The Great Brands program (formerly Next Great Consumer Brands) is the leading series for rising consumer brands. It culminates in an annual conference held each year in New York that connects brands, investors, lenders, strategic partners, and industry executives. Hundreds of companies and thousands of executives have participated. Alumni network includes business leaders Venus Williams, Martha Stewart, Kevin Plank, founder of Under Armour, Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos, Chip Wilson, founder of lululemon, and Hap Klopp, founder of The North Face. Alumni companies include Away, S'well, Shinola, Naadam, b8ta, Burrow, Tuft & Needle, Chubbies, Adore Me, ModCloth, Indochino, Sugarfina, Helix, Cotopaxi, Rhone, and Bluemercury.