Jim Slama is a Solutions-driven leader, early innovator, and connector in the natural products industry. Jim is the Managing Director of Naturally Chicago, a good food and natural products association that helps grow this fast-growing industry in the industry. Jim has a history of innovating with local foods. His Good Food Expo created markets for many local and sustainable farms and brands. He played a key role in launching Whole Foods Local program in 2006, working with their senior leadership to do so. He launched the one of the first food financing conferences and Pitch Slams in America in 2009 in partnership with the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. Jim created the Good Food Accelerator, in partnership with Whole Foods Market, to support numerous early-stage companies, many of which are owned by women and/or minority owners, to help them get funded and grow. Naturally Chicago recently created the Locally Made a program to give local companies access to major retailers and then get promoted on shelf. Jim is a senior advisor to Greener Grazing, Fantastic Fungi, and Iya Foods and founded Good Food Catalyst, a leading non-profit in Chicago to support equity and access in food.