2017 Summer Conference Features Highly Successful Logistics Track

June 29, 2017 | Toy manufacturers from across the country gathered in Newark, NJ from June 12 to 13 to attend The Toy Association’s 2017 Summer Conference.

In addition to credit, finance, and operations sessions and workshops, this year’s conference featured a logistics track that included a highly successful interactive tour of the Toys“R”Us distribution center in Flanders, NJ led by senior executives at Toys“R”Us, and a much anticipated tour of the Port of New York and New Jersey guided by senior executives of the Port Authority and the Maher Terminals – the Port’s largest terminal. The tour of the Port included presentations by Port Authority and Maher Terminals senior officials, representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and inspectors from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The conference also featured educational programming with a logistics focus, including a seminar on adapting logistics decisions to the online marketplace (presented by DHL Express USA) and a session on the state of the shipping industry (presented by The Journal of Commerce). Rebecca Mond, Toy Association senior director of federal government affairs, moderated a workshop for logistics managers.

“Building on the success of our previous Summer Conferences, this year’s focus on logistics and shipping was very well-received by attendees,” says Paul Vitale, senior vice president of finance and operations at The Toy Association. “Participants were especially excited about the special tours, comparing the Port of New York and New Jersey to the ‘Grand Canyon’ and calling it ‘unforgettable.’”

As always, the Summer Conference offered a workshop on challenges in today’s credit and collections environment, a “Beyond Credit” breakout session for senior finance and operations executives, an important presentation on credit risk analysis for key retail accounts, and a “Review of Accounts” session. The event also included a networking dinner at the unique Avenue A Club, where attendees, presenters, and guests from the Port had a chance to mingle in a relaxed setting.

The Summer Conference is open exclusively to manufacturer members of The Toy Association. This year’s event was held at the Hilton Newark Penn Station Hotel in Newark, New Jersey. Details about the 2018 Summer Conference will be made available on The Toy Association website in the coming months.