Kristin Martinez, CEM, CMP, Vice President of Events at Fast Forward Event Productions and a dedicated leader within the IAEE Southwest Chapter, has earned the prestigious IAEE Chapter Merit Award for her outstanding commitment to advancing the exhibitions and events industry. This award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to support their local chapter’s goals while exemplifying IAEE’s core mission and values.

As a three-year Director on the SWIAEE Board, Kristin has made an indelible mark through her innovative approach to engaging the next generation of industry professionals. Her achievements include single-handedly recruiting San Diego State University as an IAEE member, creating the successful “Eventful Careers” roundtable, and serving as Co-Chair of both the YP/Academia Committee and the Program/Events Committee. What truly sets Kristin apart is her hands-on mentorship style and her ability to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world industry practice, regularly inviting students to experience events from installation through dismantle.

Kristin was presented with the 2025 IAEE Chapter Merit Award this past December at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Houston, Texas.

In this interview, Kristin shares her insights on building academic partnerships, mentoring emerging professionals and her vision for strengthening the IAEE Southwest Chapter’s impact on the industry’s future.

Can you tell us about your approach to recruiting San Diego State University as an IAEE member and why you feel it’s important to bring academic institutions into the organization?

Kristin: My approach with SDSU was really about visibility and access. Students are often introduced to the meetings and events industry through corporate meetings, hospitality groups, hotel associations and organizations like MPI – which all have tremendous value. But there is a huge side of this industry tied to exhibitions, sponsorships, revenue strategy and large-scale event business that many students are not exposed to intentionally. Too often, people discover that side later by accident. I wanted SDSU students to see it earlier, understand it as a real career path and be able to think more strategically about where they may want to go in the industry.

Bringing SDSU into IAEE helped create that bridge. It gave students access to a part of the industry they may not otherwise see in the classroom, while also helping them better understand the business side of events. Even in corporate meetings, exhibitions, sponsors and revenue-generating event elements play an important role. Exposure to this side of the business helps students understand the full scope of the industry and gives them permission to explore beyond their initial assumptions about what an events career can look like.

You’ve created numerous opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in the industry. What do you see as the most critical bridge between academic learning and professional practice, and how do you work to strengthen that connection?

Kristin: The most critical bridge between academic learning and professional practice is real exposure to the work as it actually happens. Students can learn theory, terminology and planning frameworks in the classroom, but this industry really comes to life when they can see the pace, complexity, problem-solving and collaboration that happen onsite. That is where the work becomes real, and where many students start to understand how wide this industry really is.

For me, strengthening that connection happens under two umbrellas that work together. One is my role with the IAEE Southwest Chapter, where I’m focused on creating access, visibility, and meaningful industry connection for students and young professionals. The other is through my work at Fast Forward, where our company actively invests in student development through internships and hands-on event exposure. I really mesh those two worlds together, because students need both: chapter-level community and direct real-world experience inside a working event business.

Through Fast Forward, we’ve created opportunities for SDSU students to come behind the scenes at San Diego Food + Wine Festival during setup, when the activations are taking shape and they can really see the mechanics of the event come to life. We walk the site, talk candidly about what is working, what is breaking and how we are solving problems in real time. For students outside of the internship program who want more hands-on experience, we invite them to volunteer onsite or step into event support roles when those opportunities are available, so they can experience registration, guest support and breakdown from the inside. We also give them the opportunity to experience the event as attendees, because understanding both the operational and guest perspective matters.

One of the biggest lessons for me has been that engagement increased significantly once I had an SDSU student intern on my Fast Forward team helping organize that connection from within the school. Peer-to-peer credibility made a real difference. When students hear from someone in their own age group who has had that experience firsthand, the buy-in changes. That is a big reason why, going forward, I want my interns involved with the YP/Academia Committee as well. I think the strongest bridge is built when industry, chapter leadership and students themselves all help shape it together.

Serving as Co-Chair of both the YP/Academia Committee and the Program/Events Committee requires juggling multiple leadership roles. How do you balance these responsibilities, and what synergies have you discovered between these two areas?

Kristin: Serving on both committees gives me a much stronger vantage point because the work is deeply connected. The Program and Events Committee is responsible for building meaningful chapter programming, while YP/Academia is focused on engaging students and emerging professionals in ways that feel relevant and valuable to them. If those conversations happen separately, it becomes very easy to create programs for young professionals and students without actually creating something they want to attend. That is where the overlap matters most.

Even with visibility into both committees, it can still be challenging to plan events that truly resonate with these audiences. Students and young professionals are selective about where they spend their time, and if we want their engagement, we have to invite them into the conversation instead of making assumptions on their behalf. That is why it is so important to have voices from SDSU, UNLV and our student communities represented in the process. As industry professionals, we can build events all day long, but if they are not meaningful to the people they are intended to serve, attendance and impact will always fall short.

One of the biggest synergies I’ve found is that bridging these committees helps us think beyond isolated YP or academia events and instead create stronger access points into the chapter as a whole. Students and young professionals do want targeted programming, but they also want access to established professionals and to the broader industry conversations happening at our regular chapter events. Keeping those groups connected helps ensure they are not just invited to separate programming, but are meaningfully included in the larger professional community.

Long term, that matters. The relationships and industry touchpoints people build while they are still in school do not disappear when they graduate. They remember the organizations, events, and communities that gave them real access early on. My goal is to make sure IAEE is one of those touchpoints, and that we are building a path where students and young professionals can see themselves in the chapter long before and long after graduation.

The “Eventful Careers” roundtable was highly successful for both students and experienced professionals. What inspired this initiative, and what key takeaways have participants shared with you?

Kristin: What inspired this initiative was the idea that students and emerging professionals need more honest conversations about what a career in this industry really looks like. When you’re in college, it’s easy to imagine a very linear path – like you pick a lane, follow the steps and arrive exactly where you thought you would. But in reality, this industry rarely works that way. Most people move between different sides of the business, take on unexpected roles and discover new strengths or interests along the way. The more obvious the path may seem at the beginning, the less likely it is to unfold exactly that way.

I wanted Eventful Careers to create space for that truth. There is no one right way to build a career in events, exhibitions or hospitality, and there really is no final “end point” where everything is perfectly figured out. The roundtable gave students and young professionals a chance to hear directly from people who have moved between supplier roles, planner roles, support functions, and leadership positions – and to understand that those pivots are not failures, they are often the path.

One of the biggest takeaways participants shared was that it felt freeing to hear how non-linear so many careers have been. It helped normalize the uncertainty they may feel about where to go next. It also made space for exploration – trying things, learning what fits, being honest when something does not and course correcting toward something that does. I think that kind of transparency is incredibly valuable, because it gives people permission to stay curious and keep building a career that is right for them, not just the one they first imagined.

What advice would you give fellow leaders who want to take make a meaningful impact in their organizations, especially when it comes to building programs that serve both emerging and experienced professionals?

Kristin: I think this is something almost anyone can do, and meaningful impact often comes from relatively simple actions done consistently. If supporting emerging professionals matters to you, one of the best places to start is by volunteering on a board or committee that works directly with students or young professionals. Those groups are often understaffed and in real need of people who are willing to invest time, energy and care.

I also think mentorship is one of the most powerful ways to make a lasting impact. One of the biggest things that shaped my own career was having mentors who saw strengths and potential in me that I did not yet see in myself. Sometimes the missing link is not just encouragement, but someone with perspective helping a person connect their skills to opportunities or career paths they had not considered. That kind of insight can change everything. As professionals, we can carry ourselves in a way that makes that possible – by being approachable, supportive and willing to share perspective in a way that helps others see a bigger future for themselves.

That mentorship does not always have to be formal to matter. Help students and young professionals network. Teach them how to walk into a room, start a conversation and make connections. When you see someone early in their career at an event who looks unsure, go talk to them. Buy them a drink, walk them around, make introductions. Help them feel like they belong there. That kind of access is often the most valuable thing you can give someone who is still trying to find their footing.

What makes this especially impactful is that it often creates mutual benefit. Many experienced professionals are stretched thin and in need of support, and many students are looking for ways to gain real exposure and experience. The right introduction can create opportunity on both sides. That “who you know” piece of this industry is real, but the most meaningful version of it is using your network intentionally to move other people forward.

I also believe impact comes from listening first. Learn what someone is interested in, what they are trying to figure out and what kind of exposure they need next. Then connect them with people, opportunities and experiences that align with those goals. It is not just about showing up to an event on paper – it is about what you do with your time once you are there and how intentionally you use it to help others grow.

Finally, I would encourage leaders to look internally at their own organizations. A lot of companies have internship programs, but many are underdeveloped or disconnected from the broader industry. There is often a real opportunity to improve those programs, create better support for interns and connect them to committees, volunteer roles, and experiences outside their immediate job function. That is where access broadens, engagement deepens and stronger future professionals begin to take shape.

The 2026 IAEE Awards Call for Nominations is open! Click here to learn about each category and submit your nominations for deserving colleagues.

The post Kristin Martinez Exemplifies the Power of Proactive Leadership appeared first on IAEE.

Last year’s event delivered on every front and the sessions didn’t disappoint. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be revisiting some of the standout presentations from Expo! Expo! 2025 and sharing the key insights that had attendees buzzing. Think of it as your second chance to catch what you may have missed or a welcome reminder of the gold you came home with!

Captivate, Engage, Elevate: The Ultimate Marketing Playbook

The dynamic sessions featured in this installment fall under the Captivate, Engage, Elevate: The Ultimate Marketing Playbook learning track. Designed to give attendees a deep understanding of the latest trends, best practices and cutting-edge strategies for marketing in today’s fast-changing environment, this track covered everything from digital marketing and content creation to brand management, attendee acquisition and customer engagement. For event professionals seeking practical and applicable knowledge to drive growth, this was the room to be in. Let’s revisit three sessions that packed a serious punch.

Alignment In Action: Breaking Down Silos Between Marketing, Sales and Exhibits

Presented by Sherron Washington, MA, CEO & Marcom Strategist, The P3 Solution

If your marketing team is saying one thing, your sales team is saying another and your booth experience is saying something else entirely… you don’t have a messaging problem, you have a silo problem. That was the central diagnosis in Sherron Washington’s compelling session, which tackled the all-too-common disconnect between marketing, sales and exhibit teams.

When these departments operate in isolation, the attendee experience suffers and so does your ROI. Sherron offered a clear, actionable path to internal alignment that helps teams create shared goals, ensure consistent messaging, and build seamless integration between brand vision, selling strategy and booth execution.

Silos Show Up in Four Predictable Ways and You Can Diagnose Them

Sherron introduced the concept of “messaging fractures,” where marketing, sales and exhibits all communicate different things to the same audience. Beyond mixed messages, silos typically appear as:

• Undefined roles: Unclear ownership leads to assumptions and gaps
• No shared success metrics: Marketing celebrates awareness
• Sales celebrates deals and exhibits celebrates experience: But nobody’s celebrating together
• Late-stage integration: Last-minute onsite alignment meetings that create confusion instead of clarity

Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward fixing them.

The DMRA Framework Turns Alignment into a System, Not a One-Time Fix

Sherron shared a practical assessment tool built around four pillars:

1. Direction: One unified show goal
2. Message: Consistent content across the entire event lifecycle
3. Role Ownership: Clarity on who owns what (and what they don’t)
4. Actions: Onsite behaviors that match the goals, messaging and roles agreed upon in advance

The session included a live “Alignment Check” activity where attendees applied the DMRA framework to their own situation, and many discovered their teams would not have given the same answers to the same four questions.

One Pre-Show Meeting and One Post-Show Debrief Can Change Everything

Sherron’s practical prescription was refreshingly simple – hold one cross-team pre-show alignment meeting using a structured checklist:

• Unified goal
• Unified message
• Defined roles
• Aligned lead capture approach

Then follow every event with one cross-team debrief using the DMRA Assessment to compare what worked and what didn’t. The key is consistency; the alignment assessment tool only becomes powerful when it’s used as a habit and not a one-time solution.

The Bottom Line

Alignment doesn’t require total agreement but it does require intention, clarity and commitment. Sherron’s session was a powerful reminder that B2B events’ biggest performance gaps often aren’t strategic; they’re operational. With the right framework and a culture of cross-team communication, exhibition organizers can stop leaving ROI on the table and start delivering the unified experience attendees and exhibitors deserve.

Do This, Not That: Event Marketing That Works!

Presented by Jay Schwedelson, Founder and CEO, SubjectLine.com, GURU Media Hub, Outcome Media

Jay Schwedelson does not “do” slow. His high-energy, data-dense session was a masterclass in challenging the assumptions that event marketers have been operating on for years and replacing them with tactics backed by real performance data. Filling seats, whether virtual or in-person, takes more than a “Save the Date,” and Jay came armed with research, AI prompts and a few well-timed moments of tough love to prove it. Drawing from his “Worldata Research 2025 Performance Report” and his own experience running more than 150 in-person events in 2025 alone, he unpacked tips and tricks related to email marketing, demand generation and social media marketing to create buzz, drive registrations, and keep attendees engaged before, during and after events.

Stop Ignoring Weekends Because That’s Where Your Decision-Makers Are

A full 88% of event promotional emails are sent Monday through Thursday. Meanwhile, research shows a 23% surge in weekend web traffic from C-suite executives and VPs, and weekend click-through rates for event promotional emails rose 68% in 2025. Why? Because senior leaders are catching up on emails when they’re not in back-to-back meetings. Jay’s point was clear: weekend email volume is 94% lower than weekdays, which means far less competition in the inbox. The opportunity is enormous and most event marketers are still sleeping through it.

Small Subject Line Moves Create Big Open Rate Jumps

Jay walked through a series of surprisingly simple email subject line tweaks – each backed by hard data – that dramatically improve open rates:

• Capitalizing the first word or phrase in a subject line increases open rates for event promotional emails by 22%.
• Subject lines that start with a number see a 24% jump.
• A capitalized word in the middle of a subject line delivers a 16% lift.
• Using a greater-than or less-than symbol at the start of the subject line (e.g., “ENGAGEMENT > EGO: Join the Top Voices in Internal Comms”) drives an 18% increase.
• True personalization – going beyond first name to reference job function, company size, industry or company name – increases open rates by up to 32%.
• “Made for you” subject lines that signal tailored relevance without using a first name produce a consistent 15%+ open rate lift.

AI Isn’t Coming for Your Event, But It is Changing How Attendees Find It

Jay dedicated a significant portion of the session to what he called one of the most important shifts event marketers need to understand right now: AI-powered browsers and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). While most websites are nowhere near AEO-optimized (SaaS sites average 8-12% while direct-to-consumer sites average just 3–6%), AI browsers like Perplexity’s Comet and OpenAI’s Atlas are already changing how people discover events, navigate registration pages and consume event content. Jay also shared ready-to-use AI prompts to help event teams audit their websites, benchmark against competitors and optimize their registration flow for this emerging landscape – no technical expertise required.

The Bottom Line

Jay’s session was equal parts wake-up call and tactical treasure trove. The event marketing playbook that worked five years ago, or even last year, needs a serious update. The good news? The changes that drive the biggest results are often the smallest ones. And with the right data in hand, event marketers don’t have to guess what works anymore – they can just do it.

Human Communications: The Relationship-Driven Event Marketing Strategy You’re Not Using (Yet)

Presented by Tim Hines, Founder, Marketing Starter Group

In a world dominated by automation, algorithms and artificial intelligence, Tim Hines made a case for something radical: being human. His session challenged event marketers to step back from their dashboards and their drip campaigns to ask a more fundamental question: Are we actually connecting with people?

Today’s attendees, exhibitors and partners expect more than transactions; they seek trust, transparency and authentic relationships. Tim explored how to rehumanize marketing in a way that builds long-term loyalty and drives results, offering a framework for crafting messages that resonate, designing experiences that connect and leading with empathy across every brand touchpoint.

We’ve Moved from B2B and B2C to H2H (Human-to-Human)

Tim reframed the entire foundation of event marketing around what he calls H2H (Human-to-Human) communication. At its core, H2H is about building emotional connections with customers and employees that are helpful, authentic, respectful and personal. The audience for any event is made up of real people with real emotions, preferences and communication styles.

Understanding what your audience looks like, how they communicate and where they engage is not a segmentation exercise – it’s an empathy exercise. Tim pointed to research showing that authentic, emotionally resonant communication has a measurable impact on the bottom line, with meaningful lifts in both engagement and conversion.

“Corporate Speak” is Quietly Killing Your Brand

One of the session’s most memorable moments centered on what Tim called “corp speak”: the kind of stiff, jargon-heavy language that looks professional on paper but leaves real people cold. The antidote isn’t being less professional; it’s being more human. Tim urged attendees to ask four key questions before any communication:

• Who are you speaking to?
• Why are you speaking to them?
• How are you speaking to them?
• Where are you speaking to them?

Getting clear on those answers, and then actually speaking like a person, is what separates brands that build communities from those that just blast campaigns.

A Human Comms Plan Isn’t a Feeling, It’s a Framework

Tim closed with a practical five-step plan for putting human-centered communication into action:

1. Start with tangible goals.
2. Audit your current communication channels.
3. Identify your audience and learn their preferences.
4. Align your channels and messaging to your audience’s needs.
5. Get all stakeholders on board.

He also emphasized the importance of the “platinum rule” – not treating others the way you want to be treated, but the way they want to be treated – and making technology a tool that supports human-first communication rather than a barrier that replaces it. Tim reminded the room that the most likable, trustworthy brands are the ones that are consistent and genuinely interested in the people they serve.

The Bottom Line

Tim delivered something rare in a technology-saturated industry: permission to slow down and be real. In a moment when AI can generate your emails, your social posts and your entire campaign strategy, the differentiator isn’t speed or scale – it’s soul. Industry professionals who lead with empathy, communicate authentically and build relationships before they need them, will have the edge that no algorithm can replicate.

Looking Ahead

As we look ahead to Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2026 taking place 16-18 November in Milwaukee, it’s hard not to feel energized by what the 2025 sessions unpacked. If these recaps left you thinking, inspired or maybe a little uncomfortable about what you’ve been doing (in the best possible way), just wait until you experience the real thing!

Click here for everything you need to know about Expo! Expo! 2026 and register before 30 September to take advantage of the BE SMART rates!

The post Big Ideas for Better Events appeared first on IAEE.

The global exhibitions and events industry is no stranger to disruption, but artificial intelligence is taking things to new levels – not just as a new tool, but a new way of seeing the market. From decoding competitive dynamics to identifying emerging audience segments, AI offers exhibition organizers a level of strategic clarity that was difficult to achieve even just a few years ago.

In IAEE’s webinar, How AI Insights are Reshaping Exhibition Strategy: Understanding Markets, Segments, and Competitors, industry expert Matthias “Tesi” Baur will explore exactly how this shift is playing out. Tesi serves as the CEO of MBB Consulting Group and has more than 24 years of experience across some of the industry’s most influential organizations, including Messe Frankfurt, Reed Exhibitions and UBM/Informa. He brings both the strategic depth and the hands-on perspective to cut through the AI hype and focus on what actually moves the needle for exhibition professionals.

The session is designed to be immediately actionable. Attendees will learn to apply AI insights to real strategic and commercial decisions as a practical shift in how they approach planning and performance evaluation. Tesi will also address the honest reality of working with AI tools and agents, including the friction points that don’t always make it into the sales pitch.

Perhaps most importantly, the session reframes how exhibition professionals should think about AI altogether: not as a system that replaces human judgment, but as a decision-support tool that makes that judgment sharper and better informed.

Here, we sit down with Tesi to explore the concepts he’ll be covering. Whether you’re trying to make sense of shifting market conditions or looking for smarter ways to benchmark performance, this conversation is a preview worth reading before taking a deeper dive at the webinar.

AI promises a lot, but exhibition organizers are busy people with limited bandwidth. What is the most immediate, practical way AI is helping organizers make better decisions right now?

Tesi: The biggest immediate benefit is speed, but it is important to be precise about where the speed actually sits. Tasks that used to take an analyst two to three weeks such as mapping an industry, sizing a market segment, listing competitors or profiling a country, now take a couple of days and the output is more detailed. That is the data-collection layer, and that is where AI compresses the timeline. The consulting layer on top – sense checking the output against what we know about the market, quality checking the sources and interpreting what the numbers actually mean for a specific organizer – still has to be done by people. AI does not remove that work; it just lets you get to it sooner.

At MBB we do this work with our AI Data Scanner, and organizers tell us the real value is not that AI produced the analysis. It is that the commercial team can have the strategic discussion two weeks earlier, with better data and a human-checked interpretation in front of them. That earlier discussion changes how you set prices, decide whether to launch a show in a new country and shape your overall event portfolio. You are making decisions based on current evidence, not on last year’s assumptions.

For a busy organizer, the practical benefit is simple: less time between asking a question and getting an answer you can defend.

You’ve worked across major markets across the globe. How does AI change the challenge of understanding and comparing performance across markets that have very different attendee and exhibitor behaviors?

Tesi: Comparing markets has always been difficult because the basic inputs are not the same. A square foot of exhibition space in Frankfurt sells at a different price, to different exhibitors, with different visitor expectations than a square foot in São Paulo or Bangkok. Visitor behavior, what exhibitors want and the local competition all start from different baselines.

AI lets you put all of that information on a single, comparable basis. We can combine data from many different sources such as exhibitor lists, visitor demographics, nearby events, trade flows and regulation, and structure it so you are genuinely comparing like for like. AI also shows the patterns behind the numbers: which segments are growing in one country and slowing in another, where international exhibitors are shifting their spending and which industries are starting to overlap. Instead of only looking at the headline revenue or attendance figure, you can see what is actually driving it. That is the level of detail you need to make real decisions about your event portfolio.

When professionals hear “AI insights,” they may picture dashboards and reports they don’t have time to read. How do you make sure AI becomes a decision-support tool that people actually use, rather than just another layer of data noise?

Tesi: This is the most common mistake I see, and it is why many AI projects fail. A team launches another dashboard, people use it for about a week and then it joins the long list of tools that nobody opens. The solution is to stop building dashboards and start with the decisions you actually need to make. Before building anything, list the three or four decisions each year that genuinely matter. For example, launching a show in a new country, changing the price of booth space, closing a segment or responding to a new competitor. Then design the AI tool to support exactly those decisions.

The second part of the solution is the interface. People will not read a 40-page report, but they will spend five minutes asking questions of a chat tool that answers in plain language. The third part, and the one teams skip most often, is the data processing and quality check behind it. You need a defined way to collect the data in the first place and a quality-check step that catches errors, gaps and stale figures before anything reaches a decision-maker. This is the foundation of any credible industry analysis: in our world a single number can drive a pricing change or a country launch, so the data behind it has to be defensible. A chat interface on top of bad or unchecked data is worse than no tool at all, because it sounds confident.

Decisions, interface, data process: get those three right and AI becomes something the team actually uses.

Competitive intelligence has always been a sensitive area in the exhibition industry, with organizers often reluctant to share data. How does AI navigate that reality, and what can it tell you about your competitive position even when competitors aren’t cooperating?

Tesi: Our industry has always treated its own data as confidential. The irony is that a large amount of competitive information is already publicly available. It is simply spread across many places and time-consuming to collect. Exhibitor lists, floor plans, conference programmes, sponsor materials, association press releases, trade press articles, job postings and social media posts from sales teams visiting shows are all public sources of information. AI lets you combine these public sources into a clear view of a competitor’s event portfolio: which segments they are investing in, how they price and which geographies they are expanding into.

You do not need the competitor to share any internal data. This is not a data leak; it is the structured combination of information that is already public. The discipline is staying on the public side of that line, and remembering that even public sources can mislead if you do not stress-test them. The same logic works in reverse: you also need to understand what your own public information is telling competitors. The organizers who get ahead in 2026 will be the ones who treat public, external data as a regular part of their strategy work, not as something they only review when a competitor surprises them.

You will discuss both the challenges and the opportunities of AI tools. What do you see as the challenge that most industry professionals are least prepared for when they start integrating AI into their strategic process?

Tesi: There are two challenges worth naming.

The first is the one most people underestimate because of where we are in the cycle. We are in the middle of an AI hype phase. Thousands of tools and applications are being launched, which sounds like good news but is actually a problem: it is genuinely confusing which ones to use, which ones to integrate, what the real value is, what the integration effort is and what the risks are. A large share of these tools will not exist in a year. Every hype phase carries that uncertainty and exhibition teams have to make integration decisions inside it.

The second challenge, and the deeper one, is data quality and trust in the output. Most teams expect the technical integration work to be difficult, and it is, but teams have done integrations before and know how to resource them. What teams are not prepared for is that AI can produce a confident, well-written, professional-looking answer that is partly or entirely wrong, with no indication that something is off. There is growing evidence that a significant share of the sources AI tools cite either do not exist or do not say what the AI claims. In our industry, where a single number can determine a pricing change or whether to launch in a new country, that level of error is not acceptable.

The teams that succeed build a quality-check step into their process: they verify the AI’s sources, have a human review the output at the key decision points and set a clear rule about which decisions AI can inform and which require a human sign-off. That discipline is what will separate the organizers who scale AI successfully in 2026 from those who quietly stop using it after one bad decision.

Looking ahead, where do you see the clearest opportunity for AI to reshape how exhibitions are positioned and grown? Is it in audience development, market expansion, commercial strategy or somewhere else entirely?

Tesi: If I had to pick one area, it would be the personalized visitor experience, because that is where AI changes the product itself rather than just internal operations. For the last 20 years we have sold a fairly standard experience: a badge, a floor plan, a catalogue and the visitor figures out the rest of their event themselves. AI allows us to reverse that, and it lines up with two of the bigger consumer trends going into 2026: chat-style interaction is replacing menus and multi-step forms, and AI is doing the summarisation work that visitors used to do themselves. The same event can deliver a different, tailored experience to a buyer, a technical specialist, a first-time visitor and a returning VIP across the full show lifecycle.

Before the show, it sharpens pipeline management, content planning and pre-event matchmaking. During the show, it powers navigation, on-floor matchmaking and service. After the show, it drives follow-up, ROI analysis and the learnings that feed the next edition. That changes how you price tickets, design sponsorship, plan content and, ultimately, how many visitors return next year.

Audience development and commercial strategy also benefit, and expanding into new markets becomes faster because the analysis is cheaper. But personalization is where the difference between organizers will become most visible. 2026 is the year the leading organizers move beyond pilots and experiments. The ones who use this window to rebuild the visitor experience around AI will set the standard for the next phase of the industry.

Click here to register for How AI Insights are Reshaping Exhibition Strategy: Understanding Markets, Segments, and Competitors and learn more about upcoming IAEE webinars here.

The post Have the AI Advantage in Smarter Exhibition Strategy appeared first on IAEE.

For many teams, valuable insights slip through the cracks. Attendee feedback lives in scattered surveys. Session recordings go unwatched. Engagement data sits siloed in platforms that don’t talk to each other. Meanwhile, stakeholders want to know what worked, sponsors want proof of impact and marketers are looking for content to fuel campaigns until the next event. The gap between what was produced and what can actually be activated is one of the most persistent challenges in the industry.

The question is no longer whether your event generates valuable insights, it’s whether your tools are built to capture and use them – and that’s exactly what IAEE Event Tech Demo Days on 11 June will address, along with showing you how to resolve this challenge.

Join us to see how purpose-built tools are helping organizers streamline content operations, surface authentic attendee perspectives at scale and transform event activity into actionable intelligence. From simplifying speaker and session workflows to analyzing engagement patterns and generating ready-to-use content assets, you’ll discover practical approaches to extending your event’s impact, improving decision-making and delivering real value to stakeholders year-round.

What You’ll Experience

Attendees will come away with a clearer picture of how to connect engagement data across platforms, capture and repurpose attendee-generated content, measure real session engagement, and streamline the full speaker and content workflow, giving their teams the tools to do more with every event they produce. Click on the logos to learn more about each company.

Unified Event Intelligence

Bear Analytics will demonstrate how its Unified Event Intelligence platform connects engagement data across your entire event ecosystem – from sessions and networking to exhibitor interactions – and turns it into clear, usable insight. See how organizers can identify the moments that mattered most, understand what resonated with attendees, and build meaningful data stories that strengthen marketing, stakeholder reporting and future event planning.

Video Storytelling at Scale

Gather Voices will show how in-event video kiosks and AI-powered tools such as StoryBooth and FaceForward transform event storytelling from a labor-intensive effort into an automated content engine. Discover how to capture authentic attendee perspectives at scale, organize them intelligently, and deploy them across marketing, education, sponsorship activation and community channels long after the event ends.

Interactive Learning & Engagement Analytics

NoteAffect will reveal how to turn passive session attendance into personalized, interactive learning experiences. Its platform makes it economical to record and produce summarized content your audience will actually watch, and delivers real engagement data so you know exactly which content to repurpose, promote and program in future events.

Speaker & Content Management

Sessionboard will demonstrate how its AI-powered speaker and content management platform brings order to even the most complex event programs. From collecting and reviewing session proposals to building agendas and publishing content across websites and apps, Sessionboard shows how better content operations lead to more cohesive, polished attendee experiences with far less manual work for your team.

Your Next Event Starts Here

The tools showcased in this session represent a new standard for what event organizers can expect from their technology – not just during the event, but long after it ends. Whether you’re looking to build a stronger case for stakeholders, create content that keeps your community engaged between events or simply run a tighter, more efficient program, the insights from this session will give you a practical roadmap for getting there. Come ready to ask questions, see real demos and leave with ideas you can put to work immediately!

Click here to register for Maximize Every Moment: Capture, Analyze, and Activate Event Insights and learn more about upcoming IAEE Event Tech Demo Days here. NOTE: Event Tech Demo Days is for exhibition organizers only.

The post Make Every Moment Matter appeared first on IAEE.

Connections are Thriving, Just Not at Lounges

Only 17% of next-gen attendees report using formal networking lounges, and that number tells a revealing story. The next generation isn’t skipping networking, they are simply doing it everywhere else: on the show floor, at evening mixers and in the moments between sessions. Dedicated lounges feel too prescribed for a generation that networks organically and immediately.

• Next-gen attendees connect on LinkedIn while still standing in a booth, making in-the-moment relationship-building their default mode rather than saving it for a designated space.
• Evening meetups and mixers are where meaningful networking actually happens, suggesting that informal, social settings are far more effective than structured lounge environments.
• Organizers would be better served repurposing lounge space into productivity zones such as work pods, charging stations and food seating that actually match how attendees want to use their time.

The bottom line: stop building spaces around what you think networking should look like and start designing for how it actually happens. Give attendees the infrastructure to recharge (literally and figuratively), and the connections will follow naturally.

Attendees are Doing Their Homework Before They Arrive

A full 63% of next-gen attendees pre-plan their show floor navigation, with 31% researching exhibitors and 25% researching education sessions before they even set foot onsite. Time is their most precious resource, so they are not willing to waste it wandering. This puts enormous pressure on the quality of pre-event digital touchpoints.

• Suppliers need compelling, detailed descriptions in show apps and user-friendly websites. If an attendee can’t quickly understand your value before arriving, they may never find their way to your booth.
• Encouraging presenters to include their LinkedIn profiles on session pages gives researchers a human connection to the content before the event, increasing the likelihood of attendance.
• Short video previews from speakers are a powerful tool for exhibition organizers, giving potential attendees an authentic sense of a session’s energy and relevance beyond a written description.

Winning the next-gen attendee increasingly means winning them before the doors open. Invest in your digital presence as seriously as you invest in your physical one.

In-Booth Activations are the Highest-Value Real Estate on the Exhibition Floor

With 64% of next-gen attendees participating in product or in-booth activations, it’s clear that experiences – not just displays – are what earn attention and memory. Passive booths with signage and brochures are fading; interactive, participatory moments are what cut through the noise of a busy exhibition floor.

• Activations work best when they require a sign-up or participation step, giving booth staff a natural window to have a real conversation rather than simply handing something out.
• Raffle prizes announced at the end of the day, headshot stations, and food stations are all proven draws that keep attendees engaged longer and give staff more opportunities to connect.
• The best activations create a story the attendee carries with them. For example, a beauty brand whose staff applied eye lashes on attendees turned participants into walking brand ambassadors with a memorable, personal experience.

The goal isn’t to draw a crowd; it’s to create a moment worth remembering and a reason to follow up. Giveaways without context are just clutter, while experiences are currency.

Professional Development is a Continuous, Community-Driven Practice

Beyond the exhibition floor data, participants were equally eager to talk about their own growth. The consensus was clear that professional development isn’t a one-time credentialing exercise. It’s an ongoing practice built on community, curiosity, and staying plugged in to the right networks and resources.

• Webinars are valuable not just for content, but for the connections that follow such as staying active on LinkedIn afterward for ongoing relationship-building.
• The IAEE Knowledge Hub offers streamlined content in categories like “New to the Industry” and “Supplier Solutions,” making it easier for emerging professionals to find targeted and relevant learning opportunities.
• Job boards are a practical resource for those looking to post positions or explore career opportunities, including internships.

The next generation of exhibitions and events professionals isn’t waiting for development to come to them. They’re seeking it out, sharing resources and building the communities that will shape the industry’s future.

Ready to stop guessing and start connecting? Join an IAEE Community Insights Hour, where members come together to share what’s working, solve real challenges and learn from the people who get it most. Not an IAEE member? This is just one of many benefits that come with your IAEE membership! Get in on the action here.

The post Rethinking Events for the Next Gen appeared first on IAEE.

We’re thrilled to celebrate Robyn Davis, CPTD, CEM, who has been honored with the IAEE Distinguished Service Award, a recognition reserved for members who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to both the association and the exhibitions industry at large. As a Trade Show Trainer and Consultant with Exhibitors WINH LLC, Robyn has left an indelible mark through her innovative leadership and tireless advocacy.

Robyn’s achievements speak volumes about her dedication: she served as the inaugural Chair of IAEE’s Community, Engagement, and Belonging (CEB) Committee, where she pioneered a revolutionary “Build in Public” approach that transformed committee transparency and member engagement. Leading more than 40 committee members through their critical first year, she set new standards that were showcased in IAEE leadership presentations nationwide. Her service spans multiple national committees, including Membership and Advocacy, as well as the Southeastern Chapter Board, and she has contributed as a CEM Faculty member while presenting countless IAEE webinars and sessions at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition.

But Robyn’s impact extends far beyond committee work. With an astounding 113 IAEE events under her belt and regular cross-country travel to support chapters from the Southeast to the Rocky Mountains, she embodies what it means to show up for the industry. She’s been a steadfast participant in the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) Legislative Action Day, frequently serving as South Carolina’s State Captain, and lends her expertise to influential groups like ASAE’s Meetings & Expositions Advisory Council and EXHIBITOR Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board.

Robyn’s thought leadership has shaped industry conversations through publications in Trade Show News Network (TSNN), Trade Show Executive, EXHIBITOR Magazine and the IAEE Blog Station, while her educational excellence has earned her both IAEE’s Bob Dallmeyer Educator of the Year Award in 2021 and the Events Industry Council’s Pacesetter Award.

Currently writing a book to support new trade show exhibitors, Robyn continues to mentor the next generation while advancing IAEE’s mission with unwavering passion, integrity and collaborative spirit.

Robyn was presented with the 2025 IAEE Distinguished Service Award this past December at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Houston, Texas.

We sat down with Robyn to discuss her journey, her groundbreaking work with IAEE and her vision for the future of the exhibitions industry.

You pioneered the “Build in Public” approach for IAEE’s CEB Committee. What inspired this transparency-focused model and what impact have you seen it have on member engagement?

Robyn: While I hadn’t ever seen any other industry committees or organizations take this approach, I can’t take full credit for the idea. #BuildInPublic is something startups have been doing online for a while now and this seemed like the perfect time to try it out!

My thought was, because we were building a new committee for our community, by our community, we should let everyone in on what we were doing behind the scenes too. It was awesome to see the response, not only from committee members, but also from other IAEE members and event professionals who were not yet members too.

The feedback I got overall was very positive and helpful. Often, there were questions and ideas I hadn’t anticipated. By acknowledging and addressing those publicly, we were able to give more professionals an opportunity to feel included and influence our direction. I saw that more people were happy to share what we were doing and invite their friends to come along with them because, together, we made it feel like our committee and our programming. Ultimately, what we did came from our ideas, not just my ideas.

I think it was the perfect way to start the new national Community Engagement and Belonging Committee. I’d love to see those levels of transparency and inclusivity continue and expand into other initiatives as well!

Given continuous cross-country travel to support learning and engagement, what drives your extraordinary commitment to showing up for the association and the industry?

Robyn: It’s always fun to meet new people and hear more perspectives on relevant topics.

Recognizing that not everyone can attend as many of these events as I do, I feel some responsibility for experiencing the events I can fully and sharing my takeaways with my connections. We all benefit when more helpful information and insights are available to more professionals.

Plus, having served on industry boards and presented my own sessions, I know a lot of work goes into hosting these types of events, so I like to support my friends in their efforts as often as I can.

You’ve been recognized with multiple prestigious awards. What do you believe are the most critical skills or knowledge areas that the next generation of exhibition professionals needs to develop?

Robyn: It’s always an honor to be recognized, thank you.

That’s actually one of the big focus areas I suggest to emerging leaders: prioritizing your reputation from the very beginning of your career.

There’s a popular saying most people have probably heard, “people do business with people they know, like and trust.” I think, especially now, being a person others can know, like and trust is crucial.

To be more specific, I recommend emerging leaders focus on developing a sense of self-awareness (What are you great at? What do you struggle with?) so you can find the right opportunities to contribute. Also, practicing being brave enough to put yourself forward, rather than waiting for good opportunities to come to you, is another meaningful step in the right direction. I know that can be tough (even for me sometimes!), but it helps to remember: resilience is an important skill too. Sometimes, things won’t work out as intended and that’s okay… if you learn from your experience and grow as a result.

As someone who bridges advocacy, education and thought leadership, how do you see these different roles complementing each other in advancing the exhibitions profession?

Robyn: In my observation, trade show exhibitors are often overlooked, so there’s a real need for and overlap between each of these efforts.

For example, when participating in our ECA Legislative Action Day events, I’ve met staffers whose family members work in trade shows, so they know what we do well, and others who are totally unfamiliar with the concept of a trade show. The same is true when I speak to young professionals, even at our own industry events. Every time I meet someone who doesn’t know what a trade show is or what exhibiting entails, it makes me feel like I should be doing more.

As you know, exhibiting success is more than checking logistics boxes, but there still aren’t a lot of college classes that teach about trade shows. CEIR data says only 30% of organizers provide any “exhibitor education.” To be fair, it isn’t their responsibility to empower exhibitors, but it is in their best interest.

When more startups, small businesses and corporate marketers understand that there are simple (strategic) steps they can take to succeed at trade shows, and they work to improve show-after-show, it can be lifechanging. It has been very rewarding for me to see how helping exhibitors achieve their goals through trade shows can snowball quickly and impact their businesses, communities, and industries too.

You’re currently writing a book for new trade show exhibitors. What motivated this project and what do you hope readers will take away from it?

Robyn: I’m ready to scale my impact. My consulting and training services are gifted to exhibitors who may be feeling overwhelmed, lost and stressed while trying to tackle their trade show preparations. I love the shows and exhibitors I work with now, but I can see that so many more need help too.

My goal is to empower new exhibitors who wouldn’t have an opportunity to learn from me otherwise. In this book, they’ll discover what mistakes to avoid, what frameworks to follow, how to approach each of the most important exhibiting components strategically and more. They’ll see that exhibiting is an iterative process, so it’s not about being perfect this time, it’s about making the best choices you can now and then continuing to improve every single time you exhibit. They’ll earn confidence and results.

More importantly, there are plenty of bestselling marketing and sales books, but not so many trade show books. I think if this book can gain that sort of recognition, maybe more professionals will choose to study exhibiting, just like they study email marketing or social media and achieve more as a result. I think our industry deserves more recognition and respect and I want to help with that too.

Like the Community Engagement and Belonging Committee you asked me about at the beginning, I’ve been trying to share my author journey publicly. I want our industry to see this as our book, not just my book, so we can all benefit together.

The 2026 IAEE Awards Call for Nominations is open! Click here to learn about each category and submit your nominations for deserving colleagues.

The post Robyn Davis Shows How Leadership and Lifting Others Transforms an Industry appeared first on IAEE.

Mohamed’s CEM certification, combined with his role at a data-driven pioneer company like Mustbee, enables him to apply global best practices in exhibition management while perfectly aligning strategic planning, execution and measurement to the specialized needs of healthcare clients.

Here, Mohamed shares how earning the CEM designation has transformed his approach from reactive executor to strategic partner and equipped him with a globally recognized framework, a deeper understanding of client needs, and the professional credibility to deliver measurable results in the specialized world of healthcare exhibitions.

How has the CEM designation helped in your career?

CEM is my global language for exhibition excellence, transforming years of experience into a structured, data-driven methodology. It enables me to anticipate challenges, bridge operational gaps and serve as a strategic partner to my clients to maximize their ROI. Beyond a title, it’s a commitment to leading the industry with professional integrity and delivering measurable, world-class results.

Why is it important to maintain the CEM designation?

Maintaining my CEM certification keeps me on the ‘cutting edge’ of exhibitions. It is a global standard of excellence that builds immediate trust and speaks a universal professional language. Through continuous learning, I provide my clients with strategic, future-ready solutions while staying ahead in a rapidly evolving global market.

What made you want to obtain your CEM designation?

The decision was inspired by a strategic directive from Mr. Mustafa Hussein, a true pioneer in the Saudi advertising and media industry and the founder of MustBee Group. Under his visionary leadership, I was encouraged to pursue the CEM designation to align our MustBee team’s capabilities with global standards. This journey provided the wider lens needed to master the bigger picture, transforming my practical experience into recognized expertise.

What advice would you give to an aspiring individual who wants to apply for the CEM program?

CEM is a strategic investment that bridges professional gaps through curiosity and a deeper dive into industry excellence. It acts as career insurance and a gateway to purposeful networking, keeping you at the cutting edge of leadership and prepared for every future challenge.

How did you start your career in this industry?

I started my career as a licensed pharmacist. Through pharmaceutical marketing, I saw the huge potential for exhibitions to connect healthcare brands with their audience. I realized that this sector needs a specialized approach, one that combines medical understanding with creative display.

This is exactly what we do at MustBee; we provide sector-specific solutions with a special focus on the healthcare industry. My medical background allows us to deliver booths and experiences that are not only visually stunning, but also scientifically compliant and highly effective in engaging healthcare professionals.

How have you made a difference with your show or with working with a client by applying the knowledge you gained by obtaining your CEM designation?

The CEM program transforms professionals from reactive executors into proactive strategic partners who speak the industry’s global language. By mastering operations and attendee psychology, you deliver smarter, high-impact experiences that build lasting trust. This systematic approach optimizes efficiency and anticipates client needs, turning professional knowledge into measurable business success and sustainable growth.

What did you like most about the CEM Learning Program?

CEM excels by blending practical, real-world tools with a collaborative team sport spirit. It moves beyond logistics to explore attendee psychology and human-centric design, fostering a deep sense of belonging. This comprehensive journey bridges knowledge gaps and empowers professionals to lead with confidence, supported by a community dedicated to excellence and shared growth.

Are you ready to take your career to the next level? Click here to start your certification journey today!

The post CEM Spotlight on Mohamed Adel, CEM appeared first on IAEE.

When it comes to demonstrating the economic impact B2B events bring to their host cities, few professionals can match the prowess of Leslie Johnson. As Vice President of Sales and Event Experience at Visit Milwaukee, Leslie has just been honored with the IAEE Outstanding Marketing & Sales Award, a prestigious recognition that celebrates exceptional achievement in event revenue, attendance growth, sponsorship development, and customer service excellence.

Leslie’s award-winning performance speaks for itself: she shattered her 2024 goal by securing 287,000 hotel room nights – a staggering 117 percent of her target and the highest booking performance in Visit Milwaukee’s history. Her strategic vision helped launch the newly expanded $456 million Baird Center with 192 events and over 420,000 attendees in its inaugural year. Perhaps most impressively, she was instrumental in delivering the 2024 Republican National Convention, an event that generated $216.3 million in direct spending, $321.5 million in total economic impact.

But Leslie’s success extends far beyond impressive numbers.  She has secured transformative legacy events including ASAE’s 2034 Annual Meeting (known as the “Super Bowl of Meetings”), Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2026 and TEAMS Conference & Expo 2027, creating a sustainable pipeline of business that will fuel Milwaukee’s hospitality economy for years to come.

Recognized as a Milwaukee Business Journal “Woman of Influence,” Leslie is celebrated for her collaborative leadership style and relationship-building mastery, earning a remarkable 4.95 out of 5 rating from meeting planners, with 100 percent indicating they would return to Milwaukee.

Leslie was presented the 2025 IAEE Outstanding Marketing & Sales Award this past December at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Houston, Texas.

We sat down with Leslie to discuss her award-winning strategies, her approach to building lasting partnerships and what’s next for Milwaukee as a premier meetings destination.

You exceeded your 2024 hotel room night goal by 117 percent – the highest performance in Visit Milwaukee’s history! What strategic shifts or key decisions made this breakthrough possible?

Leslie: The biggest shift was committing fully to a long-term vision and then building a short-term plan that matched it. We didn’t just chase business. We identified the kinds of meetings that would elevate Milwaukee’s reputation, fill need dates and build momentum for years, then we aligned every sales and marketing decision to that strategy.

A huge part of this breakthrough was our sales team and the intentional relationships they built over time. This kind of record setting performance doesn’t happen through one big win. It happens through consistent trust building, being present, listening and showing planners that Milwaukee will support their event at every level. We also recognized that to meet our goals and keep pace with demand, we needed to invest in the right people. Adding additional talent to our sales team allowed us to deepen those relationships, broaden our outreach and pursue more opportunities with the level of attention each client deserves.

We also made a strategic commitment to increase our presence at major industry trade shows and show up in a way planners couldn’t miss. Working closely with our marketing team, we ensured our activations stood out, whether through bold visuals, immersive storytelling or experiences that gave planners a fresh look at what Milwaukee offers. In a competitive marketplace, visibility matters, and we wanted planners leaving those shows thinking, “I have to take a closer look at Milwaukee.”

The expansion of the Baird Center gave us a once in a generation story, and we treated it like one. We invested in tools that helped planners see what was new and possible, whether through immersive drone tours, refreshed messaging or more intentional storytelling around Milwaukee’s walkability, cultural energy and value.

Ultimately, breaking the record was about alignment: alignment around goals, alignment around message and alignment around how we show up consistently for planners. And once planners experience Milwaukee, we hear it all the time: Milwaukee surprises people in the best possible way. When those pieces click, results follow.

The 2024 Republican National Convention was a massive undertaking that delivered over $321 million in total economic impact. Can you walk us through your role in securing and executing this landmark event, and what lessons you learned that will shape future bids?

Leslie: The RNC was the ultimate example of what happens when a destination commits to something bigger than itself. My role was rooted in the sales and positioning side: ensuring Milwaukee’s value proposition was clear, competitive and compelling, and that the partners behind the bid were aligned and confident.

Securing an event of that size requires more than facilities and hotel inventory. It requires proof of capacity, community commitment and operational readiness. The most important work happens before the contract is signed: building the trust that Milwaukee can deliver on everything promised, even under the highest visibility and scrutiny.

One of the most powerful parts of the RNC experience was seeing the level of support from our local community, residents and business leaders, especially around the fundraising efforts required to host an event of this scale. It takes an extraordinary amount of coordination and investment to bring something like the RNC to a city, and Milwaukee showed up in a big way. The hospitality community, corporate partners, and residents all played an important role in creating the foundation needed for success and demonstrating to decision makers that Milwaukee would rally behind the event.

Executing the RNC reinforced several lessons I’ll carry into every major bid moving forward. First, transparency is power. Planners need clarity, and so do city partners. Second, preparation must be layered. You plan for the plan, and then you plan for what could disrupt the plan. Third, success is built on relationships, not transactions. This event required unity across local government, security, hospitality and community leaders, and the strength of those relationships is what made it possible.

The biggest takeaway is this: legacy is not automatic. You have to design it. And when you do, the ripple effect is enormous.

Your marketing approach is so creative. How do you balance innovation with proven tactics, and how do you decide which creative risks are worth taking?

Leslie: For me, creativity is not about being flashy. It’s about being memorable, intentional and making the planner’s job easier. The balance comes from understanding what never changes and what must evolve. Proven tactics like consistent sales outreach, credible data and strong partner collaboration will always matter. Innovation is how we deliver those fundamentals in a way that cuts through the noise and makes Milwaukee stand out in a crowded marketplace.

When we take creative risks, it’s always tied to strategy and audience. I ask three questions before we move forward:

1. Does this support our positioning and messaging?
2. Will it create a clear takeaway for planners?
3. Can we execute it at the level our brand deserves?

If the answer is yes to all three, it’s worth pursuing.

A big part of our success is working closely with our marketing team to ensure every activation has a purpose, whether it’s showcasing the Baird Center expansion through immersive visuals, creating sponsor experiences that add energy and authenticity or finding unique ways to bring Milwaukee’s personality to life. In many cases, the goal is to make planners stop, engage and walk away thinking, “I didn’t expect that from Milwaukee.”

That’s also how we make innovation scalable. We test ideas, measure response and then repeat what works while continuing to evolve the experience. Creativity paired with strategy becomes a competitive advantage and that’s how we’ve been able to build momentum and make Milwaukee a destination planners can’t ignore.

You’ve secured incredible legacy events, like Expo! Expo! 2026, that will benefit Milwaukee for years to come. What is your strategy for winning these long-term commitments, and how do you convince decision-makers to choose Milwaukee over competing cities?

Leslie: Legacy events are won through patience, persistence and positioning. The strategy starts years before the bid is due. We build relationships early, understand what success looks like for the organization and then design a proposal that meets their objectives, not just ours.

For long-term commitments, trust is everything. Decision makers want confidence that the destination will not only deliver a successful event but will also support their organization’s goals year after year. So, we focus on being consultative and consistent. We listen carefully, we anticipate needs and we show up as true partners throughout the process.

We also lean into Milwaukee’s strengths in a way that feels tangible, not generic. We highlight the walkable downtown, the award-winning Baird Center, the affordability that protects attendance and exhibitor participation, and the authentic experiences that make meetings feel rewarding. But what often seals the deal is the feeling planners get when they engage with our team and our partners. Milwaukee delivers a level of service and hospitality that makes people feel supported.

And once decision makers come here and experience the city firsthand, we hear it constantly: Milwaukee surprises people. That element of unexpected delight, combined with strong logistics and strong relationships, gives us an edge against larger, more established destinations.

Ultimately, we win legacy events by proving that Milwaukee is not just a host city. We’re a committed partner and that’s what creates long term confidence.

Your Event Experience Team achieved a 4.95 out of 5 rating with 100 percent of planners saying they’d return to Milwaukee. In an industry where customer service can make or break a destination’s reputation, what specific practices or philosophies guide your approach to building these lasting relationships?

Leslie: Our philosophy is simple: planners should feel like we’re an extension of their team. Customer service isn’t a department. It’s a mindset. And it’s one of the most powerful differentiators a destination can have.

We focus on three core practices: responsiveness, consistency and care. Responsiveness means we don’t let questions sit. Consistency means planners receive the same high level of service regardless of their size and no matter who they interact with. And care means we pay attention to the details that matter to them, not just the ones that matter to us.

We also prioritize proactive support. We don’t wait for a problem. We anticipate needs, check in at the right moments and create an experience where planners feel confident that Milwaukee has their back.

The result is trust. And when trust is established, planners return. Not because it’s convenient, but because they know they’ll be supported, respected and set up to succeed.

The 2026 IAEE Awards Call for Nominations is open! Click here to learn about each category and submit your nominations for deserving colleagues.

The post Leslie Johnson is Breaking Records and Building Legacies appeared first on IAEE.

STEP 2: Evaluate Business Operations

Sustainability is often framed as a values issue, but it’s also a business issue. STEP 2 in IAEE’s sustainability toolkit digs into the nuts and bolts of how your organization’s budget, procurement policies and data management practices either support or undermine your sustainability goals. The findings in this section may surprise you… and they will almost certainly challenge you to rethink how your back-office decisions shape your environmental footprint.

Your Budget is a Sustainability Statement

Where you allocate dollars signals what you value. Module 4 on budgeting makes the case that creating a sustainable exhibition isn’t just about adding a recycling program; it’s about intentionally structuring your financial resources to minimize environmental harm and maximize long-term value. The guide provides concrete examples of what a sustainability-forward budget actually looks like in practice.

• Budgeting for eco-friendly materials such as recycled paper, biodegradable banners and non-toxic inks upfront reduces waste disposal costs downstream, and signals your commitment to exhibitors and attendees.
• Allocating funds for energy-efficient lighting and equipment, including LED systems, generates measurable cost savings over time while reducing your event’s carbon footprint.
• Setting aside a carbon offsetting line item to cover unavoidable emissions from attendee travel and venue energy use demonstrates fiscal responsibility alongside environmental accountability.

The guide helps you see your budget not as a constraint on sustainability, but as one of your most powerful sustainability tools.

Policy and Procurement Drive Real Change

You can’t build a sustainable exhibition on ad hoc vendor decisions. Module 5 focuses on policy and procurement, the organizational infrastructure that ensures sustainability isn’t dependent on any one champion but embedded into how your team operates every day. From formal environmental commitment statements to supplier selection criteria, this module covers the policies that turn intention into institutional practice.

• Developing a written environmental commitment policy gives your organization a north star that guides every procurement decision and creates a public accountability standard you can report against.
• A sustainable procurement policy with clear criteria for vendor selection reduces your supply chain’s environmental impact and increasingly aligns your practices with the expectations of corporate exhibitors who have their own ESG commitments.
• Embedding sustainability language into your RFP process ensures that eco-friendly performance is evaluated alongside cost and quality, making green suppliers the norm rather than the exception.

The policy and procurement frameworks in STEP 2 are among the most actionable and transferable tools in the entire guide.

Data Management is Your Sustainability Backbone

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Module 6 on data management addresses one of the most overlooked aspects of sustainable exhibitions: the systems and practices needed to collect, track and use environmental data effectively. This isn’t just about reporting, it’s about building the operational intelligence to continuously improve.

• Establishing consistent data collection processes for energy consumption, waste diversion rates and water usage creates the baseline from which all meaningful improvement is measured.
• Centralizing sustainability data across events and vendors, rather than leaving it siloed in departmental spreadsheets, enables leadership to see the full picture and make smarter decisions.
• Strong data management practices are increasingly required for credible sustainability reporting to stakeholders, sponsors and regulators, thereby positioning your organization as a transparency leader in the industry.

STEP 2 in IAEE’s “How To Guide to Sustainable Exhibitions” transforms sustainability from a philosophical commitment into an operational reality.

Click here to download the full sustainability toolkit so you can access the complete frameworks, checklists, and guidance that will help your organization evaluate and strengthen every dimension of its business operations.

The post The Business Case for Greening Your Operations appeared first on IAEE.

Jonathan Wood, Principal at Control Risks, unpacked what this new era means for exhibition organizers and the businesses that rely on them during his presentation at last year’s CEIR Predict Conference. In his presentation, Navigating the Geopolitical Terrain: Impacts on Business and Exhibitions, he delivered insights that every industry leader needed to hear.

Let’s examine some of the essential takeaways from his session as we prepare to welcome a new roster of expert speakers who will help us make sense of an even more volatile and opportunity-rich global landscape at the upcoming CEIR Predict Conference on 10-11 September 2026.

INSIGHT #1: Globalization is giving way to fragmentation.

The open, predictable international trade environment that once made cross-border exhibitions seamless is being replaced by a patchwork of competing national interests, protectionist policies and regional alliance of which the exhibitions and events industry is not immune.

• The U.S. now enforces its highest tariffs in a century, prompting both allies and rivals to diversify trade relationships and seek alternative markets.
• Companies must navigate an increasingly complex web of data protection laws, trade restrictions and industrial policies that vary dramatically by region.
• Alliances and geographic proximity are becoming the primary drivers of trade growth, shifting the map of where exhibition opportunities actually exist.

TAKEAWAY: Understanding where the new trade corridors are forming is now a prerequisite for building a viable international events portfolio.

INSIGHT #2: Middle powers are rewriting the rules of engagement.

The influence of the U.S., China and Europe is being diluted as major emerging economies assert themselves on the global stage, creating both new exhibition markets and new strategic complexities for organizers.

• Countries like Turkey, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa are rapidly expanding their share of global economic activity and pushing to revise international systems to reflect their interests.
• Market opportunities are shifting toward these emerging economies, where tailored engagement strategies that account for local political and regulatory contexts are essential.
• The era of a single, unified global business playbook is over. Success now requires agility and proactive planning across a far more diverse set of markets.

TAKEAWAY: For exhibition organizers, this multipolar shift signals a wealth of new growth opportunities for those willing to invest in understanding these markets deeply.

INSIGHT #3: Supply chains and trade routes are being redrawn.

As countries and companies pull back from overreliance on single-country supply chains – particularly those centered on China – trade is becoming increasingly regionalized, creating a more fragmented but navigable landscape for exhibition professionals who adapt early.

• Geographic proximity and political alliances are now the dominant forces shaping which trade relationships grow, directly influencing where exhibitions can thrive and attract international participation.
• Companies must contend with a patchwork of regulatory regimes and heightened supply chain scrutiny, requiring more agile vendor and logistics strategies for cross-border events.
• The predictability of common standards and stable trade relationships is giving way to a multipolar and transactional system, making flexibility and resilience core competencies for any global exhibition business.

TAKEAWAY: Those who map the new regional trade flows and align their event strategies accordingly will be best positioned to identify emerging markets before their competitors do.

INSIGHT #4: Scenario planning is the new competitive advantage.

With regional conflicts erupting more frequently – from Ukraine to the Middle East to the Korean Peninsula – and hybrid warfare tactics like cyberattacks and infrastructure sabotage becoming standard tools of geopolitical competition, reactive crisis management is no longer sufficient.

• Leading organizations are forming dedicated geopolitical risk teams charged with continuous monitoring, scenario planning and stress-testing for low-probability but high-impact “black swan” events.
• Proactive signal tracking such as monitoring regulatory shifts, troop movements and the frequency of trade restrictions, enables organizations to detect emerging threats before they become crises.
• Embedding scenario-driven methodologies into business continuity strategies equips teams to respond swiftly to everything from regulatory upheaval to sudden regional conflicts.

TAKEAWAY: The organizations that anticipate geopolitical shocks, rather than simply react to them, will be the ones that capture opportunities while their competitors scramble to recover.

Don’t Miss Out on this Year’s Predictions!

Sessions like Jonathan Wood’s are exactly why CEIR Predict is the annual gathering that executive leaders can’t afford to miss. Get the geopolitical intelligence, risk frameworks and peer conversations that will help you lead with clarity in an increasingly volatile world because at CEIR Predict, the industry’s leading strategists and risk advisors don’t just describe the threats on the horizon – they show you how to turn uncertainty into opportunity.

Click here to learn more about this year’s CEIR Predict and secure your seat!

The post The World has Shifted. Has Your Exhibition Strategy? appeared first on IAEE.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your event content is working as hard as it could be, you’re not alone. Video has become one of the most powerful tools in the exhibition professional’s arsenal and not only for marketing; video offers an effective channel for engaging stakeholders, attracting sponsors and extending the life of content long after the last session wraps.

In IAEE’s upcoming webinar, Unlocking Event Success with Video-First Strategies, industry experts will pull back the curtain on how to identify and secure video sponsorship opportunities, elevate production quality, and understand the psychology behind why video resonates so strongly with audiences and sponsors alike. Participants will also gain 10 actionable ways they can use video to enhance their own events.

Meet the Presenters

John Wilson is the Vice President of Business Development at CNTV. John channels more than 30 years of broadcast journalism experience into helping associations and trade show organizations tell stories that connect with audiences year-round

Kristin Torres serves as Executive Director of Meetings and Events at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Kristin draws on more than 20 years of planning association meetings, trade shows and special events to bring video-first thinking into one of the industry’s most demanding events calendars.

Here, John and Kristin share their perspectives on why video is a gamechanger for business-to-business (B2B) events and how organizations of all sizes can maximize its potential.

JOHN: You focused on broadcast journalism before moving into the exhibitions and events industry. What surprises you most about how this industry uses (or doesn’t use) video and why?

Video is a powerful tool in both industries – capturing moments, conveying information and creating emotional connections. We see great success collaborating with our clients to develop strong strategies with specific goals. What surprises me most is that some in the industry still see video as a nice extra rather than a critical tool for engagement, marketing and communication. I’ve heard it said that facts inform decisions, but emotion drives them. People need to feel value and see themselves in events far beyond a date, location and agenda. Strong storytelling through video is one of the best ways to accomplish that.

KRISTIN: Managing the largest event in the beef cattle industry in addition to 30+ smaller events each year is no small feat. How do you prioritize video as a strategy without it becoming an overwhelming addition to an already full plate?

The key to this is to have great partners. It can be extremely time consuming trying to go it alone with video strategy. Having a partner that specializes in this and can make suggestions based on what they’re seeing be successful with other groups really helps with this as well. It’s easy to just find a vendor that can do video work, but the real key to success is working with a company that is more than just a vendor. They become a true partner. They learn to understand your goals and objectives, and equally as important, learn about your group. Understanding what is going to resonate with them is significant.

JOHN: You’ve helped organizations capture the energy of their events and turn it into content that connects with audiences year-round. Can you give us a glimpse into what that actually looks like in practice and what many organizations are leaving on the table?

Many organizations think of event video as a daily highlight reel or sizzle, which definitely has value. However, the organizations seeing the greatest success integrate video into year-round attendee acquisition, sponsor value, member engagement and communications. People need ongoing reminders of value and connection.

The real question is: what is the ongoing value of an event that makes someone feel like they can’t miss it – even if they attend every year? What gives them FOMO? That’s where storytelling and video become incredibly important. Events generate authentic moments, expertise, community, advocacy, and emotional connection that can be transformed into content for a variety of audiences and platforms.

People need multiple touchpoints and different styles of messaging, not simply the same message repeated over and over. I compare it to the Progressive Insurance advertising campaigns. Think about “Flo & Friends,” “Don’t Become Your Parents” and “Passive Progressive.”  Each markets the same services through different personalities and emotional approaches. Associations and event organizers can do the same thing with video content to appeal to varied audiences, keeping them all engaged and connected long after the convention center lights go out.

KRISTIN: Stakeholder engagement is one of the core learning objectives of this webinar. From your experience, what does meaningful stakeholder engagement through video actually look like, and how do you measure whether it’s working?

Meaningful stakeholder engagement through video isn’t about just recording sessions or posting daily recap videos. It’s about being intentional in how video extends the experience and keeps people connected.

It starts with capturing authentic perspectives from attendees, exhibitors and sponsors. It also means creating content that’s relevant to different audiences and integrating sponsors in a way that feels natural, not forced.

It really becomes meaningful when people actually engage with it by sharing or responding to it, and staying connected beyond the event. At that point, video isn’t just content – it’s strengthening relationships, supporting sponsors and keeping the event relevant year-round.

JOHN: Sponsorship revenue is a major focus of the webinar. How does a video-first approach change the conversation with potential sponsors, and what makes a sponsorship opportunity within video content truly lucrative?

A video-first approach changes the sponsorship conversation by creating opportunities for sponsors to become part of the event experience and communication strategy itself. Sponsors want meaningful engagement, authentic visibility and ongoing connection with attendees before, during, and after the event.

That can begin well before the doors open. For example, a sponsor can help “own” a pre-event video series like a Know Before You Go campaign, associating their brand with valuable information, anticipation and attendee excitement before the event even begins. The same applies to onsite studios, daily highlights, headshot lounges and attendee storytelling opportunities.

What makes these opportunities especially valuable is that the content continues working long after it’s captured. Video creates multiple touchpoints across platforms and can be shared among members. That allows sponsors to remain connected to the audience throughout the year in a natural and engaging way, while also helping the organization extend the reach and impact of its event.

KRISTIN: Event professionals often think of video as a production challenge – expensive, complicated and resource-heavy. What would you say to someone who feels like high-quality video content is out of reach for their organization or budget?

Again, it’s about finding the right partner. The right partner can help guide you through the process of a video strategy and work with you on budget.

Click here to view the on-demand recording of Unlocking Event Success with Video-First Strategies and learn more about upcoming IAEE webinars here.

The post Lights, Camera, Engagement: How Video is Transforming Events appeared first on IAEE.

What makes a truly exceptional educator in the exhibitions and events industry? It’s someone who doesn’t just teach concepts but transforms how professionals think, lead and grow. Matthew Kalb, CMP, CEM-AP, Vice President of Client Experience at T3 Expo, exemplifies this standard of excellence as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious IAEE Bob Dallmeyer Educator of the Year Award.

This honor recognizes members who demonstrate outstanding creativity, positive attitude, and the ability to transfer knowledge through exceptional communication and innovative teaching. Matthew has earned this recognition through his unique approach that bridges theory and practice, making complex industry concepts relatable through real-world applications and evidence-based content. As both a Certified in Exhibition Management® (CEM) instructor and sought-after speaker at conferences like Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition and SHRM, he creates learning experiences that empower participants with immediately actionable skills.

Beyond the classroom, Matthew’s commitment to mentorship sets him apart. He actively invests in developing future educators, encouraging former students to pursue instructor roles and maintaining relationships that catalyze career advancement. With more than 15 years of IAEE membership and extensive service including as Immediate Past Chairperson of the CEM Commission, Matthew embodies IAEE’s mission to promote lifelong learning in the exhibitions and events industry.

Matthew was presented the 2025 IAEE Bob Dallmeyer Educator of the Year Award this past December at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Houston, Texas.

In this conversation, we explore Matthew’s educational philosophy, his insights on contemporary workplace challenges and his vision for developing the next generation of industry leaders.

Your nominators praised your ability to make complex concepts relatable through storytelling and real-world applications. What’s your philosophy on translating theory into practice, and can you share an example of how you’ve made a traditionally dry topic come alive for your students?

Matt: I remember being in school and struggling to truly understand theory, and carrying a lot of shame around that. It took me years to shift my mindset and realize it wasn’t that I didn’t understand the material, but that I couldn’t yet see how to put it into practice.

Much of what I share with my students today are things they already feel or have experienced in practice. My role isn’t to introduce something foreign, but to help them make sense of what they already know intuitively. Storytelling plays a big role in that. When I share real experiences, often my own missteps, it gives people a mirror before it gives them a model.

By connecting those stories and lived experiences to what’s happening in the mind and body, I help shine a light on why we feel the way we do and how that awareness can inform better decisions moving forward.

You’ve recently focused on psychological safety, inclusive leadership and company culture in your teaching. What prompted this shift, and why do you believe these topics are critical for today’s industry professionals?

Matt: Honestly, it wasn’t a shift as much as a realization. I kept seeing incredibly capable professionals struggle, not because they lacked skill, but because they didn’t feel safe enough to speak up, challenge ideas, or admit mistakes.

For a large portion of my career, I worked without true psychological safety and didn’t fully realize what was missing at the time. Once you experience it, you can’t unsee it. You wonder how you ever operated without it. The difference in engagement, creativity, and authenticity is striking… even to yourself.

Psychological safety sits underneath everything else we care about: innovation, retention, leadership development, and operational excellence. Without it, teams default to self-protection rather than collaboration, because that’s where the brain feels safest.

The events industry is fast, complex, and pressure-heavy. Emotions run high and decisions happen quickly. Leaders who understand how the brain responds to stress, uncertainty, and belonging are better equipped to build teams that perform and sustain themselves. These topics are often labeled “soft skills,” but they are core infrastructure.

Mentorship is a cornerstone of your approach, as you actively encourage former students to become instructors themselves. What drives this commitment to developing future educators and what advice do you give to someone considering stepping into a teaching role?

Matt: I didn’t get here on my own. I owe much of my career to Mark Shadwick, who was endlessly patient with my questions and, importantly, never rushed to give me the answers. Along with others, he challenged me, called me out when needed, and trusted me before I fully trusted myself. That experience shaped how I view mentorship today as a responsibility, not a title.

Encouraging former students to step into teaching roles is about expanding the number of voices in the room. Our industry is stronger when education reflects a wide range of paths, perspectives, and lived experiences.

My advice to anyone considering teaching is simple: don’t focus on having all the answers. Focus on creating space for better questions, rooted in curiosity. Every time I facilitate a course, I walk away having learned as much (if not more) than I brought in. If you find yourself thinking, “I wonder how else we could do that,” that curiosity may be your signal to step forward.

Given your tenure with IAEE and extensive involvement, you have a front-row seat to the industry’s evolution. How has your teaching adapted to address emerging challenges and opportunities in the exhibitions and events space?

Matt: My teaching has become less about “how things have always been done” and more about how people think, decide, and adapt in uncertainty. The pace of change isn’t slowing down, which means memorizing processes matters less than reflection, and emotional intelligence.

The old saying “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” feels antiquated in today’s environment. We now have access to tools, data, and perspectives that allow us to work more intentionally and efficiently. When something is working well, I encourage asking not only why it works, but whether it can be made better, and how those improvements might translate elsewhere.

I’ve also leaned more into facilitation than lecture. Today’s professionals don’t need more information, they need help making sense of it. That means designing learning environments where participants learn with and from each other, not just from the front of the room.

Looking ahead, what skills or mindsets do you believe are most essential for the next generation of professionals to cultivate, and how are you working to instill these in your students today?

Matt: Curiosity, self-awareness, and the ability to sit with discomfort. The next generation doesn’t need permission to lead differently, but they do need environments that support experimentation and learning from failure.

In my teaching, I focus on normalizing reflection, reframing failure, and helping people understand their own triggers and biases. When professionals understand how they show up under pressure, they lead more intentionally.

If I’m doing my job well, students leave with fewer “right answers” and more confidence in how they think, ask questions, and support others.

The 2026 IAEE Awards Call for Nominations is open! Click here to learn about each category and submit your nominations for deserving colleagues.

The post Matthew Kalb is Transforming Events Education Through Authenticity and Innovation appeared first on IAEE.