I’ve yet to meet a returning ASA ELEVATE attendee who doesn’t emphasize how this Women in Industry event is the highlight of their year.

My first ASA ELEVATE was in 2019 in San Diego. I had just joined the industry in mid-2017 and had only been to a handful of events. I’ll never forget the welcoming environment that surrounded me and the relationships I was able to begin at that very first event.

Fast-forward six years, and I am now an ELEVATE veteran who had the pleasure of sharing my experience with the ASA Women in Industry Division with newcomers this April in Miami during the 11th annual conference. The event has a record-breaking 186 first-time attendees, making up nearly half of the overall attendance of 410 women.

The attention to detail is what stood out to me this year. Shout out to BDA’s Kelsey Richter for chairing and leading this year’s event! At the networking breakfast, first-time attendees had assigned seats scattered among a handful of tables that would be filled with veteran attendees. This way, veterans could easily get to know and welcome newcomers, and newcomers did not have to wander the room finding a seat at a table – something that can be intimidating if you don’t know many people in the room.

Also new this year was a panel with four previous Alice A. Martin Woman of the Year Award recipients. This panel kicked off the conference with industry-specific advice on leadership, finding your voice, holding the ladder for those who come after you, and so much more. Congratulations to the 2025 Woman of the Year Award recipient, Michelle Lewnes-Dadas of Preferred Sales Inc., who joins this cohort of impactful PHCP-PVF women.

Organized roundtable conversations are always a hit, offering the always valuable peer-to-peer learning. This year, there were a handful of topics for attendees to choose from, including marketing, human resources, purchasing and operations, advancing your career, and a few more.

Another thing I love to see is women attending the event connecting with the industry on LinkedIn to share their takeaways.

The Collins Companies’ Vice President Micaela McDonald posted her key takeaways:

“Michelle Poler emphasized the importance of challenging our mindsets during her talk, encouraging us to ‘Do more, Fear less.’ Instead of asking ourselves what the worst thing that could happen is, we should focus on what the best outcome could be!"

She added: “We heard from past Women of the Year honorees of the Alice A. Martin Award, who shared how they have helped other women succeed in this industry, emphasizing the importance of ‘holding the ladder for the next generation.’”

Morgan Anderson, regional sales manager at InSinkErator said her most notable takeaways were:

• Where attention goes, energy flows.
• No one is judging us the way we judge ourselves.
• Mindset MATTERS! Instead of asking “what’s the WORST that can happen?” Start asking yourself, “what’s the BEST that can happen?!”
• Positivity and negativity cannot coexist.

Numerous women – both newcomers and those seasoned at industry involvement - shared their gratitude for the ASA Women in Industry Division and the opportunity to connect. Sales Manager for Bradford White, Danielle Laird, says giving back to the industry is her “Why.”

“Giving back to an industry I love is what fuels me,” she said in a LinkedIn post.

“The American Supply Association (ASA) has played a huge role in that journey — through Emerging Leaders, Women in Industry, the MDM Program, Network, and committees such as Embracing the Future and Advocacy. These platforms have opened doors to mentorship (both giving and receiving), created lasting friendships, and taught me more than I ever could’ve imagined.”

If you don’t currently utilize LinkedIn to fuel and maintain industry connections, I highly encourage you to try it. When I meet a new person at an event, I’ll search for them on LinkedIn and connect if possible, making it much easier to remember our conversation, their face, company, and connect with them in the future.