EDITORS NOTE

Every conference, by design or circumstances, has its own style. That is not to say they don't have common features such as opening sessions, educational opportunities, and the chance to network over a golf club or the liquid spirit of choice. But for those of us circuit riders like myself who spend a large part of our summer walking the halls of convention centers, we come to expect certain things depending on the trade groups and associations who make their annual gathering a central feature of their year. Some conferences are small affairs where everyone knows each other and has the feeling of a family reunion. Others are more family-friendly affairs where it is not uncommon to see spouses and children riding elevators in bathing suits heading for the pool. Some, however, are much more expansive and offer a full range of opportunities.

The Florida Workers' Compensation Institute's annual educational conference has its own atmosphere that is unlike any of the national and state conventions. The brainchild of Tallahassee attorney Jim McConnaughhay, the conference has grown from a few hundred people in its early days to an event that now attracts thousands of visitors and exhibitors from Florida and around the country. For many it has become the most anticipated event of the year as witnessed by the number of hotel reservations made a year in advance and the waiting list of exhibitors who for the lack of space couldn't join the some 300 vendors and companies who see the conference as their premier marketing event.

The FWCI has long had a reputation as the largest party thrown in the state. The opening reception on the first night of the convention attracts a huge crowd that centers around headline entertainment. People eat, drink, dance, and make the rounds of hospitality suites that occupy at least one room per floor. But what is remarkable about the conference is the juxtaposition between the partying and the attentiveness of those in attendance at the breakout sessions. When the many sessions are taking place behind closed doors, the silence almost makes the hotel seem deserted. And when you attend sessions there is no doubt that people are absorbing the information and will apply it when they return to their desks.

I have often wondered why the FWCI conference doesn't have a counterpart in the auto and homeowners' areas. Perhaps workers' comp, which is the most regulated line of insurance in the state, just demands that people stay up to date on so many issues from legal decisions, to OSHA inspections, to medical management, and legislative and regulatory changes. Another thing that might make a difference is that the FWCI is not a political body or trade group in the sense that most people understand. By focusing strictly on education it opens the door to a more diverse crowd that covers the full spectrum of the system.

This year's conference also marked the sixth year since the FWCI invited National Underwriter and Florida Underwriter to become part of its annual educational conference. During that time, the publications have established an annual supplement, a daily newspaper, and a national track of educational seminars that brings in prominent speakers from around the country. We are proud of our association with the FWCI and look forward to our continuing efforts.