As we prepare to come together in Phoenix for the 2026 NASGW Expo, I have been thinking about what makes this event valuable year after year.
There are plenty of opportunities throughout the year to communicate with customers, suppliers, and business partners. Technology has certainly made that easier. But there is still tremendous value in sitting across the table from someone and having a meaningful conversation about business. For a few days, we bring together manufacturers, wholesalers, sales representatives, service providers, and other industry partners with a common purpose. We talk about what is working, where the challenges are, and what we need to do next.
This year, I think those conversations are particularly important.
Our industry continues to navigate economic uncertainty, changing consumer demand, state level regulatory/compliance challenges, and an increasingly complicated business environment. Every part of our industry is dealing with some combination of those pressures.
When conditions become more complicated, good relationships become more valuable. Many of the companies represented at the Expo have been doing business together for decades. We compete, negotiate, and occasionally disagree, but we also understand that the long-term health of this industry depends on strong business relationships throughout the channel.
They require communication, trust, and a willingness to listen to what your partners are experiencing. They also require us to occasionally get out from behind our desks and spend some time together. That is why I continue to believe so strongly in the NASGW Expo.
The meetings are important, but the value of the week extends beyond the appointments on our calendars. Some of the best conversations happen between meetings, in the hallways, over dinner, or during a chance encounter with someone you have not seen in a while. Those conversations give us a better understanding of what is happening across the industry, and when we listen to one another, we make better decisions.
My encouragement to everyone coming to Phoenix is simple: come prepared and make the most of the opportunity.
Know what you want to accomplish in your scheduled meetings; ask questions, listen, and talk honestly about the challenges you are facing. Share what you are seeing in the market and look for opportunities to help your partners succeed. Most importantly, remember that the Expo is not simply about the business we conduct during those few days. It is about strengthening relationships that continue throughout the year.
I look forward to seeing all of you in Phoenix.
Until next time,
Bill Sumner
NASGW Chairman of the Boar