Thank you for joining us for AnnCon26 in Nashville, TN this year at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center! It was another incredible year of engaging sessions, valuable networking, and professional growth for accreditation and quality professionals at every level, from quality managers, specialists, and lab technicians, to CEOs, COOs, and CSOs.
Conference Kick Off
A2LA kicked off the week on Sunday, with the Annual Assessor Meeting, led by A2LA Director of Operational Excellence Chris Gunning. This meeting serves as an opportunity for A2LA assessors to gather, get updates on policies and procedures, and discuss common challenges. Both new and seasoned assessors learned from A2LA leadership, as well as one another, to sharpen their skills and expand their assessment knowledge.
Following the meeting, A2LA hosted its AnnCon Opening Reception, sponsored by Rice Lake Weighing Systems, in the Volunteer Lobby to warmly welcome A2LA staff, assessors, customers, vendors, partners, and other attendees to the conference. The reception offered some tasty, light bites, refreshing beverages, and soothing songs performed by guitarist Matt McAtee. Rice Lake Technical Director and Metrologist Mark Ruefenacht gave a wonderful welcome speech.
Conference Day 1
On Monday, the day began bright and early with exhibits opening at 7:30 a.m. and sessions kicking off at 8:00 a.m. Many of our new conference attendees headed to “AnnCon26: First Time Attendee,” a presentation for first timers looking to learn how to get the most out of their attendance. Breaks throughout the day included morning and afternoon Coffee Breaks, sponsored by UL Solutions, as well as a BBQ lunch, sponsored by FSI Calibrations.
The first Keynote Address of the week was also on Monday, where A2LA Vice President of Accreditation Services Trace McInturff presented his session, “A Life Spent Chasing Quality: A Journey Through Global Accreditation.” In this session, Trace shared his personal, first-hand account of the evolution of global standards over the past three decades.
Monday concluded with the Exhibitor Happy Hour, also sponsored by UL Solutions, giving attendees a chance to connect with colleagues and contacts, new and old. It was also an opportunity to get ahead on the Exhibitor Challenge, a competitive game that encouraged attendees to explore the exhibit hall and connect with every exhibitor. Using the AnnCon26 conference app, participants scanned a unique QR code at each booth, turning networking into a fun, interactive experience. Attendees who completed the challenge were automatically entered to win a free registration to AnnCon27. This year’s winner was the one and only Dawn Canoy, Quality Coordinator at Cross Precision Measurement! Congratulations, Dawn! We can’t wait to see you at AnnCon27.
Conference Day 2
Tuesday began with more sessions on relevant and timely topics, including Laboratory Improvement 201: Using ISO/IEC 17025 Principles,” from David Zimmerman, A2LA Lead Assessor, and “Operational Empathy: The Overlooked Skill of Technical Leaders” presented by Omics Lab Solutions CEO Sara Beckloff. After an eventful morning, Cross Precision Measurement sponsored Tuesday’s Tex Mex lunch and the guitarist accepted several song requests, delivering crowd-pleasing hits.
Tuesday afternoon included the second Keynote Address, “Adaptive Leadership: A Lens for Leaders at Every Level,” presented by Coach and Consultant William Troy and Coach and Writer Jennifer Tucker. In this presentation, William and Jennifer explored the core principles of adaptive leadership and built awareness around the personal capacity needed to lead through conflict and change. In addition to their presentation, attendees were given the opportunity to work together in small groups to discuss real-life scenarios and the possible paths to overcoming them using adaptive leadership principles.
The highlight of the week was the Recognition Dinner on Tuesday where we honored the members, assessors, accreditation council members, and other professionals who have dedicated their careers to accreditation and quality. The Assessor of the Year Award was given to A2LA Assessor Lon Miles, and the John Locke Award, the highest honor given by the organization, was awarded to Dan Tholen. We also heard from conference sponsors, including Aymar de Vandiere, President of Trescal North America, our Title Sponsor, and Tom McDermott of Accredited Labs, this year’s Platinum Sponsor, who each shared their sentiments regarding the significance of professionals who champion the standards that uphold quality and safety throughout the world.
Then, the guitarist treated us to a custom song announcing the location for AnnCon27 in Las Vegas! Everyone celebrated the rest of the night in true Nashville style with a line dancing lesson from country music entertainer Natasha Neely and country songs performed by Matt McAtee and band, Ten Year Town.
Conference Day 3
The conference wrapped up on Wednesday morning with a half day of sessions and lots of heartfelt goodbyes! Many attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors chose to lock in their registration rate for next year by registering on-site before hitting the road.
Thank you all again for coming to Nashville for AnnCon26! The support of our attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors allows us to continue offering this industry leading event each year.
Ready to Register for AnnCon27?
To register for AnnCon27 at Resorts World Las Vegas from April 26-29, visit the registration page here: https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=875842&!
