University of Innovative Distribution (UID) will be held on March 16-19, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana, marking its 31st consecutive year of bringing together C-suite and executive sales and business development leaders across the distribution and supply chain management channels. Whether it be plumbing, paper, electrical distributors, landscaping, or construction, attendees learn from distribution colleagues from other industries in a highly engaged format. UID is a concentrated educational program focused on the unique needs of the wholesale distribution industry. Since its inception in 1994, UID has become known worldwide for excellence in education. UID is sponsored by a coalition of leading distributor-based trade associations in cooperation with the Department of Technology Leadership and Innovation of Purdue University. Working together, these partners take great pride in providing a superior learning experience addressing the unique needs of wholesale distributors across all channels.

The 2026 program will feature learning tracks in Distribution Strategy, Leadership/Professional Development, Management, Marketing, and Operations, with strong emphasis on Sales and Artificial Intelligence (AI) across multiple sessions and keynotes.

Speakers at the event represent an impressive roster of thought leaders and trainers from the distribution and business marketplace. The 2026 event will feature a combination of tenured UID speakers as well as the introduction of new presenters.

After attending UID, attendees receive a Letter of Completion issued by Purdue University awarding 30 hours of Continuing Education Units. These CEUs may be applied toward a Professional Certificate  in Innovative Distribution, which is earned after attending three separate UID events.

Registration is open for the 2026 event. UID traditionally sells out, so interested distribution and manufacturing firms are encouraged to register their staff early to avoid being shut  out. Complete details on the event can be found at univid.org.

About Association Education Alliance

The Association Education Alliance (AEA), a collaborative of 40+ distributor-oriented trade associations, is designed to enhance the effectiveness of each member organization by providing access to best-practices sharing, success stories, service provider recommendations, and turnkey educational programs and events. AEA seeks to be a highly collaborative alliance in which the synergies of the member associations are leveraged to develop a menu of valuable offerings, including the popular University of Innovative Distribution (UID).