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Highlights and High Points of Visions Conference ‘24

We came. We schmoozed. We ate. We learned. Visions Conference, held at the beautiful EnVue Hotel in Weehawken, was everything we could have asked for.

First, the hotel. Aptly named and sitting on the Hudson River across from Manhattan, the EnVue held the New York City skyline in view for all. Banks of windows and a welcoming patio provided ample opportunity to enjoy sunrises, sunsets, moonrises and everything in-between.

Here are some highlights of the event, and a lot of pictures! Please see “NORA Update: Marketing Low Carbon Fuels and Services” on page 21 and “Industry Summit VI Focuses on Success” on page 20 for information on those very important sessions.

The Tabletop Trade Show

The “tabletop trade show” took place in a central area where attendees gathered before, during and after the educational business sessions. Knowing their audience, NEFI planners made sure there was always fruit and snacks, coffee, and cold drinks to lure more participants in! We hope the exhibitors found the event successful: ADD Systems, Cargas, Carlin Combustion Technology, Energy Kinetics, F.W. Webb, Global Partners, Hall Trask Equipment, iRely, Oil & Energy Magazine, Northland Energy Trading, PDI Technologies, PriMedia, Inc., R.W. Beckett, Taco Comfort Solutions, and Tiger Payment Processing.

Educational Business Sessions

Whatever someone wanted to know about the renewable liquid heating fuels industry, there was a session on it at Visions Conference, despite the relatively short timeframe available.

If you wanted to know the state of state and federal regulations, the Industry Summit Kickoff breakfast, Summit Session and Keynote presentation by Travis Fisher of the Cato Institute had all the details you could need.

If you were looking for information on biofuels, renewable diesel, electrification and ethyl levulinate, you had your choice of sessions led by Leo Verruso of Advanced Fuel Solutions on the Performance and Benefits of Renewable Fuels; Mitigating Microbial Contamination by Edward W. English, II of FQS; Innovations in Service Efficiency and Customer Retention with B100 by Alan Chmeil of R.W. Beckett; EL, the Negative Carbon Fuel by Dr. Thomas Butcher and Michael Devine of NORA, with Mike Cassata of Biofine; and The Broken Electric Grid with Gregg Noble of KORE Power.

For business owners considering succession plans and acquisitions, Robinson and Cole representatives Brian Freeman and Kiernan Ignacio offered the Top Four Issues that Delay or Halt a Closing; and Kendall Rawls of Rawls Succession Planners offered the Ultimate Growth and Succession Workshop.

Visions Conference looked at the future of marketing and communications with two programs on AI. Dave Heiser of PriMedia presented “HAL, SkyNet, or C3PO? What AI and Digital Marketing Could Mean to Your Marketing” and Ashley Campbell of Warm Thoughts posited that “There’s Nothing Artificial about Artificial Intelligence.”

Food and Fun

Of course, all the attendees needed to be fed and have some time to relax. Global Partners hosted a Cocktail Hour Reception on Monday night, before the official festivities began. NEFI hosted the cocktail hour at the end of Tuesday’s business day, held on the beautiful patio. Food, drinks, and conversations flowed freely. Attendees had the opportunity to explore the many restaurants on their own for dinner, and most ended up at the hotel bar for more views and drinks before retiring.

Kudos to everyone at NEFI for arranging an engaging, educational and enjoyable Conference.

Thanks to all the sponsors, as well. Platinum Sponsors: Global Partners, PriMedia, Inc.; Gold Sponsors: Beckett, Chevron Renewable Energy Group; Silver Sponsors: Carlin Combustion Technology/Hydrolevel Company, Trask; Industry Summit Sponsors: Cubby Oil & Energy, Diversified Energy Specialists; Industry Summit Keynote Sponsors: Approved, Hart Home Comfort; Education Sponsor: Clean Fuels Alliance America; Federal Policy Lunch Sponsor: Energy Kinetics; Registration Sponsor: Warm Thoughts Communications; Tuesday Breakfast Sponsor: Star Group; Tuesday Break Sponsor: Irving; Lanyard Sponsor: Advanced Fuel Solutions, Inc.; Wednesday Breakfast Sponsor: Cetane Associations; Coffee Sponsors: Buckeye Partners and Gray3; Media Partner: Oil & Energy.