The International Association of Exhibitions and Events unveils this year’s recipients of the IAEE Awards program, which recognizes professionals who have made outstanding contributions to the exhibitions and events industry.

The recipients will be honored at the IAEE Annual Networking Luncheon and Awards Presentation to be held Dec. 9-11 during Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Los Angeles.

“The IAEE Awards Committee is very proud of this year’s honorees,” said 2014 IAEE Awards Committee Chairperson David Audrain, CEM.

He added, “The dedication shown by these exhibitions and events professionals is truly outstanding, and we look forward to honoring their achievements at Expo! Expo! in Los Angeles.” 

This year’s award winners were selected after careful consideration and review by the IAEE Awards Committee and approval by the IAEE Board of Directors, following an open call for nominations earlier in the year. The following outstanding individuals were selected for recognition:

The Pinnacle Award recognizes an individual who, over the years, has furthered IAEE's objectives of advancing exhibition management through the promotion of education, the dissemination of knowledge and the introduction or development of innovative techniques; and who has been dedicated to the perpetuation of the highest ideals, trust and professionalism in this highly specialized field. This year’s recipient is Vinnie Polito.

“It's an honor to have been selected as the recipient of IAEE’s Pinnacle Award,” Polito said. “I am very fortunate to be in this business, surrounded by so many people I consider friends, while working collaboratively to advance the industries, communities and economies served by face-to-face events. My work is my passion; and being recognized for that is a tremendous feeling."

The Merit Award recognizes those whose ideas and/or work have benefited IAEE as an organization in some special way and is generally reserved for those who have stepped forward at the chapter/local level. This year’s recipients are Tesa Harding, CEM, Exhibits Manager at the Texas Music Educators Association; Carolyn Hilderbrand, National Sales Manager at AVTS; Tom Malek, CEM, National Sales Manager at GES; and Jennifer Kimball, Senior Vice President, Operations at OnPeak.

The Educator of the Year Award honors IAEE members who possess outstanding creativity, a positive attitude and the ability to transfer knowledge through good communication skills and innovative teaching to promote life-long learning to exhibitions and events industry professionals. This year’s recipients are Bob Kelley, CEM, CMM and Curtis Love, Ph.D., Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The Outstanding Achievement in Industry Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary personal or professional commitment that materially contributes to the advancement of the exhibitions and events industry. This year’s recipient is Johanne Belanger, President of Freeman Audio Visual | Canada.

The Outstanding Achievement in Innovation in Business Solutions Award recognizes achievement in the creation of new and innovative business solutions. This year’s award recipient is Amandeep Sandhu, Vice President of Customer Insights at UBM Tech.

The Young Professional of the Year Award honors individuals in the exhibitions and events industry 40 years of age or younger. The award recognizes excellent professional performance by someone who has committed his/her time to advancing the standing of young professionals in our industry. This year’s honorees are Jennifer Paine Pekowski, CEM, Business Development Director at Freeman and Barbara Myers, CAE, Vice President of Association Services at IMN Solutions.

The Rookie of the Year Award recognizes excellent professional performance by an individual with three or less years of full-time exhibitions and events industry experience. This year’s award recipient is Sarah Soliman, Producer/Talent at Convention News Television (CNTV).

For more information about the IAEE Individual Awards, visit www.iaee.com/awards. Details about Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2014 can be found at www.myexpoexpo.com.