Annual Forum
3 Days of Powerful Speakers,
Networking Opportunities and Education
Boston, MA
July 30 - August 2
Opportunities available from $4,000-$10,000
Sunday - July 30
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Forum Welcome Reception - St. James & Singleton Room
An outstanding networking event to kick off the NHDA FORUM.
Hosted by:
Monday - July 31
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
NHDA Board of Directors Meeting - Ballroom Foyer
Open to members of the NHDA
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Registration and Box Lunch - Venetian Room
Hosted by:
GENERAL SESSION - Oval Room
1:00 PM to 1:15 PM
Forum Welcome
Geoff Chasin, President NHDA
Rob Davis, Incoming President
1:15 PM to 5:00 PM
Economic, Retail and Home Delivery Trends: How are challenges in the economy, supply chain and workforce impacting retail and home delivery?
Hosted by:
1:15 PM to 2:15 PM
The Kickoff Keynote – Bill Barton, Bob's Discount Furniture
An overview of the retail trends and the challenges facing the bulky goods retail segment, the furniture industry, and the retail supply chain, including final mile. Bill Barton has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Bob’s Discount Furniture since November , 2020. Bob’s Discount Furniture is one of the largest and fastest growing furniture retailers in the country, providing a wide variety of high-quality furniture, mattresses, and home accents at attractive prices. Since 2015, Bob’s Discount Furniture has more than doubled its store count, from approximately 60 locations to 160 with more than 5,000 employees. Bob's Discount Furniture revenue is $1.2B annually. Mr. Barton has more than three decades of experience developing and leading high-growth businesses. Barton is recognized as an exceptional and customer-centric leader with deep retail and home goods experience.
2:15 PM to 3:15 PM
Featured Speaker – Dr. Tyler Goodspeed
An overview on economic and supply chain impacts. Dr. Tyler Goodspeed is the Kleinheinz Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Dr. Goodspeed served as Chief Economist for Macroeconomic Policy and Senior Economist for tax, public finance, and macroeconomics in the previous administration. He played an instrumental role in designing the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. From 2020 to 2021 he served as Acting Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, having been appointed by the President as a Member of the Council in 2019. In that role he advised the Administration’s economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as subsequent economic recovery packages.
3:15 PM to 3:30 PM
Coffee Break -- Hosted by:
3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
The Retail Perspective Panel
Senior retail supply chain executives share insights on the shared challenges in Final Mile.
Moderator: Jim Betz – Spirit Logistics
Panelists: Maryjane Fanizzi - Mattress Firm, Ben Rambo – Crate and Barrel, Jennifer Springer - Whirlpool Corporation
5:15 PM to 7:00 PM
The Women in Home Delivery Council Wine and Cheese Reception - Ballroom Foyer
Hosted by: Jesse Richardson - Enterprise Holdings and
Tuesday - August 1
GENERAL SESSION - Oval Room
Hosted by:
8:00 AM to 8:45 AM
The Scale of the Final Mile "Bulky Goods" Sector: An analysis of the annual NHDA "Big & Bulky" study
Moderator - Evan Armstrong, President - Armstrong and Associates
9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Concurrent Session 1:
Assembly and Installation Roundtable
Topics for discussion include leveraging and incorporating assembly companies into your operations; how to accept the business you turn away due to complex assembly needs; and sourcing reputable assembly companies for your business.
Moderators: Mike Giaccone – NHDA Director, Adam Staples – Go Configure, Michael Florkowski, Spar Inc.
Panelists: John Hagi – AIT Worldwide, Dean Fink - Diakon Logistics and Bob Devlin - Spirit Logistics
M&A Roundtable:
An overview of the factors driving investment in the Big & Bulky segment
Moderator: Spencer Tenney, President - The Tenney Group and Geoff Chasin - Cardinal Logistics
Risk Management Roundtable
Comparative Risk in W2 v. IC operations
Moderators: Peter Berg – True North Companies, Adam Loundsbury – Jackson Lewis
Panelists: Renee Paul – Biz Choice Transportation, Dave Dunek - Forward Air Final Mile and Betty Marek - UST Select
10:30 AM to 10:45 AM
Coffee Break -- Hosted by:
10:45 AM to 12:00 PM
Concurrent Session 2:
The Technology Roundtable
How Artificial Intelligence is changing home delivery operations.
Moderator: Lisa Paul – Hub International
Panelists: Cyrus Shaoul - LeelaAi, Michael Case - Transaction Expeditors, Geary Eppley - Dispatch Track and Amir Sayegh – GeoTab Corporation
The Compliance Roundtable
Meeting compliance requirements for background checks, insurance coverage and hiring.
Moderator: Michael Remick – Fox River Services
Panelists: Doug Grawe - OpenForce, Josh Delay - JB Hunt, Su-Han Wang - Checkr, Dave Slisz - Vanliner Insurance
The Sustainability Roundtable
Creating and measuring sustainability goals.
Moderator: Emily Phillips
Panelists: James Eberhardt – Fluid Trucks, Rich Mohr - ChargePoint, Abby Swaine - Smartway
12:15 PM to 1:30 PM
Luncheon and Keynote Address - Grand Ballroom
On April 15, 2013, Marathon Monday in Boston –Heather Abbott set out on an annual tradition with several of her friends to attend the Red Sox home game and then walk over to Boylston Street to watch the marathoners cross the finish line. Little did Heather know – this day would change her life forever when two bombs exploded in the crowd of well-wishers that afternoon.
Today, Heather is once again doing everything she loves to do, including paddle boarding, running, and even wearing high heels! Through it all, Heather has remained a model of strength and perseverance. Heather reminds us of the power of positive thinking and the real impact compassionate giving can have on the life of someone in need.
Hosted by:
GENERAL SESSION - Oval Room
1:45 PM to 3:15 PM
Regulatory Roundtable
Responding to the Federal Regulatory Environment
Moderator: Paul Mello – Hanson Bridgett
Panelists: Prasad Sharma – Scopelitis, Sarah Wellman – Ryder
3:15 PM to 3:30 PM
Coffee Break -- Hosted by:
3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Workforce Roundtable:
Retaining Talent in a Tight Labor Market
Moderator: Joel Eigege -Ryder
Panelists: Pete Punwani - Global Executive Solutions Group, Daniel Hall - High Point University, Dan Filby - AccuSourceHR and Hollie Heikkinen, iPSE-U.S., The Association of Independent Workers and CEO of iWorker Innovations
PINNACLE AWARDS CELEBRATION - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
NHDA Pinnacle Awards Reception - Museum Pavilion Terrace
The Pinnacle Awards Reception opens an evening of celebration and comradery with your industry peers to start the annual awards dinner.
Hosted By: Wendy Greenland - Openforce and
8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
NHDA Pinnacle Awards Dinner - Museum Pavilion
The annual NHDA Pinnacle Awards Dinner is a terrific evening of fine dining and fellowship.
Industry Achievement Award Honorees: Ellen Voie, Gregory Feary and Ed Frankowski
Hosted By: Spencer Tenney and
Wednesday – August 2
7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
The Networking breakfast is a great chance to connect with colleagues, do a little business, and catch a bite to eat before heading to the airport.
Hosted By:
