All IACC Conferences Postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19

A Message from the IACC President

Dear Colleagues,

Every year, we look forward to connecting with our global IP partners, practitioners and friends to network and share best practices in the fight against fakes. Unfortunately, the global outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) means that we’ve had to stop large-gatherings to prevent further spread of the virus. For that reason, we have made the difficult decision to postpone all our conferences until 2021.

This was a tough call to make and while we know this is disappointing, your health and safety are our utmost concern. Given the existing CDC and WHO recommendations to limit the size of meetings and gatherings, as well as several reports forecasting a second wave of the virus in the fall, we cannot risk your and our staffs’ safety.

The good news is that we will be offering virtual forums, and learning and networking opportunities in place of our conferences, so that you can continue to connect with us and your colleagues in order to enhance your brand protection program. We will also be sending a survey to members to gather additional topics of interest for our virtual programs. Stay tuned!

We’re also excited to see you in-person next year at our Annual Conference in San Diego on April 28-30, 2021 and our Latin America Summit in Orlando on September 14-15, 2021. Along those lines, we will be factoring in additional safety measures for our 2021 events to address any continuing concerns arising from COVID-19. We will provide you with more details about our 2021 events over the next several months.

Thank you to our members and partners for their continued support and participation in the IACC.

Thank you to all our government and law enforcement partners for continuing to protect companies and consumers against dangerous fakes during this difficult time. Our sincerest appreciation also goes to all first responders, medical and hospital staff, and essential workers for their bravery and dedication in protecting our communities. You too can “Pay It Forward” by visiting #GetUsPPE, an organization started by a group of Doctors and supported by a volunteer team of developers, connecting individuals and/or organizations willing to donate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

As always, we wish you continued health and safety.

Sincerely,
Bob Barchiesi
IACC President