There is definitely a blending of the old and the new here in Phoenix at the 2011 Association for Healthcare Foodservice conference. There are plenty of veteran operators and suppliers in attendance, but also an exciting number of first-time attendees.
A number of the challenges facing attendees are the same ones that bedeviled healthcare foodservice for years, but there are sure to be new and innovative solutions to these challenges proposed over the next few days.
Much emphasis is being placed on social media and the role that tools like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can play in promoting healthcare foodservice, as AHF acknowledges that operators must face the new realities in communication if they are to remain relevant in the marketplace.
In a demonstration that this organization can be hip and in touch with today’s trends and fads, the AHF board of directors and industry advisory board broke out in an “impromptu” flash mob at the end of the opening general session. They danced their way out of the McArthur Ballroom at the Arizona Biltmore and led shocked and bemused attendees over to the Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom for the sponsor exhibits.
I’m looking forward to several days of meeting readers and hearing about their opportunities and challenges. I can’t wait to see what other surprises the association has in store for attendees.