BGV Homecoming Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

When you register for or participate in BGV Homecoming, we may collect:

• Your name, email address, and mobile phone number;
• Your organization, title, professional background, and other profile information;
• Registration selections and responses;
• Dietary restrictions, food-related accommodations, accessibility requests, and T-shirt or apparel size;
• Interests, goals, industries, and networking preferences;
• Questions, feedback, support requests, and communications with BGV;
• SMS consent, delivery, and opt-out records; and
• Information about how you use the platform, such as login activity, browser type, device information, IP address, and interactions with platform features.

We do not require a residential or mailing address as part of standard BGV Homecoming registration.

Please do not submit highly sensitive personal or medical information through the platform. Dietary restrictions and accommodation requests should include only the information necessary for us to support your event experience.

2. How We Use Your Information

We may use your information to:

• Process and manage your BGV Homecoming registration;
• Verify your identity and provide access to the attendee platform;
• Communicate schedules, reminders, changes, safety notices, and logistical information;
• Respond to questions and provide attendee support;
• Coordinate meals, apparel, accessibility needs, and other event operations;
• Personalize your experience and recommend potential attendee connections based on shared interests;
• Facilitate networking and community engagement;
• Operate, maintain, secure, and improve the Services;
• Understand attendance, engagement, and program outcomes;
• Create aggregated or de-identified statistics for reports, funders, sponsors, and organizational planning; and
• Comply with legal requirements and protect the safety, rights, and integrity of BGV, its attendees, and its systems.

3. Attendee Profiles and Matching

The platform may use information such as your name, professional profile, organization, industry, interests, and networking goals to identify relevant connections with other BGV Homecoming attendees.

Information included in your attendee profile may be visible to other registered attendees where indicated within the platform. Your phone number, email address, dietary restrictions, accommodation information, apparel size, and SMS consent information will not be displayed to other attendees unless you affirmatively choose to share that information through a platform feature.

A suggested match does not mean that BGV endorses, verifies, or guarantees any attendee or potential professional relationship. Attendees control whether and how they connect with suggested matches.

4. Text Messaging

If you separately and affirmatively opt in, BGV may send you text messages related to BGV Homecoming. Messages may include schedule changes, reminders, location information, logistical updates, safety notices, and responses to attendee questions.

Message frequency varies and may increase during the BGV Homecoming event period. Message and data rates may apply. Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of registration, attendance, or participation.

You may reply STOP to unsubscribe or HELP for assistance. We may send one final message confirming your opt-out. Opting out of text messaging does not prevent BGV from contacting you through other appropriate channels, including email, regarding your registration or important event matters.

We do not sell, rent, or share mobile phone numbers, SMS opt-in data, or messaging consent with third parties or affiliates for their marketing or promotional purposes. Text-message originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with third parties, except with service providers that help us deliver and manage the messaging program and are required to use the information only for that purpose.

5. How We Disclose Information

BGV does not sell your personal information.

We may disclose limited information to:

• Vendors and service providers that help us operate registration, hosting, communications, event logistics, analytics, security, and attendee services;
• Event venues, caterers, apparel providers, or accessibility providers when information is reasonably necessary to fulfill an attendee request;
• Event partners working directly with BGV when access is necessary to provide an event-related service or experience;
• Professional advisers, auditors, insurers, or legal representatives;
• Government authorities or other parties when required by law or reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety, or security; and
• A successor organization in connection with a merger, restructuring, transfer, or similar organizational transaction.

Service providers and operational partners are expected to use personal information only for the authorized purpose and to protect it appropriately.

We may share aggregated or de-identified information—such as attendance totals, industries represented, general interests, geographic distribution, and engagement statistics—with funders, sponsors, partners, and the public. This information will not be intended to identify individual attendees.

We will not provide funders or sponsors with attendee contact lists for their independent marketing unless we first give affected attendees clear notice and obtain any consent required by law.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to operate BGV Homecoming, provide attendee support, complete reporting, maintain appropriate business and consent records, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and satisfy legal or financial obligations.

Information that is no longer needed may be deleted, anonymized, or aggregated. SMS consent and opt-out records may be retained as necessary to document compliance and honor communication preferences.

7. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information. However, no website, platform, database, or electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You are responsible for protecting your login credentials and should notify us promptly if you believe your account or information has been accessed without authorization.

8. Your Choices and Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to request:

• Access to the personal information we maintain about you;
• Correction of inaccurate information;
• Deletion of certain information;
• A copy of certain information;
• Information about how your data is used or disclosed;
• Withdrawal of certain consent; or
• An appeal if we deny an eligible privacy request.

You may update certain profile information through the attendee platform. To submit another privacy request, contact us using the information below. We may need to verify your identity before completing the request.

You may unsubscribe from promotional emails using the unsubscribe link included in those messages. You may opt out of BGV Homecoming text messages by replying STOP.

9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The platform may use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember preferences, understand platform usage, maintain security, and improve performance. You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings, although disabling them may affect certain platform features.

10. Third-Party Services and Links

The Services may contain links to websites or services operated by venues, speakers, partners, sponsors, payment processors, or other third parties. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, and BGV is not responsible for how those independent services collect or use information.

11. Children's Privacy

The Services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through the platform. If we learn that such information has been collected, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to the Services, event operations, legal requirements, or our information practices. The updated version will be posted with a revised “Last Updated” date. If a change materially affects how previously collected information is used, we will provide additional notice when appropriate.

13. Contact Us

For questions, privacy requests, or concerns about this Privacy Policy, contact: