Global Animal Health Week, an annual Kansas City get-together of industry and veterinary professionals, has been rebranded the Animal Health Summit in 2020 and moved online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The largest traditional event, the Homecoming Dinner, won’t take place, but the scheduled keynote speaker, David Hughes, an expert on food industry issues, will deliver an address for virtual viewing anytime from Aug. 31 to Sept. 23.
And what was to be the 12th annual Investment Forum, featuring 12 up-and-coming companies pitching ideas or products to potential investors and a panel of judges, instead will consist of presentations made available for on-demand viewing.
The summit’s host, the KC Animal Health Corridor, also scheduled live networking events for Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 as well as prerecorded webinars covering a range of topics.
The all-access admission price is $500. When it opens, registration will take place at bit.ly/AnimalHealthSummit.
The conference will kick off Monday morning, Aug. 31 with one-on-one attendee networking and opening statements from KC Animal Health Corridor chair Yvonne Hsu and President Kimberly Young. Later, a “Leaders Circle” of pharmaceutical company executives will take place.
“It will be kind of a fireside chat where attendees can ask questions in real time,” said Corridor director Emily McVey. “And then that evening, we will have a live happy hour where we will give a few remarks and then get people into breakout rooms to try to mimic what happens at the Homecoming Dinner.”
Not included in the ticket price is “Programming With Impact,” a live, 90-minute seminar on animal health industry trends. Proceeds from the Sept. 2 event will benefit the service dog organization Retrieving Freedom and Symbiotic Behavioral Treatment Center.
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