Another gorgeous sunny day in Ft. Lauderdale greeted Day 2 at Innovision 2023. Aside from the tempting weather outside, there were plenty of options inside the Westin Resort to choose from. Attendees who wanted takeaways to advance their careers and their teams and learn about cutting edge solutions had ample options.
The morning started with an impressive panel of professionals discussing leadership and their experience. Gregg Smith, LPC, CFI, vice president of asset protection with Five Below; Mike Magrum, CFI, LPC, senior director of asset protection with Harris Teeter; John Goldyn, vice president of loss prevention at Gabe’s; and Ben Dugan, executive director of organized retail crime and corporate investigations at CVSHealth discussed challenges post-pandemic and the ways their leadership styles have changed. The panel shared tips on zoom calls, keeping teams engaged, and dealing with the C-suite. From remote teams to changes in the fundamental role of LP/AP, the panel openly shared what has and hasn’t worked for them.
The morning continued with one-on-one connections between solution providers and retailers. With the unique booth set-up, there was no need for attendees to wander around a large convention hall or shout across a giant booth space.
Temps in the high 80’s and great content defined the afternoon. The Innovision team provided educational opportunities with break-out sessions which rotated so attendees wouldn’t miss a session that intrigued them. Sessions included “ORC” with Ben Dugan; “Self-Checkout Technology” with Chris McCarrick, CFI, director of asset protection and technology solutions, Kroger; and “Active Shooter” with Scott O’Brien, APB Consulting. Participants had the opportunity to pepper the presenters with any and all questions they had about each presentation.
The last educational session of the day featured keynote speaker Mark Robinson, with NSL Consulting & Coaching Ltd. Mark spoke to the group about ways to recognize their leadership style, when it could be toxic, and ways to address the issues that creates. He discussed the Power of Choice—choosing how you will react according to your brand and staying accountable for yourself. According to Mark, when you start taking responsibility for yourself, things start to change. He emphasized the gift of feedback as a leader and challenged the attendees to use questions when working with their team to determine how they like to receive feedback. 
The Innovision 2023 conference closed out with the annual “Gala Night”. A delicious dinner, dancing with a live band, and raffles led to a record breaking $6,100 raised for the Loss Prevention Benevolent fund. These funds go to support family members of LP/AP professionals who have died or have been seriously injured working on the job. It was a great show of support from the industry and a fantastic way to close the conference.
Save the date! There’ll be more fun in the sun next year. Innovision 2024 is set for Tampa, Florida on February 25-27.