A Survival Guide to FEMA’s 2026 Marketing & Distribution Convention

August 21, 2026August 21, 2026 Gina Clark New Orleans, 2026 Marketing & Distribution Convention, Ag Tech Arena Pitch Contest

The Future Is in the Room. Will You Be?

There are conferences you attend.

And then there are conferences where you somehow return home three days later with 47 new ideas, 16 new contacts, approximately 900 unread emails and a serious need for comfortable shoes.

FEMA’s 2026 Marketing & Distribution Convention is shaping up to be the latter.

From October 27–29 at the New Orleans Marriott, FEMA members will gather for three days of education, networking, business conversations, new ideas and—if history is any indication—a fair amount of laughter along the way.

The future may be in the room, but knowing how to make the most of your time there is half the battle.

With a full schedule, here’s your unofficial survival guide to making the most of your time in New Orleans.

1. Don’t try to do everything.

This may be the hardest rule of all.

With educational sessions, networking opportunities, the AgTech Arena, the Pitch Contest, the Showcase and plenty of opportunities for impromptu conversations, it will be tempting to fill every minute of your calendar.

�ٴǲ�’t.

Leave some breathing room in your schedule. Some of the most valuable conversations at a FEMA convention happen in the hallway, over coffee or when you sit down next to someone you didn’t originally plan to meet.

The goal isn’t to attend everything.

The goal is to leave with something valuable.

2. Show up for the big ideas.

The convention opens with a joint Opening Breakfast featuring keynote speaker Alex Weber, whose presentation, The Unstoppable You, will kick off the event on Wednesday morning.

Consider this your first opportunity to put the phone down, grab some coffee and actually be present.

Because sometimes the idea you need most isn’t the one you came looking for.

3. Bring your curiosity to the AgTech Arena.

Technology continues to change the way agriculture—and the equipment industry—does business.

The FEMA AgTech Arena will put that innovation front and center, including the convention’s AgTech Pitch Contest, where emerging companies will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas.

You don’t have to be a technology expert to get something out of it.

Just be curious.

What are these companies developing? What problems are they trying to solve? And what could those ideas mean for your business five years from now?

Pay attention. Today’s startup could become tomorrow’s industry partner.

4. Make room for the economic reality check.

Innovation is exciting, but somebody still has to make the numbers work.

The convention’s Economic Outlook session with Patrick Luce and Jeremy Bess will provide a chance to step back and look at the broader economic environment affecting manufacturers, distributors and the agricultural equipment industry.

Bring your questions.

And maybe your calculator.

5. Network like you mean it.

“Networking” can sound like one of those things you’re supposed to do at a convention.

But at FEMA, it’s often one of the biggest reasons to be there.

Talk to someone you don’t know.

Sit at a different table.

Introduce yourself to a new member.

Reconnect with someone you haven’t seen in a year.

Ask another manufacturer how they’re handling something you’re struggling with.

The best conversations aren’t always the ones listed on the agenda.

6. Wear comfortable shoes.

This is not optional.

You will walk more than you think you will.

You’ll walk to sessions. You’ll walk to breakfast. You’ll walk to the Showcase. You’ll walk to talk to someone who is “just over there.”

And then you’ll walk some more.

Your future self will thank you.

7. Don’t forget the Showcase.

Set aside time to attend the industry showcase and see what’s new, meet exhibitors and explore products and services that could help your business.

Even if you aren’t actively looking for something, take a lap.

You never know what—or who—you might discover.

8. Put your phone to work—but don’t let it run the convention.

Yes, take pictures.

Yes, connect with people on LinkedIn.

Yes, check the FEMA app for schedules, information and updates.

But don’t spend the entire convention looking at the screen in your hand instead of the people standing in front of you.

The people in the room are the reason you’re there.

9. Bring business cards. Or at least be ready to connect.

You may not exchange a single business card.

That’s okay.

Just make sure your LinkedIn profile is current, your contact information is easy to find and you have a way to follow up with the people you meet.

Because making a great connection is only half the job.

Following up is where the real value begins.

10. Leave room for the unexpected.

Maybe you’ll meet a potential customer.

Maybe you’ll discover a new technology.

Maybe you’ll hear an idea that changes the way you look at your business.

Maybe you’ll reconnect with an old friend.

Or maybe you’ll have a 20-minute conversation over coffee that turns out to be the most valuable part of the entire convention.

You can’t schedule those moments.

You just have to leave room for them.

Your FEMA Convention Survival Kit

If you want to be fully prepared, pack:

Comfortable shoes
Business cards—or a charged phone
A notebook or notes app
Questions you’ve been meaning to ask
An open mind
A willingness to meet someone new
Your sense of humor
And, ideally, a little extra room in your suitcase for all those new ideas

Most importantly: Show up.

A convention is only as valuable as what you put into it.

So come ready to learn. Come ready to connect. Come ready to share what’s working—and what’s not.

Because the future of this industry isn’t happening somewhere else.