The cleaning industry has no shortage of events, but Karina Neff, the architect of the Altus Summit, said what she set out to build is something different. “Iron sharpens iron,” Neff said. “You want to be around smart, driven subject matter experts that are really shaping the industry.”

The Altus Summit—evolved from the ISSA Business Growth Strategies event—is built around three principles: engage with intention, empower with education, and elevate with influence. Neff said every element of the summit flows from those three anchors.

Not your average conference format

One of the sharper departures from a traditional conference structure is how the Altus Summit handles its sessions. Rather than a one-way stream of presentations from a stage, attendees move through principal-led discussions and then break out into peer groups organized by company size.

Neff described four engagement tiers—Aspire (zero to $1 million in revenue), Advance ($1 to $5 million), Achieve ($5 to $20 million), and Ascend ($20 million and above)—each with programming tailored to where those business owners actually are. “We understand that it’s very different, your needs, from a zero to one to 20 million,” she said.

The peer breakout groups, known as the Altus Six, are central to the experience. “You’ll learn and see what the subject matter experts are teaching,” Neff said, “and then you’ll break out into your peer groups” to apply those concepts to your own operation.

The Altus Principals

Six industry thought leaders—the Altus Principals—anchor the event and the broader Altus community throughout the year. Each represents one of six core business disciplines: operations, technology, human resources, finance, strategy, and sales and marketing. Neff said these individuals don’t just speak theoretically—they’ve used these same strategies to build their own businesses.

Practical takeaways, not passive learning

Neff was direct about what attendees should expect to leave with. “Gone are the times where you can go to an event and just sit there and absorb and not really put it to practice,” she said. The sessions are built around strategies, methodologies, and tools that business owners can implement immediately.

That emphasis on the practical reflects what Neff described as a market that is testing BSC operators right now. “In this market, things are very hostile,” she said. “We’re trying to find creative ways to serve in a way that provides clear scalability—because ultimately, that’s what we all need.”

The details

The Altus Summit runs June 8-10, 2026, at ISSA headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois. Day one features an opening reception and networking. Day two moves into the Altus Academy sessions, peer group breakouts, dine arounds, and principal-led workshops. Day three focuses on alignment and forward momentum.

Early bird pricing (available through May 1) is $399 for ISSA members and $699 for nonmembers. Standard pricing is $499 for members and $799 for nonmembers. Dine arounds are available as a separate add-on for $75. A room block is available at the Sheraton Suites Chicago O’Hare for $189 per night through May 18.

Registration and full event details are available here.