Elan shares his observations on the UNPA Annual Retreat:

This year’s UNPA Annual Members’ Retreat brought us back to beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, at the nearly incomprehensible Biltmore Estate. Somehow, it felt even more special than it did when we gathered there 11 years ago.

On the eve of the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, which devastated the region, we were deeply moved by Jesse Dean, founder of Asheville Tea Company. She shared the heartbreaking story of watching her life’s work float away—split by a telephone pole in the floodwaters. Her courage and grace reminded us how fragile our plans can be, and how powerful the choice is to keep going.

I’ve been fortunate to attend these retreats since the very first one in Moab, and back then I dreamed of the day I could bring my future family along. Nearly every year since, that dream has become real. Michelle, Mazzy, and Zev joined me again this year, and we wrapped the retreat with horseback riding, hiking, and a little time to just breathe. The kids have grown up around this community and somehow seem to have more friends here than I do—which might be my favorite part.

As always, Loren and the entire UNPA team outdid themselves with another world-class event filled with meaningful topics and even better people. And for the record—I walked away with a new kind of friend this year: a bitter one. Dr. Giovanni Appendino’s keynote on the science and art of bitters was thrilling. I love bitters!