PROGRAM INFORMATION
¡Shake your maracas! We've got a great program, but plenty of time to experience Mexico!
Members will gather at the Grand Fiesta Americana resort on the southernmost tip of the Baja peninsula, surrounded by the Sea of Cortez, desert mountains, and dramatic rock outcroppings. Beautiful views, warm sunny weather, and gorgeous accommodations will greet you. This resort is conveniently located on the Tourist Corridor, with easy access to both Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.
The 2024 Annual Meeting will consist of two general sessions; committee, board, and member business meetings; a Welcome reception, a fiesta dinner on the beach, a variety of optional events—including the annual golf and fishing tournaments—and some fun new options! Important note: The 2024 schedule will be slightly different than in years past. View a printable schedule here.
Thank you to our 2024 Annual Meeting sponsors!
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General Session Program
Are you ready to amplify your industry knowledge and connect with fellow wire producers and rod suppliers? Join us for a dynamic, informative, and exciting event. Here's a sneak peek at what you can expect from this year's gathering. Check back often as we update and add more program and speaker information!
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
KEYNOTE: Hardened Felon to Harvard Fellow - Andre Norman
Andre will share his impossible dream of going from a maximum security prison to Harvard University. Learn how to make the future your own through Andre's personal, but universal, message of focusing on what's truly important in life. Andre, the Ambassador of Hope, will help you build your personal legacy.
Thanks to Leggett & Platt for sponsoring our Keynote Speaker!
Political Update: 2024 Policy & Political Outlook - Dana Wood
Dana will preview policy and politics for the year ahead! As Members of the current 118th Congress seek some key legislative wins before they hit the campaign trail this fall, what can we expect on policies of interest to the U.S. wire industry? How will the ongoing government funding debates shake out, and what is the outlook for tax and trade legislation? At the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, what should we expect to see from the Biden Administration in the months ahead, on important trade and economic issues as well as continued implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act? And, as the 2024 Presidential primary season kicks into high gear, what issues are resonating with voters? Looking further ahead, what are the current predictions for the November elections and what might that mean for the balance of power in Washington?
Trade Update and Overview - Daniel Matthews
Daniel will provide a detailed overview and status update on a host of trade initiatives of interest to the wire and wire products industry and steel producers more broadly. He will share the latest details on the recently-extended U.S.-EU Global Arrangement talks, including both the overcapacity and sustainability pillars, as well as a preview of the upcoming multilateral OECD Steel Committee and Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity meetings. Daniel will also discuss the U.S. government’s efforts to improve steel import data and transparency, including through the SIMA program, and, further, will discuss ongoing steel-specific talks with his North American counterparts in Mexico and Canada. And he will provide an update on the U.S.-China trade and economic relationship, including the status of the Section 301 tariffs. Please join us for this informative presentation and Q&A session with the steel and industrial policy expert within the federal agency responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade policy.
Rod Supply Panel: A Crowd Favorite
Our program will include the popular panel of your colleagues who are industry experts addressing Global Rod Supply. Executives from a wire company, US carbon and stainless rod mills, and an international trading company will provide insight from their perspectives on the current rod market and the supply and demand issues that face the wire industry.
Survival of the Fittest - Reggie Davis
In the dynamic landscape of today’s workforce, “Survival of the Fittest” is beyond mere adaptation to what is comfortable or convenient. Join Reggie Davis, Founder and President of UpLift Coaching & Consulting, for an engaging and thought-provoking talk that delves into how organizations can not only survive but thrive by embracing and integrating DEI strategies to recruit and retain exceptional talent. This session will help you 1) understand how embracing DEI is imperative for longevity, 2) explore recruitment and retention techniques for an inclusive culture, and 3) gain tools to ensure the survival of your company in an ever-evolving landscape.
Meetings
Committee Meetings
Product committee meetings will be held Monday morning. Committee meetings are the forum where activities and programs are planned, and issues of concern are discussed. All members and potential members are welcome and encouraged to attend the Membership and Stainless Committee meetings. Attendance at the Executive Committee, Government Relations Advisory Committee, and Board of Directors meetings are limited to the designated committee members.
Business Meetings
Active and Associate Member Business Meetings, an important component of the Annual Meeting, are the venue of the official business of the Association. These meetings will take place Wednesday morning. The Active Member Business Meeting will include the election of officers and directors, a financial report, and the discussion of any business or policy issues that require attention. What position will AWPA take related to international trade policies and tariff programs? Your company has a stake in what AWPA decides to do. Please make time to attend these important meetings. AWPA Suppliers and Active members are reminded it is the policy of the AWPA that commercial meetings and private social events may not be scheduled during the general sessions and receptions on the Annual Meeting Schedule of Events.
Special Events—included with all registrations!
Opening Cocktail Reception
The first official gathering of all the members is the opening cocktail reception on Monday evening. This is your opportunity to seek out information about what your colleagues and suppliers are doing. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served, before you head off to dinner. Dress is resort casual. Weather permitting, we will be outside for this reception, so you may want a light sweater or jacket.
Fiesta Dinner Under the Stars—Sponsored by the Supplier Members
Save your meetings for another night—you won't want to miss this fun Mexican-themed dinner! Join your AWPA colleagues for a dinner on the beach Tuesday evening with great food, an open bar, and music. The golf and fishing tournament winners will also collect their prizes.
Speaker Bios
Reggie Davis
Reggie Davis grew up in a small town in Arkansas. After graduating from Arkansas State University with a finance degree, Reggie has spent his working career in the city of Memphis. He began his career in banking, and transitioned to working in the nonprofit sector for 18 years with four different organizations. Through each of these work experiences, Reggie gained valuable skills in leadership, program development, community engagement, resource development, training, and empathy. This led him to the next chapter of his life, entrepreneurship—where he and his wife, Kim, started UpLift Coaching & Consulting. The mission of UpLift is to help individuals and organizations become the best version of themselves possible.
Reggie has spent the last 20 years involved in efforts to improve humanity and develop unity. He currently serves on the board for Memphis Lift (a student and parent advocacy organization), Nexus (a young-professional mentoring program), Believe Memphis Academy (a charter school in inner-city Memphis), and he is the pastor of New Bethel Church in West Memphis, AR. Reggie spends his free time investing in his wife, Kim, and three daughters: Sydney, Kendall, and Ella.
Daniel Matthews
Daniel Matthews is Director for Industrial Goods at the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and is responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing U.S. trade policy related to industrial sectors, including steel and aluminum. He is a member of the USTR negotiating team for the Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum with the European Union (EU) and serves as U.S. delegate to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Steel Committee and the G20 Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC). As a member of the OECD Steel Committee’s Bureau, he advises the OECD Secretariat and Chair on ways to further the Committee’s mission to support the viability of the steel industry and policies that reduce market distortions and promote competitive markets for steel. He also served as a technical expert and negotiator during steel and aluminum negotiations with the EU, Japan, and the United Kingdom and regularly engages U.S. trading partners on industrial related trade issues.
Daniel joined USTR in November 2020 and previously worked at the U.S. International Trade Commission where he served as an industry analyst and deputy project leader on antidumping, countervailing duty, and Section 332 fact-finding investigations. He also provided technical assistance on international trade and industrial competitiveness issues to the Executive Office of the President, the Senate Committee on Finance, and the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means.
Daniel holds a master of international relations with a concentration in international economics, finance, and trade from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and a bachelor of political science and international relations from the State University of New York at Geneseo. He was a recipient of the 2023 USTR Superior Achievement Award, which recognizes employees for special efforts significantly above and beyond the requirements for their position.
Andre Norman
Known to many, as “The Ambassador of Hope," Andre’s experience and expertise is what empowers him to help people turn their situation around. Andre travels around the world to serve as a mentor and listening ear for so many in need. He has made an impact working in the countries of Honduras, Bahamas, Sweden, Guatemala, Liberia, and Trinidad, with inclusion being the center of his solution-based efforts.
From illiteracy to gang activity, Andre’s childhood prepared him for nothing less than a life of crime and violence. This behavior eventually led Andre to be sentenced to over 100 years in prison. A natural-born leader, he quickly rose to the top of the prison gang where he managed gang activities from within the confines of a maximum security prison. During his two-year stay in solitary confinement, Andre had an “epiphany” and he made the decision to turn his life around. He had a simple dream: attend Harvard University and become successful.
Over the next eight years Andre worked 20 hours per day towards making this dream a reality. He first taught himself how to read, then to study and understand the law, and then volunteered to participate in anger management groups. After winning his appeal and armed with a GED and a dream, Andre walked out of prison in 1999, after serving 14 years.
Having been exposed to both sides of the fence, Andre pulled from his life experiences and created 180x, a program designed to teach individuals and corporations how to turn any situation around. Having survived rock bottom, Andre knew he could help others do the same.
Andre has lectured at Harvard University and has been a featured speaker at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Andre collaborates with the London Business School Executive Education department to design unique experiential learning labs for some of its top clients, including Prudential Insurance (UK), Bovis Lend Lease (AUS), Deutsche Bank (Germany), British Petroleum (UK), Ericsson (Sweden), DANONE (France), KPMG and more.
Andre’s dream of attending Harvard University took a fateful turn in 2015, when Andre was given a Fellowship at Harvard Law School. It took 25 years to achieve, but Andre never gave up or lost sight of his dream. He has committed his life to helping others achieve their dreams just as he did.
Dana Wood
Dana is Director of Government Relations at Kelly Drye & Warren LLP, with over three decades of public policy advocacy experience. She represents clients’ interests before Congress and the Executive Branch, helping them develop major policy initiatives in the areas of the environment, energy, trade, health care, agriculture, tax and pensions, and data privacy and technology. Co-chair of the firm’s Government Relations and Public Policy group, Dana manages the advocacy efforts for leading manufacturing and service companies, including several Fortune 500 companies, and advises numerous trade associations with large national memberships.
Dana’s prodigious work ethic and the respect, credibility, and trust she has earned with countless legislators, policymakers, regulators, and staff on both sides of the aisle, have resulted in considerable successes for her clients -- even in the most challenging regulatory and political climates. Her ability to understand, analyze, and relate multiple issues and stakeholders allows her to advance each client’s often distinct goals. Her comprehensive approach incorporates not only substance, integrity, and diplomacy but also reliability and teamwork.
In addition to productive communication with external stakeholders, Dana is also dedicated to a high degree of accountability within her team so that client ambitions become tangible results. Endgame-driven, Dana is committed to remaining accessible, holding regular meetings with client teams to ensure initiatives and projects stay on track.
Before joining the firm, Dana worked in the office of Senator David Durenberger (R-MN). On the political side, she served as an informal advisor to two Republican initiatives on the environment and was an executive director of the Women’s Coalition with the Dole for President campaign. Dana was also a member of the Government Affairs team at the 1996 Republican National Convention, the Women’s Advisory Committee for Bush/Quayle 1988, and the Women’s Leadership Network. She served on the board of directors for Leader PAC and the National Committee for the Women’s House Republican Victory Committee.