Call for Session Proposals
IAM Annual Meeting & Expo
October 24 – 27, 2025
Marriott Marquis, New York, NY, USA
Marriott Marquis, New York, NY, USA
The International Association of Movers (IAM) invites session proposals for our upcoming Annual Meeting & Expo, taking place in New York City. We’re looking for engaging and forward-thinking sessions that will provide attendees with actionable tools and strategies for success.
Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:
- Operations: Strategies for optimizing logistics, streamlining workflows, workplace safety, and disaster recovery planning.
- Marketing & Branding: Developing core competencies and actionable strategies to elevate content marketing and strengthen brand presence in the marketplace.
- Data Security: Building a cohesive company-wide data strategy to protect sensitive information and enable secure and efficient data sharing across teams, partners, and systems in an increasingly digital world.
- Workforce Development: Solutions to address labor shortages, upskilling employees, and employee retention.
- Industry Leadership: Discuss a current or potential issue that the moving industry must address to remain competitive.
Why Submit a Proposal?
Submitting a session proposal is an excellent opportunity to:
- Showcase Your Expertise: Share your knowledge and insights with a global audience of industry leaders and peers.
- Expand Your Reach: Speakers and their sessions are highlighted in pre- and post-event marketing, including social media, and email campaigns.
- Elevate Your Brand: Gain recognition as a thought leader in the industry.
- Make a Difference: Contribute to the professional development of attendees by providing actionable strategies and innovative solutions.
- Connect and Collaborate: Engage with a dynamic audience of decision-makers, industry professionals, and stakeholders.
Submission Guidelines
IAM welcomes proposals from all members. Sessions may take various formats, including but not limited to the following:
- Presentations
- Panel Discussions
- Interactive Workshops
Proposals should include the following:
- Session Title
- Abstract: A description (300-400 words) of the session’s content and objectives
- Learning Objectives: Key takeaways attendees can expect
- Speaker Information: Names, titles, and a brief bio for all proposed speakers
- Desired Format
Session Proposal Submission Form
Deadline for Submission
All proposals must be submitted by March 15.
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by a panel of member volunteers, with company and presenter names removed to ensure an impartial review process. This approach promotes fairness and allows proposals to be assessed solely on their quality and relevance, based on the following criteria:
- Originality and innovation of the content.
- Practical applicability for attendees.
- Specificity, quality of content, and inclusion of data/outcomes (as appropriate to the topic).
- Interaction and audience participation opportunities.
- Speaker expertise and knowledge
Submission Rules
Your organization must be an IAM Member in good standing for your proposal to be accepted for review. Additionally, if your organization’s membership status should change prior to the conference, the presentation could be removed from the program.
If you are unsure of your membership status, or would like to join IAM, please contact the membership department at membership@iamovers.org
Additional Rules
- All proposals must be submitted using the online form, with no exceptions.
- You may submit up to one proposal per company.
- The primary point of contact (POC) is the person submitting the proposal. IAM will communicate with the POC for all communications, including notifications and deadlines.
- All proposed content leaders must be listed. IAM reserves the right to deny a content leader from speaking at the conference. Reasons for denial can include but are not limited due to the following reasons:
- Content leader no longer working for an IAM member in good standing;
- Content leader has been found to have violated the IAM Code of Ethics; and
- Content leader has been found to have violated the Annual Meeting Code of Conduct, or Sponsorship and Exhibitor Terms and Conditions.
- Use precise language free of political reference and maintain compliance with antitrust law.
Timeline (subject to change)
- February 10: Session proposals open.
- March 15: Completed proposals received no later than 5:00 p.m. EST.
- March 18-20: Initial review by IAM staff to ensure completed proposals follow stated guidelines.
- April 4: Phase I review and rating by volunteer peer reviewers.
- April 15: IAM will confirm accepted proposals by email and notify those who were not selected.
Review Process
Proposals will be reviewed by IAM’s volunteer member peer reviewers. The strongest proposals will emphasize how attendees will use the learnings from your session upon return from the conference, based on the selection criteria.
Questions during the submission process?
Please contact Julia O’Connor, Vice President of Membership & Marketing, at juliao@iamovers.org.