The Road Ahead: State of the Event Industry 2021

How will the vaccine impact events?

How will attendees, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors feel about traveling to, and attending events?

And what will the new event landscape look like — both in-person, virtual and hybrid?

These and other questions are top of mind for producers and suppliers of events. With this uncertainty, hear from a panel of event industry experts about what planners should be thinking about now and for the months to come. This discussion will cover:

  • Why venue ventilation is more important than “Hygiene Theater”
  • Balancing attendees’ psychological comfort with liability concerns to determine risk
  • How to think about the return to in-person events as “reverse hybrid planning”
  • Why 2021 will be the year of user experience when it comes to virtual

The overall goal for this conversation is to provide planners and producers with insights into how the world will look like in the year ahead, how COVID may change social behavior, and how anticipated trends will impact the events industry.

THE-ROAD-AHEAD (1)
  • Speaker: Howard Givner Headshot

    Howard Givner

    With over 20 years of industry experience, Howard is a widely recognized expert and innovator in the field of special events, meetings, and small business growth strategy.

    Most recently, Howard served as SVP of Knowledge & Innovation with PCMA. Prior to joining PCMA, Howard was the Founder & CEO of the Event Leadership Institute, a leading provider of best-in-class training and education for the events industry through online, on-demand video professional development classes, interviews with industry leaders, white papers, webinars, and live events. In addition, Howard also was the CEO and Founder of Paint The Town Red, Inc., and the former CEO of North America for Global Events Group, the 13th largest event agency in the world, which acquired Paint The Town Red in 2008. During his tenure, the company won over 30 industry awards. He is a Past President of the ILEA (International Live Events Associate) NY Metro Chapter; has served on the board of directors of MPI (Meeting Professionals International) Greater NY Chapter as VP of Education; has served on the Advisory Board of Special Events Magazine; been a judge of the Gala Awards & HSMAI’s Adrian Awards.

    He as been a frequent speaker at industry conferences on a wide range of topics. He has been profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, National Public Radio, ABC News, The Apprentice, and USA Today, in addition to numerous trade media.

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  • Brandt Krueger

    As a first generation personal computer user since the age of 6, technology is part of Brandt’s DNA. Combine that DNA with a degree in Technical Theatre and a core in Psychology, add in almost 20 years experience in the meetings and events industry, and you get a powerful event technology cocktail.

    In addition to being published on numerous websites such as CorbinBall.com, EventManagerBlog.com, and the Convention Industry Council, he has landed articles in trade publications such as Meetings and Conventions Magazine and Insurance & Financial Meetings Management Magazine. He’s spoken at various industry events such as Collinson Collaborate, BizBash’s Elevate, MPI’s World Education Congress, FICP’s Education Forum, Event Camp (London, Chicago, and Middle East), and even a one week intensive for government ministers and guests on producing large scale events in Turkmenistan.

    He currently teaches many public and private classes through the Event Leadership Institute, and is the owner of Event Technology Consulting, an appropriately named company that provides meeting and event technology consulting services.

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