Pet Industry Leadership Summit 2023 Sets Attendance Record

The Pet Industry Leadership Summit drew its largest attendance ever Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, at the Lowes Coral Gables Hotel in Coral Gables, Fla., organizers reported

More than 275 C-level executives, including product distributors, manufacturers, retailers and other pet care business leaders, came together for networking, thought leadership, and presentations from experts on market research, economic forecasts and more.

Two new features helped fuel the growth in attendance, according to organizers. Prior in-person Summits were only open to members of the host organizations, the American Pet Products Association (APPA), the Pet Advocacy Network, the Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) and the World Pet Association (WPA). For 2023, registration eligibility was expanded to include any company involved in the pet care space. A special first-time attendee registration discount incentive also drew a record-breaking 76 attendees from 50 different companies, organizers reported.

'The Summit is an exceptional opportunity for pet business leaders to collaborate with their peers, discuss opportunities and challenges, and get market insights that isn't offered at any other single event,' said Celeste Powers, president of the PIDA. 'We're thrilled at the positive feedback we received both onsite and in the post-event survey.'

More than 85 percent of attendees gave a positive rating to the event. Comments included, 'Was a great place to meet with leaders in the industry. This is access I could not get at other pet industry events,' and, 'The larger attendee group led to more engaging conversations and insights.'

Presentation highlights included keynotes from Pulitzer Prize-winning author and humorist Dave Barry, economist Chris Kuehl of Armada Corporate Intelligence, and talk show host and entrepreneur Troy Hazard. The event also included sessions on the economic impact of the American pet sector, pet ownership trends, and building an analytics strategy, among others.

The 2024 Summit will be held on Jan. 22-24 at the Lowes Coronado Bay Resort in Coronado, Calif. Registration opens in September 2023 on PIDA's website.

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