Vincent McIntosh, Kavy Lenon
Vincent McIntosh – CEO of Irie Kitchen
Vincent McIntosh, owner and founder of Irie Kitchen started up his restaurant at age 19 in Grand Rapids Michigan. Vincent is a serial entrepreneur who enjoys curating culture whether it be by hosting events, creating food, investing, or giving back to his community.
Vincent is an entrepreneur at heart – he loves creating brands & building businesses today Vincent spends his time building his “CPG BRAND STUDIO”, IRIE BRANDS with the successful launch of IRIE JUICE 2022 he is gearing up to launch his Direct-to-consumer sauce brand later this year.
Kavy Lenon – Meijer Food Stage Emcee, Meijer Supplier Inclusion Manager
Kavy Lenon serves as the Supplier Inclusion Manager at Meijer focusing on Local and Diverse Vendors. For the past decade, she has been a contributor to promoting the growth of diverse-owned businesses through coaching, educating, advocating, and community outreach. Lenon is also a successful businesswoman herself, having created the ZINI premium vodka brand in a male-dominated industry. As one of very few Southeast Asian women in the industry, she wanted to ensure ZINI was more than just a vodka brand infused with exotic fruits from her home country of Laos. ZINI is an uplifting message for women all over … an invitation for women to become ZINI: Zealous, Intelligent, Natural, and Independent.
Lenon serves as the Vice President for the Veteran Owned Business Roundtable, Commissioner for the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, and Co-Chair of the Grand Rapids Asian Pacific Foundation. She has been honored as the 2021 Top 25 Diversity Change Leaders by DiversityPlus Magazine, 2022 Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocers, and 2023 Leadership in the Workplace Honoree by Women Thrive.