Trading firms, exchanges and technology operators convened in Doral, Florida this week for the four-day 2019 Options Industry Conference, where attendees addressed the spectrum of issues facing the options market.

Overall, the industry witnessed a strong 2018, according to Ivan Brown, head of options at NYSE, and who participated on Thursday’s Industry Leadership panel.

“It was a banner year for the options market with 24% year-over-year in average daily volume,” he said via Twitter.

We have all you need to know about the Exchange Leaders panel at the @OptionsConf

Here is a recap from NYSE’s Head of Options Ivan Brown #OIC2019 pic.twitter.com/zPjSBbDSZH

— NYSE ? (@NYSE) May 2, 2019

Even during the turbulent start of the year, the market held up nicely, noted one participant.

Great point made at #OIC2019 about the volmageddon from last year – the days after 2/5/2018 market integrity and liquidity held up quite well. $VIX

— Russell Rhoads (@RussellRhoads) May 1, 2019

Besides several presentations on the state of the industry as well as the state of options exchanges, this year’s conference dove deeply into the Options Industry Council’s mandate of investor education with an academic presentation by Edwards Szado, an assistant professor at Providence College and director of research at the Institute for Global Asset and Risk Management, regarding the impact of options strategies on endowments.

.@OptionsClearing John Davidson – Options education is fundamental to the future of the industry. It is important that we have well-informed investors. @Options_Edu #OIC2019 @OptionsConf #investing

— David Prosperi (@Swish1953) May 2, 2019

Panel discussions on volatility as an asset class, the impact that option entrepreneurs have on the market, institutional execution and liquidity as well as exchange clearing and risks for 2019 filled out the bill with insights from Gov. Jeb Bush’s keynote address and firesisde chats with John P. Davidson, CEO of the OCC, and Anthony Scaramucci, founder & co-managing partner at Skybridge Capital.

Throughout the many disccusions regarding investor education, Arianne Criqui, senior vice president, head of options & business development, at Cboe Global Markets and who particpated in the industry leadership panel, recommended that option investors broaded their sources of education beyond what the sell side and the OIC offer. She suggested that exchanges have an important educational role to play in expanding the options market.

"The exchanges can help facilitate growth in the options industry through a concerted effort to educate, and not just rely on the OIC and the sell side for education,” Arianne said during the Industry Leaders Panel at #OIC2019. @OptionsConf

— Cboe (@CBOE) May 2, 2019