Rich Educational Content Combines with Presentations, Booths, Networking and Fun
“ATMs Across America” might have been virtual this year, but the annual National ATM Council’s annual conference and trade show was never more relevant. Like many associations, the NAC had to change course, building out online exhibits, sponsor presentations, educational sessions and networking opportunities (and even offered a couple of fun, after-hours social events –– Bingo & Brews and Poker & Prizes).
This was no scaled-back, stripped-down conference, but a very robust event that ran for three days (October 27-29) and had a series of in-depth educational sessions to bring members up to speed on all things ATM. Attendance fees were underwritten by event sponsors, making it free for members and only $99 for non-member operators of 50 or fewer ATMs.
Said NAC Executive Director Bruce Renard, “We’ve received a great deal of positive feedback on our NAC2020-Virtual Conference & Expo event. Attendees have expressed their heartfelt thanks to NAC for putting together such a robust virtual trade show for the industry in the face of the pandemic conditions that prevented us from gathering in person at Caesars Palace as planned.”
Renard said attendance was very close to what they typically see at their in-person conference, adding, “we expect that number to grow as more folks continue accessing the virtual platform in the coming days.” One of the benefits of the virtual format is its continued availability of content post-event, he noted.
And that content is rich. Certainly among the highlights were sessions focused on what’s been called the “War on Cash.” This included presentations about cash protection legislation by members of Congress: U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (R-N.J.) and Donald Payne (D.-N.J.) and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). They spoke about bipartisan efforts to pass bills in the House and Senate to preserve and protect the nation’s legal tender for retail payments, as well as access to bank accounts for ATM operators. NAC was also able to get David Lott, a payment risk expert from the Atlanta Federal Reserve, to speak on cash trends, national coin shortages and payment developments that affect ATM businesses.
In addition to the association’s annual Security Academy (this was the fifth running of the session), we could fill several pages of this issue with just the basic rundown of the other educational programs NAC offered this year. It ran the gamut from how to engage in ATM operations at cannabis dispensaries to an “ATM Pandemic Survival Guide,” from starting a new ATM business to getting and keeping a bank account (still a very hot issue for those in the money machine business).
Renard continued, “The feedback we’ve received on this year’s educational program has been particularly gratifying, with attendees commenting on the excellence of the presentations and the benefit of having them available on-demand for later viewing. Notwithstanding the success of this year’s virtual event, we are really looking forward to gathering in-person with ATM Nation for NAC2021 next October at Paris-Las Vegas to celebrate NAC’s 10th Anniversary.”
For more information, visit www.natmc.org.