Stiles Machinery Inc. hosted its ninth Executive Briefing Conference, providing valuable inspiration to the 125 industry professionals from across the United States who recently gathered in St. Paul, Minn.

The theme of the conference was to answer the questions “What’s now, what’s new, and what’s next?” Event evaluations confirmed the 2011 conference was a timely reminder that much could be done to overcome the current economic conditions, according to the company.

“The event platform allowed woodworking industry executives from a wide variety of markets, the opportunity for collective, positive collaboration on important issues concerning us all: what must be done in order for our businesses not only to survive, but also thrive in a weakened global economy,” said attendee Elliot Germany, president of Panel Specialists Inc., in a Stiles’ release.

The conference was held April 10-12 at the 3M Innovation Center. In addition to the briefing sessions, the conference also included a tour of the 3M World of Innovation and demonstrations in 3M’s Customer Abrasive Methods Center.

The 2012 EBC is scheduled for March 4-6 in Charlotte, N.C. For information, visit www.stilesmachinery.com/ebc.