Washington, DC – The American Bakers Association (ABA), the country’s largest, most established, and inclusive baking industry trade association, is delighted to announce its recent annual convention was the group’s most successful gathering ever.
“Not only was this year’s Convention the most successful statistically with more than 530 attendees, but also the most intrinsically valuable to our association membership,” said Eric Dell, ABA’s President and CEO. “Through the exchange of diverse perspectives and creative solutions, possibly the most robust Convention in our 125+ year history provided attendees with future-focused trends data, business intelligence, and leadership strategies they can leverage to power their businesses.”
The revamped Convention schedule and value proposition increased registration figures by 34% over the 2022 Convention and 9% over the most recent largest Convention held in 2017. Notably, ABA’s baker attendance grew by 35% over 2022 and 9% over 2019, beating pre-pandemic figures,” said Samantha Moore, ABA’s Senior Director, Meetings and Education. “First-time attendee participation broke the previous record from 2022, and was up 41% from 2019, which meant that attendees were able to forge new relationships more than ever before.”
“On a personal note, and as a first-time attendee myself, I was delighted to meet so many of our industry’s leaders,” said Dell. “Following the success of the event, I am even more driven to continue expanding ABA’s Member value proposition through events like the upcoming DC Fly-In and Policy Summit this November.”
“The 2023 Convention theme ‘We have always//never done it this way’ set the stage for a new schedule, new social activities, and new interaction opportunities for our members,” said Cordia Harrington, ABA’s Chair, and the Founder and CEO of Crown Bakeries.
“The energy and excitement resonated through the conference,” added Harrington. “Over 500 attendees met ABA’s new President and CEO, Eric Dell. Eric’s passion for advocacy on the Hill, collaboration, servant leadership, and genuine commitment to serving the Members was very transparent and energizing for all. The ABA team rallied with him and delivered the best conference ever.”
The 2023 Convention featured increased hours of business session content, extended networking opportunities, and innovative executive leadership speakers.
“Outstanding leadership speakers included former Apple and Tesla Executive George Blankenship, Circana’s Fresh Foods Team Lead Jonna Parker, and the inspiring ATBI’s Leadership Keynote Lt. Col. (Ret.) Scott Mann,” continued Harrington. ”Panels educated us in sessions such as the Economic Outlook for the Baking Industry, A New Approach to Supporting Refugees, The Boundaryless Consumer Panel, and an Outlook on Packaging.”
The Convention’s program also informed and equipped bakers on regulatory and legislative issues impacting the industry. ABA’s Professionals Group Chairs updated attendees on the policy priorities of each group. Executive roundtables gave attendees the opportunity to dive deep into several topics: Tackling Supply Chain Challenges, Environmental, Social, and Governance - Knowing Your Purpose, and Future Proofing Your Workforce.
“We danced at the ATBI Anniversary Celebration, competed at cornhole, golf, and tennis, socialized on the beach, and American Bakers PAC Members enjoyed a terrific PAC dinner. The ABA Convention was a great way to make new business connections,” Harrington concluded.
ABA’s next annual convention will be April 14-17, 2024. The association’s other notable event, the ABA Fly-In and Policy Summit, will be held in Washington, DC, November 13-15.
