NEMRA Lighting Announces Summit, Webinar

Last week NEMRA held one of its most successful conferences as about 2100 independent manufacturer reps and manufacturers gathered in Orlando for the 2026 NEMRA Conference.

In addition to 1000s of one-on-one meetings and countless individual networking opportunities, there were also well-attended keynote sessions, workshops on POS and Future Proofing rep businesses as well as an array of technology sessions.

And I’ll share more on the conference in a separate note, however, an audience was missing … lighting agents and lighting manufacturers.

As a segment, lighting is about 15% of industry sales. Why sales have been “tepid” the past few years, it is an important product category for the industry (and we also have an ePublication, US Lighting Trends, in this space.)

It’s so important that NEMRA launched NEMRA Lighting last year.

Today NEMRA Lighting has over 70 reps / lighting agent members and over 70 lighting manufacturers as members.

The association also developed a robust training initiative to support members.

Now it is announcing its first NEMRA Lighting Summit, which will be held in October.

The format will be similar to the NEMRA conference. In other words, chock full of one-on-one sessions in modular booths to help agents / reps and their manufacturers plan for 2027 … an industry first!

There will also be some keynotes, workshops and service providers will be in attendance to bring additional resources to members.

According to a NEMRA email:

“NEMRA Lighting Members and Invited Agent/Manufacturing Partners

Join Jeff Bristol, VP of the NEMRA Lighting division, for a preview of the 2026 NEMRA Lighting Summit.

This webinar is crafted to ensure you maximize your experience at the 2026 NEMRA Lighting Summit, held October 15-17, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. Join us to gain a comprehensive overview of the summit, gather expert insider tips, and ensure you are fully prepared for this inaugural event.

Register for either: February 20th at 11 a.m. EST OR March 17th at 2 p.m. EST.

What You’ll Gain from the Webinar:

• A clear understanding of who attends, what happens, and key event details.
• Guidance on the one-on-one business meetings, including a suggested checklist of topics, how to book meetings, and booking your modular space.
• A sneak peek at the general schedule, including panelists and sessions.
• Access to resources and FAQs to help you plan your time effectively.
• Step-by-step instructions on registering for the event and booking your hotel.

If you are not yet a NEMRA Lighting member, please email jvaller@nemra.org to register for this webinar.”

If you are in the lighting space, I encourage you to attend.