We will host the 104th Annual Meeting at the beautiful Grandover Resort and Conference Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is a first class facility. You can learn more about Grandover by logging on to their website at http://www.grandoverresort.com. Look for the reservation form in your spring mailing which will give all details of the convention. Also, continue checking this website for new information and announcements about the 104th Annual Meeting.

Prior to the official opening of the convention, the annual shotgun golf tournament will be held at the Grandover East Golf Course beginning at 1 pm.  Pre-registration for golfers is a must to facilitate the start of the tournament.  Further information on the golf outing will be found in your convention packet going out in March.   

Then the official opening of the convention will begin with Registration on Thursday, June 19, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm in the Griffin Room followed by a Cocktail Reception from 7:00 to 8:00 pm in the same room.  A buffet dinner and conversations with old and new associates of the leather industry will complete the evening. 

ALCA President William N. Marmer will open the Technical Program at 8 am on Friday.  This year’s technical program is being organized by Vice-President Stephen S. Yanek and will offer a wide array of leather technologies covering tanning to finishing to environmental issues and can be viewed in the coming months under this section of our website. The John Arthur Wilson Lecture will feature Professor Bi Shi, Director of the National Professional Laboratory of Leather Chemistry and Engineering, Sichuan University, P.R. China.  Our Technical Committees will have an opportunity to meet and have discussions during lunch-time.  The technical sessions will end at 4:15 pm followed by the Fun Run at 5:00 pm.  Friday’s activities will be capped off by Western BBQ Buffet Dinner on the Grandville Lawn from 7 pm to 9:30 pm.  Live music will be furnished by the Shady Grove Band.  This will be an exciting evening that you won't want to miss.

Technical papers will resume Saturday morning at 8 am with the Annual Business Meeting ending the morning sessions at 10:45 am.  At noon everyone is invited to attend the Activities Awards Luncheon in the Griffin Room, where prizes will be awarded for the Fun Run and golf outing.   Technical papers will resume in the afternoon at 1 pm until 4 pm with the Awards Banquet Social Hour beginning at 6:00 pm in the Griffin Room.  Dinner will follow in the Carlisle Ballroom at 7:00 with the awards presentations afterwards.  The convention will close with check out on Sunday.

Please make plans now to join us for a wonderful time at Grandover!

Doug Morrison
Convention Chair