In support of helping the industry continue to move toward re-opening, the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) announces that its 2021 Fall Conference will offer an in-person event option. The conference will benefit from a hybrid format in which participants may choose to either attend physically at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, or connect virtually. The conference will be held Oct.18-21, with registration opening in early July.

"This new hybrid format seeks to continue serving our members in every capacity, whether they are located in the U.S. or Canada, and whether they prefer to gather in person or online," said Janice Yglesias, FGIA Executive Director. "The different options will offer two distinct but blended experiences that deliver the high value and interest that is customary of FGIA events."

To best serve members and meeting participants and to address safety concerns as FGIA transitions back to in-person gatherings, FGIA Meetings Manager, Florica Vlad, has become a Pandemic Compliance Advisor (PCA) through Health Education Services, in addition to being a Certified Event Planner (CEP). The PCA role is tasked with enforcing actions to assure participants and staff are protected within the scope of an event from contracting or spreading COVID-19. While FGIA, like any entity, is unable to guarantee zero levels of exposure, participants can be confident that all possible precautions will take place prior to, during and following the Fall Conference.

While the schedule for the conference is still being developed, author and body language expert Janine Driver will reprise her role as the event's keynote speaker.

"We are thrilled to welcome back Janine Driver as our keynote speaker for the Fall Conference," said Vlad. "Janine was a popular speaker at our event in 2017, and we look forward to sharing her expertise with both our in-person and virtual audiences."

New FAQs have been added to the FGIA website to address questions about the Fall Conference's hybrid format, including information about the U.S. Center for Disease Control's up-to-date guidance and the plan to ensure safety is the conference's first priority.

To learn more about upcoming FGIA events, visit FGIAonline.org/events. Contact Florica Vlad at fvlad@FGIAonline.org with any questions.