The Board Chair & CEO Conference is a GICL cornerstone event, convening agricultural cooperative Board Chairs and CEOs in a small group setting to connect with peers, explore complex challenges, and share insights. The 2026 Board Chair & CEO Conference will be held March 18–20, 2026, at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.

Key Highlights

• Spirited Dialogue: Engage in spirited and frank dialogue with leadership peers while exploring novel ideas and perspectives.
• Networking Opportunities: Leverage opportunities for networking and forge meaning connections that extend beyond the conference.
• Challenging Content: Delve into challenging and timely content, curated to surface innovative approaches with actionable take-aways for cooperative leaderships.

Who Should Attend

The Board Chair & CEO Conference is designed for Board Chairs and CEOs of producer-owned firms and the associations supporting them. Recognizing the importance of their support and partnership, we extend a warm invitation to the spouses and significant others of all our attendees. 

Schedule

Board Chair & CEO Conference topics spotlight the internal and external forces shaping the evolution of agricultural cooperatives’ governance, structure, and strategies.

Note: Registered participants receive conference topic and speaker updates via email.

Wednesday, March 18 | Please make your travel arrangement to arrive at the Royal Palms Hotel & Spa by 2:00 p.m. for registration. Our first session begins shortly after, followed by an opening reception and dinner. All participants and guests are welcome.

Thursday, March 19 | Conference sessions begin after breakfast and conclude by 5:00 p.m. Guests are invited to join participants for breakfast and lunch. A casual evening including cocktail reception and dinner is planned for all in attendance.

Friday, March 20 | Our final session begins following breakfast, and the conference concludes by 2:00 p.m. Guests are invited to join for breakfast and lunch.