By Cindy Campbell

Did you make it out to Anaheim? I hope you did.

The 2019 IPMI Conference & Expo wrapped up just more than a week ago. As a member of the IPMI team, my role is to assist attendees with education sessions and to make the annual event a positive and meaningful experience for everyone. Even though I’m on staff, the reality is that I’m still just a parking girl, hoping for a great conference event–and I sure found it in Anaheim.

From the welcoming event block party to the general sessions, the education sessions and Shoptalks, and of course, the always phenomenal Expo, I’m hoping you share my observation that it accomplished the mission to enlighten and inspire our industry.

What was the hot topic “du jour” for you this year? There are always several that rise to the top, but the one that I heard most about probably won’t surprise you at all: curb management. There were various education sessions, group discussions, and solution-based inquiries around the Expo hall–most of the industry is challenged at some level by the ever-changing role of the curb and how we facilitate and manage that finite space for optimal effectiveness. An ongoing challenge for sure, but I have great faith in both the industry thought leaders and our broader membership. We’re a tenacious lot that seems to appreciate a good challenge. Technologies, policies, case studies, and lessons learned: Our colleagues never seem to shy away from sharing what’s worked and what hasn’t, and that’s not an attitude that every industry enjoys.

Yes, we’re a lucky bunch, we parking and mobility professionals. Always willing to share, to learn, and to help. All you have to do is ask.

Looking forward to doing it all again next year in San Antonio.

Cindy Campbell is IPMI’s senior training and development specialist.