Washington, DC, February 2, 2010 – Where do the growth opportunities lie in this tough economy? What type of attitude is needed to capitalize on them? How do strong ethics factor into the leadership required to succeed?

These questions and more will be answered at the 2010 IARW-WFLO Annual Convention & Expo, to be held April 24-29, 2010 at the Westin Kierland Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.

2010 marks the 119th anniversary of this event, which annually attracts the top executives in refrigerated warehousing and logistics with over 20 hours of world-class educational programming, a 95-booth expo, and multiple networking opportunities.

The formal convention program kicks off on 26 April with a powerful presentation from bestselling author Peter Sheehan entitled, “Fl!p: How to find and exploit opportunities in an upside down-world.” The session will reveal the changing nature of leadership, the evolution of business models, and deliver dozens of examples and strategies for finding opportunity and making money in tough economic times. “Fl!p” is a philosophy not just for reacting to changing markets, but for being the force of change in your market.

The following day, Dr. Paul J. Voss, president of Ethikos and an associate professor at Georgia State University, will speak on “To Hell and Back: The Crisis of Leadership and the Leadership of Crisis,” sponsored by Primus Builders. The session will explore why some businesses fail and show how executives can avoid a descent into economic hell by employing strong ethics to lead companies out of any crisis.

On the final day of the convention, Sam Glenn, author of “A Kick in the Attitude,” will deliver a hilarious presentation that will show attendees how to put the positive kick back into their attitudes. Years ago Glenn lost a successful distribution company to an overnight fire and lost everything. His attitude turned dark and his misery pushed away opportunities and invited more negative circumstances. Finally someone shared some humbling, yet insightful wisdom that sparked his attitude to change and live a better life. He will share the secrets to this turnaround.

Beyond these keynote sessions, the convention will offer a wide range of educational sessions ranging from the popular “Scientists Speak” sessions on April 25 to several useful Focus Sessions on April 26.

The Expo Hall also provides a marketplace for doing business with companies from all sectors of the cold chain, displaying the latest in products and services to help warehouse executives succeed. Over half of the expo booths are sold. Interested suppliers are encouraged to contact IARW at +1 703 373 4300 immediately to reserve space.

An optional three-day pre-convention warehouse tour to a cold store facility, coupled with a guided city tour of Denver and a full-day visit to the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in Cañon City, will run from April 20-24.

The convention also offers many opportunities for networking and socializing, including the Welcome Reception, First Timers and New Members Reception, IARW Golf Classic, and a new “Afternoon at the Oasis” event featuring drinks, snacks, great music, games, and more! The “Afternoon at the Oasis” brings a fresh, new twist to the formal farewell reception and dinner dance of past years.

A spouse and guest program is also available.

For more information and to register, visit www.iarw.org/convention or call +1 703 373 4300.

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IARW promotes excellence in the global temperature-controlled warehouse and logistics industry. WFLO delivers education and research to the industry and empowers economic development by strengthening the global cold chain. IARW-WFLO represents 98 percent of public refrigerated warehousing companies in the United States and has members in 65 different countries. Members of these organizations can be identified by the use of IARW and WFLO logos in their company promotions. For more information, visit www.iarw.org or www.wflo.org. Both IARW and WFLO are Core Partners of the Global Cold Chain Alliance, which represents all major industries engaged in temperature-controlled logistics.