Chicago—The 2020 annual North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) and the North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA) convention is transitioning to a fully virtual event—the NAFCD x NBMDA Virtual Xperience—to be held Nov. 10-12.
The 2020 NAFCD + NBMDA annual convention was intended to take place in November in Colorado Springs and is transitioning to a virtual event due to health and safety concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the groups said.
“While we optimistically hoped to be able to meet in person in Colorado Springs, it’s become evident that hosting an event of this size would be unsafe for our community,” said Kevin Gammonely, NAFCD and NBMDA executive director. “We are designing a virtual experience that includes the same robust education and invaluable networking as the in-person event. This is an exciting opportunity for our attendees to experiment with a new platform for learning and connecting.”
The NAFCD x NBMDA Virtual Xperience will offer a full lineup of live education sessions coupled with multiple networking opportunities, including a virtual exhibit hall. The traditional tabletop exhibit session will be replicated to facilitate online connections between distributor executives and their supplier partners. The focus will remain to deepen trading partnerships along with an opportunity for distributors to efficiently connect with firms looking to build a distribution network in the U.S. and Canada.
The educational program features an impressive lineup of guest speakers, the groups said, who will help distributors and their suppliers navigate the current marketplace and prepare them to seize new growth opportunities.
“We are especially excited about the opportunity to reach even more individuals within our member firms as well as attract first-time firms who want to learn more about our members and the trends impacting the distribution channel,” Gammonley added.