2009 Conference Attendee Comments

This was the first OFDA event I have been to in quite and few years and I think the theme of the event mixed with all of the breakout sessions was a great idea. As a small furniture dealer most of the hours of our days are taken up with running the business day to day. This conference allowed us to see what new ideas and technologies are out there to help us run our company more effectively and efficiently. Keep up the good work and thanks for putting on a great show. We will definately be in Florida next year. - Mark Canavarro, Cubicles Office Environments

For OFI, we find the conference to be very educational and informative. It is always good to see old friends that we have meet at previous conference and make new friends at the same time. We are looking forward to next year’s conference already. - Melinda Hammon, VP of Finance, Office Furniture Innovations LLC

The OFDA Conference is a great place to get educated in a short period of time. The speakers are not only educational, but also entertaining. I always look forward to the next OFDA Conference and already have it on my calendar. - Bill Mears, Furniture Sales Manager, Convenience Office Interiors

This year’s conference was energizing and rich with information. I brought back many new ideas that will be incorporated into our business plan. So many good points were discussed that I needed to hear again, perspectives that you lose sight of as you stay immersed in the hectic pace of day to day business.
From motivation to innovation, I can’t think of any topic that I wanted to hear that wasn’t covered. As well, of course, are the great one- on- one conversations, possible with our counterparts from other dealerships, that give insight into common issues and practical solutions that have been tried and proven.
We are in the process of formulating our implementation plan for the great ideas we picked up there. It was a tremendous boost for us to attend. The facility, food, and service was wonderful. Thanks for all the energy and commitment you put in to make it what it is. - Dan Durst, President, Durst Contract Interiors

I’ve been in this industry for close to twenty years and have rarely attended conferences either due to important projects with deadlines to meet or some other schedule conflict.
Monday’s speaker (Gil Cargil) and Tuesday morning’s panel of representatives were enlightening. The seminars offered were very thought provoking and the services presented may prove valuable. As a “non member”, attending this conference was a pleasant learning experience. I look forward to participating in future events with OFDA. - Todd Noble, All Systems Go Furniture

Very strong conference center, amenities etc… Could have been a bit closer to the city, but nice venue. I liked the general theme of fighting through the tough times. Going from survivor to champion. Saying NO to bad/unrealistic/unprofitable opportunities. Ways to improve by reading, investing, coaching, working. Thanks for putting on a very good show! - Shane Blackman, VP - Sales Team Leader, Schroeder Solutions

This was my maiden voyage – to the OFR- OFDA. I must say I was very impressed with the overall organization – the meeting were very organized as were the luncheons and breakfast meeting’s – we will attend again as well as joining the organization. - Carlos Lopez, C2C Office Furniture

"I am a new member to OFDA and didn't know what to expect. As an Independent Installation company in Houston, I thought I would attend because Austin is so close. I was impressed with the event and the educational content. I made many valuable contacts and have brought back ideas I am implementing in my business. I will be traveling to Florida to go next year! This was a good value and a fun experience." - Rebecca Gage, G&L Installations, Houston, Texas

As a first year attendee, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of great information I could take back home and put into practice into our dealership immediately. I found that having a choice of several seminars to choose from made it also very helpful in learning about what we specifically needed to learn more about for our company. I have to say it was well worth the investment and we look forward to attending next year. Thank you for working so hard to make this conference a great experience for all of us. It is much appreciated! - James Strole, President, WorkSpace Resource