A few months ago, I wrote about the friction of change and the sense that new technology is reshaping our industry faster than we could ever imagine. That friction hasn't eased. If anything, it's picked up speed.
This year, though, we have the privilege of reflecting on this change through the lens of ACN’s 40th anniversary.
With Applied Net 2026 (AN26) coming up Sept. 28 in Washington, D.C., I can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with you. And there’s significance to the location this year, too — our nation’s capital is where this community held one of its earliest conferences, 30 years ago. We've faced plenty of change since then. We're still here, still learning, still riding that wave.
A Conference Built For Our Future
The AN26 agenda doesn't treat AI as a single track; it's woven through nearly every room. Sessions like “AI at Every Stage: A Tour of Applied AI Across Epic,” “AI for Agencies: Working Smarter Not Harder,” and “AI Readiness for Insurance Agencies: Spotting Bottlenecks and Implementing Practical AI Solutions” get straight into how this technology is already changing agency operations, and where the real opportunities sit.
Alongside them are the hands-on sessions our members ask for every year: Applied Epic tips and tricks, deep dives on reporting, analytics and dashboards reimagined, and a full slate of EZLynx sessions on CRM, remarketing, and retention. Expect less theory and more toolkit you can take back to your team.
This year's keynote also brings a different kind of voice to the stage: George W. Bush will join us to talk leadership and resilience under pressure — lessons that reach well beyond our industry, fitting for a milestone year.
A Day for Large Agents
On Sunday, Sept. 27, we’ll host our Large Agent Meeting, a full day for organizations with 100+ licenses. Breakfast and lunch will be included. The agenda features “Lifecycle of a Feature User Panel,” facilitated roundtables on the challenges that come with scale, and a workshop on AI and the future build around what the technology actually means for how your agency operates day to day.
This is peer-to-peer learning in its best form. You can expect to be in a room where “these people get me” is something we practice, not just preach.
What It Means To Be Part of ACN
As technology accelerates and new products release at an exciting pace, ACN’s job doesn't change: we're your professional home. Not a subscription, not a resource library, but a community of people navigating the exact same challenges and wins as you, figuring it out together.
And while that’s easy to say, I’d be remiss to not point out where you can expect to feel it in practice.
Some of what’s new for us at AN26 this year came directly from your feedback. We’ve built a dedicated “Join” station at our AN26 booth so membership is simpler to understand and act on in the moment, rather than something you look into later. We've also created a dedicated space for our Canadian members, staffed by Canadian board members and volunteers, with resources built for navigating the exhibit hall and this particular market.
We’ll also mark 40 years with an immersive, museum-style experience at our booth. This will include a timeline wall, a hall of memories, and a look back at the presidents and volunteers who helped build this organization one year at a time. We’re looking forward to celebrating how far a peer-driven community can carry an industry through change.
Technology will continue to evolve, and so will the tools we use to keep up with it. What will remain is the value of a community that's been through four decades of change together and still shows up for each other.
Related Reading:
Epic Discoveries: A Day at Applied Net: What does a day at Applied Net look like in real-time? Christie Smith, implementation specialist at OTIP Insurance Brokers, gives an hourly breakdown of how she made the most of AN25.
A First-Timer’s Guide to Navigating Applied Net: Tanya Vlahovic, national training and quality assurance Manager at Marsh Canada, offers a list of tips you can’t miss. Whether you’re attending AN26 for the first time or just need a refresh, this practical guide will help you make the most of your time.