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.

ECEF 2024 Video Recap

May 28, 2025

Save the Date

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Washington DC

 

Registration Fee

$695 if you register before March 1 and $895 thereafter. $495 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

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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 ECEF 2024 Highlights

Lippman Connects You

  • Daniel Isanuk, Chief Financial Officer, Newman & Company
  • Daniel McKinnon, Executive Vice President, Exhibitions, MHI - The Industry That Makes Supply Chains Work
  • Danielle Bauer, Executive Vice President, Coin Laundry Association
  • Danielle Danko, Vice President, Marketing, RE+ Events
  • Dave Morton, Group Director, MT Series/Smart Manufacturing Experience, SME - Society of Manufacturing Engineers
  • David Adler, Founder, Bizbash
  • David DuBois, CEO, President and Publisher, EXHIBITOR Group
  • David Eck, Senior Director, Global Sales, Encore
  • David Labuskes, Chief Executive Officer, AVIXA - Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association
  • David McAuley, Director, Washington, DC Area Sales Office, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • David Sargent, Senior Director of Trade Show and Convention Sales, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
  • Deborah Burleson, Director of Trade Show Sales, Visit Dallas
  • Denise Miller, Vice President, Event, Product & Brand Marketing, National Association of Home Builders
  • Dennis O'Gara, Senior Vice President Operations, Products & Services, Smart City Networks
  • Dennis Smith, Vice President, Business Development, AAHOA - Asian American Hotel Owners Association
  • Derek Argo, Strategic Business Development Manager, CORT Events
  • Derek Miller, President & CEO, International Housewares Association
  • Desiree Hanson, Executive Vice President, Clarion Events North America
  • Diana Vacchiano, Senior Account Manager, Personify Corp
  • Diane Vidoni, Chief Operating Officer, eMerge Americas LLC
  • Dianna Helka, Program Manager, SME - Society of Manufacturing Engineers
  • Don Kline, CEO, Map Your Show
  • Donna Del Gallo, Senior Regional Director, Convention Sales, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Donna Page, Vice President, Marketing and Insight, National Association of Broadcasters
  • Doug Emslie, Chairman, Raccoon Media Group
  • Dustin Arnheim, Senior Vice President, Sales & Services, Choose Chicago
  • Elizabeth Berry, Director of Mid Atlantic Sales, Louisville Tourism
  • Elli Riley, Vice President, HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition | Informa Markets
  • Emily Call, Sponsorships & International Programs Manager, Association of the US Army
  • Emily Olson, Editor, Exhibitor Magazine
  • Erin Uritus, Chief Executive Officer, Out & Equal
  • Felicia Price, Vice President, Meetings & Events, American Society for Nutrition
  • Femke Di Cesare, Account Manager, ASIS International
  • Fernando Fischer, President of Americas, RX USA
  • Frank Leonard, Global Chief Sales Officer, Zenus
  • Gary Shapiro, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Technology Association
  • Geoff Cassidy, Chief Revenue Officer, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
  • Georgina Flores, Chief Marketing Officer, Encore
  • Glenn Hansen, CEO and Founder, Reduce 2
  • Greg Topalian, Chairman, Clarion Events North America
  • Gwen Venable, Executive Vice President of Expo & Communication Services, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
  • Heather Farley, Chief Executive Officer, Access Intelligence
  • Hillary Miller, Director, Customer Engagement, Hargrove
  • Iain Stirling, International Portfolio Director, Mash Media Group, Exhibition World
  • Ian Twentey, Vice President, Business Development, CDS
  • Imran Ahmad, Chief Growth Officer, Jampack
  • Ivan Barrios, President & CEO, World Trade Center Miami, Inc.
  • J. Melissa Wolpert, Senior Vice President, Meetings, Conventions and Expositions, National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)
  • Jackie Black, Vice President, Conferences, Consumer Technology Association
  • Jake Volcsko, Vice President, Integrated Media, SME