 20 years. Starting out as a roaster, he became a Q-Arabica Grader and over the past 6 years built Coffee Commune into a full value chain business that is all about great coffee and the credentials to craft it from crop to cup.

Brian Nicholas

Topic: Tips And Tricks of the Trade
Brian Nicholas is an account manager, quality control and trader at Organic Products Trading Company (OPTCO). Brian started his coffee career serving specialty coffee at a café in downtown Portland in 1978. Coffee has played a major role in his life ever since. In 1985 he started working for Coffee Bean International of Portland OR. Brian and his wife owned and operated a successful coffee business for the majority of the 90’s. Now he gets to encourage, mentor, and help develop coffee roasters dreams throughout North America. 

Ben Weiner

Topic: What It Takes to Grow 19 Golden Bean Medal-Winning Coffees
Last year, roasters won 19 medals at Golden Bean N. America using coffees grown by direct trade farming group Gold Mountain Coffee Growers in Nicaragua. Wondering what it takes to make that happen? CEO/head farmer Ben Weiner will explain what it takes to grow high-cupping specialty coffee at origin and maintain that quality up to roasteries. You’ll even get to taste some of the final product!

Ben Weiner

Founder, Gold Mountain Coffee Growers, L.L.C.

TOPIC: How to source the best washed, honey, natural process, and anaerobic fermentation coffees

Ben will explain what it takes to produce award-winning washed, honey, natural process, and anaerobic fermentation coffees. He will explain what to look for when sourcing each processing method, and you will experience the taste of each.

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Scott Angelo

Head Judge
Oceana Coffee & Certified Arabica Q Grader

I was born in Sydney in NSW but grew up in Brisbane QLD. I joined the Navy at 16, and then while still young I got out and worked in private industry, starting in Port Macquarie, NSW before returning back to Brisbane, QLD. Moving to the USA I began my coffee career shipping Australian Di Bella Coffee to the States.

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Sean Edwards

Founder, Golden Bean
Managing Director, Cafe Culture International

Sean started his working life as an Electrical Fitter in the Hunter Valley mining industry before gaining a degree in OHS and Human Resource management. Along with wife Kristine he moved to the America’s, travelling across the country working in hospitality positions, predominantly in hotel management. Read More

Reg Barber

Founder, Reg Barber Enterprises
Reg Barber has been making quality tampers at his workshop near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada for nineteen years. Through his own innovations and listening to barista’s needs he has constantly evolved his tamper designs. Read More