Oct 11, 2024
September was another active month for the corporate events industry, especially among industry suppliers, with organizations across the U.S. tapping new leadership, promoting seasoned staff, and welcoming experienced professionals to executive teams.
CEN’s take on the biggest move in September: Tavar James has joined the executive team of AI-powered, full-service event planning and services platform BoomPop as its new vice president of events and industry advocacy.
The big picture: James most recently served as head of events and experiences at virtual professional coaching platform… more
Sep 06, 2024
A record number of business event professionals are now working full-time as freelancers, according to a recent study designed to highlight the motivations, demographics, and work values of independent workers in the events industry.
In fact, across all industries, the independent workforce trend has significantly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 36% of the U.S. workforce across all industries engaging in freelance work in 2023, an increase of 4 million total professionals from 2022, according to a December 2023 study conducted by leading online freelance marketplace Upwork. … more
Aug 16, 2024
This summer, event planning companies, hotels, and suppliers blazed hot with talent acquisitions and promotions, attracting experienced industry professionals and young talent alike as they prepare for a robust fall season.
CEN’s take on the biggest move in July: Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide welcomed Lauren Parr as its chief meeting and exhibits officer, responsible for overseeing Optica meetings and events. Bringing a robust background in scientific program development, instructional design, and event strategy to her new role, Parr boasts more than 20 years of experience… more
Jul 29, 2024
Ask Visit California President & CEO Caroline Beteta about her path into the destination marketing industry, and she will share that she has always been interested in the power of connection in bringing people together, particularly those who may otherwise have different goals and business objectives.
A California girl through and through, Beteta grew up and went to school in the southern part of the Golden State, graduating from UCLA with an undergraduate degree in political science, earning her masters in public administration, and completing the Stanford University Graduate School of… more
Jul 16, 2024
To address the meetings and events industry’s gender gap in leadership roles and equitable pay, talent platform Soundings recently launched Soundings Elevate, a new customized career coaching service created to help elevate the careers of business event professionals.
“I am deeply passionate about advancing the careers of women, not only as a female founder and business owner who has navigated these challenges but also as a leader who believes in the transformative power of diversity and inclusion for driving equity, innovation, and collective business success,” said Tracy Judge, founder and… more
Jul 08, 2024
What do you do when you hit an advancement wall at your job, finding yourself having to fight for your next opportunity or promotion, with nowhere to progress or develop yourself further as an events professional? You start your own company like Meena Chander, founder and CEO of Events Together, Milton Keynes, U.K.-based event design and management company that organizes corporate events, exhibitions, incentives, awards galas, and more.
“[After working] for an organization for 10 years…I was made redundant and decided to set up Events Together––the name deriving from the fact that events are… more
Jun 27, 2024
After leading New York City’s Javits Center for 12 years, Alan Steel will step down as president and CEO at the end of March 2025. A search for his replacement is already underway, according to the New York Convention Center Operating Corp. (NYCCOC), which operates and manages the facility,
Backstory: Leaving behind an indelible legacy of innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth, Steel’s journey with the Javits Center spans 38 years, including 12 years at the helm and 26 years as a customer. He was already a 30-year veteran of the trade show industry when he was appointed its leader… more
Jun 21, 2024
A bevy of CVBs, venues and other event-related organizations have been expanding leadership and teams as they position themselves for growth via new business opportunities.
Sphere Entertainment
Live entertainment and media company Sphere Entertainment Co. announced a key promotion and a new executive hire.
Jennifer Koester has been elevated from president of business operations to president and COO of Sphere, a next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas. In her expanded role, she will continue working with executive leadership and across the broader Sphere team to grow the business… more
May 31, 2024
Ahead of the upcoming Cvent CONNECT, set for June 10-13, Rachel Andrews, the software giant’s head of global events, sat down with us for an exclusive, tell-all interview that makes it clear why she was chosen for our new and ongoing “Industry Trailblazers” feature.
Andrews began her 13-year tenure at Cvent when “the meetings and events team wasn’t really a team,” she explained, adding that the team of merely six “was kind of a bunch of disparate people working on tactics that weren't cohesive.”
“We didn't really have a strategy other than we're just going to host a bunch of lunches and… more
May 22, 2024
Event-related organizations, especially industry suppliers, have been welcoming new leadership and growing staff as the number of meetings and business events continue picking up pace nationwide.
Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority
The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) has selected a new president and CEO: Mike Larragueta, who for nine months has served as the CVB’s interim president and CEO since Charles Harris left the position in 2023.
Bringing nearly 30 years of travel and tourism industry experience, including15 years of local executive experience,… 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