GAWDA’s 2026 Regional Meeting season kicked off from February 10-12, 2026 in Sonoma, California. The event, themed “Beyond the Bubble” had something for everyone in attendance, as it invited attendees to get outside of their comfort zone. Following the amazing event, the regional co-chairs sent out the following recap/message to attendees:
Thank you to all who joined us for this year’s Southwest Regional. Our theme, “Beyond the Bubble,” challenged us to step outside what feels comfortable or familiar and lean into what may initially seem like a threat—like AI—and discover how those very challenges can become tools of empowerment. Justin, Quinn, and I are so thankful for your time!
We began the program outside the bubble with forward-thinking sessions that pushed perspectives and hopefully sparked new ideas. Then we moved inside the bubble, breaking into small groups to openly discuss the real-world challenges and goals facing distributors and vendors today. These roundtables created space for honest conversations, fresh insights, and stronger connections across our industry.
One of the most impactful moments came from Eben Britton, former NFL offensive end, who led a powerful breathwork session and shared his personal journey around mental health. His talk served as a meaningful warm-up to a deeper conversation we’ll continue at SMC, where Michaela Bucchianeri a psychologist, will present in an interactive session practical emotional-intelligence tools to help leaders navigate emotions, expectations, and engagement across a multigenerational workforce. This ties directly into this year’s SMC theme, “The Human Advantage,” which focuses on uniquely human skills of emotional intelligence.
On the technology front, Sam Keller: featured in Forbes and The Today Show—hosted an engaging AI workshop that left attendees with tangible takeaways and practical ideas they can begin implementing immediately at their companies. I think we were all surprised that George Ratermann’s persona didn’t break Chat GPT. The theme of GAWDA SMC this year is the human advantage in the digital age. Hopefully leaning into the unknown and idea of AI as a tool to empower us vs a threat sits deeply with attendees.
We also heard from Niki Wente, who drew powerful parallels between the wine industry and our own. She shared how Wente Vineyards continues to rank among the top 50 wines in the world as an independent, family-owned winery while competing against major corporations that dominate 90% of the list. Her story was a strong reminder of the resilience and innovation that independent companies bring to their industries.
Beyond the sessions, the event was filled with memorable experiences:
- We kicked off with a comedy night featuring Brian Kellen a stand-up comic seen on Last Comic Standing, The Tonight Show, Netflix, Amazon, and Comedy Central, George Lopez’s opener and proudly, Ratermann’s very first employee.
- Our Hole Hecklers raised $5,700 for GAWDA Gives Back with just 48 golfers. With a typical field of 80 players, we likely would have doubled that impact. Ratermann was proud to sponsor the Hole Hecklers along with a $500 raffle gift card.
- Early risers enjoyed hot-air-balloon rides at sunrise before the storm rolled in.
- And the grape-stomp competition lived up to the hype—with flying grapes, fierce competition, and even a few feet-kissing moments.
If you wouldn’t mind taking 2 minutes to complete this survey it would be of great help while we plan the next southwest regional. Right now, we are looking at locations in/around Austin, TX for 2027 but are always open to suggestions.
Thank you again to everyone who attended, presented, sponsored, and helped make this event so memorable. Your openness, curiosity, and willingness to step beyond the bubble are what keep this community strong.
We look forward to continuing these conversations at SMC and seeing how the ideas from this week translate into action across our companies.
Check out this LinkedIn post from event co-chair Marie Ratermann for more pictures from the event, as well as pictures below that were submitted from the event. If you have pictures that you would allow us to include in this photo gallery, please send them to [email protected]. Thank you!
