Education Conference Schedule

8:00 am - 9:15 am – Breakfast and Special “Surprise Tours" throughout breakfast (and ending promptly at 8:45 am)

9:15 am - 9:30 am - Education Conference - Welcome by Tarsus Group’s Rachel Wimberly

9:30 am - 10:10 am - An Update on Trade Show Industry Advocacy

Speakers: Cathy Breden – CEIR EVP/COO of IAEE/CEIR; David Audrain – SISO CEO; Tommy Goodwin – ECA (Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance) VP of Government Affairs

Moderator: Danica Tormohlen, SISO editor-at-large

Advocacy has been more important than ever throughout the pandemic. We’ll hear the latest updates of what’s been achieved and what still are some of the challenges our industry is being faced with.

10:10 am - 10:50 am – Innovation Is the Name of the Game

Speakers: Sarah Engstrand, Editorial & Content Director; Nightclub & Bar Show, Manolita Moore, Vice President, Exhibit Sales & Operations, Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) 2021 and Joseph Marks, Event Director, Channel Partners Conference & Expo

Moderator: Dahlia El Gazzar, DES, altMBA, ECC, EWD

The past 18 months have turned the trade show industry upside down, but there have been a lot of shows who have forged ahead and truly innovated in order to continue to either connect their buyers and sellers, build communities, support their teams, launch a virtual or hybrid event from scratch or blaze a completely new trail or path. We’ll hear from 2021 TSNN Awards finalists/winners on how they’ve innovated in the past year and a half.

10:50 am - 11:10 am - Break

11:10 am - 11:50 am - MAGIC, WWIN and Offprice’s Unique Collaboration on Orlando Show

Speakers: Tricia Barglof - Executive Director, Offprice; Kelly Helfman – President of Informa Markets Fashion; Desiree Hanson – Executive VP of Clarion Events North America

Moderator: Rachel Wimberly, EVP of Business Development, Tarsus Group

In February, when most of the trade show industry in the U.S. was shut down, three companies created a unique collaboration – Clarion, Tarsus Group and Infoma –  and held their fashion shows – WWIN, Offprice and MAGIC – at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. Every person who attended the show was Covid tested before they were permitted to enter, and the fact that all three shows were successfully held signaled to the industry that trade shows could be held safely.

11:50 am - 12:45 pm - Trade Show Leaders Discuss State of the Industry

Speakers: Douglas Emslie, CEO, Tarsus Group; Mary Larkin, President, Diversified Communications; Paul Miller, CEO, Questex

Moderator: David Audrain, SISO CEO

Leaders from some of the largest for-profit trade show companies in the U.S. will discuss the state of the overall industry and how their businesses have navigated the past 18 months, as well as what challenges do they still foresee on the horizon.

12:45 pm - 1:45pm - Lunch

1:45 pm - 2:30 pm  - Keynote with Jen Rizzotti

Diversity in Leadership: Creating a Workplace for All through Relationships and Team-Building

Jen will be talking about her ascension at UConn; her journey in taking over the Hartford Women’s Basketball program; the different leaders she has had, the nuances of their management styles, and the lessons learned from them; her personal foundation of leadership; guiding a team through the height of the pandemic; and the carry-over all these lessons have in helping her lead the Connecticut Sun—hiring in the office, creating culture, and building out a more inclusive social justice platform.

View Main Schedule HERE.