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Innovation Summit 2024

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aDD TO CALENDAR

In this current era of exponential change, endless disruption, volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, we know that innovation is a must-do, not just a nice-to-have. Now is a pivotal time for thought leading distributors to get curious, innovate, and engage in developing a clear vision for their future. Those who make purposeful choices to reinvigorate their business and support those choices with a customer first mindset, people development, as well as embrace a digital strategy, can yield superior results.

The ASA Innovation Summit is designed for those in your organization tasked with leading, evolving your future, creating a more compelling customer value proposition, and growing digital capabilities that differentiate, renew, and support future success. Join us to cultivate insights, embrace digital, and see around the corner of the PHCP & PVF Industry future. 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25


7 a.m. 
REGISTRATION OPEN


7:30 a.m. - 8 a.m. 
NETWORKING BREAKFAST


8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. 
GENERAL KEYNOTE SESSION: CREATE THE FUTURE
Speaker: Jeremy Gutsche

You are experiencing history’s highest rate of change, disruption, and opportunity. Technology is rapidly impacting and transforming our daily lives, ways of doing business and customer expectations. Jeremy Gutsche, CEO of Trend Hunter, the largest research platform, data-driven trend firm and innovation accelerator in the world says, ‘trends create empires, disrupt slow-movers and reshape our world’. Jeremy addresses the six patterns of opportunity and the top eighteen megatrends feeding the chaos of the current ‘roaring 20’s’. Add the recent proliferation of AI as an ingredient of exponential effect and now is a time of uncertainty, largest threat, AND your greatest opportunity.


9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. 
BREAK


10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 
SCENARIO THINKING WORKSHOP
Facilitator: Jeremy Gutsche

Beginning in the late 60’s and early 70’s Royal Dutch/Shell developed a technique known as scenario planning. Scenario planning is grounded in the belief that imagining potential futures is crucial preparation for navigating the turbulent, opaque, and inevitable changes that a business must address to renew and thrive in any one of many alternative futures. Participants will engage in guided scenario planning - embrace uncertainty, challenge assumptions, examine forces of environmental change, explore supply-chain business what-ifs, and leave with a tool designed to challenge your thinking and prepare your organization to create its future.

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. 
NETWORKING LUNCH

1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 
DATA GOVERNANCE & CYBER SECURITY
Panel Discussion

Cybersecurity breaches have become commonplace in business. While tools and techniques to deter such incidents have become more sophisticated, so have the methods of hackers. In this session, industry leaders will share how they are wrestling with cyber-security to protect their organization, employee, and customer data.

Discussion Topics include:

  • Current challenges in cybersecurity

  • Lessons learned from cyber threats

  • Cybersecurity advice from the trenches

2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. 
BREAK


3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.  
NO EXCUSES INNOVATION
Speaker: Bruce A. Vojak

In contrast to large companies, Small and Medium-Sized Mature Enterprises (SMMEs) are on their own to win or lose in the marketplace. They may feel they lack the relative economies of scale and scope available to large companies to understand and invest in innovation. Often, they are in a position of sustained disadvantage with no perceived path of renewal. But as Bruce A. Vojak, founder at Breakthrough Innovation Advisors would argue, this path of seemingly least risk and least resistance can be detrimental to a company in the long run. Bruce makes the case to owners, executives, and leaders―as well as those in the trenches―of the value of innovation: why it's worthy of investment and what it can do for the culture, health, and longevity of your company.

5 p.m. - 6 p.m.  
NETWORKING RECEPTION (Dinner on Your Own)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26


7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. 
NETWORKING BREAKFAST


8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. 
SEE THE FUTURE, BE THE FUTURE
Speaker: Margaret Regan
Take a visual journey into the digital future to experience how technology will change distribution, logistics and the world over the next 10 years. With 1 in 5 Americans retiring by 2030, what technology game-changers will impact our life and work through 2035? Futurist, Margaret Regan, President & CEO of The FutureWork Institute, will host an interactive, multimedia, guided exploration including a trip into virtual reality as well as covering the emergence of the Metaverse, Artificial Intelligence and generative AI tools like Chat GPT and Bard. See the future so you can prepare to embrace your future.

10 a.m. 
INNOVATION SUMMIT WRAP-UP


Registration Pricing:
$650 – ASA Member
$950 – Non-Member

REGISTER NOW

Questions? Contact bladd@asa.net

CANCELLATION POLICY

Written cancellations received on/by September 15, 2024, will receive a 100% refund. No refunds will be issued after September 15, 2024. Substitution requests are welcome at any time.

Please email bladd@asa.net to make a cancellation or substitution request.

The Westin O’Hare
6100 N. River Road
Rosemont, IL  60018
(847) 698-6000

Guest rooms have been contracted for the nights of Tuesday, September 24 and Wednesday, September 25. If you need additional nights outside that timeframe, please call reservations to make your reservation: 888-236-2427.

Room Rate: $209 plus tax per night

Reservation Deadline: September 3, 2024

 

 

RESERVE HOTEL ROOM

Interested in sponsoring the INNOVATION SUMMIT 2024?

Click the "BECOME A SPONSOR" link for details, or reach out to info@asa.net make sure your brand is represented!

Become a Sponsor