By Meghan Risch

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA) president and CEO Sherrif Karamat, CAE, announced Sandra Marcus and Nicole Kern have joined the CEMA team as Vice President, Strategy and Operations, and Manager, Community Development, respectively.

“Our commitment to providing the CEMA community with new and aggressive innovations remains,” Karamat said. “The greater vision is to provide value through additional and deeper content as well as enhanced connections by leveraging a robust and global infrastructure. Sandra and Nicole will be integral as we develop new value opportunities for members and business partners that leverage the combination CEMA and PCMA, two of the global business events industry’s most powerful communities.”

As Vice President, Strategy and Operations, Marcus will work collaboratively with the PCMA team and the CEMA Advisory Board to execute the vision and lead growth initiatives for CEMA including brand marketing, new program development, events, membership, and on-going community engagement. She joins the CEMA team with more than 30 years in the corporate industry as an event professional and a marketing leader, 20 of which were with IBM in a variety of event leadership roles. She officially joins CEMA on April 24, 2023, and will report to Junior Tauvaa, PCMA’s Chief Business Officer.

In the new role of Manager, Community Development, Kern will manage CEMA membership retention and acquisition with support from the PCMA Community team. Most recently, she was the Publications and Communications Coordinator with American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Kern joined CEMA on April 17, 2023.

Karen Galatis, a long-time CEMA veteran and former Oracle executive, has supported CEMA operations on an interim basis and will continue through CEMA Summit.

Meghan Risch is PCMA Chief of Staff, Vice President, Corporate Communications.

From Celebrity Access

The Nashua (NH) Center for the Arts, a new state-of-the-art performing arts venue in downtown Nashua, NH, opened its doors on April 13 with Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken and has over 20 concerts and shows on the schedule with more to be announced.

Peter Lally, President of Spectacle Management, has been contracted by the city to manage the venue and is excited about the opportunities ahead.

“The Nashua Center for Arts will serve as the premier venue in the region for entertainment, including concerts, plays, musicals, and family performances,” he said. “We’re looking forward to hosting the 100th Anniversary concert for Symphony New Hampshire later in April and the impressive line-up of artists and productions committed to playing this beautiful new space.”

In addition to Symphony New Hampshire, Spectacle Live has already announced concerts with noted musicians Boz Scaggs (May 11), Pat Metheny (June 9), Dopapod (April 20), Jake Shimabukuro (July 15), Menopause the Musical (June 10), Girl Named Tom (April 21), Safe Haven Ballet’s production of Beauty and the Beast (April 22), Mary Chapin Carpenter (August 20), Ace Frehley (August 26) and more.

The centerpiece of the Nashua Center for the Arts is The Bank of America Theater. Designed by Boston-based ICON Architecture, the $25 million project is home to a 750-seat multi-purpose performing arts venue. In addition to the 350 seats on the mezzanine and partiere levels, the auditorium features 400 telescopic seats in the orchestra, which retract into the wall, creating a space that can accommodate up to 1000 people for standing events.

“The Nashua Center for the Arts will enrich what is already here,” said Mayor Jim Donchess. “This completely changes the nature of Nashua’s downtown. It’s Visible. Vivid. Vibrant. The Center will attract audiences to Nashua, entice residents to our downtown core, and enhance Nashua’s standing as the creative community within the region.”

Planning for the center began in 2015 under former Mayor Donalee Lozeau and then president of the Board of Aldermen, Brian McCarthy. The city owns the facility and is supported by Nashua Community Arts. Richard Lanna, President of Nashua Community Arts, noted that McCarthy, who passed away in 2018, “loved the city, and he loved our downtown. Brian would be thrilled that we’re opening the doors on this beautiful addition to Downtown Nashua.”

The 24th China Northeast International Dental Equipment Exhibition & Symposium on Oral Health (CNDE) concluded on March 25th just following the sixth Anniversary Celebration of the Shenyang New World EXPO (EXPO) held on March 22nd in the EXPO.

EXPO has returned to full operating status following its 10th closure during the three-year period of COVID-19. Forty events have been booked through the end of 2023 with an expected attendance at the events to surpass 700,000 visitors.

Ms. Diane Chen, General Manager of EXPO said, “We are thrilled to be back at full strength and welcoming our loyal exhibition and meeting organizers and other customers who have patiently waited for EXPO’s uninterrupted and full reopening.”

The CNDE provided a platform where experts discussed new ideas that shape the future of the oral health industry in Northeast China. In total, more than 60,000 people visited the exhibition covered 20,000 square meters of exhibition/multipurpose space and utilized 4,000 square meters of meeting rooms.

The sixth Anniversary Celebration of EXPO included a ceremony under the theme of “Welcoming the Return of Our Exhibitions and Boosting Northeast China’s Economy”. The event was attended by notable figures such as Mr. Guo Bin, Deputy Director-General, Department of Commerce in Liaoning Province; Mr. Cliff Wallace, CVE, Honorary President, UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry; Mr. Michael Brierley, Chief Executive Officer, Venue Management Association (Asia and Pacific); and, other industry professionals. Video messages were sent from Brad Mayne, CVE, CEO of the International Association of Venue Managers and Kai Hattendorf, CEO of UFI.

In his keynote speech, Mr. Guo Bin said that as a sunrise industry, conventions and exhibitions are crucial to modern service industry. He pointed to its importance in the most recent opening-up efforts and in foreign trade and investment, in addition to other factors like stimulating consumption and employment opportunities. According to Mr. Guo, this industry is the “barometer” of regional economy and the image for a modern city. China’s convention and exhibition industry is gaining an increasingly greater international influence and an increasingly higher international status. In the days ahead, we will prompt the professional, market-oriented, international, branding and digital development of the convention and exhibition industry, host first-class international brand exhibitions and national-level exhibitions, introduce international and national large-scale conventions, and contribute to the high-quality economic development of Liaoning.

In her keynote speech, Ms. Chen noted that while China’s convention and exhibition industry is recovering across the board, united efforts were needed to revitalize the local economy in Liaoning. EXPO will contribute to enhancing the image of Shenyang and Liaoning and optimize the business landscape for future investment. EXPO will continue to improve operating standards, attract high-quality events and visitors, and assist in accelerating the development of the regional economy.

After its return to normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, EXPO has hosted conventions and exhibitions one after another. These include the 2023 Shenyang International Advertising Expo, after which the 25th North International HVAC, Clean Energy and Comfortable Home Systems Exhibition and the 24th CNDE were held. Future events include large-scale events such as North China Building Decoration Fair, Academic Congress of International Chinese Neurosurgical Sciences, Public Security Exposition Northeast China, Northeast China Shenyang Spring Asia-Pacific Beauty Expo, China (Shenyang) International Modern Architecture Exposition, and the China (Shenyang) International Tea Industry Expo & Purple-clay Pottery, Chinaware, Teaware Exhibition.

From MLB.com

SeatGeek, the high-growth technology platform transforming the live event experience for fans, teams, and venues, announced a partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) to become the Official Ticket Marketplace of MLB. The announcement comes at a time of new beginnings for the league with refreshed rules designed to boost the speed and excitement of the game in the 2023 season. SeatGeek now has partners across all major North American sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS, as well as the English Premier League and more.

MLB continues to innovate on its product for fans on and off the field. The league announced new rules this past offseason including a pitch timer, shift restrictions, and larger bases. In addition to these on-field changes, the league was just as proactive off the field when choosing its new official ticket marketplace. The partnership will include ticket barcode integration which will allow fans to resell their MLB tickets on SeatGeek’s marketplace with just a tap of a button. MLB and its teams will have access to SeatGeek’s analytical tools and deep database of eventgoers to help identify new audiences.

“SeatGeek is a data driven company that is relentlessly focused on improving the fan experience from purchase to post-game,” said MLB Chief Revenue Officer Noah Garden. “We’re eager to tap into SeatGeek’s extensive user base across numerous categories to reach an even wider audience of potential attendees.”

SeatGeek’s mobile-first approach and close partnerships with multimedia creators have helped it become a top ticketing app among younger fans. According to a national survey taken in January 2023 by Qualtrics (on behalf of SeatGeek), SeatGeek had the highest percentage of Gen-Z users among all of the top ticketing platforms. The SeatGeek and MLB partnership will allow fans of all ages to easily buy and sell tickets and scan directly into their favorite teams’ ballparks.

“Baseball is the largest spectator sport in the world in terms of total attendance, and the nature of the league’s 162-game season makes it ripe for innovation on the ticket resale side of the business,” said Russ D’Souza at SeatGeek. “With MLB, we get a chance to re-imagine what the ticketing experience is like while bringing new fans to the ballpark.”

SeatGeek continues to stay hot, signing new clients across all major sports. Over the past three months alone, the platform announced new partners including the Baltimore Ravens, Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, United Soccer League (USL), and Paciolan, who has the largest presence in collegiate sports ticketing.

By Suzanne Flodin and Rachel Hedstrom

Dallas Pride is forty and fabulous! The non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening, supporting and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community returns to Fair Park June 3-4, 2023, with a celebration four decades in the making.

“The many steps we have taken in 40 years are something to celebrate, even as we see more journey ahead,” noted Jaron Turnbow, executive director of Dallas Pride. “While we celebrate, we keep working toward a future of equality and equity for the LGBTQ+ community. The way we get there is by linking arms and moving forward in unity. Dallas Pride is committed to producing inclusive events that our community members and our allies — friends and families alike — can come together and enjoy.”

Pride weekend kicks off with the Dallas Pride Music Festival on Saturday, June 3, followed by the Dallas Pride Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade in Fair Park on Sunday, June 4.

In 1972, just three weeks after the Stonewall riots in New York City, a festive group of hundreds of men and women gathered in Dallas to show their pride. They marched through downtown, waving signs and chanting gay rights slogans before a crowd that grew to about 3,000. There were a few floats, but nothing elaborate; most of the participants walked the route or rode in gaily decorated vehicles. In 1983, the parade was branded the Texas Freedom Parade in commemoration of Judge Jerry L. Buchmeyer’s 1982 ruling that first negated the Texas sodomy law (in a decision that was later overturned by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals). Also in 1983, Dallas Pride was born.

Those humble beginnings helped to galvanize a community that in coming years would celebrate Texas sodomy laws being found unconstitutional and same-sex marriage legal. As the LGBTQ+ community and its number of allies grew – and the families of LGBTQ+ individuals grew, too – Dallas Pride made a historic move in 2019 to Fair Park to a larger footprint that would comfortably accommodate the community’s growing numbers, as well as attendees who are differently abled, as well as those of all ages.

Dallas Pride’s 40th festivities begin on Saturday, June 3, in Fair Park with the Dallas Pride Music Festival, a family-friendly event featuring a variety of musical and dance performances on both the outdoor main stage and on an indoor community stage. More than 200 vendors will have booths to see and shop at the festival. Family Pride Zone, an area designed for families, will feature several bounce houses, face painting, entertainment for the kids and the Pride Train ride in the Automobile Building at Fair Park. The festival also features Teen Pride, which fosters a safe environment for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 19 and their friends to enjoy live entertainment from artists and DJs, and other age-appropriate activities. Local animal rescue groups will also be on-site for guests to meet a possible new furry family member.

Suzanne Flodin and Rachel Hedstrom are with Gentry Agency.