BEMA Convention’s virtual ‘Workforce Edition’ complements in-person program

BACK TO ALL NEWS

BEMA Convention’s virtual ‘Workforce Edition’ complements in-person program

6 Apr 2021

Joanie Spencer

Since 2008, Joanie Spencer has covered the retail and wholesale sides of the baking industry.
Serving associations such as the American Society of Baking (ASB) and BEMA, Joanie is also in demand as an industry presenter on bakery operations and trends. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Rockhurst University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

When she’s not running or playing soccer, Joanie spends her time with her husband and 11-year-old son.

OVERLAND PARK, KS — After announcing plans to move forward with its in-person convention to be held June 23-26 in Marco Island, FL, BEMA announced a new component, BEMA Convention 2021: Workforce Edition.

While the onsite convention will tout many of the convention’s favorite traditions including industry insight sessions, BEMA connect and several networking opportunities — all done with COVID-19 safety protocols — BEMA has added the workforce component as an option for member companies to virtually bring their workforce into the fold with exclusive interactive content for at-home attendees.

BEMA developed BEMA Convention: Workforce Edition to deepen engagement with member companies and dispel the myth that membership is only for the executives who attend the convention onsite.

“We want to freshly communicate the whole company has the membership,” said Emily Bowers, VP of education and operations for BEMA and co-manager of IBIEducate. “We learned by talking to our members that they thought whomever attended convention was the member, and we’re moving past that assumption.”

During the past year, BEMA has worked to further engage member companies by diversifying content wit programs such as online webinars and roundtables. This will be the type of format at-home attendees can expect during the Workforce Edition.

The exclusive program will feature an overall risk assessment tutorial from BIF members, a social media workshop with virtual specialist Shawna Suckow, a 2021-2022 workforce forecast for HR professionals and a BEMA U Insights Discovery workshop.

Every onsite convention registration comes with a complimentary Workforce Edition registration code that can be shared throughout the member company.

“Registered members can share the code with anyone in their company,” Bowers said. “The Workforce Edition is the perfect way to share the benefits of BEMA membership throughout the organization.”

The Workforce Edition is the perfect way to share the benefits of BEMA membership throughout the organization.

In addition to the exclusive Workforce Edition day on June 23, remote attendees will also have access for virtual participation on June 24-25 for events such as keynote addresses and BEMA Intel updates.

“Quality and applicable professional development isn’t always easy to find, and attending Convention in person isn’t for everyone,” said Kerwin Brown, BEMA president and CEO. “We’re bringing you the best of both worlds content that’s available exclusively for our remote members.”

Enhanced member engagement is a key element of BEMA’s strategic plan. According to Bowers, who is a certified association executive from ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, noted that this new element to the 2021 convention is a key to the association’s longevity.

“We want to maintain the integrity of the traditions that come with an in-person convention but diversify the overall concept,” Bowers said. “It’s a natural and authentic way to diversify the membership. The more people are involved, the more the value of membership will be recognized.”

Registration for the 2021 BEMA Convention and information on BEMA Convention: Workforce Edition can be found here.

Advertisement

BACK TO ALL NEWS