News
Jan 16, 2023
A leading hospitality partner and a top exhibition industry organization announced some major leadership changes recently.
Sodexo Live!
Sodexo Live! tapped proven international business leader Belinda Oakley as its new CEO, North America. Bringing two decades of foodservice management experience to her new role, Oakley is responsible for leading more than 20,000 team members at more than 150 partner venues throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Oakley replaces outgoing CEO Steve Pangburn, who will stay on with the company to help with the transition in an advisory capacity through the end of… more
Jan 13, 2023
ExpoPlatform, which uses AI-powered solutions to build events, communities and marketplaces across in-person, virtual and hybrid channels, unveiled the Event Tech Forecast 2023. The report focuses on how the digital evolution of the industry will shape businesses this year and features exclusive findings from professionals and expert insights from top contributors.
The four sections of the report include:
The amount of annual revenue expected to come from digital channels
The biggest windows of opportunity for event technology
The most important challenges facing event… more
Jan 12, 2023
The 2023 edition of the world’s most influential tech event, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which took place in Las Vegas Jan. 5-8, exceeded its own expectations and returned to six-digit attendance for the first time since the pandemic.
Spanning nearly 2.2 million net square feet of exhibit space (1.4 million in 2022), CES featured 3,200 exhibitors (2,300 in 2022), including 1,000 new exhibitors, and welcomed 115,000 attendees (45,000 in 2022), making it the largest audited global tech event since early 2020. With 40,000 international attendees heralding from 140 countries, it also… more
Jan 09, 2023
PCMA announced several major acquisitions, alliances and partnerships designed to forge a path forward for the global business events industry while furthering its role as a leading platform for meeting and trade show professionals. The announcements were made on the first day of Convening Leaders 2023, taking place Jan. 8-11 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. At a press conference, PCMA and CEMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat outlined the association’s strategic plan, which is based on four foundational pillars supported by various key initiatives.
“As of today… more
Jan 09, 2023
As the trade show industry kicks off 2023, event-related organizations across the U.S. are welcoming new executives and promoting staff as they prepare for a year of growth, strong demand and continued post-pandemic recovery. Check them out!
Baltimore Convention Center
After a nationwide search, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has nominated certified venue professional Mac Campbell as the new executive director of the Baltimore Convention Center. His appointment follows the Sept. 1 retirement of Peggy Daidakis after 49 years of service to the City of Baltimore.
Campbell began his career… more
Jan 06, 2023
Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC), managed by ASM Global, and its trade show labor partners unveiled “Safety, Skills and Smiles,” a workforce training initiative—believed to be the first of its kind in the country—to further solidify the already strong working relationship between all parties and further enrich the client experience. The joint management program is dedicated to expanding and building upon existing training programs in three areas: safety, technical skills and customer service and hospitality.
The program will be financed through the new… more
Jan 04, 2023
As part of its commitment to creating a healthy environment for attendees and exhibitors to conduct and further global business, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is offerig a more touchless venue experience at CES 2023, taking place Jan. 5-8 at 11 official venues in Las Vegas, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, The Venetian Convention and Expo Center and ARIA.
According to CTA officials, health and safety measures being executed across all CES venues include increased fresh air flow and filtration systems, hand sanitizing stations, door greeters and touchless public… more
Jan 03, 2023
Leading venue management company and live experience producer ASM Global recently hosted an awe-inspiring, firework-laden grand opening ceremony for the new Exhibition World Bahrain, one of the largest convention centers in the Middle East, with more than 1 million square feet of trade show and conference space.
The new venue’s launch marks a milestone for the Kingdom of Bahrain’s economic development and is expected to play a key role in advancing the economic competitiveness and positioning of Bahrain as a major global destination for regional and international meetings and conventions,… more
Dec 30, 2022
VSef Makes New Versions of Standards Guides for Event Data Available for Download and Implementation
Responding to the event industry’s need for a standardized data structure and communications protocol for digital, in-person and hybrid events, global assurance provider BPA Worldwide announced that versions 2.0 of the VSef (Virtual Standard Export Format) Standards Guide and VSef API Standards Guide are now available to download, review and implement.
VSef, which was acquired by BPA Worldwide in September 2022, is a data file reporting format designed to streamline the collection and exchange of data within the events industry by establishing standard data structures and common naming… more
Dec 29, 2022
Straight out of college, Kelly Gleeson Smith knew she had fallen into her dream career after landing her first job in “meeting connection sales” at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas. From the start, she reveled in what she described as the “power of meetings” that affect so many people.
“It was like a pebble falling into the water, and then the centrifugal rings just continue to expand,” Gleeson Smith said. “I thought, ‘Wow, this is an amazing industry.’”
She became very passionate about face-to-face interactions and where her career could go, traveling the world… more
Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates.
Water Stewardship Efforts
MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship.
In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step.
MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas.
MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030.
From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts.
Caring for One Another
MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include:
Unserved perishable prepared foods from events
Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens
Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses
The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community.
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion
To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.