Between March 26 and April 3, 2009, 136 Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) members accessed an on-line survey to provide feedback about the AHRD annual research conferences. The primary purpose of the survey was to understand more about members' experiences in order to improve what is arguably one of the most important "products" of the Academy--the conference program and the peer-reviewed proceedings CD. A related purpose of the survey was to engage more participation from Academy members and generate more understanding, ownership, and support of the annual conference. The findings from the survey can provide a basis for future conference planning and identify areas needing enhancement. The survey also points to the importance of crafting an annual conference that is able to balance two needs that are at times in tension with each other. The two needs are: (1) The conference should lead the profession through research; and (2) The conference should meet diverse stakeholder interests. The feedback from the survey suggests that the struggle for relevance continues and it seems that enhancing the conference is one great step forward toward mediating the inherent tension between research and practice "and" attracting and retaining the most valuable asset--members. In this article, the author suggests to begin the discussion and create new foundations that will support the 20th annual research conference in 2012.