As you read through this issue of PARCEL, our final one of 2015, you may notice that much of it deals with our recent PARCEL Forum. All of our regular writers are, naturally, industry experts (as I’m sure you’ve gathered from their articles over the years!) so many of them are frequently asked to be speakers at our annual conference. I decided to ask several of them to write an article for us following the show, providing a sort of “inside” look into the conference for those of our readers who were not able to attend.

I may be biased, but I’ve gotten confirmation from many attendees, speakers and exhibitors that this year’s show was our best yet. And that’s a true testament to our speakers and the PARCEL Forum staff, since we’ve had many successful shows in the past. But like all successful shows, we keep evolving year after year, and I like to think we improve a bit from one show to the next. This year’s conference truly highlighted the importance of educating the small shipment professional, since our industry is one that is rife with changes that could have a significant impact on an organization’s budget. This year’s show was abuzz with discussions of several hot topics, such as the fuel surcharge increase implemented by UPS and FedEx, even though fuel prices are down. The conversations that I was a part of were fascinating, and proved that the chance to network and discuss industry hot topics with other logistics professionals is one of the most valuable aspects of our show, and it’s the reason that many keep attending year after year. After all, continuing education is something that is crucial for every professional, and it’s why PARCEL strives to educate logistics professionals through both our media outlet and our conference.

But for those of you who weren’t able to attend, don’t worry; this wrap-up issue highlights some of the most discussed topics at the forum, so even if you weren’t with us in Chicago, we hope our writers give you a sneak peek into our jam-packed three days. And of course it goes without saying that we hope to see many of you in Dallas from September 12-14, 2016!

As always, thanks for reading PARCEL, and happy holidays!