What to Expect at the 2026 Leadership Conference: Solutions, Connections, and a View of the Atlantic
Sometimes the best way to move your business forward is to step away from it for a day or two. Next week, print industry leaders from across New England will gather at the York Harbor Inn in York, Maine. With the serene Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop, attendees will have the opportunity to get away from the day-to-day, connect with peers, explore emerging industry trends, and focus on solutions for the future of their businesses. Here’s what you can expect when you arrive in York.
A setting that gives you space to think.
There is something to be said about being along the Maine coast that naturally encourages you to slow down, look at the bigger picture, and have conversations you may not have time for during a typical workday. The beauty of York and the Atlantic Ocean provides the perfect setting to stop outside your business for a moment and think about where it’s headed. Between sessions, meals, and conversations with peers, take some time to enjoy the surroundings, recharge, and return to the sessions ready for the next idea.
Content focused on the challenges facing printers.
This year’s conference was built around the issues print leaders are thinking about right now and the solutions that can help them prepare for what’s next. The educational lineup tackles some of the industry’s biggest opportunities and challenges, including how AI is changing search and new business development, practical applications of AI for printers, succession planning, business valuation and growth, engaging the next generation of employees, and workforce trends.
These aren’t conversations about some distant future. They’re issues affecting print businesses today. The goal is for attendees to leave with tangible ideas and strategies that they can take back to their companies, evaluate, and put into play.
Valuable speaker sessions and sponsor highlights.
Throughout the conference, industry experts will share their knowledge, perspectives, and experiences on trends impacting the industry and the businesses that support it. Attendees will also have opportunities to hear from PINE partners and sponsors who work closely with printers and understand the changing needs of the industry. These conversations provide another opportunity to learn about emerging trends, discover resources, and connect with potential solutions for challenges within your business. Our sponsors aren’t just there to support the conference; they’re part of the larger PINE community and the conversations about where the industry is headed.
Conversations that continue beyond the sessions.
Some of the best takeaways from a conference never appear on a PowerPoint slide. That’s why collaboration is built into the experience from the beginning. Thursday kicks off with our first ever Collaboration Café, combining lunch with peer discussion, followed by a Collaborative Debrief designed to keep those conversations going.
Throughout the conference, attendees will have opportunities to talk with fellow owners and leaders about what’s working, what isn’t, and how they’re approaching similar challenges. Sometimes a conversation with another printer who has already faced your problem can be just as valuable as an educational session.
Good food and time to connect.
A great conference also needs time to simply enjoy one another’s company. Meals are woven throughout the schedule, beginning with Thursday’s Collaboration Café and continuing with an evening cocktail reception and dinner. Friday starts with a complimentary breakfast before sessions resume. Boxed lunches will be available at the conclusion of the conference for attendees to take with them or enjoy while sticking around to continue the conversation.
These shared meals aren’t just breaks between sessions. They’re opportunities to sit with someone new, reconnect with an industry colleague, continue a discussion sparked during a presentation, or start a conversation that could lead to your next great idea.
Tangible and intangible solutions.
At PINE, we talk a lot about providing solutions, and those solutions can take many forms. Some will be tangible, like a new AI tool to investigate, a strategy for engaging younger employees, a succession planning consideration, a business development idea, or a resource you didn’t know was available. Others will be intangible but equally valuable, such as a new relationship, a different perspective on a challenge, reassurance from a peer who has been in your shoes, or simply the time and space to think differently about your business. The Leadership Conference bring both together.
Come ready to learn, share, and connect.
The 2026 Leadership Conference isn’t about sitting in a room and listening for 2 days. It’s about participating. Ask questions. Share what your company is experiencing. Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know. Talk with the speakers and sponsors. Compare notes with another printer. Enjoy a good meal and the beauty of the Maine coast. Most importantly, come ready to return to your business with new ideas, stronger connections, and practical solutions for what comes next.
We look forward to seeing you in York!
