Aug 16, 2021

GCA releases speaker and theme information for Virtual Workshop & Retreat

The Greeting Card Association (GCA) has planned timely, relevant and educational sessions designed for greeting card makers during its two-day Virtual Workshop & Retreat to be held Sep. 9-10, 2021. While the greeting card category is experiencing resurgence at retail during the current pandemic, the many unexpected challenges continue to cause publishers to pivot and approach doing business in new and innovative ways. The event’s theme, See What Unfolds, invokes the value of paper as well as the importance of looking ahead to trends and opportunities for the social expressions industry.

“The Workshop & Retreat is where the card maker community and industry experts who care about greeting cards go not only to celebrate the product, but to share insights and actionable advice that address problems unique to our industry,” said Andy Meehan, founder of Greeting Card Gurus on LinkedIn and the 2021 event Chair.

Speakers

Marcus Bullock, CEO of Flikshop, will open the two-day event with his personal and entrepreneurial story as a connector of families and inmates in the prison system using smartphones and postcards. Alexis Kerr, vice president of Hallmark’s Mahogany brand will follow Bullock’s session and speak on innovation and inclusion. Dominique Schurman, vice president of NIQUEA.D, an exclusive Design Group Americas Brand, opens day two of the Workshop.

Additional sessions will cover important business topics including: systems and operations, business development and sustainability, retailer needs and expectations, consumer insights, and innovation. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network by participating in a “crafternoon” activity session and a morning book club to get them thinking in new and different ways. A swag box with items donated by generous sponsors will be sent prior to the Workshop to all attendees who register by the early bird deadline of Aug. 20, 2021.

More information, full agenda details, and to register, visit https://www.greetingcard.org/workshop-and-retreat-2021/.