September 29, 2023

Whew! That Was a GREAT Experience at PDI Users Conference 2023!

by Bethany Allee

We’re only a few weeks removed from hosting PDI Users Conference 2023, and I wanted to share my thoughts while they’re still fresh in my mind (and my feet are finally recovering from my too-tight silver glitter boots…more on that later).

I feel like everyone always says this, but I can sincerely say that this year’s event went above and beyond the expectations set by our previous conferences. We experienced record attendance this year, and you could feel the high energy and enthusiasm everywhere.

Which is why I want to officially give a huge shout-out and thank-you to everyone who continually makes this the industry’s premier training and networking event. This year, we hosted over 1,000 attendees representing 282 companies, and they collectively earned over 1,600 CPE credits across 126 unique training sessions. If you couldn’t attend this year (or if you just want to relive it), check out this video to see what you missed.

Big news for 2024

One of the biggest announcements happened when our CEO Jimmy Frangis closed the conference with the news that we’re expanding the experience even further in 2024. In case you don’t already know, PDI Connections is a digital community designed to connect users directly to PDI resources, forums, and a wide range of product content. We’re taking that rich online PDI Connections experience and transforming it into a live event in the US and regionally around the world.

This bigger-and-better event is also getting a new name: PDI Connections Live!

I’m sure you’re wondering what that means for you. Connections Live 2024 will feature everything you’ve loved about PDI Users Conference—with even more in-depth training and networking opportunities.

We’ve heard your feedback loud and clear, and our goal is to deliver more:

Hands-on classes and hands-on lab opportunities
Advanced classes for highly experienced users
Access to deep subject matter experts
Sessions featuring industry-wide insights and best practices
Peer networking opportunities for business leaders

And our Education team would disown me if I forgot to mention that the most effective way to keep up with your educational needs is to get a PDI Connections All-Access Training Pass. A single annual pass covers everyone from your company who wants to learn more about PDI solutions.

UC 2023 highlights

Thanks for indulging me—we’re really excited about Connections Live! We’re also still amped up about this year’s event, so back to UC 2023. Here are a few highlights from this year’s event:

We expanded the Executive Forum for business leaders and introduced new forums for User Groups, Marketing, and Innovation.
This year’s Partner Showcase featured more than 30 booths and it brought the convenience ecosystem to life for our customers and partners. The PDI Innovation booth was a centerpiece where we hosted the “Store of the Future” and featured emerging c-store technologies.

We all gained some great insights on teamwork from our featured speaker, Robyn Benincasa, who delivered an inspiring presentation based on her experiences competing in global adventure racing.
We hosted the first official “Game Night,” and we loved all your ideas on how to make it even more fun next year. And, yes, there was A LOT of trash talking at the game tables—with a healthy dose of that coming from yours truly.

We kicked off the PDI Amplify Rewards program, where attendees collected rewards that they turned into PDI Bucks to use during Big Night Out. Thanks to everyone who participated—your efforts supported our donation to Feeding America.

I’m going to give Big Night Out (our big party) its own section. We celebrated our 40^th year in the fuel and convenience industry with a 1980s-themed party featuring an amazing live band covering everyone from Bon Jovi and the B-52s to the Cure.

I couldn’t believe how many attendees dressed up for the party. I saw a lot of costumes for Madonna and Miami Vice, along with an amazing Karate Kid complete with portable shower curtain! And back to my silver glitter boots…I was trying to channel one of my personal 80s favorites, David Bowie (paired with a special Ms. Pacman ensemble).

Save the date for Connections Live 2024

With UC 2023 in the rearview mirror, I hope you’ll join the rest of the PDI community at Connections Live 2024 in Washington, DC! To stay up to date on all the event news, you can pre-register (no payment required) for Connections Live 2024 here.

In the meantime, if you’re in Atlanta for NACS Show 2023, be sure to visit us at PDI Booth #B3419!