12 Apr Improving Engagement And Value

Last year around this time, we made the incredibly difficult decision to cancel our in-person Convention. While this was disappointing, the action quickly catapulted BEMA into a new mindset as we looked for innovative ways to overcome pandemic-related restrictions in order to provide meaningful engagement and education when our members needed it most. With this catalyst in mind, we launched our virtual Convention 2020 and created ongoing webinars and roundtables to fill the void.

Approximately 12 months later, we thankfully have new options on the table. In our continuing effort to  meet the needs of our members and the industry where they are at the moment, Convention 2021 will feature two versions: an in-person family friendly event in Marco Island, Florida, and a stay-at-home virtual event.

In-Person or Virtual

In-person: Designed to meet the needs of those looking to make in-person baker and supplier connections, Convention 2021 promises to be an incredible lineup of live programming and networking for those ready to travel to Marco Island in beautiful, sunny Florida June 23-26.

Virtual: For those not yet ready to travel or who are working within company policies restricting travel, we’re proud to offer a new, entirely virtual, option for this year’s Convention. Open to any employee from a member company, the Workforce Edition encourages learning and engagement through a unique form of professional development and thoughtful networking in an interactive environment. Designed specifically for those in the baking industry, Workforce Edition attendees will have ample opportunities to learn new actionable tools and skills in addition to joining their peers virtually Thursday and Friday at Convention, offering an all-inclusive approach to membership engagement.

Strategic Focus

Convention 2021 and the Workforce Edition are two of the many ways BEMA continues to enhance collaborations among individuals and companies within the industry. By providing two options for Convention, we have the ability to engage not just our current and active members but also interact with the employees and peers of those members – all with the goal of enhancing member-focused engagement and value, the second pillar of our strategic plan.

To help make this a reality, each in-person Convention 2021 attendee will receive a complementary registration code enabling them to make the Workforce Edition available to their associates, effectively sharing the benefits of BEMA membership throughout an organization. Attendance, either in-person or virtually through the Workforce Edition, is a great way to engage/re-engage long-time associates and introduce new employees to networking and educational programming within the industry.

Watch for New Details

Over the next two months, watch for upcoming announcements about Convention 2021 and the Workforce Edition through our dedicated Convention e-blasts and on the BEMA brand social channels. On behalf of the entire BEMA staff, we can’t wait to see you in-person or virtually in June. If you have questions about Convention 2021 in Marco Island, FL, please contact Kelly Allen, kallen@bema.org or Emily Bowers, ebowers@bema.org for questions about Workforce Edition.