Expo! Expo! IAEE's Annual Meeting & Exhibition Dazzles Los Angeles

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) brought together 1,780 industry professionals (pending verified audit) to the Los Angeles Convention Center at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2024, held 16-19 December in Los Angeles, California.

IAEE President and CEO Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM summed up the event’s success by stating, “Expo! Expo! 2024 in Los Angeles has been nothing short of incredible! The energy, innovation and connections we witnessed this week reaffirm the resilience and creativity of our industry. A heartfelt thank you to our exhibitors, attendees, sponsors and our hosts for making this event truly special. Together, we’ve set the stage for a bright future in exhibitions and events. Until next year, let’s keep building on this momentum!”

Expo! Expo! kicked off its robust learning program with CEM and CEM-AP courses held on Sunday, 15 December and Monday, 16 December.

The general learning program consisted of 70+ sessions starting on Monday and ending Thursday morning that delved into these six areas of content:

• Behind the Scenes with Tech: A Hand-Ons Learning Lab Approach
• Director’s Cut: Shaping the Future of Exhibitions
• Reel Insights: Cultivating Health, Wellness, and Safety
• Script Development: Marketing Strategies for Captivating Audiences
• Spotlight on Success: Mastering Sales and Sponsorships
• Stagecraft Secrets: Elevating Trade Show Design and Operations

Monday night’s festivities opened with the IAEE Awards Pre-Party Chapter Receptions, followed by the red carpet-styled IAEE Awards Ceremony recognizing the 2024 IAEE Award recipients at legendary music venue The Novo. Attendees immediately proceeded to the Opening Party, where they enjoyed networking and celebration in true Hollywood style as well as exclusive access to the Grammy Museum.

Tuesday’s learning experience included the General Session and 2024 CEM Presentation, which started with Flanagan welcoming attendees and reflecting on her first year as IAEE President and CEO. She was then joined by 2024 IAEE Chairperson Marie Browne, who highlighted IAEE’s accomplishments throughout 2024. Browne also presented the 2024 IAEE Chairperson’s Award to Carrie Ferenac, Co-Founder and President of Convention News Television (CNTV), in recognition of her invaluable guidance and support.

Browne concluded with introducing 2024 CEIR Chairperson and incoming IAEE Chairperson Chuck Grouzard who announced, with Browne, the integration of CEIR as a research division of IAEE.

CEM Commission Chair Matthew Kalb, CEM-AP, CMP was then joined by Paul Cunniffe, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Freeman, sponsor of IAEE’s Certification Journey, for the CEM Class of 2024 presentation which recognized this year’s 300+ graduates of the CEM Learning Program. The two newest professionals to receive the CEM-Advanced Professional (CEM-AP) designation added to the 26 total CEM-APs and Kara Dao was recognized as IAEE’s first CEM Fellow recipient.

The 2024 CEM graduates join the ranks of more than 4,000 CEMs worldwide and represent seven countries that participate in IAEE’s CEM Learning Program.

Vice President of Sales for Visit Milwaukee Leslie Johnson and Vice President of Sales for the Wisconsin Center District Megan Seppmann provided an overview of the $456 million expansion to the Baird Center and transformation of the Wisconsin Center District that attendees to Expo! Expo! 2026 will experience.

They also introduced keynote speaker Sebastian Terry, a best-selling author whose journey to transform his life has led him to complete 77 of his unique list of 100 goals. In his presentation, Unlocking Limitless Possibility: Transformation through Mental Health, Leadership & Connection, he captivated attendees’ attention through his call to develop and nurture an unstoppable mindset that drives personal and professional growth. Among Terry’s calls to action for attendees was to remember that “we are strong alone, but we are better together.”

The Expo! Expo! exhibition floor opened Tuesday afternoon with 240 exhibiting companies in 35,000 net square feet of sold exhibit space. In addition to conducting business and witnessing the exclusive launch of new products and services, attendees engaged in 20-minute Innovation Theatre learning activations.

In addition, IAEE strengthened its collaboration with fellow industry associations by signing Memorandums of Understanding with the Association of Mexican Professionals in Fairs, Expos and Conventions (AMPROFEC); China Convention Exhibition Event Society (CCEES); International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA); International Exhibition Logistics Association (IELA); International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES); Korean MICE Association (KMA); Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Industries Association (SCEIA); and Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

Tuesday’s networking activities included the First Timer Breakfast and Hosted Buyer Breakfast, as well as the PRIDE Party and IAEE Young Professionals Party that evening.

Forty-five participants started the day off on Wednesday at the Expo! Expo! Terence Donnelly Memorial Health & Wellness Event in honor of industry friend Terence Donnelly. The event featured an interval-inspired bootcamp led by celebrity trainer Lacey Stone and raised $1,800 for the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).

Additional funds were raised through the CEIR Silent Auction which opened prior to Expo! Expo! and closed on Wednesday.

Attendees continued their learning journey with sessions as well as valuable time on the Expo! Expo! exhibition floor, followed by the First Timer Reception and Hosted Buyer Reception in the afternoon. The evening closed with the Expo! Expo! 2025 Houston Launch Party for next year’s event to be held on 9-11 December.

Expo! Expo! wrapped up with learning sessions held Thursday morning. In addition to nearly a week filled with extraordinary professional development, Expo! Expo! attendees gave back to the Los Angeles community by raising funds for the Downtown Women’s Center in LA at the Expo! Expo! Gives Back – MADE by DWC pop-up shop throughout the event.