America Outdoors, a national membership-led association committed to helping America’s outfitting businesses, announced its lineup of keynote speakers for the 2023 America Outdoors Conference, Dec. 5-8 in Phoenix.
The speakers include:
- 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., Dec. 6 – Travel expert and diversity advocate Mikah Meyer (below) for a humorous multimedia session on how to tap into new markets effectively. Spurred by the death of his father, Meyer spent 2016-2019 visiting all 400-plus National Park Service sites. Along the way, he discovered many ways our outdoor spaces are less welcoming to certain demographics. Currently, Meyer helps the outdoor industry tap into the diversity of America’s population.
- 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., Dec 7 – America Outdoors Executive Director Aaron Bannon (left) and Board of Directors President Dave McGlashan (below) cover important industry trends for outfitters and the outdoor industry as a whole, along with association updates. Lastly, they will present the George and Pamela Wendt Industry Achievement Award and the new Innovator Award.
- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Dec. 8 – Friends of Grand Rapids Parks Executive Director Stacy Bare (main photo) speaks to the power of building out teams that care about each other’s success, which translates to greater success within the team but for all customers and stakeholders. Attendees will come away with actionable steps to build welcoming teams where folks feel a sense of belonging and purpose. Bare is a veteran and father, as well as an accomplished skier and climber. Additionally, Bare has received many accolades for his work in the outdoor industry including being named the 2017 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and the 2014 and 2017 recipient of the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals Excellence Award.
For information on registration along with a full conference agenda, visit this link or contact Marketing and Events Manager Hilary Wickes at hwickes@americaoutdoors.org.