Grainnet

International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) 2008 Conference Will be Moved Off the Weekend and Shortened

Leawood, KS--When the International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) meets in Orlando, FL for the annual conference and expo, the trade show will feature a new format and schedule.

IAOM President Keith Horton said, "The new format was approved with the goal of giving members two possible weekends to spend time with their families at the conference location."

He added that much of the feedback received from the allied trades indicated that associate members preferred to be home on the weekends.

Since announcing the change, Horton said the feedback has been very positive.

However, if for some reason members are not happy with the new format at the conclusion of the Orlando conference, the board of directors is open to recommendations.

Major Changes

• The conference will be moved to a weekday format, starting with exhibitor move-in on Monday, May 12, and ending on Friday, May 16 with the golf outing.

• The new schedule shortens the length of the conference by one day.

• Four educational tracts will be offered on Wednesday and Thursday. In the past, there have been only two educational tracts.

• The What’s New will be replaced with the 75-minute Product Showcase.

• The Allied Trades Event has been discontinued to maintain a free evening.

• The Speaker’s Corner time slot will feature a professional speaker.

• The annual business meeting will be held during lunch on Thursday.

• Following the conference, all presentations will be made available online.

New Schedule and Format

The exhibitor move-in and registration will begin on a Tuesday, May 13.

The expo will then open on Wednesday, May 14, at 10 a.m., just after the International Milling Education Foundation (IMEF) breakfast.

After lunch of Wednesday, the Product Showcase will run from 12:45 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The new educational tracts are Facility Management, Quality Control, Technical Operations, and Employee Management.

After breakfast on Thursday, the Speaker’s Corner, which will feature a professional speaker, runs from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The annual meeting will be held during lunch on Thursday at noon.

Following the education sessions, the annual banquet will be held Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Josh Flint, Milling Journal editor