TSNN Reveals 2024 Award Winners at IAEE Celebration in Los Angeles

December 17, 2024

At the Novo theater at L.A. Live on Monday, Dec. 16, TSNN, the industry’s long-running trade show media brand, hosted the 14th Annual TSNN Awards, a joint awards program that was co-located with IAEE for the first time in 2024.

Thousands of industry professionals were in attendance as the event was held during the first hour of the opening reception of IAEE’s Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Expo! Expo!

As part of a three-year partnership, both organizations planned and executed the star-studded event—complete with a living red carpet, awards presentation from the main stage at the Novo, food and drinks, and live entertainment.

Congratulations to all the winners! Here’s a list of the 2024 TSNN Award winners along with a summary of their award-winning nominations.

Industry Icon: Karalynn Sprouse, EVP, Emerald

TSNN recognized Karalynn Sprouse as the TSNN 2024 Industry Icon for her exceptional contributions to the trade show industry. With 17 years of transformative leadership, Karalynn has driven remarkable growth, spearheaded innovation, and inspired her teams to achieve excellence. Her unparalleled ability to blend strategic vision with a deeply personal connection to her colleagues makes her a true trailblazer and an icon in our field.

B2B Outstanding Show Pro: Rich Russo, IRE, Informa

Rich Russo, the 2024 TSNN B2B Show Pro of the Year, has been recognized for his extraordinary leadership and initiatives supporting the Hispanic community in the roofing industry. At the International Roofing Expo (IRE), Russo introduced transformative programs, including Spanish-language wayfinding, bilingual staff, and the Para Latinos Lounge, which hosted over 1,550 Hispanic contractors for tailored networking and education. His commitment to inclusivity and innovation has not only elevated the event experience but also set a benchmark for fostering diversity and community engagement within the trade show industry.

B2C Outstanding Show Pro: Joe Avino, Leftfield/Clarion

TSNN celebrates Joe Avino as the recipient of the Outstanding B2C Show Pro award for his transformative leadership and operational excellence at LeftField Media. Since joining in 2023, Joe has streamlined logistics and enhanced attendee experiences across flagship events like Awesome Con, Anime NYC, Rose City Comic Con, and Anime Frontier, which collectively draw over 275,000 fans annually. His innovative strategies, including cost-saving measures and improved exhibitor processes, have set new benchmarks for success, driving record-breaking attendance and fan satisfaction.

B2C Show of the Year: FanaticsFest, Fanatics Events

Fanatics Fest NYC was recognized as B2C Show of Year for its show launch that revolutionized fan engagement by uniting 70,000 sports enthusiasts, collectors, and celebrities for an immersive celebration at New York City’s Javits Center. With unprecedented experiences such as panels featuring icons like Tom Brady and Spike Lee, interactive activities, and exclusive memorabilia, the event set a new standard for fan-centric trade shows. Garnering over 15 billion media impressions and high satisfaction ratings, it established itself as a benchmark for experiential B2C events in the sports and entertainment industry.

B2B Show of the Year: MODEX, MHI

The 2024 MODEX event earned the "B2B Show of the Year" award for its exceptional growth, attendee engagement, and exhibitor satisfaction. With a record-breaking 48,733 visitors, 1,200 exhibitors, and 580,000 square feet of exhibit space, MODEX showcased the latest in supply chain and manufacturing solutions while delivering a unified and immersive "Full Spectrum Supply Chain" theme. Its multichannel marketing campaign, experiential keynotes, and innovative onsite activations led to outstanding Net Promoter Scores of +70 for attendees and +58 for exhibitors, cementing its reputation as a premier industry event.

Best Community: The Utility Expo, AEM

The Utility Expo Community Zone earned the "Best Community" award for creating an engaging, multi-functional space that prioritized relaxation, networking, and learning. The innovative zone featured live music, a bourbon networking event, thought-leader talks, and a welcoming atmosphere led by ambassadors from Louisville Tourism. This initiative not only enriched the attendee experience but also contributed to the show’s record-breaking satisfaction ratings.

Best Design: G2E, RX

The TSNN Best Design award for 2024 recognizes G2E’s transformative rebranding, which captures the dynamic growth of the gaming industry and positions the event as the ultimate gathering for the global gaming community. The new, modern logo incorporates a star symbolizing Las Vegas and the future of gaming, while the clean design reflects the event’s forward-thinking ethos. Garnering industry-wide acclaim and prestigious awards like the DotComm Platinum Award and the Creative Communication Award, the rebrand underscores G2E’s commitment to uniting and evolving with the gaming ecosystem.

Best Engagement: Distributech, Clarion

The Best Engagement award for 2024 celebrates DISTRIBUTECH’s innovative City of the Future feature, which brought attendees an immersive, interactive experience focused on smart city technologies. Highlights included Smart Dale, a 12,600-square-foot model showcasing innovations like EV charging stations and 5G networks, and engagement-driven spaces like the Bark & Brews networking area and themed educational theaters on electrification, resilience, and transformation. The expanded footprint and curated experiences resulted in record-breaking participation, a 65% increase in scheduled meetings, and doubled sponsorship revenue, making it a standout hub for education, connection, and industry advancement.

Best Exhibitor Program: GSX, ASIS

The Best Exhibitor award recognizes GSX 2024 for its dynamic exhibit hall experience, which drew nearly 500 exhibitors and over 16,000 attendees from 86 countries. Attendees engaged with innovative features like the Resilience Zone, X Stage presentations, and the Cybersecurity Pavilion, while networking events such as the Exhibit Hall Happy Hour fostered connections. With impressive exhibitor engagement, $1.5M in year-over-year revenue growth, and 128,225 exhibitor profile impressions, GSX delivered exceptional value, making its exhibit hall a standout success in the security industry.

Best Marketing: VMX, NAVC

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, VMX shattered records with a creative throwback to its inaugural 1983 conference, complete with vibrant 80s-themed experiences and drastically reduced pricing to $125. The innovative marketing strategy, blending nostalgia with accessibility, attracted nearly 30,000 attendees from over 80 countries—a 50% growth over its pre-COVID record. This milestone event not only transformed VMX's pricing and thematic approach but also solidified its place as a must-attend conference for the veterinary industry.

Best Use of Tech: ITC Vegas, Clarion, Snöball

ITC Vegas 2024 redefined event marketing by integrating innovative AI-generated astronaut avatars into its "Universe of Possibilities" campaign, embodying its space exploration theme and insurance innovation frontier. Developed by Snöball, these personalized avatars empowered attendees, speakers, and sponsors to share branded content across 13 social platforms, generating over 1,000 social shares and driving significant registration engagement. With measurable outcomes including 20,198 landing page views and a 5% conversion rate for paid delegates, this cutting-edge approach elevated ITC's brand awareness and set a new standard for peer-to-peer event marketing.

DEI: RiskWorld, RIMS

RISKWORLD 2024, led by Chief Events and Sales Officer Stuart Ruff Lyon, exemplifies a commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the risk management community through intentional programming and representation. Highlights included keynote speaker Marlee Matlin addressing inclusion and accessibility, real-time translation technology, and partnerships with DEI-focused organizations like NAAIA and APIW, fostering a globally inclusive environment. These efforts not only enhanced accessibility and representation but also provided spaces for meaningful dialogue and connections, setting a benchmark for DEI in the industry.

Giving Back: Coverings, Taffy Event Strategies

Coverings 2024 launched the Coverings Cares initiative, donating $53,614 to six charities, including Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and the Community Food Bank, by engaging attendees in a unique donation process tied to event registration. Additionally, the event introduced the Galvanize Women’s Lounge, uniting six leading women’s groups in the tile, stone, and flooring industries for networking, collaboration, and professional development. These efforts not only supported meaningful causes but also fostered a stronger sense of community and connection within the industry.

Sustainability: Waste Expo, Informa

WasteExpo 2024 set a new benchmark for sustainability with pioneering initiatives, including the first-ever front-of-house composting partnership with the Las Vegas Convention Center, which processed 810 cubic yards of compost, and advanced waste diversion strategies that achieved a 59% diversion rate. Beyond waste management, the event emphasized education with its Sustainability Talks series and innovative programs like the reusable r.Cup initiative, the upcycled TRASHION show, and a Zero-Waste Lunch, showcasing creative solutions to environmental challenges. These efforts, combined with impactful community partnerships and attendee engagement, position WasteExpo as a leader in environmental stewardship and a deserving recipient of the TSNN Sustainability Award.

IAEE Award Winners

IAEE also announced the 2024 award winners, including:

IAEE Pinnacle Award: Janet Sperstad, Faculty Emerita at Madison College
Lifetime Achievement Award: Linda Wineski, Founder and President of Convention Plant Creations Inc.
Bob Dallmeyer Educator of the Year Award: Josie Z. Caldwell, Senior Client Relationship Director at Freeman, and Dr. Chin-Hsun (Ken) Tsai, Associate Professor and Event Management Program Director at Iowa State University
Cathy Breden Woman of Achievement Award: Gwen Venable, Executive Vice President, Expo and Communication Services at the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
Chapter Merit Award: Scott Crawford, Senior Vice President, Business Development at GES; Sarah Griffin, CEM, Event Manager, Pharma Brand US at Informa Markets Limited; Christen Tye, CEM, Content Manager at World Pet Association, Inc.; and Brendon Winters, Vice President of Business Development at AmericanAV
Distinguished Service Award: Shirly Song, Deputy General Manager at Chongqing Yuelai Investment Group Co., Ltd.
Humanitarian Award: Julie Pazina, Vice President of Business Development at Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services
Innovative Business Solution Award: Fill it Forward
Outstanding Marketing & Sales Award: Richard Smith, Senior Sales Manager at Informa Markets/World of Concrete
Volunteer of the Year Award: Leigh Ann Simpson, CMP, Manager of Registration and Housing at the Society of Biblical Literature
Young Professional of the Year Award: Carly Heideger, CEM, Associate Vice President, Exhibits and Sponsorships at MCI USA

For full bios on each of the winners, read this IAEE release.

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