Las Vegas, NV — The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) announced that its flagship annual event, the ACCA 2026 conference, will open this Sunday, March 15, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The conference runs through Wednesday, March 18, bringing together HVACR contractors, business owners, and industry professionals from across the country for four days of education, networking, and business insights.
Widely regarded as the industry’s premier business-focused conference, ACCA 2026 offers a packed agenda of breakout sessions covering leadership, finance, operations, and workforce development — the critical disciplines that drive HVACR business success.
The 2026 conference boasts a fully sold out expo floor with vendors looking to connect with the most successful contractors from across the country.
“ACCA 2026 is designed to give every member of your team actionable insights they can bring back to the business immediately,” said Barton James, president and CEO of ACCA. “From operations to workforce development to leadership, this conference meets contractors wherever they are and helps them get to the next level.”
Session highlights
This year’s mainstage lineup features internationally acclaimed mentalist Keith Kong, who opens the conference Monday morning with an interactive keynote blending psychology, criminal profiling, and performance. Kong has spent over a decade building a reputation for experiences that challenge audiences to question how private their thoughts truly are.
Ryan Berman, founder of Courageous and author of Return On Courage, brings his globally recognized work on building organizational courage to the ACCA stage. Berman founded his last company and sold it for $151 million, and his session will challenge contractors and business leaders to pursue bold, courage-driven decision-making.
ACCA 2026 also marks the return of Toolshed LIVE, the popular contractor-focused show, as well as the MIX Groups® Panel Discussion where contractor peers share firsthand how open information-sharing and accountability have shaped their operations, leadership, and strategy.
Breakout sessions throughout the four days cover workforce development, finance, technical excellence, and business operations, with content tailored for contractors at every stage of business growth.
Among the featured sessions this year is a presentation of findings from ACCA’s 2025 Contractor of the Future report, produced in partnership with Farmington Consulting Group. The research, which draws on data from independently and family-owned HVACR contractors — who represent more than 90% of the industry — examines the strategic, operational, and workforce trends shaping the next generation of contracting businesses. The session will give attendees a data-driven look at where the industry is headed and what steps contractors can take today to position their companies for long-term success.
Leadership transition
ACCA 2026 will also mark a leadership milestone for the association as Kurt Hudson, of LC Anderson, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts, will assume the role of chair of the ACCA Board of Directors.
Hudson has been actively involved with ACCA for more than 20 years and has served in multiple board leadership capacities, most recently as senior vice chair. LC Anderson is a commercial HVACR contractor and service company serving general contractors and property managers in the Boston area.
Hudson’s elevation to chair reflects his deep commitment to the HVACR profession and the contractor community ACCA serves.
Looking ahead: ACCA 2027
The ACCA 2027 conference will be held in National Harbor, Washington, D.C. Registration will open onsite at ACCA 2026.
Event Details:
Dates: March 15–18, 2026
Location: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
More Information: accaconference.com
Media inquiries:
Kate Wessels
VP of Communications, Marketing, and Partnerships
kate.wessels@acca.org
703-824-8864