Wrapping up today in Phoenix, ASI Show this week produced its second-annual ASI Show ConneX conference, the promotional products industry’s largest hosted-buyer event. Held at the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa, ConneX attracted 175 distributor and supplier attendees for three days of networking, in-depth one-on-one meetings, and sharing of business-building strategies.

In a unique format that utilizes a proprietary matchmaking technology to ensure suppliers and distributors meet with targeted connections, ConneX brought together attendees for productive and engaging one-on-one meetings. “It’s best to see your suppliers in person,” said Chadwick Charles, president and CEO of Chad O’L Public Relations & Events/O’L Lifestyles Brands (asi/160555) and a distributor attendee at ConneX this week. “Having an opportunity like this to meet with so many suppliers for deeper conversations is invaluable to building relationships.”

Suppliers in attendance also found the conversations with distributors to be rewarding and beneficial to their businesses. Dave Cullinan, vice president of business development for Rokform (asi/83144), said he and his company attended ConneX to discover the business model and product needs of a wide set of distributor companies. “It’s important to meet the customers and get first-hand information from the distributors themselves,” he said. “It has given us great ideas for how our business model can fit with their business needs.”

ConneX opened on Monday night with a reception on the first tee of the golf course at the Arizona Grand Resort and continued Tuesday through Thursday morning with pre-scheduled meetings between suppliers and distributors. With a packed schedule and ample opportunities at open house sessions in supplier suites and group meals each day, the event lent itself to creating close connections between attendees.

“This is the first time I’m doing an event like this and I’m loving it,” said Nancy Martin, territory manager of supplier firm Edwards Garment Company (asi/51752). “It’s great to have 20-minute conversations with distributors to really get to know them and their businesses.”

ASI Show has posted an album with photos from the event. In 2023, ASI Show ConneX will take place in Nashville, TN, from October 9-12.