METALCON 2026 Keynote Speakers Announced

Jim Abbott and Kermit Baker

METALCON has announced its keynote speakers for the 2026 event in Orlando, Florida.

Starting on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 09:00, inspirational speaker and Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott will deliver “Nothing Can Stop You”, followed by a meet and greet.

His keynote will focus on resilience, gratitude and the ability to turn challenges into strengths. Through his own personal and professional journey, Abbott will explore how adversity can shape identity, strengthen purpose and reveal new ways of thinking, adapting and leading.

For METALCON attendees, his presentation aims to offer an inspiring perspective on perseverance, adaptability and embracing the circumstances that make each person and team unique.

The following day, on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 09:00, Kermit Baker, an economic voice in the architecture, design, and construction sectors, and former chief economist for the American Institute of Architects (AIA), will present “Building Through Uncertainty: A Market Outlook for the Construction and Design Industries”, followed by participation in an industry panel at 10:30 a.m.

His keynote will examine the economic forces currently shaping project activity, demand, pipeline trends and sector growth. Attendees will gain insight into how today’s market conditions may affect backlog, bidding environments, project starts and strategic business decisions over the next 12 months.

Find out more about this year’s keynote speakers here.

Two Distinct Perspectives

Judy Geller, METALCON Vice President of Trade Shows, said: “Both speakers bring two distinct but highly relevant perspectives to METALCON.

“Jim’s story will inspire attendees to think differently about adversity, resilience and possibility, while Kermit’s outlook will provide timely market intelligence to help inform business decisions for the year ahead.

“Together, their keynotes reflect METALCON’s role as both an educational forum and a strategic business event for the metal construction industry.”

METALCON takes place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando from Wednesday, Oct. 7 to Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, with pre-show workshops beginning on Tuesday, 6. Register for METALCON 2026 here.

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