Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, will deliver the keynote address at the second annual Food For Thought conference, being held April 28-30, 2009, in Greenville, South Carolina. Ben and Jerry will present “An Evening of Entrepreneurial Spirit, Social Responsibility, and Radical Business Philosophy” on Tuesday, April 28th.

“Food For Thought really is a truly unique fixture on the conference calendar,” Cohen says. “The event’s philosophy meshes perfectly with our own and we look forward to using it as a forum to share our own experience and learn from our fellow attendees.”

Ben & Jerry will be joined in Greenville by a prestigious lineup of speakers and participants who embody the conference’s themes of creative thinking, entrepreneurialism, social responsibility and, of course, food. Also presenting at the three-day conference:

— Mike McCurry – The former White House Press Secretary under President
Clinton brings over 30 years of Washington DC experience to Food For
Thought. McCurry will address current issues surrounding politics,
elections and governing.

— Jessica Jackley Flannery – The founder of Kiva, the first online
micro-lending marketplace for the world’s working poor, Flannery
operates squarely at the intersection of entrepreneurialism and social
responsibility. Her Web site was named one of the Top Ideas of 2006 by
the New York Times and has become one of the fastest growing social
benefit initiatives in history.

— Chef Grant Achatz – Recognized as one of the most innovative chefs in
America today, this Chicago-based restaurateur has achieved his lofty
status while waging a remarkable battle against tongue cancer. His
restaurant, Alinea, was voted America’s top restaurant by Gourmet
magazine in 2006.