<p>It seems only fitting that the 2014 NACDS Total Store Expo will take place in Boston this year—August 23-26—the city Oliver Wendell Holmes once dubbed the “Hub of the Solar System.” </p>
<p>NACDS Senior Vice President of Member Program and Services Jim Whitman said, “Boston represents a microcosm of the industry, with its spectrum of drug, food and mass retailers and demographics ranging from urban to suburban to rural.” In addition, he said, “Boston has several schools of pharmacy in the region—representing the future of pharmacy.” He added, “Boston is a city that has a broad-based healthcare delivery system. That’s why this year—2014—we’re in Boston.”</p>
<p>However, as long as we’re quoting esteemed 19<sup>th</sup> century Bostonians, Ralph Waldo Emerson famously wrote, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”</p>
<p>With that in mind, it’s important to note that NACDS’ Whitman emphasized the importance of being prepared in advance of arriving in Boston, and taking advantage of all the tools and resources NACDS has created on the NACDS Total Store <a href="http://tse.nacds.org/">website</a> so participants can maximize their experience at the conference. Whitman said, “At the end of the day, it will be all about the agenda people establish for themselves, their companies and their peers on what they hope to accomplish at NACDS Total Store Expo, from the moment they arrive until the moment they depart.”</p>
<p>NACDS just announced on June 18 that a comprehensive media resources section is now available on the NACDS Total Store Expo website. Exhibitors can <a href="http://pressroom.nacds.org/">upload</a> a news release to the <a href="http://pressroom.nacds.org/display"><em>Online Press Room</em></a> to promote a new product or service that will be featured at their booth at the NACDS Total Store Expo, and find information about the <a href="http://tse.nacds.org/Exhibitors/product-showcase-exhibitors">Product Showcase</a>, where new products are displayed.</p>
<p>Other resources on the NACDS Total Store Expo website include video how-to’s on <a href="http://tse.nacds.org/resources">NACDS-TV</a>; the NACDS Total Store Expo <a href="http://app.core-apps.com/nacdstse2014">app</a> to find attendees, check schedules and navigate the conference; tools for introducing new products during <a href="http://tse.nacds.org/Program/meet-the-market">Meet the Market</a>; information on <a href="http://tse.nacds.org/Program/meet-the-retailer">Meet the Retailer</a>; and a dynamic line-up of the best <a href="http://tse.nacds.org/Program/presentations">speakers</a> in the industry, including former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Dr. Ben Bernanke. As NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, said when Bernanke was <a href="https://www.nacds.org/Home/TabId/107/PostId/3965/dr-ben-s-bernanke-to-address-nacds-total-store-expo.aspx">announced</a> as a speaker, “When you think about who’s best to forecast the nation’s economic and business climate, Dr. Bernanke is hands-down the leading authority.”</p>
<p>The NACDS Total Store Expo in Boston holds the promise of an unparalled opportunity to engage, connect and customize the best takeaways for each participant. With sufficient advance planning, the destination is sure to match the expectations of the journey.</p>
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