New & Improved

The ODT Forum Supplier Expo returns to Fort Wayne, Ind., with a new attitude but the same quality content and connections.

ODT Staff Report

Leo Tolstoy, author of the seminal novels “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina,” is quoted as saying:“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” With all due respect to Leo, perhaps it’s possible to accomplish a little—maybe even a lot—of both.

Orthopedic Design & Technology returns to Indiana—America’s orthopedic manufacturing heartland—for the sixth year in a row with its annual conference and exhibition. With this year’s installment, however, we’ve switched things around to deliver a better product for attendees and exhibitors. To borrow from Tolstoy, we’ve changed ourselves to help orthopedic manufacturers get critical information and make the best connections so they can change the world of patient care.

Now called the ODT Forum Supplier Expo, the combined conference and exhibition—held Sept. 14-15 at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.—has been re-engineered to better align the event with the needs of conference attendees and exhibitors. One thing, however, hasn’t changed. This is the only event where orthopedic device manufacturers and their industry partners can discuss critical issues, learn key skills and information, and work toward overall industry improvement, all while helping companies maintain their unique, competitive edge.

As part of our new format, conference sessions and workshops will take place in the exhibition hall so attendees won’t miss important information, nor will exhibitors miss valuable networking time. We’ve integrated the conference sessions with an exhibition of select suppliers so attendees can take away skills, new technology and ideas that can be applied at work immediately.

Topics for this year’s conference sessions:

• Effective Negotiation Skills for Orthopedic DeviceManufacturers & Suppliers;

• Engineering Orthopedic Innovation: Keeping Your R&D and Product Development Ahead of the Curve;

• Streamlining the Supplier Quality Audit Process; and

• Getting on the Same Page: Establishing a Standard OEM/Supplier Protocol—a Status Report.

The sessions and workshops are designed to be convenient, engaging and, of course, informative. In order to help conference participants stay informed, connected and participate in thedialogue of the event, we’ll be making extensive use of Twitter.

A Sweet Tweet

Who doesn’t enjoy a sweet tweet? Throughout the ODT Forum Supplier Expo, constant updates on industry news, exhibitor information and speaker presentations will be provided on Twitter @ODTmagazine using the #odtexpo11 hashtag. During the event, a large screen will display a “Twitterfall” of tweets, scrolling with our comments and yours. In addition, conference registrants will receive an invitation to our LinkedIn group to keep the conversation going after the ODT Forum Supplier Expo has concluded.

Attendees tweeting using the hashtag #odtexpo11 will receive a chance to win a $100 gift card.
Participants must be present at ODT Forum Supplier Expo to win during the following drawing times: Sept. 14 at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; and Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

In addition, attendees will have an additional chance to win a gift card if they show any of the following sponsors—Autocam Medical, Eptam Plastics Inc., Fort Wayne Metals, Oberg Medical,Orchid Orthopedic Solutions and Triangle—that they have checked in to “ODT Forum Supplier Expo at the Grand Wayne Convention Center” on Foursquare.com. Conference-goers will have to drop off a business card (with their Twitter handleswritten on the back). Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform where users“check in” via a smartphone app or SMS, share their location with friends or colleagues while collecting points and virtual badges.

At the end of the first day of the two-day event, a networking cocktail reception will be held across the street from the convention center at Parkview Field, home of the Fort Wayne TinCaps minor league baseball team and the 2009 Midwest League champions. Attendees will be able to mix, mingle and network in a unique and fun locale—not to mention take a swing at hitting one out of the park in a batting cage.

For more information about this year’s don’t-miss orthopedic event or to register, please visit www.odtexpo.com.