ORLANDO, Fla. — Food Marketing Institute and Grocery Manufacturers Association are planning to combine their annual executive conferences beginning in 2010 or 2011, Steve Smith, FMI’s chairman, who is president and chief executive officer of K-VA-T Food Stores, told SN here.
This development is part of a closer relationship between the two associations underscored at this week’s FMI Midwinter Executive Conference. GMA’s executive event is scheduled this year to be held Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs.
While the melding of executive conferences isn’t a done deal, the associations are trying to accomplish the goal as quickly as possible. The timing — whether next year or the year after — will depend on how quickly the logistics can be worked out, Smith said. The joint effort would achieve the goal of eliminating industry duplication and improving trading partner collaboration, he said.
At this week’s FMI event, Smith and GMA’s chairman, Douglas Conant, who is president and CEO of the Campbell Soup Co., signed a “joint memorandum of understanding” for closer collaboration between the two organizations and development of a “jointly developed annual industry agenda.” The initiative includes creation of a Joint Industry Relations/Industry Affairs Council called the Trading Partner Alliance and plans for further exploration of possible synergies on the meetings front.
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