For many meeting professionals, after a year of planning their big conference, attending the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) Expo is well-deserved! Expo! is an annual tradition. This year is no exception. During the second week of December, an estimated 1,700 attendees walked through the doors of the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Known as “The Show for Shows,” education, trade shows and networking bring together solutions and inspiration.
I participate in the search for trends shaping U.S. and international conferences, discovering that from the main stage to booths and hands-on labs, the focus is on taking real action based on what’s happening in conference rooms today.
higher education
Specialized content tracks include health, wellness and safety, trade show design and operations. Hands-on technical learning labs encourage attendees to test their rapid abilities as AI collaborators and drive the development of new technology products. An encouraging conclusion from MarComm strategist Sherron Washington is that when it comes to social media, sometimes less is more. Once you understand how your audience behaves on different platforms, you can focus on being consistent and engaging where it matters.
Read more: IAEE Women’s Leadership Forum Creates a Safe Space
Marketing Strategy Track shares real stories about brand management, attendee acquisition, and sponsorship sales. Audience participation is encouraged in more than 70 sessions.
Case studies from the Auto Care Association, CompuSystems and the National Business Aviation Association bring challenges and solutions, and in some cases, meeting planners share how they dealt with situations like protesters handcuffing themselves to a $100 million private jet Such a serious crisis.
on the floor
In addition to appearances from production partners like Heritage, Freeman, Maritz, Grit and GES (which had the busiest booths due to fun game show activations) and destination partners like Discover Los Angeles, Visit Orlando and Visit Houston, the Tech2Grow Collective Artificial intelligence, data collection and application innovation are showcased.
Content on the show’s embedded stage includes ASM’s sustainability techniques for redefining conference experience theater and OVG/EIC’s innovative theater.
MADE by DWC is a pop-up store supporting the Downtown Women’s Center, helping women escape homelessness.
celebrate excellence
A major focus of the conference was earning Certified Exhibition Management (CEM) credits, with much of Sunday and Monday focused on the advanced skills needed to earn this distinction. On Tuesday, the CEM Class of 2024 took the stage, joining more than 4,000 CEMs around the world.
learn more: Use titles and certifications to your advantage
At the same time, incoming IAEE President Chuck Grouzard announced that the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) will be merged into the IAEE.
In fact, the program kicked off with a celebration of excellence at the LA Live GRAMMY Museum’s NOVO Concert Hall, where the IAEE Awards Ceremony recognized the 2024 IAEE Award recipients. educator
Janet Sperstad receives IAEE Pinnacle Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Linda Wineski, founder and president of Convention Plant Creations. The Bob Dallmeyer Educator of the Year Award was presented to Josie Caldwell, senior director of client relations at Freeman, and Dr. Chin-Hsun Tsai, associate professor and event management program director at Iowa State University.
The Cathy Braden Women of Achievement Award was presented to Gwen Venable, executive vice president of exhibition and communications services for the American Poultry and Egg Industry Association. The Outstanding Service Award was awarded to Shirly Song, deputy general manager of Chongqing Yulei Investment Group Co., Ltd. The Humanitarian Award was presented to Julie Pazania, Vice President of Business Development for Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services. The Innovative Business Solutions Award went to Fill it Forward.
Main stage insights
More wisdom came from the main stage, as author Sebastian “Seb” Terry shared the transformative power of a long-standing wish list. “The way we show up in the world has a profound impact on those around us,” he observed. Meeting professionals can ignite passion in others through the work they do. Feeling that what you do matters is key to living a fulfilling life.
“Bucket lists remind us to get out of our comfort zones,” Terry explains. “That’s how we understand where our strengths lie. We can create change rather than react to change.”
He concluded: “You are changing the world one piece at a time. Together we create a positive impact.”
Expo! Expo! 2025 will hit Houston, Texas, December 9-11.
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