That includes Association executives, members of the Equipment Marketing & Distribution Association (EMDA), spouses and guests, and speakers.

“It is fluid,” Executive Vice President Vernon Schmidt said. “We have a few folks still registering and a few folks who are bumping into conflicts at home and changing their plans to attend. We see a dip in attendance among our Canadian members, which we understand, but of course their presence will be missed.”

To break down the numbers a bit more, our Association expects about 250 executives. EMDA expects 80. As we anticipated, attendance is not as robust as pre-pandemic years, but it is stronger than our Supply Summit in Kansas City, which is when we dipped our toe into a return to normal.

“There is a certain energy that comes with a crowded room, and our attendance in Oklahoma City is robust enough to create that energy,” Schmidt said. “Beyond that, what we want for our members is a good experience—opportunities to do business, learn, and gain greater perspective on what’s happening in the industry. I am confident that attendees who want that experience will find it.”

If you need to adjust a room reservation, please contact Tricia Kidd at (314) 878-2304. After Friday, Oct. 29, room changes should be handled directly with the Omni Oklahoma City.

Learn more about what’s in store in Oklahoma City at

Check out the registration list, learn more about speakers, and explore convention opportunities at .

Oklahoma’s COVID-19 case count in late September was 41 percent lower than the Aug. 30 case count, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).

In a 30-day period that ended Sept. 27, 91 percent of hospitalizations from COVID-19 occurred in people who were not vaccinated.

“With a decrease in overall cases, breakthrough infections and hospitalizations over the past month, combined with the rollout of the booster dose for eligible populations, I’m hopeful that our state will continue to see positive progress in our pandemic response,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Lance Frye.

This news from the host state of our Marketing & Distribution Convention coincides with research findings from event planning firm Freeman that “you are dramatically less likely to contract COVID-19 at a business event than by simply performing day-to-day activities such as grocery shopping.”

The mid-August research, which Freeman conducted in partnership with Epistemix, a modeling software company that develops simulations to fight disease, found that infection rates at business events were as much as 95 percent lower than the average across the U.S. over the same time period.

Data from August, which was collected from two dozen cities considered key event venues, show an infection rate at business events of less than a tenth of a percent, Epistemix found.

Among key factors reducing the risk:

• Business event attendees tend to be vaccinated (80 percent at the time of the study);
• Events are relatively isolated and controlled;
• Attendees value the in-person networking and take steps to assure it can continue.

The Association will honor COVID-19 protocols established by the Omni Oklahoma City as well as city, county, and state requirements. As of today, that means we will host the convention without masks or distancing requirements. We will, of course, honor the wishes of attendees who prefer to keep a distance or take extra precautions.

Take a look at the airfares we found Monday to Will Rogers World Airport in OKC. These flights arrive on Tuesday, Nov. 2, and depart Friday, Nov. 5.

Chicago, O’Hare (United)—$219
Atlanta (Delta)—$249
Minneapolis (American)—$237 St. Louis (Southwest)—$154
Indianapolis (American)—$237
Montgomery, Ala. (Delta)—$249
Cedar Rapids, Iowa (United)—$236
Madison, Wis. (American)—$237
Detroit (United)—$279
Pittsburgh (Delta)—$299

The meeting is 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in the prefunction space of the Oklahoma Station Ballroom. The ballroom is the site of the EMDA Industry Showcase. The meeting is scheduled to last 15 minutes.

The marketer membership section will hold a roundtable discussion as part of the section’s annual fall meeting, which includes election of leadership. The meeting is 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in Route 66.

You have to trust it will be worth it. The people who regularly attend do indeed trust in its value, and with every return visit, their relationships deepen, their network expands, and the value in the gathering becomes greater.

To learn specifics about the convention, go to and click on the “OKC” image. Today, we offer you a few thoughts about ways you might consider its value.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” — Charles Darwin, geologist, biologist, and contributor to the science of evolution

At the convention in Oklahoma City, you will meet Jack Uldrich, who is an author and speaker who appears frequently on national networks and in national publications to share his insights on the future of innovation. His work is based on the principles of unlearning—breaking free from obsolete knowledge and assumptions to thrive in an era of change.

The shortline farm equipment industry is changing. Adaptation is essential. Uldrich will give attendees strategies to thrive.

“Because it is its purpose to create a customer, any business enterprise has two—and only these two—basic functions: marketing and innovation.” — the late Peter Drucker, consultant, author, and educator

The convention offers you opportunities to find, expand, and strengthen your sales channels. And, it creates conversations that bring you to next-level thinking—to innovation.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” —writer Robert Louis Stevenson

Convention attendees come to do business, but they base that business on relationships. They also come to problem-solve and learn.

This is a collection of people who see conventions as the art of planting seeds in the industry, supporting others, being supported, and ultimately strengthening the farm implement industry.

“The way you position yourself at the beginning of a relationship has profound impact on where you end up.” — Ron Karr, film producer and production manager

Making a sale may not be your priority right now, but soon enough, it will be, and your industry relationships will be key. Do not miss this opportunity to stay in touch. Cultivate your network for what’s next in the industry.

Meet Equipment Distributors

Members of the Equipment Marketing & Distribution Association will be at the Omni Oklahoma City with us. Opportunities to meet them, as well as connect with FEMA marketing members, include:

• Joint industry breakfast and opening session, featuring Uldrich
• EMDA Contact Session, a meet-and-greet to discuss territories and products with distributors.
• Marketplace, a similar event with FEMA marketers
• Joint industry breakfast buffet
• Joint industry reception

Check out the registration list, learn more about speakers, and explore the opportunities at .

The agenda includes the election of directors to the Board of Directors, the president’s report, and other business required. Each regular member company in good standing will have one vote on each item addressed during the meeting.

There are no provisions for proxy voting.

Associate membership sections also will elect leadership in separate meetings.

The Association is accepting recommendations for executives from regular member companies to stand for election in Oklahoma City in November.

Those who are elected directors will immediately begin two- and three-year terms.

Nominees should serve in leadership positions in their companies and have a history of engagement in Association work and the farm equipment industry.

Directors are central to the work of identifying legislative priorities, growing membership, raising the Association’s visibility, and stewarding its resources to assure it remains financially strong.

If you would like to recommend someone for a director position, contact Ric Kirby, chairman of the Nominating Committee for Directors. His email address is rmk@kirbymfg.com.

The committee will nominate a slate of candidates during the annual business meeting on Nov. 3.