Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) hosted its 2026 Leadership Conference on Aug. 11-13, 2026, in Boston, Mass.
The conference brought together dealer professionals in the equipment industry from across North America for three days of networking and leadership development.
The conference was designed to help dealers strengthen their leadership skills at all levels of the business. Day one began with a workshop hosted by Teresa King and Rebecca Gebhardt of Purpose and Performance Group. Their session focused on leading in the chaos of the dealership world. The workshop included interactive activities and opportunities for guests from multiple organizations to work together, according to AED.
"Among our industry's biggest strengths are the leaders who run the dealerships working hard to supply those who build, feed, and fuel North America," said Brian P. McGuire, AED president and CEO. "The 2026 Leadership Conference is about investing in people, equipping our members with the tools they need to develop high-performing teams."
The conference continued with sessions that focused on strengthening leadership skills that have an impact on every part of the dealership, according to AED.
The presenters and their sessions this year were:
• Johnny Quinn - Winning Leadership: How to Build Unstoppable Teams that Outperform the Competition
• Robyn Bolton – The Operator's Dilemma: The Shift Every Rising Leader Must Make
• Don Buttrey – Everyone in the Dealership Sells!
• Stephanie Rosenberg – Leading Across Generations
• Cynthia Keaton – Built to Lead: Leading Through Downturns in Heavy Equipment
• Nelson Santiago – Accountability in Action: Owning Your Impact as an Emerging Leader
The Leadership Conference concluded with a workshop hosted by Craig Haigh of Haigh Solutions LLC. The workshop taught attendees how to become an employer of choice, according to AED.
"AED's Leadership Conference has been a great opportunity for our team to step away from the day-to-day and spend time thinking about how we can continue to grow as leaders and strengthen our organization," said Katie Murphy, president of RB Scott Company. "We're leaving with practical ideas we can bring back and put into action, along with a renewed perspective on how we can better support our teams."
In addition to the education sessions, attendees had the opportunity to hear from U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss who spoke about the importance of developing young industry talent through workforce development efforts in Congress.
