Nearly 4,800 Attendees Flock to 2016 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition in Salt Lake City

August 22, 2016

Close to 4,800 association professionals and industry partners took part in the 2016 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition, held last week in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Attendees took part in more than 120 education sessions, two keynotes and five Game Changers, as well as 20-plus OpenSpace pop-ups and events. ASAE Foundation’s The Classic event also sold out for the second year in a row. 

The final attendance breakdown includes: 2,669 executives, 1,739 exhibitors, 381 others, including guests, spouses, press, vendors, and staff, for a grand total of 4,789.

A total of 424 companies representing 679 booths exhibited in the expo hall, which resulted in a strong ratio of 60 percent buyers (association staff) to 40 percent sellers (industry partners).

“Our attendees loved the greater variety of learning opportunities this year. Both keynotes received rare standing ovations from our attendees. Mark and Scott Kelly provided insight on leadership lessons learned in space, and Derreck Kayongo stressed the importance of paying attention to details and to make revolutionary connections in work and life. Everyone left inspired and ready to implement new strategies and ideas,” said ASAE President and CEO John H. Graham IV, FASAE, CAE.

During the opening keynote, Captains Mark and Scott Kelly discussed their childhood inspirations, experiences as U.S. Navy fighter pilots, lessons learned as NASA astronauts, and revelations from Scott’s year on the International Space Station.

They also reflected on the importance of doing the hard things, keen focus on what you can control, and other leadership lessons learned while flying in combat, dealing with loss, and traveling in space.

During the closing keynote, Dr. Derreck Kayongo, CEO at the Center for Civil and Human Rights, gave advice on how association professionals should observe the world around them and leverage their skills and vision to overcome impossible odds and impact the lives of others.

The talk was illustrated by Kayongo’s own story of transformation from his childhood in Uganda, to a refugee in Kenya, to U.S. citizen building a multi-million dollar venture called the Global Soap Project.

Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning, five Game Changers provided diverse perspectives from outside the association community included: Matt Tenney, CEO, Wanna Save the World: Veronika Scott, founder and CEO, The Empowerment Plan; Tan Le, CEO of bioinformatics firm EMOTIV; Robert Stephens, Founder Geek Squad and former CTO Best Buy; Charles Best, founder & CEO of K-12 micro-philanthropy site Donorschoose.org.

ASAE raised $30,000 for the Utah Food Bank, which will helps provide 100,000 meals for the community. The Utah Food Bank has served the community for more than 110 years and distributed more than 31 million meals to the entire state.

The 2017 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition will be Aug. 12-15 in Toronto, Ontario.

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact