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Virtual Conference Agenda
The IBC Virtual Conference will run from Thursday, October 15th until Friday, November 13th. Most content will be recorded and emailed to all participants, if attendance at the live event is not feasible.
Announcements regarding content, awards and instructions will be emailed to all participants once registration closes.
Round robin, one-on-one, appointments will be conducted over the course of a one month period Monday, October 19th – Friday, November 13th . Suppliers will be asked to setup the appointment directly with the distributor based on the match making priorities that were previously established weeks before. If the supplier is unsuccessful, IBC will assist in securing the appointment with the distributor.
Key Dates
Monday, September 14
Conference Registration Closes
Monday, September 21
Virtual Round Robin Prioritization Begins
Friday, October 2
Virtual Round Robin Prioritization Closes
Monday, October 5
Round Robin Priority Lists Delivered
Monday, October 5 –
Friday, October 16
Scheduling Round Robin Appointments (Suppliers to contact distributors)
Thursday, October 15
1:00 PM EDT
Live Opening Keynote Address (Suppliers & Distributors)
Friday, October 16
1:00 PM EDT
Live Supplier Presentation (Suppliers Only)
Monday, October 19 –
Friday, November 13
Virtual Round Robin Meetings Conducted
Thursday, November 12
Live Member Think Tank Networking Session (Distributors Only)
For a complete calendar view of events and content release dates, please view the calendar below. Times listed are Eastern Time.
Event Calendar
*Times listed are Eastern Time.
Event Calendar
2020 October
- SU
- MO
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- SA
- 27
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- 30
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15Kickoff Address (Live)1:00 pm
- 16Supplier Only Presentation (Live)1:00 pm
- 17
- 18
- 19Open Format Round RobinsAll DayKeynote Address: “Navigating the Next Normal – Critical Trends in Industrial Distribution That You Need to Heed”1:00 pm
IBC kicks off our 4-week presentation series with an entertaining exchange between Scott Bebenek, IBC’s VP – Buying Group, and Ian Heller, founder of Distribution Strategy Group. Ian’s open, no-holds-barred opinions on trends in the Industrial Distribution sector come from years of relevant experience from his se
, ... - 20Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 21Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 22Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 23Open Format Round RobinsAll DayLive Q&A on 1st Round of Distributor Content1:00 pm
- 24
- 25
- 26Open Format Round RobinsAll DayProduct Information Management (PIM) 101 – Launching/Maintaining Your “Online Branch”1:00 pm
Does your business lack an online catalog for your customers to place orders, research the products you sell, and manage their account information? Or have you invested in your own catalog and are frustrated justifying the time to collect and maintain the data you need? Or are you displaying another company’s onl
, ... - 27Open Format Round RobinsAll Day“Navigating the Next Normal” – how well is your distribution business positioned to meet the needs of a rapidly changing business environment?1:00 pm
There is no denying the rapidly growing trends towards eCommerce in both the B2C and B2B sectors – they are well documented. Learn how the pandemic has influenced these trends for manufacturers, distributors, and group purchasing organizations, and what does each respective supply chain link need to be doing today
, ... - 28Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 29Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 30Open Format Round RobinsAll DayLive Q&A on 2nd Round of Distributor Content1:00 pm
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
*Times listed are Eastern Time.
Distributors & Suppliers
Distributors Only
Suppliers Only
2020 November
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- 1
- 2Open Format Round RobinsAll DayProduct Information Management (PIM) 201 – Demo-ing The IBC Member Child PIM & Choosing The Right Online Platform1:00 pm
IBC is pleased to welcome Mark Farr, President of XOLogic, and Adam Casto, EVP – Sales & Marketing for XOLogic, who are going to give IBC members their first look at how an IBC member’s “child PIM” looks and functions. Mark and Adam will also showcase the XOLogic ecommerce platform to get members started
, ... - 3Open Format Round RobinsAll DayPlugging Margin Leaks in Your Business – Automating Supplier PO’s & Payables1:00 pm
This presentation is essential for ALL IBC members, whether they are currently connected to IBC Connects – Central Bill or not. IBC Connects has now been expanded to complete the automation of the entire “PO-to-Payment” process that ties up extensive manual resources in your business. Making/expanding your
, ...Effective Supplier Recruitment & Retention1:00 pmThis presentation is also essential for ALL IBC members. Buying Group programs with suppliers provide members with additional financial returns and resources and help level the “playing field with nationals”. We will be discussing simple, effective, foundational best practices that all members can implement at thei
, ... - 4Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 5Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 6Open Format Round RobinsAll DayLive Q&A on 3rd Round of Distributor Content1:00 pm
- 7
- 8
- 9Open Format Round RobinsAll DayNeed new customers? Want to grow existing business? Trying to save a current end user from defecting to a big box? IBC’s End User Program is YOUR answer!1:00 pm
If you haven’t had the opportunity to view an IBC National Accounts presentation in the last few months, please join us to learn how IBC’s award-winning contract management division has been strategically evolving through end user feedback. Benefit from the experts regarding how to take advantage of IBC’s Minorit
, ...Let’s Split a Truckload or perhaps… A Container? – Bulk Buys | Importing1:00 pmSince COVID-19 fired up in March, IBC and many distributor members have needed to go beyond their normal purchasing and sourcing means to help customers with PPE demand! Learn how IBC and some distributor members created opportunities with importing and Bulk Buys with other members. IBC has started to explore a NEW
, ... - 10Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 11Open Format Round RobinsAll Day
- 12Open Format Round RobinsAll DayIBC Member Think Tank1:00 pm
You, the IBC member, get the floor as IBC winds down our Virtual Conference, and allows members to bring forward issues in this open session to be facilitated by Scott Bebenek, IBC’s VP – Buying Group. When registering for this event, each member will be asked to forward questions, topics for discussion, and pers
, ... - 13Open Format Round RobinsAll DayLive Q&A on 4th Round of Distributor Content1:00 pm
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- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
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*Times listed are Eastern Time.
Distributors & Suppliers
Distributors Only
Suppliers Only
Keynote
Monday October 19th / 1:00 PM EDT
“Navigating the Next Normal – Critical Trends in Industrial Distribution That You Need to Heed”
IBC kicks off our 4-week presentation series with an entertaining exchange between Scott Bebenek, IBC’s VP – Buying Group, and Ian Heller, founder of Distribution Strategy Group. Ian’s open, no-holds-barred opinions on trends in the Industrial Distribution sector come from years of relevant experience from his senior level positions at Grainger, Home Depot Supply, and as co-owner of MDM Magazine. Scott and Ian will engage in a lively dialogue, and question period, covering such topics as:
- The typical independent distributor’s preparedness for the end-user’s evolving ecommerce and website expectations;
- Third party ecommerce sites (e.g. Berkshire eSupply) – are they the right long-term solution;
- The evolution of the traditional distributor field sales force;
- What is happening to a distributor’s traditional Value Proposition to end-users and manufacturers in a market being infiltrated by online retailers
You and your staff won’t want to miss this mostly-unscripted exchange between 2 industry veterans with strong opinions on the shifting grounds underneath your business!
Speakers
Ian Heller
Distribution Strategy Group
Scott Bebenek
VP of Industrial Buying Group, IBC
Learning Track
Session #1
Monday October 26th / 1:00 PM EDT
Product Information Management (PIM) 101 – Launching/Maintaining Your “Online Branch”
Does your business lack an online catalog for your customers to place orders, research the products you sell, and manage their account information? Or have you invested in your own catalog and are frustrated justifying the time to collect and maintain the data you need? Or are you displaying another company’s online catalog, and are disappointed by the results? If you answered “yes” to either of these 3 questions, and have not yet looked at IBC’s initiative to build a centralized database of rich-content, imaged, digital supplier data, then you won’t want to miss this game changing presentation!
Speaker
Scott Bebenek
VP of Industrial Buying Group, IBC
Learning Track
Session #2
Tuesday October 27th / 1:00 PM EDT
“Navigating the Next Normal” – how well is your distribution business positioned to meet the needs of a rapidly changing business environment?
There is no denying the rapidly growing trends towards eCommerce in both the B2C and B2B sectors – they are well documented. Learn how the pandemic has influenced these trends for manufacturers, distributors, and group purchasing organizations, and what does each respective supply chain link need to be doing today in order to be optimally prepared for the “next normal”?
Building on the content of last week’s keynote speaker, Ian Heller, this unique panel discussion, moderated by IBC’s Mark Higgins, looks at “change” through 3 different lenses:
- The Distributor – Jim Terry, Owner, PF Markey
- The Manufacturer – Jeff Kraez, Director of Channel & Market Development, Widia
- The Buying Group – Scott Bebenek, VP – Industrial Buying Group, IBC
Attendees will hear perspectives on the following:
- What difference has the pandemic made to the lives of distributors, and how well are they positioned for these changes?
- How has buyer behavior been impacted, and what should a distributor do to cater to the new buyer persona?
- What is technology, and the effects of the pandemic, doing to the traditional Value Proposition of the small-to-medium sized industrial distributor?
- How has the critical information buyers seek for making purchasing decisions been changing, and are distributors and manufacturers adapting to these changes?
Panelists
Jim Terry
Owner, PF Markey
Jeff Kraez
Director of Channel & Market Development, Widia
Scott Bebenek
VP of Industrial Buying Group, IBC
Learning Track
Session #3
Monday November 2nd / 1:00 PM EST
Product Information Management (PIM) 201 – Demo-ing The IBC Member Child PIM & Choosing The Right Online Platform
IBC is pleased to welcome Mark Farr, President of XOLogic, and Adam Casto, EVP – Sales & Marketing for XOLogic, who are going to give IBC members their first look at how an IBC member’s “child PIM” looks and functions. Mark and Adam will also showcase the XOLogic ecommerce platform to get members started on their journey of what to look for in a platform to create the ideal online experience for their customers. This presentation is a must-see for IBC members that have committed, or are intending to commit, to the IBC PIM initiative, as it will allow them, and key staff, to get an advance look at the XOLogic PIM tool and ecommerce options available to their company.
Speakers
Mark Farr
President of XOLogic
Adam Casto
EVP – Sales & Marketing, XOLogic
Learning Track
Session #4
Tuesday November 3rd / 1:00 PM EST
Plugging Margin Leaks in Your Business – Automating Supplier PO’s & Payables
This presentation is essential for ALL IBC members, whether they are currently connected to IBC Connects – Central Bill or not. IBC Connects has now been expanded to complete the automation of the entire “PO-to-Payment” process that ties up extensive manual resources in your business. Making/expanding your IBC Connects connection IS FREE, and opens up significant new rebate revenue streams for members to complement the internal savings from automating process flows. This webinar will show you how it works and how easy it is to connect, and give you an opportunity to ask all your questions.
Effective Supplier Recruitment & Retention
This presentation is also essential for ALL IBC members. Buying Group programs with suppliers provide members with additional financial returns and resources and help level the “playing field with nationals”. We will be discussing simple, effective, foundational best practices that all members can implement at their companies. Topics will include: review of current support of IBC suppliers and suggestions to easily increase our results; purchase data is king and critical; groundswell best practices; how to engage suppliers with win-win outcomes; “new normal” best practices (“out of your comfort zone”, IS/CSR potential).
Speakers
Scott Bebenek
VP of Industrial Buying Group, IBC
Mark R. Higgins
Business Development, Supplier Relations & Recruitment, IBC
Learning Track
Session #5
Monday November 9th / 1:00 PM EST
Need new customers? Want to grow existing business? Trying to save a current end user from defecting to a big box? IBC’s End User Program is YOUR answer!
If you haven’t had the opportunity to view an IBC National Accounts presentation in the last few months, please join us to learn how IBC’s award-winning contract management division has been strategically evolving through end user feedback. Benefit from the experts regarding how to take advantage of IBC’s Minority status to increase and defend your business. View IBC’s best practice-sharing tool that allows distributor teams to easily collaborate when working together to service a National Account. Please join us as we explain how your customers can have the best of both worlds: “a corporately managed program for process and cost improvements, coupled with the attention and expertise provided at the local level through IBC’s network of independent distributors”.
Let’s Split a Truckload or perhaps… A Container? – Bulk Buys | Importing
Since COVID-19 fired up in March, IBC and many distributor members have needed to go beyond their normal purchasing and sourcing means to help customers with PPE demand! Learn how IBC and some distributor members created opportunities with importing and Bulk Buys with other members. IBC has started to explore a NEW member Bulk Buy program extending beyond the safety category that could include importing containers, securing even deeper discounts to drive sales and margin growth. Help IBC determine if a Bulk Buy program is something we should pursue as yet another Member Benefit!
Speakers
Ron Nunez
President and COO,
IBC
Bob Linderman
Director, Strategic Account Management,
IBC
Think Tank Session
Thursday November 12 / 1:00 PM EST
IBC Member Think Tank
You, the IBC member, get the floor as IBC winds down our Virtual Conference, and allows members to bring forward issues in this open session to be facilitated by Scott Bebenek, IBC’s VP – Buying Group. When registering for this event, each member will be asked to forward questions, topics for discussion, and personal opinions to IBC beforehand to help shape the session led by Scott. Whether it be continuing dialogue on some of the issues presented in prior 4 weeks of distributor content, a best practice you may wish to share with your fellow members, or a reverse best practice covering a problem you’re having in your business, make sure you have a pen and plenty of paper ready for the flurry of useful information that will be shared in this fast-paced session.
Facilitator
Scott Bebenek
VP of Industrial Buying Group, IBC