Here at the A2LA Headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, we’re already missing the warm Arizona sun and the copious cacti. The 2023 A2LA Annual Conference in Tucson this April was a successful event all around, with world-class networking, top-notch sessions presented by industry experts, and countless opportunities to learn and grow—in addition to all the fun that was had!
Once again, thank you to everyone who joined us at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort for the conference, including assessors, customers, members, speakers, exhibitors, staff, and others. Our wonderful exhibitors included A2LA WorkPlace Training, ISOBudgets, LGC, Ideagen, NAPT, NBS Calibrations, Orases, Process Insights, and Eurofins. Additionally, thank you to our sponsors, LGC, Eurofins, Orases, Quality Magazine, Michelli Weighing & Measurement, FSNS, A2LA WorkPlace Training, NAPT, and Q-Lab. We could not have had such a wonderful event without each of you.
On Monday, William Troy, independent consultant on leader development and strategy, kicked off the conference with his keynote address, sharing real-world tactics for building a culture of quality within our own organizations through strong leadership. His 38-year Army career taught him valuable lessons about being a leader, which he passed along onto us in this engaging presentation.
That evening, the Awards Dinner gave us the opportunity to recognize the significant milestones and achievements of accreditation experts and leaders from all over the world. A2LA President and CEO Lonnie Spires and Vice President of Accreditation Services Trace McInturff acknowledged and appreciated A2LA’s assessors and members of the accreditation council, as well as the winner of the Dennis R. McCully Assessor Choice Award, Jack Ferris, and the winner of the John Locke Award, Roxanne Robinson.
Throughout the conference, engaging sessions were presented on a wide variety of topics from cannabis proficiency testing and improving your LinkedIn presence, to quality management system implementation, managing measurement traceability, corrective action, and so much more. Also, Technical Advisory Meetings took place for numerous programs, including forensic examination, materials testing, proficiency testing, and electrical testing.
The conference was rounded out Tuesday evening at the Closing Networking Event on the Ania Terrace. The setting desert sun made for the perfect backdrop for live music, drinks, southwest-style hors d’oeuvre, and excellent company among friends and colleagues.
If you have any questions regarding your conference experience or would like to follow up with A2LA for more information about accreditation, please don’t hesitate to reach out at https://a2la.org/contact-us/.
Next year, the A2LA Conference will be held in beautiful Denver, Colorado from April 21-24, 2024! Don’t miss another great opportunity to improve your organization’s quality and to build strong connections with others in your industry. See you in the Mile High city!