eBiz 2025 Agenda
Day 1: Wednesday, October 8th
Registration
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Innovation Hub & Expert Bar
2:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Welcome Reception
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Day 2: Thursday, October 9th
Registration
7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Breakfast
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Innovation Hub & Expert Bar
7:30 am - 8:30 am
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Welcome & Keynote Address
8:30 am - 9:00 am Welcome & Introductions
9:00 am - 10:00 am Keynote Address: Leveraging AI for Good: AI’s Potential to Redefine Productivity & Reinvent Employee Satisfaction
Break
10:00 am - 10:15 am
General Session
10:15 am - 11:00 am Speed Networking
11:00 am - 11:45 am Voice of the Customer Panel: Real Application of AI
Networking Lunch
11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Breakout Sessions
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm (choose 1)
- Talk Data to Me—An Interactive Roundtable on Overcoming Challenges & Elevating Best Practices
Denise Keating and Angela Baraks, IDEA
High-quality product content is essential for effective distribution, eCommerce, and fulfillment—but what does "good" really look like? This session will dive into strategies for optimizing product content, improving collaboration across the supply chain, and overcoming persistent data hurdles. Join in on the discussion as we explore challenges, opportunities, and shared strategies for improving the quality and completeness of manufacturer product data through open dialogue and peer collaboration.
- For Distributors: Turning Search Into Sales: The Power of Product Relationships & Cross References
Brett Anderson, IDEA
When customers can’t find what they need, sales stall and satisfaction drops. Learn how industry-leading distributors are using keyword optimization and product cross-references to improve search accuracy, reduce abandoned carts, and boost upsell opportunities. This session will explore how aligning product relationships with real-world language—from slang to synonyms—helps sales teams and customers alike. Discover how better search leads to faster onboarding, smarter substitutions, and a stronger customer experience across your digital channels.
- Demystifying APIs: Streamline Operations & Reduce Stress
Tom Guzik, IDEA, and Matthew Scarborough, Trade Tech Solutions
In today’s always-on world, real-time data access is critical. Join us for an engaging session on API technology—what it is, how it works, and why it’s essential for modern business. We’ll explore how APIs streamline processes like ordering, pricing, inventory, and invoicing, while enabling seamless integration with cloud platforms, CRMs, and more. Through open discussion and a live demonstration, discover how APIs can simplify workflows, boost productivity, and reduce the stress of managing complex systems.
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm (choose 1)
- Talk Data to Me—An Interactive Roundtable on Overcoming Challenges & Elevating Best Practices
Denise Keating and Angela Baraks, IDEA
High-quality product content is essential for effective distribution, eCommerce, and fulfillment—but what does "good" really look like? This session will dive into strategies for optimizing product content, improving collaboration across the supply chain, and overcoming persistent data hurdles. Join in on the discussion as we explore challenges, opportunities, and shared strategies for improving the quality and completeness of manufacturer product data through open dialogue and peer collaboration.
- Wired for Intelligence: How AI Is Rewiring Product Information Management for the Electrical Industry
Pratik Chakraborty, Bluemeteor
AI is revolutionizing how electrical distributors and manufacturers source, manage, and deliver product content. Join Bluemeteor to explore how AI enhances authorized content by improving accuracy, filling gaps, and accelerating delivery. Learn how adaptive, AI-powered platforms are replacing traditional PIM systems, enabling real-time automation, reducing costs, and elevating customer experiences. Discover the shift toward smarter integration, faster collaboration, and dramatically reduced time to market. We'll outline essential strategies for forward-thinking electrical industry leaders to thrive in an AI-native future.
- Demystifying APIs: Streamline Operations & Reduce Stress
Tom Guzik, IDEA, and Matthew Scarborough, Trade Tech Solutions
In today’s always-on world, real-time data access is critical. Join us for an engaging session on API technology—what it is, how it works, and why it’s essential for modern business. We’ll explore how APIs streamline processes like ordering, pricing, inventory, and invoicing, while enabling seamless integration with cloud platforms, CRMs, and more. Through open discussion and a live demonstration, discover how APIs can simplify workflows, boost productivity, and reduce the stress of managing complex systems.
Networking Break
2:45 pm - 3:15 pm
Breakout Sessions
3:15 pm - 4:00 pm (choose 1)
- Future-Proofing EDI: What’s Next for a Long-Standing Standard
Denise Keating, Tom Guzik, & Angela Baraks, IDEA
EDI’s demise has been predicted for years, yet it remains a cornerstone of B2B communication. As the digital landscape evolves, the key to EDI’s longevity lies in modernization—and that’s where EDIPro comes in. This session explores how the EDIPro standard can help future-proof your EDI investment, ensuring flexibility, interoperability, and long-term value. Learn how the continuing evolution of EDIPro under IDEA's guidance can keep your supply chain connected, efficient, and ready for what’s next in the ever-changing world of data exchange.
- From Good to Great: Rethinking Customer Account Strategy
Mark McGready, IDEA
Today’s most successful businesses don’t just aim to sell more—they focus on making their customers better. This session explores how to identify untapped potential within your existing accounts by evaluating key factors like revenue, cost to serve, pricing, and growth trajectory. Learn how to measure customer efficiency, communicate account strategies clearly to your team, and elevate every customer conversation. Walk away with a smarter approach to maximizing your book of business and driving long-term profitability.
- A New Era: AI Workflows Revolutionizing B2B Commerce
Aung Latt, Canals
In distribution, AI is not a matter for future consideration - it is already transforming critical workflows. This session examines that transformation, exploring real-world AI applications that are dramatically improving sales, purchasing, and accounting processes.
In sales order entry, for example, previously arduous tasks, like recalling part numbers and entering orders line-by-line, are automated. Critical institutional knowledge is retained through machine learning and presented to salespeople at just the right moment. You and your customers win.
eBiz Night Out
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm (transportation begins at 5:30; meet in the lobby)
Day 3: Friday, October 10th
Registration
7:00 am - 12:00 pm
Breakfast
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Innovation Hub & Expert Bar
7:30 am - 8:30 am
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
General Session
8:30 am - 9:30 am Group Mapping Exercise & Problem-Solving Pods
9:30 am - 10:15 am Introduction to Data Whispers
Break
10:15 am - 10:30 am
Breakout Sessions
10:30 am - 11:15 am (choose 1)
- IDEA Connector Roundtable: Share Your Feedback & Shape the Future
Denise Keating and Johna Aro, IDEA
- From Good to Great: Rethinking Customer Account Strategy
Mark McGready, IDEA
Today’s most successful businesses don’t just aim to sell more—they focus on making their customers better. This session explores how to identify untapped potential within your existing accounts by evaluating key factors like revenue, cost to serve, pricing, and growth trajectory. Learn how to measure customer efficiency, communicate account strategies clearly to your team, and elevate every customer conversation. Walk away with a smarter approach to maximizing your book of business and driving long-term profitability.
- For Manufacturers: The Power of Product Relationships & Cross References
Brett Anderson, IDEA
When customers can’t find what they need, sales stall and satisfaction drops. Learn how industry-leading manufacturers are using keyword optimization and product cross-references to improve search accuracy, reduce abandoned carts, and boost upsell opportunities. This session will explore how aligning product relationships with real-world language—from slang to synonyms—helps sales teams and customers alike. Discover how better search leads to faster onboarding, smarter substitutions, and a stronger customer experience across your digital channels.
11:30 am - 12:15 pm (choose 1)
- IDEA Connector Roundtable: Share Your Feedback & Shape the Future
Denise Keating and Johna Aro, IDEA
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- The $25B Powerhouse: Why EDI Is Thriving, Not Dying
Tom Guzik, IDEA
Despite being over 50 years old, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) continues to thrive—growing at a 12% CAGR and powering a $25 billion global industry. Far from obsolete, EDI remains essential to efficient, cost-effective supply chain operations. This session will explore why EDI is still critical, how managed EDI solutions help businesses stay agile, and why we’re only in the early innings of EDI’s evolution. Don’t count it out—EDI is here to stay.
- Breakout Session Details Coming Soon