By R.V. Baugus

Be sure and save the rapidly approaching date to participate in the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals’ (NCBMP) July 23 Zoom panel meeting on “The State of Black Culture.” The panel session begins at 1 pm EDT.

The State of Black Culture will explore the lifestyle, development and ethnology of Black communities, families, and businesses. It presents a unique opportunity for national thought leaders to consciously educate and challenge the Black community and allies to all be their best selves.

For a full roster of panelists and to register for this important discussion that will be presented at no cost, please click here.

By Hilarie Carpenter, CTA

ASM Global’s Kathy Bart, an IAVM member and Director of Sales & Event Services for DeVos Place Convention Center, has been named “Best Supplier” in Michigan Meetings + Events magazine’s 2020 Hall of Fame.

Michigan Meetings + Events’ Hall of Fame honors professionals who are making their mark in the meetings and events industry. In Kathy’s role at DeVos Place, she is responsible for growing and managing the business strategies at national, regional, and local levels. She works collectively with Experience Grand Rapids, the West Michigan Sports Commission and area hotels in filling the event calendar and oversees the coordinating team to execute events ranging from holiday parties to major corporate and large annual association events.

Bart has been active with Michigan Society of Association Executives (MSAE) through committee work, facilitating certification classes and leading sessions at annual conventions. Bart can also be seen at Grand Valley State University where she speaks to students in the Hospitality program as well as at DeVos Place where she assists professors with on-site learning opportunities. Bart has been a part of the ASM Global (formerly SMG) team for 22 years. Starting with the company in the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Performance Hall box office, she transitioned into the DeVos Place sales department in 2004. She was named Director of Sales in 2008, and her role expanded to include Event Services in 2018.

“I’m extremely honored to be a part of the Hall of Fame alongside many outstanding professionals in this industry,” Bart said. “We continue to work our hardest in Grand Rapids to showcase all that the city has to offer, and take pride in the way that our staff at DeVos Place and all of our partners work together to create the best possible experience for our clients.”

Michigan Meetings + Events’ magazine also recently released the winners of their Best of 2020 Awards. These annual awards provide an opportunity for industry professionals to vote on the best professionals and organizations within the meeting and events industry each year. DeVos Place’s hotel partner and exclusive food and beverage provider, Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton, was voted “Best Hotel with Meeting/Event Space (200 or More Guest Rooms)” and Bluewater, DeVos Place’s preferred audio/visual provider, was named “Best A/V Provider.” DeVos Place was voted runner up for “Best Convention Center” this year, an honor awarded to the ASM Global-managed TCF Center in Detroit. DeVos Place was voted “Best Convention Center” in Michigan Meetings + Events’ Best of 2017 Awards. For a complete list of Michigan Meetings + Events’ 2020 Hall of Fame and Best of 2020 Awards winners, visit MI.MeetingsMags.com.

Hilarie Carpenter, CTA, is Director of Marketing for ASM Global – Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place & DeVos Performance Hall.

Voting is now open and will remain so through July 17, 2020 at midnight CST. The complete slate including biographical information and photos can be viewed on the IAVM web site.  Our voting process has changed with the introduction of a new nomination/application process for sector directors.  The ballot you will see this year will only include the Second Vice Chair election, and if you identified as one of the following sectors: Allied, Arenas, or Universities you will find the election for that Sector Director.  At most, you will be voting for two incoming positions on the 2020 – 2021 Board of Directors.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL:  All voting members should have already received an email titled “2020-2021 IAVM Board of Directors Election-login information below”. The email contains a generated user name and password to use when logging in to submit votes.  If you haven’t received the email, please contact Rosanne Duke via email or by calling 972.538.1025.

As in the past, the ballot is available through Survey & Ballot Systems allowing complete confidentiality and security to our members.  The results of the voting will be posted following the closing of the ballot on July 17. 

 

By Mary Tucker

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released the results of its latest poll tracking the impact COVID-19 is having on the U.S. business-to-business (B2B) exhibition industry during a recent free webinar.

“The persistence of COVID-19 and the uncertainty of whether events can take place in their scheduled destinations are forcing an increasing number of U.S. B2B exhibition organizers to either postpone their events to late 2020/early 2021 or cancel them entirely,” noted CEIR CEO Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE, CEM. “This trend is devastating to an industry that contributed over $101 billion to the U.S. GDP last year. CEIR provides valuable impact information to both Exhibitions Mean Business and the Go LIVE Together initiatives for use in advocating for the industry to Congress.”

CEIR Vice President of Research Nancy Drapeau, PRC added, “The top two reasons speak to the chaos of the current situation, as 74% of those forced to cancel say the lack of clarity in knowing whether large group meetings will be allowed to take place at the scheduled time due to state and local lockdown orders prompted them to this decision. IMTS scheduled to take place in Chicago is a prime example. In addition, many organizers (69%) attribute the persistence of corporate ‘no travel’ policies and the impact they might have on participation levels as a reason for foregoing a 2020 in-person event.”

Exhibition organizers are doing all that they can to defend the health of their organizations and serve the needs of their communities in the midst of this crisis. A new question CEIR’s June survey posed to organizers that have postponed an event is whether they have added a hybrid or virtual component to these events. Responses reflect that 63% have, with 44% giving attendees the option to attend in-person or virtually and the same percentage (44%) having a virtual event backup plan in the event they are forced to cancel at the last minute.

Among organizers forced to cancel 2020 events, the shift to digital has grown to 81%, compared to 69% in the April survey. What is most notable is the increase in full virtual trade shows, 41% compared to 15% in the April survey.

The June survey also profiles data on gross revenues retained and gained from efforts to move participants of canceled events to digital options or other face-to-face (F2F) events offered by an organizer. It also explores the revenue outlook for virtual events, whether there was a fee to attend, and whether these organizers sought revenues via sponsorship and virtual booth sales. Lastly, it quantifies which tactics and strategies executives plan to undertake moving forward, in a post-COVID world.

This webinar also provides commentary and case study sharing by two event organizers who participated in the event: Brian Cuthbert, Group Vice President of Diversified Communications and Rochelle Richardson, CEM, Senior Vice President, Exposition and Event Services at AVIXA InfoComm USA. Richardson shared lessons learned from the recent launch of AVIXA’s virtual event, InfoComm 2020 Connected, that took place two weeks ago.

CEIR’s most recent survey was fielded on 9-21 June 2020, inviting executives with oversight of U.S. B2B exhibitions run or managed by their organizations to respond. A total of 169 executives participated, similar to the level of participation generated in the April survey, which includes a sample of 164 executives. The June sample was generated from qualified members from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO), and Trade Show News Network (TSNN) subscribers.

A full report of survey results is available in the webinar deck downloadable at no cost on the CEIR online store. Click here to download the full webinar presentation.

Be sure to save the date for CEIR’s next webinar on 15 July 2020, which is also free to attend. During this webinar – moderated by CEIR CEO Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE, CEM – CEIR Economist Dr. Allen Shaw will update his perspective on COVID-19’s impact on the U.S. economy and B2B exhibition industry. Click here to register.

The annual CEIR Predict Conference will be held 22 September 2020 at the MGM National Harbor, just outside Washington, D.C. Predict will provide insights into the performance of the exhibitions industry and a forecast through year-end, along with an economic presentation by Alex Chausovsky of ITR Economics discussing how world events are expected to impact the global economy. Registration for the CEIR Predict Conference is now open, and complete details are available here.

Mary Tucker is Sr. PR/Communications Manager for CEIR.

Today, we are announcing that we are back, we are stronger than ever, and we are COMMITTED to getting and giving to the POWERFUL WOMEN in the industry. Starting today…right now… we are getting back together to continue what we started – 100+ WOMEN of IAVM | DONATE 100+.

Launched four years ago by your IAVM Foundation, the 100 + WOMEN of IAVM Campaign 2020 is committed to generating funds for five (5) women, one from each sector, to attend VenueConnect conference and two (2) women to attend AVSS (one woman for each year). The idea is simple – 100+ Women (or Men) each giving $100 (or any other amount), which means $10,000+ each year! 

Together we will bring $10,000+ annually to this amazing initiative, and change six women’s lives.  So commit right now and be the catalyst to change the future of women in our industry!

There is a new generation of female students, young professionals, and future female leaders, and this is OUR chance to help these women in our industry further develop their career and skill set. Support your IAVM Foundation and your industry by making a donation today. The process is fast, easy, and secure… and you can be sure that it will benefit a great cause.  CLICK HERE to donate!

Thank you to Kerry Painter, CVE, CEM, CMP, for announcing our 2020 launch with THIS VIDEO!

Here is a list of the 2019 100+ Women of IAVM investors!

Aaron Biggs

Abbie Lady

Adina Erwin

Alexis Berggren

Amanda Horning

Amy Rahja

Andriana Magness

Andryn Arithson

Anne Wheat Castro

Annie Wilson

Ashley Schneider

Barbara Hubbard

Barry Strafacci

Beth Wade

Bob Hotaling

Brad Mayne

Brent Hodson

Caitlin Sevener

Carisa Norton

Carol Moore

Carol Wallace

Carrie Reynolds

Chris Hunjas

Chris Whitney

Chrissie Bertsch

Christy Castillo Butcher

Cindy Harper

Courtney Holcomb

Cyndee Pennington

Cynthia Mellow

Dan Concepcion

Daniel Huerta

Danielle Hernandez

Donna Dowless

Donna Julian

Donna Miller-Brown

Eades Kathryn

Ebony Hattix

Elisa Putman

Elizabeth Ishihara

Emma Schenkenberger

Erin Jepson

Evelyn Ingram

Greg Wolfe

Heather Lightsey

Heather McAvoy

Jacque Holowaty

Jana Brooks

Jason Blackwell

Jennifer Norris

Joan LeMahieu

JoAnn Armstrong

Jodi Cobalt

Jody Ulich

Joe Levy

John Bolton

John Rhamstine

John Siehl

Joyce Leveston

Julia Slocombe

Julie Johnson

Julie Pazina

Justin Aquino

Karen Hoffman

Karen Totaro

Katie Rodrigues

Kelly Biscopink

Kelly Hadsall

Kerry Painter

Kevin & Shannon Duvall

Khori Girard Currie

Kim Bedier

Kimberly Mahoney

Kristie Haney

Lara Verdone

Laura Lenhart

Laura Womack

Lauren Dugan

Leslee Stewart

Linda Deckard

Lisa Elliott

Lisa Thomason

Lori Garza

Lorraine Dimun

Lucy Hoffman

Lynda Reinhart

Lynn Cannon

Lynne Smith

Mark Eddy

Martha Henderson

Mary Lewis

Matt Balk

Maura Gast

Michael Marion

Michele Powell

Michele Swann

Michelle Bradley

Michelle Menningmann

Michelle Puckett

Monica Vera

Nancy Steele

Pam DeVille

Pam Matthews

Pam Plageman

Peggy Daidakis

Robyn Williams

Rosanne Duke

Sarah Kate Rogers

Shannon Terrill

Shura Garnett

Soraida Cross

Stacey Church

Stephen Battaglio

Suzanne Goodman

Tammy Koolbeck

Tammy Turnipseed

Terry Genovese

Tiffany Vickaryous-Hubbard

Tom and Betsy Cornwall

Troy Thorn