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With current efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, those planning industry events in 2020 have had to improvise. The same is true for FGIA – our Summer Conference scheduled to take place in Chicago, IL is being transitioned from an in-person event to a virtual one. The dates remain largely unchanged with the conference taking place Tuesday, June 23 through Thursday, June 25. Registration for the virtual Summer Conference is expected to open the week of May 4.

FGIA will provide the same high-quality industry content participants have come to know, only in an online format using Zoom Video Webinar. There will be one track, making it easy to connect to the event and know you will be in the right “room.” Additionally, we know those who come to our world class in-person events love doing so for the networking. To meet this need, FGIA will be hosting optional “happy hours” following Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s sessions– BYOB, naturally! Meet up as a small group in a themed “room” online with moderator-led discussions of topics you care about most or elect to join a social “room” for general conversation and catching up.

Three or four meeting sessions will be hosted each day beginning at 10:00 a.m. Central time and wrapping in the late afternoon, with plenty of breaks. We know time zones will be different across the breadth of those attending, so the schedule allows for folks to grab lunch at a reasonable time based on where they are tuning in. Sponsor promotion, video clips and fun trivia activities will take place during breaks.

FGIA staff is working hard to plan a blended slate of association business sessions as well as panel discussions, speakers and other content of most value to those in the industry in these unusual times. As a lifelong Bears fan, I’m especially excited about keynote speaker Dan Hampton, known as “Danimal,” a retired Hall of Fame NFL player for the Chicago Bears who will address the importance of leadership and adapting to change – certainly a relevant topic given current world events.

While this conference will not focus solely on COVID-19’s impact on our industry, we are planning to have some discussions about that during the event. Among the topics being strategized are lessons learned, financial relief packages and forecasting of what’s to come. An overview of the most recent FGIA market study, now in development, will also be given including forecasts for the U.S. fenestration market.

While the format may change, the quality level will be what participants have come to expect from FGIA. Plus, being a virtual event allows an opportunity for colleagues who are unable to attend in-person conferences to connect with and reap the value provided by the association.

Contact FGIA Meetings staff with questions about the upcoming virtual Summer Conference at Meetings@FGIAonline.org.