If you’re fortunate to be among the 1,000-plus rail industry leaders who are attending the NRC Annual Conference in Boca Raton from January 4 through 7, here’s some advice to help maximize your investment. If you are not able to make it, all is not lost. Scroll down for some valuable tips.

For Conference Attendees

• Target key connections. There is no doubt you will make a lot of valuable connections at the conference, but a little planning will help ensure you meet with the right people to advance your business. About a week before the conference, watch for an email from the NRC with a list of registered attendees. Use this list to identify key contacts and schedule times to connect.

  • SCAM ALERT – Watch out for solicitations via email that offer hotel deals or registration lists on behalf of the NRC. These groups are not affiliated with the NRC. Check the NRC website or contact the NRC directly for the most up-to-date conference information.

• Bring lots of business cards. Business cards are the commerce of industry events. Bring plenty and keep them handy for new connections.

• Download the app. The NRC is going green and will not have printed programs at the conference. Be sure to download the app so you can easily reference the full schedule, check out the exhibit map, and receive important notifications.

• Regroup after the conference. Whether or not all of your team members attend the conference, bring everyone together to share what you’ve learned and evaluate how that impacts your plan. Follow up with new connections and others you met at the conference.

For Those Who Cannot Attend the NRC Conference

• Connect with others who attended. Ask your colleagues and peers at other companies for their impressions of the conference and what they learned. Find out which presentations contained information that will impact your 2023 plans.

• Review the conference slides. After the conference, the NRC will post the slide decks of most conference speakers on its website. Log in with your NRC credentials to refer to the slide presentations.

• Join the NRC. If you are not a member, join the NRC and make plans to attend the 2024 Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Membership provides benefits all year long, including a broad range of safety training resources, advocacy updates and opportunities, discounted registration at the annual conference, an informative monthly newsletter, and other information and events geared specifically toward contractors and suppliers.

There’s still time to register for the 2023 conference.

Connections Happen Here