After attending nearly 30 BEMA Conventions throughout my career as a member and staff member, this year’s Convention looked a little different for me. While Texas wasn’t quite the Big Island, family came first, and I experienced Convention remotely for the first time in decades. Surprisingly, that distance was a gift. When you have been deeply involved in something for years, it can be difficult to step back and see the event with fresh eyes. However, watching it unfold remotely gave me the opportunity to notice things that can be easy to miss when you’re moving from meeting to meeting, and from that new vantage point, a few things became especially clear.
Content Still Leads the Way
“Content is king” isn’t a new concept, but this year’s convention reinforced just how important it is to deliver content that meets members where they are. BEMA’s strategic plan sharpened our focus on what matters most: our members. Our members are our North Star and our responsibility is to create meaningful value for them in everything we do. That means our content must continue to evolve alongside our membership and the industry.
From where I was sitting, this year’s programming showed that evolution in action. Convention 2026 sessions explored AI, trade show trends, personal growth, inspiration, commercialization, and the evolving challenges facing both suppliers and bakers. Great content doesn’t just inform people, it gives them something to take back to their teams and their lives.
Investing in Growth
At BEMA we continually ask ourselves, “How does what we offer help our members grow, both personally and professionally?”, and this year gave me plenty of insight into what that is.
The AI session encouraged members to look ahead and begin exploring how emerging technology can strengthen their organizations. Kimberly Hardcastle brought new data and insights from hundreds of thousands of exhibitors and attendees, giving members a fresh perspective on how to approach IBIE and other trade shows. Seb Terry’s keynote brought an entirely different kind of value. His story encouraged people to create a bucket list of their own personal goals and to start checking a few off. I’ve started making my own bucket list, and, yes, I’ve started checking them off!
Those moments are important because growth doesn’t always happen in the ways we expect. Sometimes it comes from learning technology or a new piece of data, and sometimes it comes from being reminded that there is still a lot of life to experience outside of our work. While the educational sessions inspired new ideas, the conversations between sessions helped bring many of those ideas to life.
Connections Still Count
Even from a small town in Texas, I could see the connections happening. Through Brant’s daily photo uploads, I watched countless meaningful interactions taking place throughout the week. A new introduction can become a partnership, and a longtime industry friendship can offer support when a business challenge arises. Those connections are a fundamental part of why we come together in the first place, so creating a space for those connections and continuing to build a community where people feel welcomed and valued will remain one of BEMA’s greatest responsibilities and opportunities.
Strong connections need time to develop, and one of the biggest differences I noticed this year was that members actually had that time.
Making Room to be Present
The schedule changes were initially designed to accommodate travel and allow members to take advantage of everything Hawaii had to offer. But what I didn’t anticipate was that it also gave people room to simply be present.
There was more time for family, longtime friends, new connections and to actually enjoy the destination without feeling like everyone was racing from one commitment to the next. Family has always been an important part of BEMA Conventions, but this year it was especially noticeable. Perhaps it was the bucket-list destination or the new schedule. Whatever the reason, members and their family showed up, and the convention became more than a business event. It became a shared experience, something worth protecting as we look toward future conventions.
Creating an experience like this requires more than a well-planned agenda, it takes thoughtful leadership and a commitment to serving our members.
Leadership With Purpose
One of the most rewarding parts of watching from afar was seeing the work of BEMA’s staff and board come to life.
Our responsibility is ultimately to serve our members, bakers, suppliers, and industry partners. Watching the dedication and care that went into the convention was both humbling and inspiring. Their success came from thoughtful planning by the BEMA staff, excellent execution from the hotel, and excited members ready to participate. That’s what leadership looks like to me. It isn’t about one person having all the answers, it’s about creating a space where everyone can connect, contribute, grow, and succeed together.
BEMA continues to find better ways to serve our members while staying grounded in the values that have shaped this organization for decades. Sometimes, you have to step away from something to really appreciate what it has become, and from where I was sitting, BEMA Convention 2026 gave me a pretty great view of where we’re going next.
