Corporate Attendee Q&A

ADURS Annual Symposium – Corporate Attendee Q&A

Content subject to change without notice.

Effective 8-1-23. All warnings are retroactive.

**Harassment of other attendees/speakers/ADURS staff (e.g. badgering to the point of emotional distress, sexual harassment, etc.) will result in individual attendees being banned from further attendance.

Downloadable PDF  (Updated 11-14-24)

Q: How many companies are allowed to attend the ADURS Symposiums?

A: ADURS allows up to eleven (11) companies to send a maximum of four (4) attendees each to the annual Symposium.

• • Available spots include both Renewable spots and a minimum of one (1) Wildcard spot (total for each category may change each year).
  • Companies with a Renewable attendee spot from the past year will be given first right of refusal for the subsequent year.
  • Wildcard spots are good for the current symposium only and wildcard companies cannot attend ADURS as a wildcard more than once every three (3) years.
  • Registrations from individual industry representatives not employed with one of the approved corporations will not be accepted.
  • ADURS, Inc. reserves the right to revoke any first right of refusal privileges for any company for any reason for current and future years.

Q: What are the current minimum/maximum thresholds for Renewable and Wildcard spots? (as determined via board of directors, subject to change)

A: Renewable: min – 8, max – 10; Wildcard: min – 1, max – 3

Q: How does ADURS define Company?

A: A company is defined as the Parent company and all their Subsidiaries. The four attendees must be employed by the Parent and/or one of their Subsidiaries.  To maintain corporate diversity, a Parent company and their Subsidiaries cannot claim more than one corporate attendee spot.

Q: How do I find out about upcoming symposiums or update my current contact information?

A: Complete our Corporate Attendee Inquiry Listserv Form.

• • https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ADURSCorpInq3
  • You are responsible for the accuracy of your information
  • ADURS is not responsible for communication failures due to firewalls, outdated contact information, and all factors outside of our control.

Q: When do you start notifying companies regarding the upcoming symposium?

A: We usually start notifying companies in the fall. This is after our accreditation paperwork has been filed (schedule will vary each year).  All interested companies must complete our annual Commitment form by the due date to either retain first right of refusal or be placed in our wildcard lottery drawing, whichever applies.

Q: How are ADURS Symposiums funded?

A: Symposiums are funded by registration fees only.

Q: My company attended last year and would like to retain our first right of refusal.  Can we prepay our registration fee before your accreditation paperwork is filed?

A: No. You have to wait until after our paperwork is filed. We can’t accept payment until the symposium officially exists with the accreditor.

Q: When are the Corporate Attendee due dates?

A: Due dates are as follows.  All dates subject to change.

• • Commitment Forms Due: October 1st or next business day
  • Secure Funding Approval by Company Due: December 1st or next business day
    
  • Payments Due: Friday, four (4) weeks prior to the start of the symposium

Q: What if our payment is late?

A: Attending companies are notified at the beginning of October and have almost four (4) months to pay the registration fee.

• • First offense will be a warning.
  • Second offense will cause a company to forfeit their spot.

Q: My company is attending this year and I would like to be one of their four attendees. How do I register?

A: Please contact your company’s designated event planner/director as they control who will attend from your company

Q: How does the Commitment form process work?

A: We use the annual commitment form to determine which companies with renewable spots are returning from the previous year and which companies will be placed in our wildcard lottery drawing.

Q: What if our company requires ADURS to sign an agreement/contract for us to attend?

A: Your request will be denied. Our accreditation paperwork states that we are funded by registration fees only. Your agreement/contract would violate the ACPE Standards for Integrity and Independence.

Q: What are our options if ADURS refuses to sign our agreement/contract?

A: Your choices are as follows:

1. 1. Pay the registration fee without the agreement/contract being signed OR
   2. Give up your spot.

Q: How does the Wildcard system work?

A: The Wildcard spot is based on a lottery system.

• • Starting with the 2024 symposium, companies eligible for a Wildcard spot will receive one (1) entry into the lottery drawing for each year they complete a Commitment form. Incomplete forms won’t be included. A random generator will be used to select the company for the wildcard spot.
  • Only companies who submit a Commitment form for the current symposium will be eligible for that year’s drawing regardless of point accumulation.
  • Wildcard companies cannot attend ADURS as a Wildcard more than once every three (3) years.
  • If your company is chosen for the current year, your wildcard point total will reset to zero and your points won’t start to accumulate again until after you’re eligible to attend again.

Q: Our company won a wildcard spot this year. Should we continue to complete a commitment form every year even though we’re not eligible for a wildcard spot for two more years?

A: Yes! Still complete a commitment form even during years of wildcard ineligibility. If a renewable spot opens up, we will be using the total number of commitment forms completed by each company to determine seniority. If there is a tie, a drawing will take place.

Q:  What happens if a renewable spot attendee gives up their spot for the current year?

A:  They also give up their first right of refusal for all subsequent years and their future commitment forms will be eligible for the Wildcard spot lottery instead.

Q: How does a company claim an open renewable spot?

A: If there’s an open renewable spot for the current symposium, we’ll look at the total number of commitment forms completed by each company to determine who has seniority. If there’s a tie, a drawing will take place. ADURS will then reach out to the company to see if they wish to claim the renewable spot.

Q: You said ADURS reserves the right to revoke a company’s first right of refusal privileges at any time for any reason. What are some examples?

A: A company may lose their right to attend if they engage in the following, which includes but is not limited to:

• • Require ADURS to sign a sponsorship/membership contract/agreement before payment will be made, which violates accreditation rules.
  • Failure to pay the registration fee by the due date for two years.