Members of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) are joining together this week in Phoenix for the association’s 45th Annual Meeting. The event brings together chemical distribution industry leaders and their suppliers, customers and colleagues to discuss ways to improve business performance, management skills, safety, security and more. High-profile speakers and panelists are discussing issues facing the chemical distribution industry ranging from improving cybersecurity to tackling regulatory challenges before a near record-breaking audience of more than 650 attendees.

At the meeting, participants will explore new ways to improve business relationships and sales organizations, incorporate millennials into the workforce, prepare for and prevent accidents, and lead high performing companies. NACD members also are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Responsible Distribution, the association’s mandatory, third-party-verified environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) program.

The event will end Thursday with a keynote address from former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, who will discuss the 2016 election and the state of the country. Other notable speakers and panelists include members of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board and Stuart Varney of Fox News Business Network.

Key sessions at the Annual Meeting include:

Leadership Isn’t For Cowards: How to Lead Courageously in a Turbulent Age
Mike Staver, The Staver Group
Mike Staver, author and coach, opens the NACD Annual Meeting by sharing the real definition of courage, the three most important steps you’ll ever take as a leader, the power of commitment, and more.

Economic Outlook: How to Prepare Your Organization for Impending Market Shifts
Stuart Varney, Host of Fox News Business Network’s Varney & Co.
Esteemed economist and Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney provides much needed insight and context on pivotal issues facing the economy and described, in plain talk with up-to-the-minute detail, the current financial situation and what it means for NACD clients, partners, and their business and customers.

Enhancing Chemical Safety: Industry Efforts & Regulator Perspective
Thomas Corcoran, Brenntag Group; The Honorable Vanessa Allen Sutherland, Chemical Safety Board; The Honorable Manuel “Manny” Ehrlich, Chemical Safety Board; The Honorable Calvin Dooley, President, American Chemistry Council; Eric R. Byer, NACD
This panel will discuss what opportunities the Chemical Safety Board thinks chemical distributors need to seize to become more involved within the regulatory arena. The panel also will consider whether public perception forces safety efforts that aren’t effective.