A Brave Independent World

March 15, 2021 – During the AICC Spring Meeting, April 26-28, at the Omni Amelia Island Resort, Amelia Island, FL, speakers will address the challenges of the past year, what's next, and the economic outlook. The Meeting will afford a unique opportunity for industry professionals to come together and forge a new path forward.

"We are all trying to figure out how to take care of the customer," said Matt Davis, President of Packaging Express, Colorado Springs, CO, is Chairman of AICC's Convention Content Committee. "A lot of us have experienced an uptick in business, but with people out, split shifts, and the like, it has been challenging to meet the customer's needs. So a large focus of this Meeting will be education around taking care of the folks who pay our salaries."

The Meeting offers attendees valuable sessions and speakers to provide essential information and new trends. Attendees will also connect with peers through various socially distanced networking opportunities, utilizing the abundant outdoor space available at the Omni.

During the Meeting, Steve Robinson, Former CMO & EVP, Chick-fil-A, will share the dynamic Chick-fil-A story and "X-factor" of how they continue to provide the "best-in-class" service. Robinson, over two days, will present "Putting the Customer Experience First" and "Culture: Where Leadership, Character and Values Meet." All registered attendees will receive a copy of his book "Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A: How Faith, Cows, and Chicken Built an Iconic Brand."

Attendees will also hear from Gene Marks, Columnist, Author, Small Business Owner, CPA, The Marks Group, on "Post Covid Opportunities and the Biden Administration – Issues, Challenges, and Actions to Grow your Business Over the Next Two Years."

Additionally, Greg Tucker, CEO, Bay Cities and industry leader, will bring his company's innovative attitude to a discussion on "What's Next in Retail & Navigating the New Normal in Packaging" and Brent Lindberg, Founder & Head of Curiosity, Fuseneo, will discuss current trends in e-commerce packaging and what to expect in the future.

Attendees will hear from Matt Elhardt, Vice President - Global Sales, Fisher International, Inc; and Mitchell Klingher, CPA, Klingher Nadler, LLP, who will present on the state of the industry and provide an economic forecast for the future during the opening "hot topic" focused session.

Al Randle, Director of Operations, Cozen Security Systems, will address "Cyber Security in the Workplace," which will help attendees prevent and protect their company from attacks. The focused session will also feature a member town hall discussion on post-covid best practices.

A unique opportunity during the Meeting is a virtual tour of Packrite, a trade finisher for the corrugated and folding carton packaging industries, in High Point, NC, with Packrite team members and their suppliers available, live, for questions.

AICC Emerging Leaders will have a dedicated training session to create a three-year plan for growth and development with a roundtable breakout session, as well as a networking event.

Before the Meeting, AICC will offer its popular Sales Managers' Forum. Participants can join AICC's sales facilitators Ed Wallace, Managing Director, AchieveNEXT Relational Capital and

Mark Roberts, CEO, OTB Solutions. These two highly interactive workshops will help sales leaders refresh their approach and take their leadership to the next level. Each workshop will allow the participants to apply the work to real opportunities and scenarios

The Meeting will recognize AICC member companies who have achieved safety accomplishments with the Independent Safe Shop Awards' announcement and those celebrating a significant milestone anniversary within their company through AICC's Member Milestone Program.

There are many networking opportunities during the Meeting, including the 7th Annual Independents' Cup Charity Golf Tournament, which will take place in the afternoon on Tuesday, April 27.

AICC is working with the Omni to ensure a safe environment for all members who will attend the Spring Meeting. The Omni's layout is geared well to a meeting of the size and scope of AICC with outdoor guest room entrances and all indoor spaces flowing to expansive outdoor areas. "The Omni Amelia Island Resort is perfectly suited to our unique needs for this meeting," said Cindy Huber, AICC Director of Meetings, Conventions, and Trade Shows. "The Meeting location in Florida means we can have most of our social functions outdoors, and we will be setting up outdoor meeting spaces if attendees feel more comfortable there." Other safety precautions are also being taken, which are listed on the Meeting website.

AICC will offer a virtual registration option as well, with more details available in early April.

More information and registration is available at www.AICCbox.org/Meeting.

Questions about the Spring Meeting and the value a well-connected workforce brings to a company can be answered by Cindy Huber, AICC Director of Conventions & Meetings, at chuber@aiccbox.org or 703.836.2422 or Laura Mihalick, Senior Meeting Manager, at lmihalick@aiccbox.org or 703.836.2422.