
Jun 07, 2022
Ungerboeck, a global leader in event management software, has acquired the products of risk management agency Reliance Risk and will be debuting an industry-first application for mitigating risk at events and venues.
As the industry continues to be impacted by major issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, terrorism, accidents and severe weather incidents, risk management is an increasingly essential factor that venues and event professionals must take into consideration. Ungerboeck is committed to helping its customers better manage risks of all kinds.
The acquisition of both Reliance… more

Jun 02, 2022
The Events Industry Council (EIC) and Vsef, founded by Explori as the global standardized data format for the digital events industry, formed an alliance to further the mission of establishing data standardization for digital events to help organizers drive growth and innovation.
The EIC, a global federation of more than 30 member organizations representing more than 103,500 individuals and 19,500 firms and properties in the events industry, works to establish professional standards of excellence across the entirety of the international events community through initiatives including the EIC… more

Jun 01, 2022
Shepard, the third-largest event services provider in the U.S., has teamed with Bear Analytics, a leading data analytics firm for event producers, trade associations and professional societies, to help show organizers address the ever-important aspect of event data to drive revenue and quality attendance.
Knowing that show organizers don’t always have the time or resources to invest in big data projects, the partnership is a win-win on all fronts, according to Cory Smith, vice president of strategic services at Shepard, which is committed to providing clients with signature full-service… more

May 27, 2022
Having worked in advertising and marketing agencies in her native Lebanon, then for an event publishing company in Montreal, Rachel Stephan launched her own event marketing agency in 2001—yet she always wanted to create a tech product that would become her legacy.
Her “aha moment” came in 2015 after seeing the successful results of the unique word-of-mouth campaigns her company was running.
“I thought, ‘How can we scale this? How can we better measure it?’” she said. “One summer, we created our first pilot of the project, and my software engineer said nonchalantly, ‘Let’s call it ‘Boule… more

May 20, 2022
Snöball, a word-of-mouth marketing and audience growth platform for events, formed a strategic partnership with CLIPr, a video analysis and management (VAM) platform using AI and machine learning to make recorded videos searchable by transcription, topics and subtopics. With the alliance, Snöball will pair its event marketing and social amplification expertise with CLIPr’s ability to create more searchable video content to help event professionals greatly increase content personalization and drive audience acquisition, retention and engagement.
With the industry having shifted to virtual and… more

May 13, 2022
Association Analytics, a leading provider of business intelligence and data analytics for the association industry, debuted Acumen Major Meetings, a platform designed to improve conference and trade show performance with actionable data on exhibitors, sponsors and attendees all in one place.
The new platform augments the company’s flagship analytics platform, Acumen, which provides a 360-degree view of association members, bringing together all association data in one place for clients to visualize, analyze and take action.
Acumen Major Meetings was created to specifically address the… more

May 06, 2022
Innovative new technology is making it easier than ever to produce the most engaging and impactful events. Check out the latest round of impressive additions!
CLIPr
CLIPr, a video analysis and management (VAM) platform using AI and machine learning to make recorded videos searchable by transcription, topics and subtopics, debuted a new livestream feature that allows event professionals to engage and connect with audiences in new ways.
CLIPr partnered with cloud communications provider Vonage to produce the new feature for its shared customer, event technology platform Grip, which employs… more

Apr 29, 2022
Leading event management software provider MeetingPlay + Aventri released ExpoPRO, their first major product to be created since the two companies merged in January. The exhibitor task management platform is designed to offer a comprehensive solution for onsite, hybrid and virtual formats and aims to solve major pain points for event planners and exhibitors in the large-scale exhibition market.
The company is confident that ExpoPRO will become a must-have tool for event organizers, exhibitors, and sponsors and set a new industry standard for large-scale events, according to Eric Lochner, CEO… more

Apr 21, 2022
Tech News: Vault Health, 3e/EXPOCAD, EXHIBITORLIVE, Hall-Erickson, Questex and CrowdComms Unveilings
Technology is continuing to transform the events industry with some of the most innovative events, products and ideas. Take a look at the latest happenings!
Vault Health
Virtual healthcare platform Vault Health rebranded its subsidiary FSSolutions to fall under the Vault Health branding and logo. COVID-19 solutions, including testing and vaccine tracking for the events industry, is one of the company’s main product offerings.
“We serve thousands of clients … who have come to rely on our fast turnaround times, U.S.-based customer support, compliance-driven focus, rapid integration and… more

Mar 11, 2022
Freeman, a leading event management company, has partnered with Hubilo, a leading virtual and hybrid event platform, to provide its customers around the world with a seamless digital component for events.
The alliance is designed to allow Freeman’s customers the ability to tap into the company’s strategic expertise and event planning know-how combined with Hubilo’s best-in-class platform as a one-stop approach to planning and managing all aspects of virtual, hybrid and in-person events. Capabilities through Hubilo include custom branding, mobile ready, personalized networking, break-out… more
Partner Voices

Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors.
TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders.
Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA
With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role?
Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”
These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.
Allegiant Stadium
As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward?
Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees.
What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events?
We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.
Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city.
Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.
What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization?
We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.
What are your favorite ways to recharge?
My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.
Valley of Fire
What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing?
I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.