News

Sep 22, 2022
BPA Worldwide, a leading global assurance provider of media, technology, events and sustainability standards compliance, has purchased VSef, the global data format for the digital events industry, founded by Explori. The move is the next step following its collaboration with VSef to create a single industry standard for digital events. Digital events and digital components of in-person events are important elements of an event organizer’s portfolio, explained Richard Murphy, president and CEO of BPA Worldwide, adding that after leveling off after pandemic highs, the digital channel is… more
Sep 20, 2022
As summer turns to fall, the corporate meeting and event industry’s hiring and promoting craze is starting to show some signs of slowing. Nonetheless, many hotels, CVBs and event venues are continuing to expand their teams, appoint new leadership and reward hard-working professionals with elevated roles. Check them out! Orange County Convention Center  The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) promoted Eric Blanc, Sr. to deputy director, responsible for overseeing the venue’s sales, marketing, event management and exhibitor services divisions.  Blanc joined the Orlando, Fla.-based… more
Sep 19, 2022
The city of Atlanta, Ga., is more than an urban oasis exuding Southern hospitality. Rich in history and culture, this diverse and vibrant destination boasts more than 136 square miles of unique and colorful neighborhoods, vast green spaces and an interesting array of amenities and attractions, including a vibrant arts, entertainment and culinary scene, and an enduring civil rights legacy. For all these reasons and more, it’s no wonder that travel destination experts and global brands including Lonely Planet and National Geographic have highlighted Atlanta in their Best of Travel lists for… more
Sep 16, 2022
Right off the bat (pun intended), I knew Cleo Battle was someone who makes the most of an experience. No more than a couple of minutes into our conversation, the discussion turned to how much he treasures his personalized Louisville Slugger in purple—the color of his hometown baseball team, the Colorado Rockies—which he’s had since moving to Louisville almost 10 years ago, and how he enjoys his fine Kentucky bourbon on occasion—with a nice cigar and a great Sinatra album. Indeed, Battle is an aficionado and a connoisseur of the destination he has represented for nearly a decade, first as… more
Sep 15, 2022
Leading technology solutions provider Personify  has purchased GTR Event Technology, a long-established industry player, to offer a complete event management platform for organizers of trade shows, conferences, corporate meetings and other gatherings. GTR has developed powerful and easy-to-use software, along with expert services for badge printing, online registration, lead retrieval and attendance tracking, all of which are now available through Personify’s Community Experience Platform.   “The addition further enables our mission of helping our clients to manage and grow their… more
Sep 13, 2022
Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the world’s largest meeting and event industry association worldwide, recently unveiled its Summer Meetings Outlook, a future-focused quarterly report that identifies current industry trends, innovations and outlooks. Designed to inform and enable event planners to budget and plan accordingly, the publication is crafted as a comprehensive guide to help ensure a strong foundation for building sound and successful business strategies. According to the report, meeting and event business projections remain strong, with signs of growth moving at a… more
Sep 12, 2022
The Siouxland Expo Center in Sioux City, Iowa, has received a new name as a result of a multi-year partnership with Seaboard Triumph Foods. The venue was officially renamed the Seaboard Triumph Foods Expo Center, according to officials at full-service venue management and hospitality company OVG360, which provides booking and management services and sales efforts for the Expo Center. The naming rights agreement, which was brokered through OVG360’s Global Partnerships team, includes a variety of assets, such as a new name and logo for the facility, branding integration throughout the Seaboard… more
Sep 09, 2022
Personify, a leading technology solutions provider for associations, nonprofits and event professionals, launched its first-ever A2Z Event Professionals Awards. The new awards program was established to celebrate the agility, creativity and innovation in today’s events and associations industries.   “So many awards are focused on revenue or square footage,” said Rich Vallaster, director of event marketing at Personify. “While those are critical components to an event’s success, recognizing the ideas of all sizes and the people and teams who have had a huge impact in the industry is why we… more
Sep 08, 2022
The IMEX Group unveiled details of its education program for IMEX America 2022, set to zero in on modern-day challenges and hot topics as industry professionals navigate a new normal for events. In creating the education program for this year’s show, which takes place Oct. 10-13 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, the goal was “radical simplicity,” according to Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group. “We know meeting and event industry professionals are overrun, overwhelmed and seeking clarity, so this year’s learning sessions deliver bold content designed to cut to the heart of… more
Sep 07, 2022
Pittsburgh-based The Hutton Group–Inspired Meetings & Events, a women-owned and operated boutique company specializing in meetings, venues and hotels, debuted a new destination management company (DMC) as an extension of its parent company. Announced on Aug. 23, the new DMC comprises experienced destination designers offering travel and ground services, VIP experiences, dine-arounds at culinary gems, tours and outings and unique venue procurement. It can also provide curated experiences, including teambuilding and corporate social responsibility projects, custom event design, amenities… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.    Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more