Commercial painting contractors from around the world will gather Oct. 20–23, 2024, for the fourth annual CPIA Leadership Conference in Austin, Texas.
Produced by the Commercial Painting Industry Association and Technology Publishing Company, the conference will take place at the beautiful Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in tandem with TPC Connect: Commercial Painting, a day of one-on-one meetings between contracting company decision makers and their suppliers.
In addition, winners of the eighth annual Elevation Awards, honoring excellence in commercial painting, will be celebrated at the conference.
“This jointly produced event was created to support, educate and inspire not only our CPIA members, but all commercial painting industry professionals—and it has certainly delivered,” said CPIA Executive Director, Mike Stanley. “Conference attendance has grown each year, and we’ve had enthusiastic reviews from some of the most influential contracting company executives on the planet. We’re also grateful to have had leading industry suppliers and service providers as our sponsors since the event’s very first year.”
All contractors and affiliated professionals are invited to attend sessions in any of the event’s three tracks:
-Executive, focused on business strategy and management;
-Operations, covering training, application and project-related technology; and
-Emerging Leaders, created to help contractors start or grow a new commercial painting business.
Planned sessions include Surface Preparation Best Practices, The Impact of Extreme Weather on Paint, Becoming Bankable and Protecting Your Business, Transitioning to an ESOP, Achieving Marketing Success, Mastering Project Management and more. See the full list of educational sessions here. In addition, attendees will benefit from the wisdom of several keynote speakers, including artificial intelligence expert Kory Bieg on AI in the industry, author Kevin Nolan on “Organizational Muscle,” and adventurer, author and award-winning photographer Brian O'Malley.
Industry leaders will serve on panels to discuss The Future of AI in Commercial Painting, Business Growth, Putting Drones to Work for Your Business, Painter Training and more. Small groups will also engage in open discussion and problem-solving on a variety of important topics.
“I really enjoyed all the speakers and came up with different strategies for our business,” said one of last year’s conference attendees, Liz Perez-Lavin, owner of Service Contracting Solutions.
Coatings supplier Benjamin Moore will sponsor the event’s opening reception at the Hill Country Pavilion, giving new and longtime conference attendees a chance to mix and mingle in a gorgeous setting before the first day of educational sessions.
Attendees will also cut in front of typically long lines to enjoy an evening at the James-Beard-awarded Franklin BBQ, a foodie and celebrity favorite. Participants are also sure to love the “Austin Vibe Experience” at Wanderlust Wine Company, featuring an eclectic mix of culture, music and culinary delights; more than 70 wine offerings, beer and margaritas; and a selfie photo booth with plenty of “Austin Weird” fashions and props. Both evenings are generously sponsored by The Sherwin-Williams Company.
Although networking receptions and group activities will occur throughout the conference, the last full day will be dedicated to CPIA peer group meetings and TPC Connect meetings. Each peer group is made up of noncompeting, contracting company executives from different regions of the U.S. and, in some cases, the world. Some of these groups have been meeting for years, sharing knowledge, support and advice on monthly video chats. The annual conference is a much-anticipated opportunity to get together in person.
“The CPIA is completely different than any other professional association because of its peer groups,” said Alyssa Sullivan, owner of Sullivan Painting Service. “My peer group is one of my top go-tos for problem-solving and advice.”
Contracting company executives participating in TPC Connect will meet one-on-one with executives from leading industry suppliers to discuss problems and solutions, new products and future needs. Attendance costs are reimbursed for participating contractors.
“In these meetings, contractors have a chance to speak about their product needs and project goals with top supply company executives rather than their local reps,” said TPC Connect creator Brion Palmer. “We have been producing these events for more than seven years and see participants making lasting relationships that continue to generate mutually beneficial opportunities.”
Current Sponsors
The CPIA extends a huge thank you to our sponsors, including our:
Platinum Sponsors
-Sherwin-Williams;
-Uniflex;
-Purdy;
-Kynar Aquatec;
-Benjamin Moore;
-Graco;
-Harsco;
-International Union Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT);
-Tower Sealants;
-Tex-Cote LLC;
-Abrasives Inc.; and
-The Wooster Brush Company.
Gold Sponsors
-PPG;
-Behr Paint; and
-McBrayer & Associates.
