About NACD

The National Association of Container Distributors (NACD) is a professional association of rigid packaging distributors who supply bottles, tubes, pumps, sprayers and other closure systems. America’s foremost companies have discovered the benefits of working with NACD members.

NACD and their supplier organizations adhere to a strong code of ethics that ensures the most trusted products from the nation’s best manufacturers. The rigid packaging industry's leading distributors and top manufacturers offer fresh, innovative and effective approaches to packaging needs, and outstanding service without added costs.

Learn more about NACD membership

About the Annual Convention

NACD's 2018 Annual Convention -- taking place April 30 - May 3 at the Intercontinental New Orleans-- will be a one-of-a-kind private event for NACD Distributor Members and Supporting Suppliers.

Schedule (subject to change)

Speakers

Colleen Francis

Colleen is driven by a passion for sales - and results. A successful sales leader for over 20 years, she understands the particular challenges of selling in today's crowded, confusing market, and that business leaders can no longer rely on approaches to sales based on techniques from decades ago—or even last year.

Colleen works with business and sales leaders to synergize the sales DNA of the organization to seize market opportunities. Whether designing strategy to target a new market or working with a team to improve its productivity, Colleen's results have attracted clients such as Merck, Abbott, Merrill Lynch, Royal Bank, Dow, Adecco, Trend Micro, NCR, Chevron, and thousands of other global organizations.

Time and time again, clients who work with Colleen note her frank, no-nonsense approach to accelerate saleswhile reducing effort and increasing profits. Colleen's practical strategies deliver immediate and lasting results.

Colleen is an award-winning writer and consultant, bestselling author, and member of the Speaking Hall of Fame. Recognized annually as the thought leader on the future of selling by leading publications worldwide, Sales and Marketing Magazine has also called Colleen and Engage Selling: one of the top 5 most effective sales training organizations in the market today!

David Allison

David Allison’s research has led to a discovery that will change the way you work, and the way you think about the world. Data from a staggering 40,000 surveys proves that demographics are dead, and that shared values, or ‘Valuegraphics’, are a far more powerful way to motivate target markets.

Valuegraphics disprove outdated ideas about age, income, and gender, and will multiply the effectiveness of every marketing dollar as much as 700%. A successful entrepreneur and marketing keynote speaker who has thrived through massive industry disruption himself, David helps organizations replace guesswork with research and science, transforming disruptive change into welcome opportunity.

George Watts and Laurie Blazek

George W. Watts, Chairman of Top Line Talent, is a nationally recognized author and behavioral scientist. His passion is inspiring people to unlock their highest potential. His message is simple and timeless - for optimum success, discover your natural strengths and find the right platform to leverage them.

George delivers acclaimed leadership seminars and sales training programs throughout the world, coaching CEOs how to build formidable sales teams. Thousands of people have experienced his approach and commitment to teaching his powerful principles of professional development. For years, he was on Chicago radio with his show, "The Business Doctor."

He received his doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from the College of William and Mary, and is foundation board president for the Society for Psychologists in Management (SPIM). His latest book, Becoming Your Own Business Coach, is required reading in many universities and colleges, and he has published many professional articles on talent management.

Laurie Blazek, President and CEO of Top Line Talent, has over twenty - five years of consultative sales experience as a Managing and Executive Director for several large multinational banks including: JP Morgan, Bank One, First Chicago, Citigroup, and Bank of America.

In 1987, after she completed First Chicago's MBA Corporate Finance Training Program, she marketed a variety of financial products/services and capital markets products to large and mid - sized corporations. She became specialized in the area of media and communications, spending several years as a strategic financial partner offering leveraged finance advice and funding to growing media companies. She also spent many years marketing structured loans and financial products to ultra - high - net - worth individuals and their businesses.

Laurie received an MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from DePaul University and an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Illinois State University. She's a frequent writer and speaker on a variety of financial planning topics and has been interviewed for financial publications such as the Wall Street Journal. She is also co-author of the book/coaching program and co-creator of the intellectual property contained in the course.

Registration

Register online

Download Distributor Registration Forms

Download Supplier Registration Forms

If you have questions, please contact staff.

Special Needs

• Alert NACD staff if you have any personal requirements regarding your attendance at this meeting that arise under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Alert NACD staff if you have any dietary restrictions that NACD should be aware of regarding your attendance at this meeting.

Sponsorships

Download the sponsorship menu.

By becoming a program sponsor, you will demonstrate your support for the industry and gain valuable exposure and brand awareness at the Conference. All sponsors will be in the spotlight before, during, and after the event.

Sponsorship opportunities allow you to gain important visibility and be an integral part of our industry and event.

Hotel

InterContinental New Orleans is located in the heart of New Orleans’ Central Business District, where shopping, entertainment, and the city’s best restaurants meet. Just steps away from the French Quarter and Warehouse District, InterContinental New Orleans is a symbol of unpretentious luxury and hosts discerning travelers from all over the world.

Hotel Reservation Information

***Please note: The convention takes place during Jazz Fest, an exciting and busy time in New Orleans. If you plan to arrive early or stay longer, please make your reservations ASAP. The block will sell out and rooms cannot be guaranteed after the cut-off date***

To reserve your hotel room:

• For individual reservations, call 800-439-4745 and reference group name "NACD" or "National Association of Container Distributors"
• Make Reservations Online

Room Types
NACD block: $279/night plus taxes and fees

• All room rates are subject to local sales and occupancy tax
• Reservations received after April 6, 2018 will be confirmed on a space and rate available basis only.
• Cancelation Policy: If you need to cancel your hotel room, cancellations must be made three days before the arrival date.

Meetings and Official Events

Off-Site Dinner

The off-site dinner will take place on Tuesday, May 1 at Mardi Gras World. All costs are included in your registration fee and transportation will be provided. More information will be available soon about this event.

Golf

Located just 15 miles outside of the downtown New Orleans, TPC Louisiana offers an award-winning championship golf course that is open to the public to enjoy. TPC Louisiana serves as the home of the PGA TOUR’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans and hosts many other events throughout the year. TPC Louisiana was named "the #4 best upscale public golf course" by Golf Digest magazine when it opened to the public in 2004. TPC Louisiana and is consistently included in GolfWeek’s "Best Courses You Can Play" (Golf Digest 2011 Top 100 public Golf Course).

The golf course, which is part of the Audubon Golf Trail, stretches over 250 acres of wetlands across along the Mississippi River delta. True to Pete Dye’s style, the golf course features over 100 bunkers. TPC Louisiana boasts a series of short and compelling par-4 holes to balance. The five sets of tees, ranging from a fair 5,121 yard from the women’s tees all the way back to the 7,400 PGA TOUR tees, offers golfers of all skill levels a great blend of challenge and playability.

Please register in advance!
All leisure activities have a minimum participation requirement and are subject to cancellation. Registrations for the Golf Tournament at the and Tours are due no later than April 6, 2018.

Tours

Spouse Cooking Class at New Orleans School of Cooking

Tuesday, May 1

Fill you tummy and tickle your funny bone at the New Orleans School of Cooking! These hands on cooking classes are custom designed to meet the food preference of the individual. Our guests actually cut, cook and prepare a complete dinner with one of our expert chefs, and afterwards they are able to sit down and enjoy the meal they have just created (full bar included).

 

Visit to the National World War II Museum

Wednesday, May 2

Offering a compelling blend of sweeping narrative and poignant personal detail, The National WWII Museum features immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences, and an expansive collection of artifacts and first-person oral histories, taking visitors inside the story of the war that changed the world. Beyond the galleries, the Museum's online collections, virtual field trips, webinars, educational travel programs, and renowned International Conference on World War II offer patrons new ways to connect to history and honor the generation that sacrificed so much to secure our freedom. Included in your group tickets are passes to Beyond All Boundaries 4-D Movie experience narrated by Tom Hanks.

Walking Tour of the French Quarter

Thursday, May 3

For two hours, stroll through the French Quarter and its most famous cemetery, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Guided by a professional tour guide, enjoy a historical exploration of America’s most interesting neighborhood. Founded in 1718, New Orleans has been home to many colorful inhabitants and happenings. In its beginnings as a French Colony, the city was first settled with Paris' most notorious prison outcasts before the addition of European aristocrats, land-owning gentry. Learn the authentic history of world famous pirates, voodoo, creole culture, renowned cuisine, and European architecture

General Info

Special Rules
No one shall schedule or conduct any event, function, or meeting which in any way conflicts with or detracts from scheduled NACD Annual Convention meetings or events.

Tour Policies
Please register in advance. All leisure activities have a minimum participation requirement and are subject to cancellation. If a cancellation occurs, a full refund will be provided for that activity.

Dress Code
Policy with regards to meeting dress codes includes the following: Men - slacks, open neck, banded collar or polo shirts, sweaters, walking shorts, no ties/jackets required. Women - slacks, skirts, blouses, sweaters, walking shorts, open neck banded collar or polo shirts. Meeting rooms tend to be cooler than the outside temperature. A light jacket or sweater may be necessary.

Dress Code for Receptions and Dinners
Opening Reception - Resort/Business Casual
Off-Site Reception/Dinner - Resort/Business Casual
Thursday Awards Reception/Dinner - Black Tie (Mascarade Party)

Dress Rental Website ($30 Off First Order)

Tuxedo Rental Website

Contact

If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact NACD Staff at (630) 942-6585.