Exhibition & Convention Executives Forum Sold Out in 15th Year
May 3, 2016
For the first time in the event’s history, the Exhibition & Convention Executives Forum has sold out several weeks before it is set to run June 1 in Washington, D.C.
“ECEF has a waiting list for the first time in 15 years,” said Sam Lippman, president of Lippman Connects, producer of ECEF.
“In recent years, ECEF has consistently sold out, but not anywhere as early as this year,” he added. “I talk to industry executives every day, and my impression is they are more aggressively reaching out for new business opportunities. And that includes attending ECEF for presentations by the leaders of CES, Emerald, Informa, dmg, PCMA, PwC, EXHIBITOR, Fast Track Events & Entertainment and others.”
He also credited this year’s attendance achievement to Lippman Connects’ marketing agency mdg.
Kimberly Hardcastle, president of mdg, said, “ECEF has long been recognized as the premier networking event for exhibition executives, but I have also found it to be a great source of new ideas. I took two pages of notes last year and found myself referencing them as inspiration for initiatives that we executed for several of our clients. Sam always seems to get the right mix of speakers, balancing visionaries from outside the events business with those who are blazing trails from within.”
ECEF will be celebrating its 15th anniversary with a full house of 200 CEOs, presidents, executive directors, vice presidents and other top-level executives at associations and independent event organizers.
Here are a few of the sessions on tap:
“New Event Realities” - Galen Poss, vice chairman, dmg events will invite Charles McCurdy, chairman and CEO, Informa Global Exhibitions, David Loechner, CEO, Emerald Expositions and Deborah Sexton, president & CEO, PCMA to share their vision of how the events business will have changed by new technologies, new competitors, and the pressure to experiment and innovate.
“Our Exhibitors Speak” - Randal Acker, president at EXHIBITOR Media Group and Diane Benson, Americas Exhibits Leader, GE Healthcare; Dominique Cook, trade show manager, Marvin Windows and Doors; and Dana L. Tilghman, senior trade show and events planner, Minitab, will discuss what is working and what needs to change to maximize their ROI from events.
For more information and to join the waiting list, visit www.lippmanconnects.com/ecef.
Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates.
Water Stewardship Efforts
MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship.
In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step.
MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas.
MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030.
From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts.
Caring for One Another
MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include:
Unserved perishable prepared foods from events
Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens
Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses
The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community.
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion
To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.
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