More than 105 BLUE HAWK members and partners attended the 2023 BLUE HAWK Winter Summit in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in January. The three-day event included business meetings, valuable face-to-face sessions, and time for attendees to network while enjoying the beautiful Colorado outdoors by skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, horseback riding, snow tubing, and fly fishing.

“Our cooperative’s Winter Summit is a one-of-a-kind phenomenon,” said BLUE HAWK CEO Lance Rantala. “Members and vendor partners and solution partners truly enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and ultimately make great business-related connections here. Our staff is already planning and looking forward to next year’s event.” 

In contrast to the co-op’s annual conference, which provides a packed schedule and can see nearly 1,000 attendees each year, the Winter Summit focuses on Face-to-Face Meetings and networking between members and partners.

“Both events are equally valuable to BLUE HAWK members and partners,” said Lauren Roberts of cfm Distributors. Roberts is the BLUE HAWK Board of Directors treasurer and a long-time member-owner of the co-op. “The Winter Summit is great because it provides a mix of business and pleasure, allowing us to make strides professionally as well as enjoy amazing networking time with our peers, so we get to know them on a deeper level,” added Roberts.