Thought Leadership Thursday
We Are More Than Ready to See You!
Thought Leadership Thursday Article
Dear NAST Members and Supporters:
We have great news today! After a year+ of virtual events we are thrilled to announce that registration is now open for our first face-to-face member event this fall. Join us September 19th -22nd in Chicago for NAST’s Annual Conference. Early bird registration is now available! The conference will be at the historic Palmer House Hotel, located at 17 East Monroe Street, which is a 30 minute ride from Midway International Airport or a 45 minute ride from O’Hare International Airport. A member of the "Historic Hotels of America" program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Palmer House was the city's first hotel with elevators, and the first hotel with electric light bulbs and telephones in the guest rooms. The hotel, a wedding gift from the Mr. Palmer to his bride, has quite a history! We know networking is important to all our members so join us for the Welcome Reception on Sunday evening, September 19th in the Empire Ballroom to meet old and new friends alike. During the days on Monday and Tuesday there will be panels, keynotes, the NAST annual business meeting, Treasurers’ roundtable, and all your meals. Monday evening will be an off-site dinner within walking distance of the hotel so no busses are needed as we strive to maintain all CDC, and state and local health and safety regulations that are in place at that time. Some regulations may include tables/chairs at six feet, masks, additional sanitization, etc. Tuesday evening is a casual affair at the hotel with a Taste of Chicago menu like deep-dish pizza, hot dogs and brownies. Fun fact -- did you know brownies were created in the Windy City? It’s true! During the 1893 World’s Fair, Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer asked the pastry chef at The Palmer House to create her something that would fit neatly into boxed lunches for the Women’s Pavilion. It was then that the beloved American dessert was born. Be sure to join us on the last day as we’ll have educational programming along with our final networking breakfast. The formal agenda will be announced in the coming weeks so keep an eye on our daily newsletter! For additional information, including sponsorship opportunities, and to register, please click here. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions and comments. We can’t wait to see you! Emma Heydlauff |