SISO CEO Summit Will Focus on ‘Growing Forward, Creating the New Normal’

For the past few years, the economic downturn has plagued almost every sector of the trade show industry, but at this year’s Society of Independent Show Organizers’ CEO Summit, April 10-13 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, Bonita Springs, Fla., the focus will be on the future.

With the theme “Growing Forward, Creating the New Normal”, the three-day event will include its board meeting and annual report to members, as well as educational content that discusses the strategic aspects of running trade shows, exhibitions and conferences in the new economic world. 

“As SISO’s CEO Summit is the one place where leading industry executives gather, one can expect great opportunities for networking, while creating strategies to implement immediately that will positively affect their bottom line,” said Lew Shomer, SISO’s executive director.

 The event kicks off April 10 with an opening reception and dinner, and followed on Monday morning with an update from Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, through a live link with Roger in his Washington DC offices, who will update the group on the state of the travel industry.

The morning sessions includes “Show me the money!” taking a look at how to create out-of-the-box revenue streams, led by David Audrain, president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt North America, with panelists Kathleen Thomas, managing director of Berkery Noyes, Michael Sanchez, CEO of OurBond, and Keith Rudy, CFO of ExtremeTix.

Other sessions on the first day include Doug Ducate, president of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, presenting the 2010 CEIR Index and “Business of the future is different than  business of the past” led by Kerry Smith, president and CEO of Red 7 Media – an Access Intelligence Company, with panelists Shawn Pierce, president of Registration and Housing, Experient, and Eric Shanfelt, president and founder of eMedia Strategist.

That evening is a reception and dinner, followed by an ‘after’ party. The next-day sessions take a look at “Taking on the world – strategies for global expansion”, “The relevance of face-to-face events in the digital age” and “Maximizing the Holy Grail of new revenue streams – marketing services.”

The afternoon leads off with lunch and then choices between golfing, playing tennis or a social activity before the event ends with a reception and awards, followed by the closing dinner. 

David Loechner, presidentof Nielsen Expositions said of the SISO CEO Summit, “Of all the Industry events held throughout the year, the SISO CEO Summit is the one ‘can’t miss’ event each year for me.”

Alan Steel, president ofGLM, added, “The CEO Summit is an outstanding event, as industry conferences go, there’s no better use of my time.”

For more information on the SISO CEO Summit visit www.siso.org.