Independent Suppliers Group members, suppliers, partners, and industry leaders are soon heading to Southern California for ISG Industry Week 2026, taking place November 2–5 at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in Chula Vista, California.
This annual event brings the independent dealer and distribution community together to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, discover new solutions, and explore the trends shaping the Independent Distribution Channel.
Whether this will be your first ISG Industry Week or your 10th, a little advance planning can make a major difference. This guide covers the event’s key dates, venue and travel information, agenda highlights, networking opportunities, trade show tips, and practical ways to make the most of your time.
Let’s first cover some “know before you go” tips.
What Is ISG Industry Week?
ISG Industry Week is the annual gathering of the Independent Suppliers Group – a member-owned dealer group serving independent businesses across the office products and business supplies industry.
The event brings together independent dealers, supplier partners, wholesalers, manufacturers, association stakeholders, and other industry leaders from across North America.
Over the course of the week, attendees have opportunities to:
- Build and strengthen relationships across the independent dealer community
- Learn from business leaders, subject-matter experts, and industry peers
- Explore products, technology, and services on the tradeshow floor
- Discuss the challenges and opportunities affecting the distribution channel
- Discover practical strategies for sales, operations, leadership, and growth
- Celebrate the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of independent businesses
ISG Industry Week is part educational conference, part trade show, and part community gathering. That combination makes it an important opportunity to step away from day-to-day responsibilities, compare ideas with peers, and think more strategically about the future of your business.
When Is ISG Industry Week 2026?
ISG Industry Week 2026 takes place November 2–5, 2026. Some activities begin earlier. Independent Suppliers Group has announced the following key start times:
- Pinnacle meetings: Sunday, November 1 at 8:00 a.m.
- Industry Week programming: Tuesday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m.
If you are participating in Pinnacle meetings or another specialized program, review your registration information carefully before booking travel. Your schedule may begin before the main Industry Week programming.
The agenda may also continue to evolve as the event approaches. Check the official ISG Industry Week website and your attendee communications for the latest session times and event details.
Where Is ISG Industry Week 2026?
ISG Industry Week 2026 will be held at:
Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center
1000 H Street
Chula Vista, CA 91910
The waterfront resort and convention center is located in Chula Vista, south of downtown San Diego. Because the hotel and conference facilities are part of the same property, attendees staying onsite can move between their rooms, meetings, educational sessions, and event activities without arranging transportation throughout the day.
The Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center is approximately 10 miles from San Diego International Airport.
How to Register for ISG Industry Week
Advance registration is the best way to secure access to the programming, meetings, and activities relevant to you. Registration details may vary based on whether you are attending as an Independent Suppliers Group member, supplier, exhibitor, partner, or guest. Some sessions or events may also require separate registration.
Before registering, confirm:
- Which registration category applies to you
- What sessions and events your registration includes
- Whether you qualify for any member incentives
- Whether you need to register for Pinnacle meetings
- What your cancellation or transfer options are
- Whether any special activities require an additional RSVP
Visit the official ISG Industry Week website for current registration information, deadlines, member incentives, and frequently asked questions.
Where to Stay for ISG Industry Week 2026
The event takes place at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, making the host property the most convenient lodging option. Staying at the event venue can make a busy week easier. You will be close to morning sessions, trade show activities, meetings, and evening events, and you will have somewhere nearby to recharge between commitments.
Hotel availability may become limited as the event approaches, so reserve your room as early as possible. Use the booking instructions provided by Independent Suppliers Group or included with your event registration whenever available.
If you are attending Pinnacle meetings beginning on Sunday morning, November 1, you may need to arrive on Saturday.
What to Pack for ISG Industry Week
A practical packing list includes:
- Comfortable shoes
- Business-casual clothing
- A light layer for air-conditioned meeting rooms and evening activities
- Portable phone charger
- Reusable water bottle
- Business cards, if you use them
- Digital or printed company information
- Notebook or a reliable note-taking app
- Travel documents and identification
- Any materials needed for scheduled meetings
- Closed-toe shoes for the USS Midway celebration
Southern California weather may be pleasant in November, but check the forecast shortly before traveling. Coastal temperatures can change between daytime and evening.
Getting to Chula Vista (And Enjoying the Area!)
ISG Industry Week 2026 takes place on the Chula Vista Bayfront, a growing waterfront district south of downtown San Diego. The Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center sits directly on San Diego Bay, giving attendees convenient access to the conference along with waterfront paths, dining, and nearby Chula Vista attractions.
Arriving in Chula Vista
The closest major airport is San Diego International Airport (SAN), located approximately 10 miles from the Gaylord Pacific.
Rideshare services, taxis, rental cars, and authorized shuttles are available at the airport. SAN uses designated pickup areas for each transportation option, so review the airport’s ground transportation information before arriving.
Our ISG Tip: Traffic can affect travel times throughout the San Diego area. Leave extra time for airport transfers, particularly during peak commuting hours or when departing immediately after the conference.
Exploring the Chula Vista Bayfront
Attendees staying at the Gaylord Pacific may not need a car during ISG Industry Week. Guest rooms, conference sessions, meetings, dining, and resort amenities are all located on the same property.
When you have time to explore, the surrounding bayfront offers walking and biking paths, parks, waterfront views, and access to the Living Coast Discovery Center.
Chula Vista also operates a complimentary, all-electric Bayfront Shuttle connecting the Gaylord Pacific with downtown Chula Vista, local parks, shopping areas, transit centers, and the Living Coast Discovery Center. Check the City of Chula Vista’s current shuttle schedule before setting out, as routes and hours may change.
Visiting Downtown Chula Vista
Downtown Chula Vista offers local restaurants, breweries, cafés, and shops centered around Third Avenue. It can be a good option for an informal team dinner, a conversation away from the conference floor, or a free evening during the event.
Our ISG Tip: The Bayfront Shuttle, rideshare services, and local transit can help you travel between the resort and downtown without keeping a rental car for the entire week.
Traveling Beyond Chula Vista
Chula Vista is connected to the wider San Diego area by the UC San Diego Blue Line trolley. The E Street and H Street stations provide service toward downtown San Diego and other destinations along the line. The Bayfront Shuttle connects the waterfront with nearby transit stations, making public transportation a practical option for some outings.
If you plan to attend the closing celebration aboard the USS Midway, explore downtown San Diego, or visit another destination outside Chula Vista, watch for official event transportation information first. Depending on the schedule, organized transportation or rideshare service may be simpler than driving and parking.
More About the Closing Celebration at the USS Midway
ISG Industry Week 2026 is scheduled to conclude with a celebration aboard the USS Midway.
The USS Midway Museum is a historic aircraft carrier located at 910 North Harbor Drive on Navy Pier in downtown San Diego. The venue is separate from the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, so review the event’s transportation and arrival instructions before heading out.
Because parts of the experience may take place outdoors or require walking around the ship, comfortable, closed-toe shoes and an extra layer are sensible choices. The USS Midway Museum notes that temperatures can vary throughout the ship.
The closing celebration is also one of your final opportunities to reconnect with people you met during the week. Before leaving, make a quick list of the conversations you want to continue after the event.
If you bring a vehicle, review the Gaylord Pacific’s current parking rates (as of September 2026, rates were noted as parking hourly: $10.00; daily: $50.00), self-parking and valet options, and in-and-out policies before arrival.
What to Expect at ISG Industry Week 2026
The Independent Suppliers Group describes Industry Week as an opportunity for members, suppliers, partners, and association stakeholders to help shape the future of the Independent Distribution Channel.
Programming is expected to address areas such as:
- Sales strategy
- Artificial intelligence
- Category expansion
- Public-sector opportunities
- Operational efficiency
- Leadership
- Business development and growth
Alongside formal educational sessions, attendees can expect peer conversations, networking opportunities, supplier meetings, tradeshow interactions, and social events.
The most valuable takeaways may not always come from the largest session. A conversation with another independent dealer, a question asked during a panel, or a chance meeting with a supplier can lead to an idea that changes how you approach your business.
Our ISG Tip: Leave some room in your schedule for those unplanned moments.
ISG Industry Week 2026 Keynote Speaker
Mike Walsh is scheduled to deliver the keynote address on Tuesday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m. His presentation will explore how leaders can reinvent their roles in the age of artificial intelligence, examining how organizations are combining human judgment with machine intelligence, moving beyond traditional workflows, and finding new ways to create value.
For independent dealers and distributors, that conversation is especially timely. AI is changing how businesses approach sales, service, marketing, operations, product information, and customer experience.
To get more value from the keynote, consider these questions in advance:
- Where does manual work slow down your team?
- Which decisions require human judgment, and which tasks could technology support?
- Where are disconnected systems creating duplicate work?
- How could better information help employees serve customers more effectively?
- What role should AI play in your organization over the next several years?
Our ISG Tip: Write down a few ideas immediately after the presentation. Otherwise, useful insights can quickly get lost once the day’s meetings and conversations begin.
4 Tips for Planning Your ISG Industry Week Schedule
Industry events can become overwhelming when every open hour turns into another meeting. The goal is not to attend everything. It is to choose the activities that best support your priorities.
1. Set Goals Before You Arrive
Decide what would make ISG Industry Week successful for you. Your goals might include:
- Finding a solution to a specific operational challenge
- Identifying new categories or revenue opportunities
- Meeting a certain number of supplier partners
- Learning how other dealers are using AI
- Evaluating technology for eCommerce or business operations
- Reconnecting with peers and existing partners
- Returning with three ideas your team can put into practice
Clear goals will help you evaluate which sessions, meetings, and tradeshow stops deserve your time.
2. Build Your Schedule Around Priorities
Start with fixed commitments such as general sessions, scheduled meetings, and special events. Next, add the educational sessions and supplier conversations most closely connected to your goals.
Avoid scheduling every minute. Leave time to walk between activities, take notes, eat, recharge, and follow up on conversations while they are still fresh.
3. Review the Attendee and Exhibitor Information
If attendee, supplier, or exhibitor lists are available before the event, use them to identify the people and companies you most want to meet.
Group them into three categories:
- Must meet
- Would like to meet
- Explore if time allows
This simple prioritization prevents you from reaching the final day with important conversations still outstanding.
4. Reserve Important Conversations in Advance
Trade show floors get busy, and the person you want to speak with may already be in another conversation when you arrive. If a supplier or technology partner is important to your plans, arrange a time before the event. Even a short, focused meeting can be more productive than repeatedly trying to catch someone between booth visitors.
4 Tips to Get More From the ISG Industry Week Trade Show Floor
The ISG Industry Week trade show brings together established manufacturers, emerging brands, service providers, and technology companies serving the independent distribution community. A good trade show plan helps you move beyond collecting brochures and start having useful business conversations.
1. Visit Priority Exhibitors Early
Meet with your highest-priority companies before the day becomes crowded or your schedule falls behind. Early conversations often give you more time to ask detailed questions.
2. Lead With the Business Problem
Instead of beginning with “What do you do?” explain the challenge you are trying to solve. For example:
- “Our team spends too much time maintaining product information.”
- “Our current eCommerce experience is difficult to update.”
- “We want to expand into a new category.”
- “Customers expect more self-service options.”
- “Our systems do not communicate well with one another.”
Specific context helps exhibitors move past a standard overview and focus on what matters to you.
3. Come with Pressing Questions
Consider asking:
- What types of independent dealers do you typically support?
- How would this work with our existing processes and systems?
- What does implementation involve?
- What kind of training and ongoing support do you provide?
- How do customer requests influence future development?
- Can you share an example of a business challenge you helped solve?
- Who should we involve in a follow-up conversation?
4. Keep Useful Notes
After each important conversation, record:
- Who you spoke with
- What you discussed
- Why the solution may be relevant
- What follow-up was promised
- Who on your team should be involved next
- The appropriate next step and timeline
A photograph of a badge or business card will tell you who someone was. It will not remind you why the conversation mattered.
Turn Your ISG Industry Week Ideas Into Action
ISG Industry Week is full of conversations about AI, automation, category expansion, operational efficiency, and business growth. But bringing those ideas home is only the beginning. Dealers also need technology that can turn new opportunities into practical, scalable action.
That is where Logicblock comes in.
A modern, connected eCommerce and ERP experience can help independent dealers automate time-consuming processes, create more effective digital storefronts, and scale without adding unnecessary complexity.
It can also make it easier to act on the relationships formed at the show. If you discover new products through the SMART Solution Supplier Network, the right platform can streamline how your business onboards, manages, and sells those products—helping you move from a promising tradeshow conversation to a new source of revenue faster.
Meet with a Logicblock expert at ISG Industry Week on Wednesday, November 4, to explore how your business could:
- Use automation to reduce manual work and operate more efficiently
- Build a digital storefront that supports customers and drives growth
- Add and manage products from new supplier partners more easily
- Expand into new categories without creating more complexity
- Turn insights from ISG Industry Week into meaningful next steps
Our customers call us “the eCommerce platform that actually listens.” Tell us what your business needs, and let’s explore what a more responsive technology partnership could make possible.
FAQs About ISG Industry Week
What is ISG Industry Week?
ISG Industry Week is an annual event organized by Independent Suppliers Group. It brings together independent dealers, supplier partners, wholesalers, manufacturers, association stakeholders, and industry leaders for education, networking, business development, and a tradeshow.
When is ISG Industry Week 2026?
ISG Industry Week 2026 takes place November 2–5, 2026. Pinnacle meetings begin Sunday, November 1 at 8:00 a.m., while the main Industry Week programming begins Tuesday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m.
Where is ISG Industry Week 2026?
The event will be held at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, located at 1000 H Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910.
What airport should I use for ISG Industry Week?
San Diego International Airport is the closest major airport. The Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center lists the airport as approximately 10 miles from the property.
Who attends ISG Industry Week?
Attendees include Independent Suppliers Group members, independent dealers, supplier partners, wholesalers, manufacturers, service providers, association stakeholders, and other leaders serving the Independent Distribution Channel.
What should I wear to ISG Industry Week?
Business casual is a practical choice for educational sessions, meetings, and the tradeshow. Bring comfortable shoes and a light layer for air-conditioned rooms and evening activities. Closed-toe shoes may be helpful for the USS Midway celebration.
Who is the ISG Industry Week 2026 keynote speaker?
Futurist Mike Walsh is scheduled to speak on Tuesday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m. His presentation will explore leadership, digital labor, and the combination of human judgment and machine intelligence.
What should I bring to the tradeshow?
Bring comfortable shoes, a portable charger, water, business information, and a way to capture notes. It is also helpful to arrive with a list of priority exhibitors and several specific business challenges you want to discuss.
