Stand Independent. Unite with Purpose: The 2026 IMCO National Convention
The 2026 IMCO National Convention once again proved why it is the premier event for uniting the absolute best in healthcare distribution. This year’s theme, “Stand Independent. Unite with Purpose,” perfectly captured the spirit of the three-day event.
As IMCO CEO Bill McLaughlin highlighted in his opening remarks: “We exist to help independent businesses remain independent – not isolated, not reactive, and not left to figure out everything alone – but instead, connected. Connected to insight, to opportunity, and to each other.”
Bill reminded the audience that the future belongs to businesses that unite with purpose, moving forward with confidence and clarity. Attendees echoed this sentiment, with Ricky Bustamante, of American Medical, calling it, “One of the most informative and engaging shows since I’ve been with the company. IMCO always finds a way to improve every year.”
Convention Highlights
Monday’s educational programming featured keynote speaker Joseph Michelli. His presentation, All Business Is Personal, challenged attendees to rethink customer experience and long-term relationship building, offering actionable strategies for aligning people, processes, and technology.
The keynote set the tone for a full schedule of breakout sessions and educational discussions tailored to independent distributors and their Vendor partners. New this year was the highly-rated panel discussion, Industry Insights. Educational sessions included:
- Industry Insights: Top industry experts Lauren Bailey (Factor 8), Danny Chezem (Baxter), and Benj Cohen (ProtonAI) delivered a high-energy, rapid-fire look at today’s shifting sales environment, giving attendees real-world solutions to immediate market challenges.
- Making AI Work for Distribution: A Practical Playbook for Every Team Artificial Intelligence is a current business necessity. Benj Cohen (ProtonAI) demystified the technology, providing a step-by-step operational playbook to help teams leverage AI for maximum efficiency.
- Prospecting and Growth That Actually Moves the Needle Moving past generic advice, sales powerhouse Lauren Bailey (Factor 8) shared tactical, needle-moving strategies designed to break through the noise and supercharge the sales pipeline.
- The “Let’s Be Candid” Panel Discussion In one of the event’s most talked-about sessions, Lauren Bailey (Factor 8) moderated an unfiltered, insightful discussion on the future of independent distribution. Panelists Bryan Weinstein (Resource Services), PJ Horton (First Medical Inc.), Peter Loope (Graham-Field), and Heather Llorca-Kropp (Dukal, LLC) shared raw perspectives on industry challenges and collaborative breakthroughs.
- Turning Economic Pressure into Operational Profitability Macroeconomic headwinds require a solid foundation. Cara Skowronski (EOS Worldwide) taught leadership teams how to streamline their organization and turn market pressures into clear opportunities for profitability.
- The Sales Playbook Live! Featuring Sales Emphasis Line (SEL) Vendors This dynamic, interactive session brought winning strategies to life. Featuring key SEL Vendors, attendees got a front-row seat to successful pitch tactics, product integration ideas, and collaborative sales growth.
- Government and Regulatory Update: What’s Next for Healthcare Distribution? Staying ahead of compliance is vital. Maggie Davis from the Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) provided a crucial, forward-looking roadmap on upcoming regulatory changes shaping the industry.
Celebrating our Member and Vendor Partners
Graham-Field was named IMCO’s 2025 Vendor of the Year in recognition of its continued partnership, support of IMCO programs, and commitment to independent distribution. Congratulations to the Graham-Field team on this well-deserved honor.
One of the nominators, Pocket Nurse, shared: “Graham-Field exemplifies what a true strategic Vendor partnership looks like. Their proactive communication, reliability, and exceptional field support help us better serve healthcare educators and training programs across our territory. Most importantly, Graham-Field approaches this relationship as a genuine partner – collaborating with us on shared growth initiatives and consistently demonstrating that our mutual success is a priority.”
The 2026 Steve Dennison Scholarship winners, recognized for their exceptional sales performance and outstanding support of IMCO programs, received airfare, hotel accommodations, and attendance at Convention. This year’s winners were:
- Mari Nakayama, CareLinc Medical Equipment & Supply
- Shaun Simms, Orise Distribution LLC
- David Ellis, Atlantic Medical Solutions
IMCO’s Equipment Performance Incentive Contest (EPIC) is a year-long program where Members earn points by selling qualifying equipment from participating EPIC Vendors. Members can also accumulate points by engaging in webinars, participating in Vendor ride days, and attending Vendor sales meetings or training sessions. The top ten qualifying reps and four Wild Card winners shared more than $23,000 in prizes for selling eligible EPIC Vendor products throughout the year. The 2025 winners were:
1st Kristina Pacheco, Canada Medical Ltd.
2nd Aaron Polonsky, MedStock, Inc.
3rd David Ellis, Atlantic Medical Solutions
4th Victor Amat III, American Medical Supplies & Equipment
5th Denise Coulombe, Surgo Surgical Supply
6th Sanjay Shah, AMSCO Medical
7th Randy Reichenbach, Medical Resources
8th Derek Shirley, Tagg Industries
9th June Power, Surgo Surgical Supply
10th Julie Dillard, Nationwide Pharmaceutical dba Medical Wholesale
David Ellis of Atlantic Medical Solutions was both a Scholarship and an EPIC award winner. He commented: “I truly appreciated the opportunity to attend the convention with our AMS family. One of the highlights for me was the AI breakout session, where I learned how AI can improve CRM systems customer communications, and overall efficiency.
I also gained valuable insights into the new ADA standards during the Sales Playbook Live. The sessions from Midmark, Detecto, and Healthometer were especially informative regarding ADA compliance, and Dukal’s presentation on wound care was beneficial as well.
Trade Show
This year’s Convention saw strong growth in participation, with an increase in both Member and Vendor companies attending. The expanded attendance created even more opportunities for networking, collaboration, and meaningful business discussions throughout the event.
Shaun Simms, of Orise Distribution, noted “The convention was an outstanding experience. I found the Vendor interactions especially valuable — the ability to have real, in‑depth conversations with manufacturers and partners in one place gave me a much clearer view of the landscape and where the strongest opportunities are emerging. The energy across the show floor made it easy to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones.”
The IMCO National Convention continues to be more than just an annual meeting. It is where relationships grow stronger, ideas turn into action, and independent businesses come together to shape the future of healthcare distribution.
Jess McCarter, Sales & Strategy for base86, noted, “If your business revolves around healthcare supplies, you needed to be in Jacksonville last week. This event is invaluable for understanding how independent companies are working to exceed customer expectations and improve patient outcomes through high-quality products and exceptional service.
The IMCO National Convention is very well put together, with impactful keynote speakers every year and sessions that appeal to its membership, vendors, and trade groups simultaneously. I had the privilege of speaking with many professionals representing their companies, and I came away impressed by the steps distributors are taking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market.”
As we look to the future, IMCO remains dedicated to driving meaningful collaboration. The 2026 Convention served as a powerful reminder of what it means to Stand Independent. Unite with Purpose. By moving forward together, we will continue to shape the future of healthcare distribution.