Dear Aviation Colleagues,
At a time when many things remain uncertain, one thing that we can count on is the strength and support we receive from our industry colleagues. It is in that spirit of collaboration and support that I proudly invite you to attend the 65th annual Air Carrier’s Purchasing Conference which will be held August 27 – 30, 2022 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. I am honored to be your Airline host for this event, in partnership with Shawn Wilson of VSE Aviation – your Supplier Chair.
As we grapple with the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, I remain hopeful that this year provides us an opportunity to shore up our supply chains, time to reengage with our supplier and airline colleagues, and a steady hand to guide us through this on-going crisis. While a ‘return to normalcy’ may not be in sight (as we are now faced with many new norms), a stabilization of our industry is indeed possible. This makes this year’s conference theme “Stabilize the Skies” extremely fitting.
This past year’s conference in Atlanta, which proved just how nimble and flexible a Steering Committee the ACPC Board really is, brought over 1100 attendees and was an incredibly successful event despite logistical challenges brought on by the pandemic. I was thrilled to see so many of you reconnecting with colleagues and greeting new suppliers who stand ready to meet airline needs.
The entire ACPC Committee is working hard to bring you a valuable and memorable event for 2022! We are finalizing the line-up of speakers and are excited to bring back David Suarez and David Goad for Personal Development sessions, as well as a new face – Manley Feinberg, our Keynote Speaker for our Monday luncheon. I am looking forward to hearing how Manley’s background in outdoor adventuring can provide us all with timely and salient advice for navigating and thriving during extreme situations (something we could all benefit from these days). We will have the connection time you’ve come to appreciate during the Airline Networking Forum and the Roundtable sessions – as well as many other chances to engage your colleagues over the course of our days together. San Diego and the Marriott Marquis are a fantastic location to host this event and we will have the opportunity to enjoy the weather, the ocean, music and entertainment.
I encourage you to attend this year’s conference to experience the value the ACPC has to offer. If you have any questions or suggestions for improving the conference, please feel free to email your 2022 Board of Directors and Airline Committee at [email protected].
Warm Regards,
Stephanie A. Cootsona
Director, Supply Chain – Operations
Alaska Airlines, Inc.
2022 ACPC Airline Chair