On Sunday, February 23, 2020 at 5:03:39 PM UTC-5, Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas wrote:
Seeing old friends, making new friends and putting faces to names in this age of sterile social media communication is a reason why the SSA Directors might consider a return to the annual SSA Conventions of the past. Just because you might be my "friend" on Facebook doesn't necessarily mean that we know each other. (No emoji required here.)
When is the last time we spoke with mentors like Paul Schweizer, Dick Johnson, or German pioneer Peter Riedel? Was it at the annual SSA Convention? It's not all about the preferences of the vendors, it's also about the PEOPLE!
With the aging out of our members, let's consider a return the annual SSA Conventions. Perhaps a mini-convention in the "off" years may be an option, like the fantastic "Soaring Symposium" series offered in the past by Ed Byars and Bill Holbrook. Many of you may not know these names but they were important people in the history of the SSA. Yes, I'd volunteer to help make it happen.

After a good amount of feedback from exhibitors, the SSA BOD elected to move to a full convention every other year. The expectation was that more local events would fill the gap. That has not come about.
There was one attempt at a more modest convention in Philadelphia that had table top displays and a full speaker list. A snow storm did not help attendance.
There is a lot to be said for this concept. No big convention center is needed. Any big hotel can be a site.
Maybe this concept should be revisited.
FWIW
UH