Feb 27, 2024
The U.S. trade show industry is continuing its steady pace of hiring and promoting, with event-related companies boosting and appointing staff as business forecasts signal a positive outlook for the year ahead. Here’s our monthly recap of new hires and promotions.
Connect
Matt Johnson has been promoted to managing director of meetings, events, travel and tourism industry leader Connect, which was acquired by Informa in 2023 and is now part of Informa Connect. A part of the Connect team for nearly 19 years, he is responsible for spearheading new initiatives to best serve customers through… more
Feb 22, 2024
Taking place each February, Black History Month is an ideal time to honor and celebrate the achievements of Black people in the trade show industry and events and renew our commitment to continue fostering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
We want to recognize and highlight Black industry leaders and share their experiences. This week, we are featuring Milton Montague, senior director, Americas innovation and development for RX, and Rochelle Richardson, senior vice president, expositions and events for AVIXA. Here, we discover what they’re most proud of when it comes to how their… more
Feb 20, 2024
An event design and management company and a major trade show producer recently announced two executive promotions.
Clarion Events North America
Greg Topalian is being elevated from CEO to chairman of Clarion Events North America.
In his new role, Topalian will focus on acquisitions and business development and provide high-level strategic planning for Clarion globally while actively supporting North America presidents Liz Irving, president of Clarion Events North America, and Kelly Comboni, president of Quartz Network, Consero and LeftField Media, who will run the day-to-day strategy and… more
Feb 13, 2024
What is the current mindset of CEOs in the event industry? In part two of our series, experiential marketing agency leaders shared what their top business concerns are now and moving into 2024, and how they and their organization are addressing them.
How does the event industry compare against other industries? In part one of our series, we shared an analysis of the KPMG 2023 CEO Outlook — the annual survey of 1,300 CEOs of the world’s largest businesses conducted by KPMG International.
Find out what CEOs from RX and Informa Markets shared with us.
Find out what CEOs from Visit Detroit… more
Feb 07, 2024
As 2024 kicks off, event-related organizations, particularly destination marketing organizations (DMOs), are busy adding and promoting staff, welcoming new executives and bidding farewell to veteran leadership.
Seattle Convention Center
After serving as Seattle Convention Center (SCC) president and CEO for more than 12 years, 45-year venue management industry veteran Jeff Blosser is retiring in May 2024. During his time at the helm of the SCC, Blosser opened a new building, guided operations through a pandemic, served in leadership on numerous industry boards and was presented with a… more
Jan 12, 2024
Talk to Lux Narayan, co-founder of event audience engagement technology platform StreamAlive, and it quickly becomes apparent that he is anything but your typical event tech CEO. Not only has the serial entrepreneur founded three technology companies over the past two decades, including AI-powered SaaS StreamAlive in 2021, social media benchmarking company Unmetric and online data backup company Vembu Technologies, but also he is a TED speaker, amateur standup comedian, author and storyteller who feels just as comfortable telling jokes in front of an audience as he does delivering PowerPoint… more
Jan 11, 2024
Money20/20, a fintech and financial services content, sales and networking platform, has appointed seasoned trade show and media industry veteran Jessica Blue as its new executive vice president of Money 20/20 USA, one of three annual fintech trade shows and conferences for the global money ecosystem.
Bringing more than 25 years of experience in the B2B trade show and media industries to her new role, including 15 years in the U.K. with UBM plc (now Informa plc) and Advanstar Communications, Blue most recently served as executive vice president at Emerald, where she was responsible for a… more
Jan 02, 2024
Like many event professionals, Stefanie Rowe did not follow a direct path into the hospitality and events industry. If anything, she imagined opening her own dance studio and performing company. While teaching dance classes post-graduation while serving at a local high-end restaurant inside a hotel, Rowe was recognized by a hospitality leader who noted her natural abilities in sales and negotiation and encouraged her to consider hospitality sales and marketing as a possible career.
“I instantly was drawn to the relationship-building, negotiating contracts, the fine details of a perfectly… more
Dec 14, 2023
People News: VISIT Denver, IBTM World and More Elevate Seasoned Professionals, Grow Leadership Teams
An array of show organizers, CVBs, event agencies and industry associations have been steadily hiring and promoting staff while bolstering their executive teams as they look ahead to a busy New Year.
VISIT DENVER
Twenty-five-year hospitality industry veteran Lee Ann Benevidez has joined VISIT DENVER as its new senior vice president and chief sales and services officer. In her new role, she leads and directs convention and meeting sales efforts, including driving convention bookings for the newly expanded Colorado Convention Center and overseeing the organization’s destination strategy… more
Dec 04, 2023
As a trade show and events industry newcomer and fresh employee of Hanley Wood, Elizabeth George remembers having to look up what “drayage” meant on the internet after sitting in an afternoon meeting with members of the former organizer’s operations team.
“Safe to say, over the past years I’ve learned and experienced a lot of what our events industry has to offer, and while it’s hard work, I love it,” George says.
Throughout the past nine years of her career, George has had a chance to experience many different sides of the industry, working on teams managing digital sponsorships,… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.