FMI, GMA To Co-Locate Executive Confabs in 2013

The Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association will co-locate their executive conferences beginning in January 2013, at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Seeking to incorporate a best-of-both-worlds approach to the trade group’s longstanding standalone executive conferences, leaders from the trade group said the impetus to streamline events for members of both organizations will increase the value opportunities for information exchange, dialog, time efficiencies and networking while bridging some of the common themes of the formerly separate conferences.

“Like every good relationship, we will respect each others' needs and make space for such items as separate board of directors meetings and organizational committee meetings," said Pam G. Bailey, GMA's president/CEO. "We will preserve key identifying elements, such as GMA’s signature event, the Chairman’s Lecture and Hall of Achievement Award – which included the Chairman’s Reception and Dinner – hosted by GMA’s general members and associate members," continued Bailey, noting: "We feel we can take the best of both and make them better.”

“And like every good relationship," added FMI's President/CEO, Leslie G. Sarasin, "there will be the creative energy that always accompanies doing things together, learning from each other, challenging and supporting each other – making each partner stronger than they were when they operated in solitude."

While GMA will cease operating its late-summer executive event beginning in 2013 with no impact on its Executive Conference this year that’s set to take place once more in Colorado Springs in late August, it will co-locate its signature Chairman’s Lecture and Hall of Achievement Awards, which includes the Chairman’s Reception and Dinner, at FMI Midwinter.

Both GMA and FMI will continue the co-locating board and committee meetings at FMI’s Midwinter Executive Conference.