CANNONBALL IS A SPEAKER SERIES.

Abby Olitzky is the owner and visionary behind the well-loved restaurant located downtown Ann Arbor: Spencer. Their approach to business has always very clearly put quality and morals at the forefront of their business, and hasn’t been compromised even in the face of the pandemic when restaurants struggled. We’ll talk to Abby about maintaining morals through hard times for a business, constantly innovating, and running a restaurant while focusing on serving your local community.

Ari Weinzweig is CEO and co-founding partner of Zingerman's Community of Businesses, which includes Zingerman's Delicatessen, Bakehouse, Creamery, Catering, Mail Order, ZingTrain, Coffee Company, Roadhouse, Candy Manufactory, Events at Cornman Farms, Miss Kim and Zingerman’s Food Tours. Zingerman’s produces, sells and serves all sorts of full flavored, traditional foods in its home of Ann Arbor, Michigan to the tune of $68,000,000 a year in annual sales. Ari was recognized as one of the “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America” by the 2006 James Beard Foundation and was awarded a Bon Appetit Lifetime Achievement Award among many recognitions. Ari is the author of a number of articles and books, including Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service,  Zingerman’s Guide to Good Leading, Part 1: A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Building a Great Business, (with subsequent parts 2-4), among many others. In 2017 Ari was named one of “The World's 10 Top CEOs (They Lead in a Totally Unique Way)” by Inc. Magazine.

Jordan Balduf is the owner and executive chef at his restaurant Side Biscuit in Ann Arbor, where he is directing a constantly changing menu that pulls from seasonal ingredients and local food - all centered around chicken wings and biscuits. Originally hailing from Buffalo, New York, he brings the scrappy hardworking spirit of his hometown and a high level of culinary training to everything he does. Side Biscuit was born out of pandemic age driveway pop ups, which gained traction and eventually led him to open his brick and mortar. He’s a seasoned restaurant veteran, creating food for Ann Arbor staples like Homes, Spencer, Takoi, and more.

Susan is a floral designer, artist and instructor who creates unusual, boundary-pushing floral art including elaborate headpieces, floral wearables, and large-scale floral installations. Her soulful, seasonally- inspired creations have been described as exquisite living artwork.
A passionate teacher, Susan offers instruction for new and professional florists through her online classes, “Virtual Studio,” membership, and through destination workshops.

Susan’s work has been featured in leading industry publications and websites including Martha Stewart Weddings, Florist's Review, The Knot, My Modern Met, Refinery 29, SELF, Buzzfeed, Cosmopolitan, Belle Armoire, Modern Wedding Flowers, and Fusion Flowers. Susan is a member of The Chapel Designers, Slow Flowers, and Slow Food. She is the author of two books: “The Art of Wearable Flowers” and “Flowers for All,” both with Chronicle Books.