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2011 Conference Wrap Up

OFDA 2011 Dealer Strategies Conference - Transforming the Office Furniture Industry

It wasn’t the location, although Tucson was sunny and beautiful. It wasn’t the hotel, although it offered a friendly staff and gorgeous views. And, it wasn’t the food, although that was tasty and plentiful. It was the education, the networking and the active participation that really made this year’s OFDA Dealer Strategies Conference a huge success.

With the highest turnout in recent memory, this year’s attendees brought energy and excitement to the conference, along with a welcome sense of optimistic enthusiasm that set the tone and fully reflected this year’s theme, “Transforming Your Business for Future Success.”

The industry event for office furniture dealers, manufactures and service providers, this year’s conference broke the barriers of alignment and size to bring industry trends, best practices, and new business development ideas to dealers with thought-proving speakers, breakout sessions designed to really teach something new, panel discussions with peer contributions and plenty of time to network and enjoy the beauty of Tucson’s desert region.

Kicking off the conference with the Zig Ziglar quote, “Obviously, there is little you can learn from doing nothing” OFDA board chair, Frank Gutwein, president of Widmer Interiors, applauded this year’s attendees for coming and taking another step in transforming their businesses in the continuously changing office furniture market.

“This year’s theme reflects the strategic imperative our industry faces to reinvent ourselves and become more agile, resilient, competitive and profitable,” said Gutwein. “The OFDA conference comes packed with great educational programs and plenty of time for networking for with dealers of all sizes and alignments. Where else can you sit next to a dealer handling a competitive line and ask questions to gain insight about how they do business?”

Updating attendees on new and improved programs from OFDA introduced over this past year, Gutwein highlighted the association’s renovated website, new task forces aimed at expanding OFDA’s value proposition, advocacy efforts and expanded educational outreach through webinars and a recently held “Dealer Boot Camp.”

Twelve displays were set up around the main meeting room to give attendees a look at the latest in product, software and service introductions. In addition to returning displays from AIS, Configura, ECi, Sit-On-It, Khameleon, and 20-20 Technologies, new exhibitors Michael Thomas Furniture, Fortune Web Marketing, SolomonCoyle, @theOffice, OBEX Office Panel Extenders and Concept Seating also took advantage of the opportunity to showcase their wares during networking breaks in the informal setting.

At OFDA’s annual awards and recognition event, OFDA acknowledged this year’s sponsors, scholarship winners and year’s Chair Service Award winner, National Office Furniture. As well, there was more good news from OFDA as Gutwein announced that OFDA had reached its goal to raise at least $25,000 to support a new Association scholarship in the name of well-known industry consultant Barry Coyle who passed away this past year.

Fo rthe first time, OFDA presented the winner of its new Dealership of the Year Award to Goodmans Interior Structures of Arizona.

The inaugural award was based upon a judging by a panel of industry peers and is designed to provide annual recognition of an office furniture dealership that exhibits a strength and record of accomplishment through participation and service to the association and the office furnishings industry as a whole, as well as demonstrating a record of community service and commitment to sustainability. For more information about this award and to read how Goodmans was selected click here.

Educating an Industry

Drawing on the success of the past two years, this year’s conference kicked off with three half-day interactive business workshops and was followed over the next two days by 14 breakout sessions (10 of which included dealer panels), a keynote and three general session discussions. For more indepth coverage and comments by the attendees in the new issue of OFDealer.