Dear AHPA members and friends in the herbal community,
I am reaching out today to let you know that all AHPA activities normally held as in-person meetings will instead be produced as virtual events, webinars or teleconferences for the balance of 2020.
This change in plans will impact the:
Each of these events will be professionally produced on an interactive virtual platform and will provide substantive content, dynamic speakers and optimized opportunities for one-on-one interactions.
In addition, the meetings of the AHPA Board of Trustees and numerous committees that usually occur at Supply Side West will be rescheduled as teleconferences.
AHPA will also continue to conduct educational webinars exploring issues most relevant to your businesses.
Look for additional updates from us in the coming weeks as AHPA staff finalizes plans for these activities.
Our decision to “go virtual” for the rest of 2020 prioritizes the health and safety of the AHPA staff and our member companies and industry colleagues. This decision also reflects our understanding that late postponements and rescheduling of in-person events can be disruptive to your work. We will now be able to finalize dates and plans with certainty, which will allow you to do the same.
Even as we make this change in organizing our events, I want to assure you that AHPA's commitment to its mission of promoting responsible commerce of herbal products remains unchanged during these times.
AHPA continues its work of engaging with state and federal regulators and lawmakers, providing services and resources to members and the larger community, issuing regular communications to inform the industry of the latest developments, producing online educational events and guidance documents, and providing forums to collaborate with colleagues and strengthen the herbal community.
The opportunities to meet with you face-to-face in various locations are high points each year, as we exchange ideas, shake hands with old friends and meet new colleagues who become long-term business partners. We will all miss the touch points that in-person meetings confer for the rest of this year, but for 2020 AHPA is embracing this “new normal” and the different energy it will bring. We will seek your feedback as we re-evaluate our options for 2021.
In the meantime, don't hesitate to contact me or anyone on the AHPA staff if you need assistance during these uncertain and challenging times. You can also get the latest COVID-19 news and resources at the AHPA COVID-19 Information & Resources Web Center. We are eager to support you as you work to meet the herbal needs of your communities.
Thank you for your continued involvement with AHPA.
Sincerely,
Michael McGuffin
AHPA President