Spring Meeting 2025
MEETING IS SOLD OUT!!!!
The Spring meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Resort, Asheville, North Carolina.
The meeting will kick off on Sunday, April 27, 2025, with a welcome reception / dinner. Board members will meet on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 4:00 pm so please plan your flights accordingly.
Meeting will be hosted by ILDA Associate member Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Charitable Walk - Sunday, April 27, 2025 - We have found a fun venue for our walk, the Asheville Urban Trail. The walk features 30 sculptural trail stations that will provide a fun and historical background on Asheville. Our walk will begin at Station 1, located on Pack Place on Asheville’s historic Pack Square. Pack Square is about a 7-minute drive from The Crowne Plaza Resort (roughly 2 miles). Travel to and from the walk will not be provided, as participants will be on their own to UBER/Lyft or car-pool over there. We will begin at Station 1, but walkers can cover the course at their own pace. If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact Kathi at kbretcko@ilda.org.
Monies collected from the walk will be presented to the Always Asheville Fund a non-profit designed to help small independent businesses in the community.
Walk registration form - Spring Meeting 2025 Activity Registration Form
Registration fee $50 per person for charitable walk.
Download and fill out credit card processing form
Click on activity link on site to pay at https://www.ilda.org/shop
Meet in lobby at 11:30 am - pick up your t-shirt
| Vendor Expo -- Please register and pay fee before submitting Vendor Expo Form. | Dietary Restriction Form | Credit Card Processing Form |
The Crowne Plaza® Hotel Asheville sits on 125 acres adjacent to downtown Asheville and offers guests access to on-site dining, fitness, golf, pool, tennis, zip line canopy tours, and more. Asheville, North Carolina and its surrounding mountains offer an abundance of things to see and do. Visit the Asheville, North Carolina tourism website, exploreasheville.com, for a list of current events and activities happening in and around the Asheville area.
Hotel Information- Room rate $149.00 (double queen rooms) - $169 King bed
Call Crowne Plaza (1-844-330-0296, mention Independent Laboratory Distributors Association Spring 2025).
Call Crowne Plaza local number during business hours Monday through Friday 9 am to 5 pm at 828-285-2603 or 828-285-2620, mention Independent Laboratory Distributors Association Spring 2025.
- Cut-Off Date - Tuesday, April 1, 2025
TRAVEL INFORMATION:
Asheville Regional Airport - AVL - Fly AVL
Hotel is located approximately 14 miles from the airport -- travel time approximately 20 minutes
Agenda:
Saturday, April 26, 2025 |
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4:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Board Meeting – Magnolia |
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6:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Board Dinner - Dogwood |
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Sunday, April 27, 2025 |
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11:30 AM | Charitable Walk - Meet in lobby - pick up your t-shirt
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12:00 PM | Vendor Expo Set up - Expo Center |
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2:00 PM | Optional Associate/Distributor One-on-One Meetings (Note: meetings need to be prearranged between distributors and associates) |
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5:00 PM | Meet & Greet - Board members meet and greet new members and first-time meeting attendees -Crowne Ballroom, Pilot |
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6:00 PM | Registration (pick up name badges) - Foyer |
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7:00 PM | Dinner – Crowne Ballroom, Pisgah & Roan Welcome - John Seelke, ILDA Chair Introduction of Board Members |
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Monday, April 28, 2025 |
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7:45 AM | Breakfast - Crowne Ballroom, Pisgah & Roan |
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8:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Vendor Expo - Expo Center |
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12:45 PM - 2:00 PM | LUNCH -Crowne Ballroom, Pisgah & Roan |
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2:00 PM to 2;30 PM 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM | General Session - Expo Center Speaker --Dr. Martin Lechner, Executive Director, Analytica USA - Featuring a fresh and innovative trade fair concept, analytica USA is set to make its debut in Columbus, Ohio, from September 10-12, 2025. The new trade fair format will showcase the latest innovations from international laboratory and analysis manufacturers, all under one roof. We are happy to share that more than 130 exhibitors have already signed up for analytica USA, including some of the big names in the international market like Memmert USA LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bruker, Mettler Toledo, Hamilton, PerkinElmer, Shimadzu, MilliporeSigma, Waters, Xylem, and many more. The exhibition will be accompanied by a two-day scientific conference that is geared towards the academic and research sector. analytica USA will introduce a brand-new, hands-on supporting program designed specifically for laboratory professionals, especially those in the decision-making roles for future investments. The special show area “Live Lab” demonstrates processes of daily routine analysis in a laboratory on an operational lab setup. Lab users get the chance to chat with manufacturers face-to-face and talk about the challenges and the latest innovations. |
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3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
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3:15 PM - 4:45 PM | Speaker -- Curtis Lewsey - Appreciation Marketing - Co-Founder of Appreciation Marketing. Curtis Lewsey is a dynamic entrepreneur, best-selling author, and sought-after speaker on the power of relationships in business. As the co-author of Appreciation Marketing: How to Achieve Greatness Through Gratitude, Curtis has helped thousands of professionals understand the importance of genuine connection, appreciation, and relationship-building to drive success. As the founder of AMCards.com, Curtis has enhanced the way businesses express gratitude and build stronger relationships through personalized, automated greeting cards and gifts. His innovative platform empowers entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and organizations to stay top-of-mind with their clients, increasing referrals and long-term loyalty. Curtis captivates audiences with real-world strategies on how appreciation and authentic relationship-building can transform businesses and personal networks. Whether speaking to sales teams, business owners, or corporate leaders, his insights inspire action, foster meaningful connections, and drive tangible results. Curtis has shared his expertise on stages across the country, delivering powerful messages that resonate with professionals looking to grow their businesses through the simple yet profound act of appreciation. |
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5:15 PM | Meet in lobby to board the buses to the Biltmore Estates. |
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6:00 PM – 7:00 PM 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM | Guided Tour of Biltmore House - The Biltmore Estates Load buses and travel to Lioncrest Veranda for Dinner - travel time 15 minutes.
Interested parties will tour the Biltmore House prior to dinner. After the tour, the group will be transported to Lioncrest Veranda for dinner. Note there is no reception. |
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Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | |||
| Safety Requirements – no open toe or open back shoes, no high heel. Suggested footwear, flats or tennis shoes. You will be required to wear Safety Glasses, a Safety Vest and Safety Gloves which will be supplied by Thermo Fisher Scientific. Security – all attendees will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement. No photos allowed in the facility. |
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8:00 AM | Meet in lobby to board buses – travel to Thermo Fisher Scientific - Attendees MUST wear ILDA Name Badge
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8:15 AM | Buses depart to Thermo Fisher Scientific |
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8:35 AM | Arrive at Thermo Fisher Scientific
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9:00 AM | Overview of Thermo Fisher Scientific & Safety procedures |
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9:15 AM | Tour begins |
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11:15 AM | Lunch - sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific |
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12:00 PM | Adjournment - board buses to airport and/or return to hotel - note please make sure you get on the correct bus. |
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Please plan flights accordingly. |
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Shipping Information:
Note packages should be scheduled to arrive no earlier than Thursday, April 24, 2025
Crowne Plaza Resort
ILDA/your name
1 Resort Drive
Asheville, NC 28806
