American Society of Association Executives enjoyed Salt Lake City so much during its annual conference in 2016, it has selected the destination as its host city for its Great Ideas Conference in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

A flagship event for association professionals around the world, ASAE’s Great Ideas Conference will bring together 500 attendees in a retreat-like setting at The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. The first iteration of the event here will take place March 1-3, 2020.

Emerald Expositions' board of directors appointed Sally Shankland as president and CEO of the company.

Shankland will assume her new role on June 1 and will remain a member of the company’s board.

Following a Dallas city audit released in January that scrutinized VisitDallas and its president and CEO, Phillip Jones, the bureau announced he is stepping down.

The city of Madison, Wisconsin, while less than half the size of Milwaukee, has a lot of things going for it. For one, it has one of the best farmer’s markets in the United States (visit in July and you’ll see what we mean). It also sits right on Lake Mendota, making it a prime spot for water recreation; ranks among the top five healthiest cities in the country; and has a creative, energetic vibe thanks to University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Two event technology companies from across the pond have released new updates and platforms aimed at improving the attendee experience.

April showers brought May new hires to many companies in the trade show and destination marketing world. Here’s all the news you need to know.

Big news for the Events Industry Council: The Washington, D.C.-based organization appointed a new CEO in April. Following an extensive global search, Amy Calvert is now leading EIC. She brings more than three decades of experience in the industry to her new role, and was most recently with Visit Baltimore. (Stay tuned for more on Calvert in an upcoming Q&A on TSNN!)

A primary reason many people attend conferences and trade shows is to meet the right contacts and vendors. To support this need, show organizers across industries are launching formalized matchmaking programs designed to help attendees make better connections and everyone is reaping the benefits.