AICC Spring Meeting is Record Breaking

Spring Meeting Early Bird Deadline Friday, March 16, 2018 

The AICC 2018 Spring Meeting, April 16-18, at the Sheraton Grand Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, has nearly 450 registrants a week before the early bird deadline.  

The 2018 Spring Meeting features a new format that offers more programming and networking opportunities for attendees but will still run over a three-day period. 

In addition to the familiar schedule of sessions, workshops, plant tours, and optional events, this year, AICC has added a third general session, a new networking lunch, and will close the meeting earlier on Wednesday, April 18th to allow travel time for those that need to get back to the office. The Meeting will explore the forces of disruption regarding ecommerce, retail, technology and the outlook for the global containerboard and paperboard markets.  

The Spring Meeting will also feature the popular Sales Managers’ Forum, a training and networking event for AICC Emerging Leaders, and the 5th Annual Independents’ Cup Charity Golf Tournament. The Tournament, which will take place at the Whirlwind Golf Club, at the Sheraton on Tuesday, April 17th, will benefit national and local charities. Back by popular demand AICC will also hold an optional event at Bondurant - the high-performance school of racing - on Wednesday, April 18 for all the speed enthusiasts!  

The Meeting’s new format includes three general sessions. Speakers include: 

• John Rossman, Former Amazon Executive and Expert on Digital Disruption.      
• Matt Elhardt, Vice President, Business Development, Fisher International, Inc., will present on the rapid growth of e-commerce and its growing impact on the U.S. corrugated, containerboard, paperboard and recycled industries.
• Douglas Stephens, Retail and Consumer Futurist who will present on "Reengineering Retail: The Future of Selling in a Post-Digital World” followed by an interactive session on "The Five Elements of Remarkable Customer Experiences.”
• Ed Rensi, Former McDonalds’ CEO, philanthropist and race car enthusiast will close the meeting with an inspirational and poignant presentation.

Four workshops will be held during the meeting, including Flutes vs. Paperboard Workshop & Roundtable Discussion on Monday, April. During the discussion,Tom Weber, AICC Folding Carton Technical Advisor, and Ralph Young, AICC Corrugated Technical Advisor, will lead a workshop and roundtable discussion to understand, support, and further develop the use of fluted materials as a substitute for paperboard in the manufacturing of both traditional and highly specialized folding cartons and rigid boxes. The forum will feature a panel of fluted sheet and converters and fluted materials suppliers. The session will include a roundtable discussion where attendees can ask questions of the panelists and experts.

 The meeting will close with a "Supplier Innovations Showcase” during the Wednesday general session where we will educate members on "What’s New & Disruptive” in the Corrugated, Folding Carton and Rigid Box Industries. Then, Ed Rensi, former McDonalds’ CEO, Philanthropist and Race Car Enthusiast will wrap-up with a once-in-a-lifetime speech that you will find both inspirational and poignant—certainly a not-to-miss session.

AICC will also hold a two-day Sales Managers’ Forum—Building a Collaborative Team—on Sunday, April 15 & Monday, April 16. Participants will learn how to build a sales team for the modern day with the idea of not hiring "the best" salespeople, but organizing a collaborative team—to prospect, develop business, and wrap-up with a mutually beneficial close. Online registration for the AICC 2018 Spring Meeting is open and the early bird deadline is Friday, March 16. Those registering before the deadline will save $200 on registration.

The host hotel is the Sheraton Grand Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa. The host hotel, the Sheraton Grand Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, is conveniently located 12 miles from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). The Sheraton is sold out on Monday, April 16 and Tuesday, April 17 AICC has secured an overflow block of rooms at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, which is a sister property to the Sheraton and offers complimentary shuttles between the hotels every 20 minutes). Please visit www.aiccbox.org/meeting for reservation information.  

For additional information, please contact Cindy Huber at chuber@aiccbox.org, or Laura Mihalick at lmihalick@aiccbox.org or 877-836-2422.