Connecting Leaders to Leaders

Develop top-to-top relationships with 200 executives sharing insights and opportunities

  • Trustworthy

For 23 years, through every business cycle, ECEF has connected executives at associations and independent organizers to information they use immediately.

  • High Energy

Clients expect an open and spirited peer exchange. And they get it.

  • Rewarding

Take away actionable ideas and valuable contacts that will benefit your brand, your event, your organization, and your career.

Check Out ECEF 2024

May 28, 2025

Save the Date

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Washington DC

 

Registration Fee

$795; $395 for each additional colleague

Change in Plans? Last-minute qualified substitutions are welcome or cancel by May 21, 2025 for a full refund. 

EXHIBIT & CONVENTION EXECUTIVES FORUM

Find Out What's in it for You in 76 Seconds

TRUSTWORTHY

Expand Your Circle of Top-Level Contacts

Often called the A-List of the events industry.

  • Welcome Reception on Tuesday, May 28 kicks off face-to-face engagement.
  • Networking lunch and breaks keeps the networking action going all day.
  • Meet The Leaders session gives everyone a chance to stand and be seen.

Look Who Attended ECEF 2024

2024 Program

 

View Full 2024 Program

2024 Presenters

2024 Sponsors

GOLD SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

 

View All Sponsors

Ecef tech demo logo

 

Event tech demonstrations for non-tech executives

Event technology products and services are proliferating and improving at an ever-quickening pace. TechDemo gives executives an opportunty to explore leading-edge solutions without the technobabble. 

  • Hands-on event tech demonstrations.
  • Meet tech experts AND the executives that run the company.
  • Explore solutions for marketing, sales, operations and back office.

TechDemo Sponsors

Resources

Latest Resources

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  • If events are all about people, why do organizers so often neglect the human factor in event planning? Christine Kiesling, Vice President, Customer Experience, Hargrove from Encore and Erin Uritus, CE ...
  • Ten years ago, brash up-and-coming Greg Topalian captivated the ECEF audience with bold predictions for 2024. Recently named Chairman of Clarion Events North America, Greg is back. This time, he’ll ca ...
  • You have 86,400 seconds today to put transformative change into motion. How are you doing so far? That attitude is what encourages Teena Piccione, Senior Director, Google, to embrace change every day ...


View All ECEF Resources

Testimonials

  • ECEF is one the few opportunities where independent and association show organizers get to mingle and learn from one another.
    Karen Chupka
    Chief Strategist, Chupka Consulting LLC
  • You've got 200 C-level executives here. There's a lot of peer-to-peer learning, which is incredible.
    Chris Dolnack
    Senior Vice President, National Shooting Sports Foundation
  • As a newcomer to events, it is so valuable to connect and have interactions that pay off.
    Cassandra Farrington
    Co-Founder & CEO, Marijuana Business Daily
  • I've had a bunch of conversations with people we're going to want to do business with.
    Chris Bown
    Executive Vice President, National Association of Broadcasters
  • ECEF is a great event! In one day I can hear insights and best practices from the ‘Who’s Who’ in our industry.
    Mary Pat Heftman
    Principal, Principal MPH Solutions, LLC
  • ECEF is a fixture on my calendar. Don’t delegate this one; as a CEO, you need to be there.
    Lori M. Anderson, CAE
    President & CEO, International Sign Association
  • The value I’ve gained from ECEF has always exceeded expectations. It’s the only event that brings together association and media executives to network, debate, and exchange new business ideas and best practices.
    Kerry C. Gumas
    Chief Executive Officer, Metacomet LLC
  • ECEF has valuable content and useful take-aways in a variety of areas.
    Peter Eelman
    Vice President Exhibitions and Communications, The Association for Manufacturing Technology, AMT
  • ECEF is the most valuable education and networking event of the year. The ideas shared by speakers and participants helped us grow attendance and sales. There is no better opportunity to learn from the brightest in the industry.
    Eric Wulf
    CEO, International Carwash Association®

Explore Last Year Highlights

Lippman Connects You

  • Denise Miller, Vice President, Event Product & Brand Marketing, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
  • Desiree Hanson, Executive Vice President, Clarion Events
  • Diane Vidoni, Chief Operating Officer, eMerge Americas
  • Dianna Helka, Program Manager, SME
  • Don Kline, CEO, Map Your Show
  • Donna Del Gallo, Senior Regional Director, Convention Sales, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Donna Tschiffely, Executive Director, Direct Marketing Association of Washington
  • Dr. Theresa "Terrie" Carter, Director, Education Program & Project Management, Millennium Enterprise Corporation
  • Elaine Richardson, DES, Vice President, Conference & Operations, National Black MBA Association
  • Elise Fennig, Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Operations, National Confectioners Association
  • Ellen Davis, Executive Vice President, Business Strategy and Industry Engagement, U.S. Travel Association
  • Erin Lee, Vice President, Digital Marketing Strategy, mdg, A Freeman Company
  • Erin Pressley, SVP Education, Training and Events, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)
  • Femke Di Cesare, Account Manager, ASIS International
  • Fernando Fischer, President of Americas, RX Global
  • Frances Maestre, Executive Vice President, Sales and Client Services, Shepard
  • Gabrielle Weiss, Vice President & Editor-in-Chief, Trade Show Executive
  • Gary Shapiro, President & CEO, Consumer Technology Association
  • Geoff Cassidy, Senior Vice President, Meetings & Events Group, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
  • Georgiann Decenzo, Senior Vice President - Digital Summit, Naylor Association Solutions
  • Germaine Schaefer, Associate Vice President, Meetings & Events, Heart Rhythm Society
  • Gwen Venable, Executive Vice President of Communications, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
  • Iain MacKenzie, Vice President, Meetings & Events, International Sign Association
  • Iain Stirling, International Portfolio Director, Mash Media Group
  • Ian Twentey, Vice President, Business Development, Convention Data Services
  • J. Melissa Wolpert, Senior Vice President, Meetings, Conventions and Expositions, National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)
  • Jackie Black, Vice President, Conferences and Events, Consumer Technology Association
  • Janet Dell, President, Freeman
  • Jason McGraw, Group Vice President, CEDIA Expo & KBIS, Emerald
  • Jay Weintraub, CEO & Founder, Connectiv Holdings
  • Jeff Calore, Portfolio Director, Smithbucklin
  • Jeff McQuilkin, Director of Exhibit Sales & Services, NACS - Advancing Convenience & Fuel Retailing
  • Jeff Quade, Executive Vice President, GES
  • Jen Mitchell Montgomery, Vice President, Business Development, MCI USA
  • Jennifer Bumbalo, Regional Director of Sales, MidAtlantic, VisitDallas
  • Jennifer Collins, President & CEO, JDC Events
  • Jennifer Hoff, President, Taffy Event Strategies
  • Jennifer Martini Abdinoor, Regional Director of Convention Sales, Reno Tahoe
  • Jennifer Schwartz, Divisional President, Industry & Infrastructure, Access Intelligence
  • Jennifer Woods, Vice President, Fierce Life Sciences Events, Questex
  • Jenny Van Riper, Vice President, Sales, Maritz Global Events
  • Jerry Gildea, Chief Sales Officer, Map Your Show
  • Jessica Curtis, Vice President, Meetings & Corporate Partnerships, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
  • Jessica Pagonis, Director, Meeting Operations, Optica
  • Jodi VanWoerkom, Senior Event Manager & Virtual Event Producer, American Association for Talent Development
  • Joe Colangelo, CEO & Co-Founder, Bear Analytics
  • Joey Martin, Director, Business Development, ASIS International
  • John Catalano, Senior Director, FABTECH, SME
  • John Dandeneau, Senior Vice President, Product, Emerald
  • John Gallagher, Partner, Event Advisory Group (EAG)