The Business Technology Association will hold its 2024 BTA National Conference, hosted by BTA Southeast, April 5-6 at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida. Open to office technology dealers from across the country, the event will feature: a keynote address by Don Yaeger, award-winning leadership speaker, executive coach and New York Times bestselling author; a second keynote by Brett Johnson, “The Original Internet Godfather” and former U.S. Cyber Crimes Most Wanted; two additional educational sessions presented by industry leaders; four breakout sessions on a variety of topics: quarterly business reviews, prospecting strategies, and ChatGPT/AI and cybersecurity; time to network with peers and exhibiting sponsors during breaks; and a welcoming reception.
The national conference will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday April 5, with breakfast, followed by opening comments and the first keynote address, “What Makes the Great Ones Great,” presented by Yaeger. In this keynote address, he will share some of his “Sixteen Consistent Characteristics of Greatness,” which will help attendees realize that they, too, can achieve higher levels of personal success.
After the keynote, a break will be held, giving attendees the opportunity to visit with peers and the exhibiting sponsors. Following the break, attendees can choose to take advantage of additional exhibit time or attend one of three breakout sessions:
- “How to Present QBRs” with Gary Lavin and Mike Kirkpatrick of CEO Juice
- “Elevating Your 21st-Century Prospecting Sales Strategy” with Kate Kingston of Kingston Training Group
- “Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence & Its Impact on Cybersecurity,” with Jay Ryerse of ConnectWise
Lunch will then be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. After lunch, the second keynote will be held. “Understanding Why & How Online Attackers Target You,” will be led by Johnson, who will discuss the mindset of online attacks, dive into how attackers find their targets and what trends to look for. Another break will follow the keynote. After the break, Tracy Norton, associate professor at Louisiana State University (LSU) Law, will present the first educational session, “The Ethics & Productivity Implications of Generative AI,” which will look at the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in businesses. Additional exhibit time will follow. A welcoming reception will wrap up the first day from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The second day of the national conference will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, with breakfast, followed by opening comments and the second educational session, “Thanks for the Memories,” presented by BTA General Counsel Bob Goldberg. In this session, he will share details of the fulfilling life and career the National Office Machine Dealers Association (NOMDA; now BTA) has provided, and his knowledge from the past to help dealers avoid errors and plan for the future. After Goldberg’s session, there will be time to visit with peers and sponsors, followed by another set of breakout sessions (two of them repeats):
- “ChatGPT Trained on CEO Juice Data” with Gary Lavin and Mike Kirkpatrick of CEO Juice
- “Elevating Your 21st-Century Prospecting Sales Strategy” with Kate Kingston of Kingston Training Group
- “Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence & Its Impact on Cybersecurity,” with Jay Ryerse of ConnectWise
The event will conclude with closing comments and exhibitor prize drawings from 11:15 until 11:45 a.m.
The 2024 BTA National Conference exhibiting sponsors: ACDI, AgentDealer, ARCOA Group, Boundless Design, Brother, Cranel, Crexendo, Distribution Management, ECI Software Solutions, ecoprintQ, eGoldFax, First Citizens Bank, FP Mailing Solutions (breakfast sponsor), GreatAmerica, Hytec, IBPI, Image Star (breaks sponsor), Imaging Solutions Direct, Intermedia, Katun, Keypoint Intelligence, LEAF, MPS Monitor, MyQ, NA Trading and Technology, Polek & Polek, Printerpoint, Quench, Rev.io, Ricoh, RISO, Sharp (Don Yaeger keynote sponsor), Source Technologies, Static Control, TD SYNNEX, Technology Assurance Group (TAG; lunch sponsor), Toshiba, Wells Fargo, Xerox (cocktail reception sponsor) and Zultys (Brett Johnson keynote sponsor).
BTA member dealers receive 2-for-1 registration to the 2024 BTA National Conference. BTA member dealer registration is $199, which includes the Friday and Saturday educational sessions; Friday breakfast, lunch and reception; and Saturday breakfast. An additional attendee from the same member dealership is $99. Non-member dealer registration is $249 per person. Registered attendees can also purchase Disney tickets for $50 each at registration (see website for details).
