December 2006               return to newsletter contents page

Connecting Past, Present and Future: AVDA 2007 Annual Conference

AVDA members will gather in historic Savannah, Georgia this spring to connect with fellow animal health distributors and suppliers to renew past relationships, face present challenges and explore opportunities for the future.  The AVDA 2007 Annual Conference is about nurturing connections through three days of networking and dynamic speaker presentations. The meeting will be held at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa, April 29 – May 1, 2007. Click here to register.

This year’s conference includes a strong line-up of speakers that will explore contemporary thinking about distributor profitability, the global economy, channel conflict and business and personal success.  John Mackay of Mackay Research Group will review the results of the AVDA 2007 Profitability Study. All AVDA members will have a chance to attend this session, which will give members an understanding of the key factors that influence distributor profitability and the reasons why high profit firms have become more successful. Alan Beaulieu of the Institute for Trend Research will explore what economic trends are on the horizon and how globalization will impact the animal health industry.  Mike Marks of Indian River Consulting will share the findings of his new book on manufacturer-distributor relationships - Working at Cross Purposes: How Distributors and Manufacturers Can Manage Conflict Successfully.  Marks will help you avoid the consequences, economic and otherwise, of a core relationship turning sour by looking for a means of correcting emerging problems before they become critical.  Memory expert Bob Gray, will help you solve the primary memory problem in business today, recalling clients' names, by teaching you a quick and easy method of recall that is both humorous and effective.  Returning again this year, a panel of government affairs experts and lobbyists in the animal health industry will update you on the major federal and state legislative and regulatory pedigree issues facing animal health distributors and manufacturers.

Members will have plenty of opportunities to connect informally through the Welcome Reception, the ever-popular Scramble Golf Tournament and the Awards Banquet and Reception.  New this year, the Awards Banquet will feature a dance band, The Headliners, one of the most requested bands in the Southeast, that is guaranteed to entertain AVDA members, spouses and guests.

The Westin is offering a discounted group rate to AVDA members of $225 per night, single/double occupancy.  These rates will be offered two days prior and two days following the meeting dates, based on availability.  Reservations must be made by April 3, 2007 to receive this rate.  Register for your hotel room now to ensure you receive the AVDA rate. Click here to reserve your room.

The conference brochure will be mailed to members in January 2007. The registration form is online now.

Get connected this spring.  Be a participant in AVDA’s 2007 Annual Conference.