Dallas—NAFCD and NBMDA announced the keynote and general session speakers for their 2026 Annual Convention running Nov. 3-5.
Opening keynote: Justin Forsett
Former NFL running back Justin Forsett will open the convention. Forsett is also CEO of personal care company Hustle Clean.
His presentation is titled, “Greatness Grows Best in the Shadows: A Playbook for Building Resilient Teams.”
Forsett will draw on his personal experiences to share lessons about perseverance and hope. He will discuss how professionals can get “knocked down” and still perform at a high level.
Wednesday general session: Meridith Elliott Powell
Researcher, thought leader and keynote speaker Meridith Elliott Powell will close Wednesday’s programming. Her presentation, titled, “Thrive: Turn Uncertainty to Your Competitive Advantage,” will discuss the “PROVEN Methodology,” drawing on quantitative and qualitative research. The session will focus on staying flexible while maintaining progress and identifying new opportunities.
Thursday general session: Grace Schatz
Grace Schatz, managing director of economic consulting at ITR Economics, will close the convention’s final day with an economic outlook. During her presentation, titled, “Setting Expectations for 2027 and Beyond,” she will examine key macroeconomic trends expected to affect businesses in 2027. She will also address factors carrying over from 2026.
Topics will include inflation, interest rates, labor and geopolitical uncertainty. Schatz will discuss how those forces could affect costs, workforce strategy and resource allocation. She will also address the risk of profitless prosperity and the timing of business investments.
Members can access special rates, while all attendees can save by registering before the Oct. 16 standard-rate deadline.
Register here.