News
Dec 12, 2019
The Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA) has announced its new board members for 2020. The board of directors will drive CEMA’s growth, innovation, diversity and sustainability initiatives in the coming year.
2020 CEMA Board Members
Chairwoman: Karen Cooper, Senior Manager Event Strategy and Development, Poly
Vice Chairwoman/Chairwoman Elect: Stacey Kashubeck, Senior Director of Events, Dreamforce Production, Salesforce.com
Secretary: Jim Kelley, Vice President of Marketing and Industry Relations, Fern Expo
Board Members at Large:
Colleen Bisconti, Vice President of Global… more
Dec 11, 2019
Heading to the City of Angels for a meeting or event next year? The city is exploding with new and renovated hotels to inspire every type of group. Whether you’re looking for a meeting space in a historic hotel or a trendy rooftop for a cocktail reception, you have plenty of options to choose from. Here are five venues that are catching our eye for 2020 and beyond.
The Wayfarer DTLA
Opening January in the downtown Los Angeles Broadway Corridor’s former Ritz Milner building, this boutique property will have 156 rooms plus four restaurants and a highly unique stairwell gym. While the trendy… more
Dec 09, 2019
China’s newest and largest convention center, Shenzhen World, opened in early November. The venue, which will be the biggest exhibition and convention center in the world once its Phase 2 construction is completed, is also aiming to be the most sustainable and most intelligent. One thing is certain: The impressive facility will play a significant role in growing the region’s economy.
Located in the Pearl River Delta, Shenzhen is China’s technology innovation hub and home to more than 3 million businesses. The city has grown from a small fishing village to a metropolis in just three decades… more
Dec 06, 2019
New in-venue smartphone app APPIX can be used to increase audience engagement — and now helps event organizers make their events safer, too.
The app debuted earlier this year targeting a wide range of use cases for immersive live event experiences. From participating in venue-wide displays of phone screen projections to receiving exclusive real-time content, messages and videos throughout an event, APPIX allows everyone in attendance to become part of the live show.
At the Nov. 20-22 Event Safety Summit in Pennsylvania, which used APPIX as its official conference mobile app, the technology… more
Dec 05, 2019
You may have never heard of Soundings Connect, but it’s a group you’ll want to get familiar with — and maybe even join. Founded in San Diego in 2018, it’s a network of 200 (and growing!) freelance meeting and event professionals, all of whom have experience in the fields of trade show management, meeting planning, event marketing and more.
The goal of the organization is to strategically match companies in need of these services with professionals whose skill sets and talents line up with their objectives. “We focus on both hard and soft skills to ensure the right fit,” says Tracy Judge,… more
Dec 04, 2019
Experiential marketing and live event production agencies Gravel Experiential and GES Events are teaming up. The two companies will work together to broaden their existing client base with a focus on corporations searching for top-notch event production in new and emerging markets.
While both GES Events and Gravel XP offer similar services, the two are also complementary in many ways. Gravel XP has a long history supporting U.S.-based events in specialized industries including consumer packaged goods, alcohol and spirits, pharmaceutical, technology and consultancies. Its services are… more
Dec 02, 2019
Tarsus Connect has today announced the purchase of BizBash, the iconic trade media company for event and meeting planners, further expanding Connect’s market-leading position. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition of BizBash adds four premier events — including the BizBash Live in New York and L.A. shows for event pros — to the current Connect portfolio of more than 30 national, regional and vertically focused events around the United States. Connect will now also publish two of BizBash’s popular magazines and oversee all of its digital properties. In cities where… more
Dec 02, 2019
It’s a big month for Portland, Oregon: Last week, its Oregon Convention Center officially completed a momentous $40 million renovation. It marked the first large-scale renovation to take place at the facility since it was built three decades ago, and also took place during OCC’s busiest year to date — a feat in itself.
The renovation included updates to public spaces throughout the venue to improve accessibility, creating a new plaza to serve as a flexible outdoor space option for events, and elevated design touches that reflect the building’s surroundings.
“We made sure to keep our local… more
Nov 27, 2019
Earlier this month, MGM Resorts International launched a standards-driven social impact program called “Focused on What Matters: People, Community and Planet” that outlines the company’s vision for a sustainable future through environmental and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Through its impact on various aspects of the company’s operations, the program will also make it easier for planners to create meetings and events that reflect the sustainability goals and corporate values of their organizations.
The new program is in line with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and… more
Nov 26, 2019
Event organizers wanting to learn and leverage exhibition sponsorship practices can take advantage of the B2B Exhibition Sponsorship Playbook series produced by Center for Exhibition Industry Research.
Providing a comprehensive overview of B2B expo sponsorship practices in North America, the new five-part series compiles and compares organizer and exhibitor practices. It also includes industry benchmarks and insights on how stakeholders can refine their programs to enhance success.
Unveiled on Oct. 28, Part One: What Organizers Offer Compared to What Exhibitors Buy takes a deep dive into… 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