By R.V. Baugus
The Events Industry Council announced the members of the APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force, a global and inclusive body that will work toward providing resources that support the industry’s recovery globally and will curate accepted practices across the events eco-system to provide framework for meeting face to face again safely. IAVM Director of Education & Life Safety Mark Herrera is among the esteemed group named to the task force.
“We are seeing a number of comprehensive industrywide efforts focused on developing standards to ensure the 
safety and wellness of attendees, as well as the duty of care protocols essential to reinforce attendee confidence in attending live business events,” said Paul Van Deventer, Chair of the Events Industry Council. “The work of this task force is crucial to curate those efforts and present them in a comprehensive way that translates into practical solutions for professionals across our eco-system.”
The APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task force members include:
Co-Chair Michael Dominguez, President and CEO, Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI)
Co-Chair Kristin Horstman, Senior Director, Strategic Events, Salesforce
Amanda Armstrong, Assistant Vice President, Global Meetings and Travel, Enterprise Holdings
Cleo Battle, Chief Operating Officer, Louisville Tourism
Scott Beck, President & CEO, Tourism Toronto
David Blansfield, Executive Vice President and Group Publisher, Northstar Travel Group
Amy Calvert, CEO, Events Industry Council
Rod Cameron, CEO, AIPC, Joint Meetings Industry Council
Gregg Caren, Executive Vice President Sales & Business Development – Convention Centers, ASM Global
Jerry Cito, Executive Vice President, Convention Development, NYC & Company
Nalan Emre, COO, IMEX Group
Heather Farley, COO, Access Intelligence
Kelly Fox, CAE, Senior Vice President, Meetings, Learning and Business Partnerships, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
Peggy Fritz, Event Services Supervisor, Toyota North America
Stephanie Glanzer, CMP, Chief Sales Officer & Senior Vice President, MGM Resorts
Chuck Ghoorah, Co-Founder and President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Cvent
Linda Gray Martin, Sr. Director & General Manager, RSA Conference
Stephanie Harris, President, The Incentive Research Foundation
Mark Herrera, Director of Education & Life Safety, International Association of Venue Managers
Juli Jones, Vice President, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
David Kliman, President, The Kliman Group
Mary Kreins, CASE, Sr. National Sales Director, Disney Meetings & Events, The Walt Disney Company
Amy Ledoux, CAE, CMP, Chief Learning & Meetings Officer, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
Tony Lorenz, Founder, Headsail
Karen Malone, Vice President Meetings, HIMMS
Richard Maranville, EVP, Chief Digital Officer, The Freeman Company
Frank Passanante, Senior Vice President, Hilton Worldwide Sales – Americas
Tammy Routh, Senior Vice President Global Sales, Marriott International
Stuart Ruff-Lyon, Vice President, Events and Exhibitions, Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
Gary Schirmacher, CMP, Senior Vice President, Industry Presence & Strategic Development, Maritz
Cathy Schlosberg, Senior Vice President Marketing, PSAV
Peter Scialla, President and COO, Delos
Bita Seow, Executive Director, Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS)
Julie Smith, CEM, CTA, Senior Vice President, Exhibition Sales, Global Experience Specialists
Scott Solombrino, CEO, Global Business Travel Association
Yen Tsutsumi, Sr. Vice President, Operations, George P Johnson Experience Marketing
Paul Van Deventer, President and CEO, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Liz Warwick, Vice President, Meeting Management and Event Strategy, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Brad Weaber, Principal, Brad Weaber Consulting Group, LLC
Johnnie White, CEO, American Society of Appraisers
“We all look forward to the day that we can meet face to face again,” said Co-Chair Kristin Horstman. “First, we have to focus on making sure our attendees, employees, partners, and community are as safe as possible when we gather together. The urgency of the current crisis demands our focus and our very best thought leaders to help guide and offer solutions.”
“Our work will be guided by a roadmap to accepted practices,” added Co-Chair Michael Dominguez. “The sub-groups will follow a process that looks at resources, gaps, stakeholders, policies and procedures, the 360 degree attendee/customer experience, and risk management guidelines. This comprehensive and global work will result in a resource that will be invaluable across all sectors.”
The task force plans to meet bi-weekly and will share updates as its work progresses. It will follow two parallel paths. The first path is to address the immediate need for guidance on accepted practices and work already underway to reopen the industry when it’s safe to do so. The second path addresses the long-term need to examine adaptation and transformation for the future stability of our workforce, and the relevance and resiliency of our industry.
“We are a global industry of 26 million professionals who fundamentally believe in the value of face-to-face meetings,” said Amy Calvert, CEO, Events Industry Council. “We know the impact we have on the communities we serve, and we are grounded in our common beliefs and commitment to social responsibility and sustainable practices.
“Together we will positively impact our recovery. We will offer our collective leadership through these necessary adaptations and leverage this moment to transform so that our industry is better understood, supported and relevant now and into the future.”
Anyone interested in contributing may contact covidtaskforce@eventscouncil.org.
