Samuel Thomas
Aug 04, 2023
Oak View Group (OVG), which takes over venue management for Chicago’s McCormick Place on Oct. 1, named veteran convention and hospitality executive Samuel Thomas Jr. as senior vice president and general manager of the campus, which includes McCormick Place, featuring 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space, the 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena and the 4,249-seat Arie Crown Theater.  Thomas, who will relocate to Chicago from Washington, D.C., where he was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Events DC, will begin his new role the first week of September. McCormick Place… more
Jul 24, 2023
Destinations International (DI), the leading global resource for official destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), recently announced significant growth in its membership. The organization now represents 26 countries and territories, with more than 700 members worldwide.  The announcement was made on July 18 at the Destinations International Annual Convention by DI President and CEO Don Welsh, who highlighted the importance of a strong member community and the power of travel in fostering connections across the globe. “Destinations International exists for the… more
Jul 22, 2023
Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has become a vital aspect of organizing events – from hiring speakers to creating event content to securing sponsors and more. But what about designing the food and beverage offerings at events? We checked in with Tracy Stuckrath, founder and president of thrive! meetings & events and host of the Eating at a Meeting podcast, who offered some keen insights on the importance of DEI in event catering. Inclusivity is what inspired Stuckrath to start her business in 2010, when a personal health journey changed the course of her career. “I was… more
Jul 13, 2023
The meetings industry has gone through unprecedented times in recent years, and as it transforms and moves well beyond the pandemic, the future is looking bright for a robust recovery, although predicting trends moving forward is no easy task. Enter the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), the global association representing the top 1 percent of small to midsize conference and meeting venues, which recently released the 2023 Meeting Room of the Future Report. The findings detail top trends that will shape the future for conferences, meetings and events of up to 250… more
Jul 10, 2023
As Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) signature annual North American event, the World Education Congress (WEC) makes a point of taking transparent and calculated risks to showcase how event professionals can deliver premium event experiences while providing them with top-notch education powered by the MPI Academy and business-building networking through its Hosted Buyer program and on-site events. This year’s WEC, held June 13-15 at the Barceló Maya Resort in the Mexican Caribbean, was no exception. Now in its 27th year, the award-winning event showcased how business learnings and… more
Jun 22, 2023
The importance of making the events industry more inclusive and welcoming to all continues to be a major talking point. With June being Pride Month, it’s an opportune time to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and reflect on the industry’s accomplishments and ways to overcome obstacles that it continues to confront.    We checked in with four leading event professionals to find out what their organizations are doing to be more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community, how they are making their events more inclusive, the major challenges within the industry, how they are personally honoring Pride… more
Jun 15, 2023
Nearly 100 industry leaders from 24 states — including representatives from event, venue and destination organizations including IAEE, Visit Orlando, Venetian Resort Las Vegas, PCMA, MGM Resorts International, Visit Anaheim and many more — gathered on June 1 on Capitol Hill for Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA) Legislative Action Day. View the full list of attendees here. During more than 100 meetings, Legislative Action Day attendees advocated for ECA’s federal public policy priorities and the vital role that the business events industry plays in helping to spur economic growth,… more
Jun 13, 2023
Two leading U.S.-based media companies have been busy making strategic event acquisitions to expand their market share and further benefit the industries they serve. Take a look! Group C Media  Group C Media, a leading B2B media company based in Red Bank, N.J., recently acquired the portfolio of Continuity Insights from Pennsylvania-based Continuity Exchange.  Announced on May 25, the deal includes the acquisition of Continuity Insights Management Conference and ContinuityInsights.com., which delivers news and information to senior-level executives responsible for business continuity and… more
Jun 12, 2023
PCMA has selected the future host cities and dates for Convening Leaders (CL), the association’s annual flagship education and networking event, for 2024-2027. San Diego has been tapped to host the event in January 2024, followed by Houston in 2025, Philadelphia in 2026 and Miami in 2027. “The business events industry plays a critical role in bringing people together that drives economic growth and social good for individuals, organizations and communities” said PCMA and CEMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat. “Each of these destinations has a unique identity and offers a diverse range of… more
Jun 07, 2023
As the nation’s elected officials burned the midnight oil to pass a bill to raise the debt ceiling on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., trade show industry executives gathered a few blocks away at the Grand Hyatt Washington to connect and learn from their peers at the 22nd annual Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF), produced by Lippman Connects. Held May 30-31, the event attracted a record 237 industry leaders and suppliers, and corporate event professionals can glean several tips from key insights provided during ECEF 2023 sessions. “There's a mix on the stage of association… more
Partner Voices
Just when it seems like Las Vegas can’t get any bigger, brighter or more exciting for groups, MGM Resorts raises the bar again. The company continues to invest and innovate across its portfolio of Las Vegas resorts, with new attractions and upgraded experiences for attendees of all interests.  Remodeled Guest Rooms MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with over 5,000 guest rooms and an 850,000-square-foot conference center. It is home to the newly remodeled MGM Grand Studio Tower—700 reimagined guest rooms with a fun mid-century vibe. Nearby, the iconic New York-New York Las more