The world’s leading conference and Supplier Showcase designed for leaders in the cold chain.
The 131st IARW-WFLO Convention will be held in person at the Omni La Costa in San Diego, California, from October 8-12, 2022. IARWWFLO Convention is the event for hundreds of executives of temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics companies and industry suppliers eager to advance the cold chain.
The educational program is designed for senior-level warehousing and logistics executives looking for solutions to key business challenges and opportunities. Prominent social activities, receptions, and the Supplier Showcase give industry suppliers unparalleled access to build relationships with warehousing and logistics leaders.
GENERAL SESSIONS
Convention programming focuses on the trends, innovations, and business challenges most impacting the cold chain industry.
Keynote Presentation – Human Capital [R]evolution
Peter Sheahan, Founder & CEO of Karrikins Group, Best-Selling Author and Global Business Leader Beyond supply chain, the major constraints to post-pandemic growth are labor shortages and the war for talent. The good news – this may be new for the United States, but it is not new for other parts of the world. There is a proven playbook for alleviating this problem in the short term, and solving it for the long term. The hidden gift of this crisis is a unique window of opportunity to make longneeded changes to the way we attract, engage, and retain the human capital we need to do business. Now more than ever, you have permission to take a new approach and a willingness to accept progress over perfection.
Keynote Presentation – Politics, Today and Tomorrow
Ron Brownstein, Political Journalist and Analyst Join Ron Brownstein as he explores the state of each political party today. Blending history, a sophisticated analysis of polls and voting trends, and insider assessments of both parties’ brands, he explores what is next for America’s major political parties. Finally, he combines this assessment of the electoral environment with an analysis of the current presidential term, the challenges that face upcoming elections, and what legitimate policy choices exist for resolving hotly debated issues.
State of the Associations
Hear from IARW Chairman Manuel Kabana and IRTA Chairman Todd Lanter regarding the upcoming positioning of IARW & IRTA as GCCA. Get a sneak preview of the new WFLO Strategic Plan from WFLO Chairman Daniel Kaplan, and Marko Dzeletovich, CEBA Chairman, will provide updates on initiatives underway to continue to provide value to the controlled environment building industry.
GCCA Don Schlimme Future Leader Award – Candidate Presentations/ Award Recipient
The Don Schlimme Future Leader Award, presented at the Convention, recognizes outstanding young professionals in the North American cold storage industry. The candidates must have worked in the industry at least three years and have demonstrated excellence in their work and potential to excel further. Each candidate will present at Convention as well as engage in one-on-one interviews with the judges. The award recipient will be named during the final General Session of the Convention and go on to compete with other international award recipients for the GCCA NextGen Award.
Panel Discussion – ESG: The Impact of a Collaborative Cold Chain
A deep dive into why investors, customers and consumers have come to believe that ESG factors really matter; examples of effective cold chain collaboration around ESG metrics; and related industry challenges and opportunities.
Tech Talks
Industry thought leaders will deliver informative presentations on innovations in the cold storage industry. The IARW Education team works with Tech Talk presenters to create a high-level industry perspective on how their solutions, tools and/or technology can help support their customers’ businesses, and how they see the industry evolving.
FOCUS SESSIONS
This year attendees can choose three of the six focus sessions offered during the convention. These smaller, more focused educational offers cover topics including:
- GCCA Global Advocacy Update
- Improving Food Loss and Food Waste in the Cold Chain
- Updated IARW Terms and Conditions – What’s Changed?
- Outlook for Port Operations • Trends in Warehouse Legal Liability Insurance
- The Rising Temperature of Talent: A Cold Chain Perspective
COLD CHAIN CAFÉ
The Cold Chain Café creates an exchange of ideas and discussion on critical issues facing the industry. Participants choose from a list of different topics, join the table at which the issue is being discussed and spend 20 minutes sharing ideas. Participants then switch tables to discuss ideas. These roundtable conversations provide attendees a chance to share ideas, ask questions and solve problems with their peers in a small group setting. The moderator will guide the participants through questions they have submitted in advance, diving into the subjects that matter most to attendees and the industry.
PEER TO PEER
Peer-to-Peer Roundtable discussions are meant to be an interactive, fast-paced exchange of ideas and best practices on topics that are important to you. Attendees will be grouped into one of the following categories to promote robust conversations with their peers.
- Warehouse/3PL Owners & CEOs
- Warehouse/3PL Operations
- Warehouse/3PL HR & Talent
- Controlled Environment Design/Build
- Suppliers/Associates
NETWORKING
Prominent social activities and the supplier showcase all give attendees and industry suppliers unparalleled access to build partnerships with key decision makers. Other networking opportunities include an opening night reception, a golf tournament, a themed party, an after-hours party as well as coffee breaks, breakfasts and group activities.
SUPPLIER SHOWCASE
The Supplier Showcase provides an exclusive opportunity for companies that are looking for a sponsorship that provides a physical location at the event where customers and prospective clients can be hosted. All coffee and refreshment breaks will take place in the Showcase, providing ample time for sponsors to engage with attendees as they enjoy a cup of coffee while discussing business needs. Sponsors may also utilize their space in the Supplier Showcase throughout the event for one-on-one meetings. Attendees will have the opportunity to talk to product/service suppliers. See a current list of Showcase exhibitors in the side bar on page 25.
Source: Cold Facts September/October 2022 issue