Join Us for the 2026 EESF Annual Conference

If elevator safety had a group photo, this would be it.

Our EESF team is standing shoulder to shoulder with the SafeTRiders, smiling big, ready to welcome you to something special: the EESF 2026 Annual Conference!

For 35 years, the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation has focused on one thing above all else: protecting riders through education. In 2026, we are celebrating that mission and inviting the entire vertical transportation community to be part of what comes next.

EESF 2026 Annual Conference

March 10–12, 2026 Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa, Pointe Clear, Alabama

This milestone year is about connection, collaboration, and community. It is about learning together, celebrating together, and recommitting ourselves to the people who use elevators and escalators every single day.

What to Expect

EESF 2026 is designed to be high-impact, easy to attend, and respectful of your time.

Day One kicks off with our evening welcome reception that will have drinks, snacks, and a small expo, allowing you to connect, explore, and ease into the conference with meaningful conversations and familiar faces.

Day Two features our annual Golf Tournament, presented by Elevator World, followed by an evening celebration at the EESF 35th Anniversary Gala, presented by NAESA International.

Day Three concludes with the EESF Annual Meeting and wraps up before lunch, making travel home simple and efficient.

Learn, Lead, and Make an Impact

Throughout the conference, you will have opportunities to learn how to become a Certified Rider Safety Ambassador, teaching EESF’s three rider safety programs using clear, everyday language that reaches real people. These moments are designed to remind us why this work matters and how each of us can help extend safety education into our communities.

And yes, expect some fun too! (I heard Safety Cat might join us)...

Golf, Celebration, and Giving Back

Our annual Golf Tournament takes place on Wednesday, March 11, at the Lakewood Golf Club. Golf participation directly supports EESF safety education programs across North America. If you have been thinking about registering, now is the time. A limited golf discount is ending soon.

Not a golfer. No problem!

Dinner-only tickets are available and include access to the Expo and Vendor Fair, making it a great way to connect and celebrate. Golf registrants are automatically registered for both the Expo and the Anniversary Dinner.

Seating for the 35th Anniversary Gala is limited, and once it fills, registration will close.

Make It a Destination

Our official hotel room block at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa is now open. This is a destination property, and rooms are booking quickly. We encourage you to reserve early and make the most of your time with us on the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Join Us

The SafeTRiders are ready. Our staff is ready. And we hope you will join us.

Whether you come to learn, to connect and network, to celebrate, or to support rider safety education, you belong at EESF 2026! Together, we can continue building safer rides and stronger communities.

We cannot wait to see you there!

Warmly, The Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation Team

Register for golf, sponsorships, or dinner tickets: https://events.golfstatus.com/event/2026-elevator-escalator-safety-foundation-eesf-golf-outing-presented-by-elevator-world

Reserve your hotel room: https://book.passkey.com/e/51158770

Letter from the Director

Letter & Invite from the Director

Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation

January 23, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

One of the greatest strengths of the vertical transportation industry is its people. Across every role and every level, there is a shared commitment to safety, professionalism, and responsibility to the public. That commitment is what has made our industry one of the safest forms of transportation in the world.

At the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation, we believe the next evolution of rider safety is education that reaches beyond equipment and into everyday understanding. I am writing to personally invite you and your teams to become Certified Rider Safety Ambassadors.

As Rider Safety Ambassadors, participants will learn how to teach EESF’s three core rider safety programs using clear, accessible language designed for a general audience. This training is not about technical instruction. It is about translating industry knowledge into practical guidance that riders of all ages can understand and apply. The goal is simple and ambitious: to ensure that every member of the vertical transportation industry is equipped to speak confidently and consistently about rider safety.

We envision a future where rider education is not limited to a single role or department, but shared across companies at every level. Mechanics, inspectors, engineers, sales professionals, administrators, and leaders all have opportunities to influence how safety is understood by the public. When safety education becomes part of our collective identity, its impact multiplies.

To support this effort, EESF will be offering a series of lunch and learn, quick-certification courses designed to make participation practical and accessible. These sessions will provide focused training, certification pathways, and the tools needed to begin teaching immediately. I encourage companies to actively support and promote participation across their teams, not as an obligation, but as an investment in leadership, culture, and public trust.

I also invite you to join us in person at the 2026 Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation Annual Conference and 35th Anniversary Celebration. This milestone gathering will bring together industry professionals who share a commitment to rider safety education and community impact. Certification opportunities, collaboration, and celebration will all be part of this important event.

Rider safety is not the responsibility of a single organization. It belongs to all of us. By becoming Certified Rider Safety Ambassadors, we can extend the reach of education, strengthen public awareness, and continue building a safer future together.

I hope you will join us.

Thank you,

Amber Catlin-Kolodziej, Executive Director, Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation