New, streamlined education program launches for IMEX America
“In creating our education program for IMEX America this year, we’ve aimed for radical simplicity. We know meeting and event industry professionals are overrun, overwhelmed and seeking clarity so this year’s learning sessions deliver bold content designed to cut to the heart of the biggest issues in business and personal growth. This is a chance for any and all participants to soak up some really on-point, high quality knowledge. The only price they have to pay is to show up, take it all in and then put what they’ve learned into practice.
“We’ve also listened to feedback and brought some tailor-made education for specialist audiences onto the show floor. This means corporate and association planners will learn side by side with their partners, clients and suppliers benefiting, if they wish, from added convenience and efficiency.”
Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, introduces the new education program for IMEX America, taking place October 10-13 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.
Pathways to Clarity
Under an educational theme of Pathways to Clarity, learning at IMEX America will be delivered in four simple tracks, reduced from 10: Respect for People and Planet; Future Self; Innovation and Creativity and Event Planner Toolkit.
Over 100 sessions are available, with the majority taking place on the show floor’s dedicated, three-theatre Inspiration Hub, sponsored by Visit Detroit:
- Our red flag employee by David Jaime, chief executive at LE Professionals, will take you through the behavioral “red flags” that create unhealthy work environments. Jaime will also share best practice strategies for increasing collective accountability.
- Empowerment coach Jennifer Cassetta will take a martial arts-led approach to helping people feel safe and strong in the workplace with “The art of badassery: Unleash your mojo with the wisdom of the Dojo.”
- Fickle eaters deal with the fundamentals of food and beverage planning in a time marked by compromised supply chains. Tracy Stuckrath, founder and president at thrive meetings & events, along with Thomas Whelan, assistant general manager at Levy Convention Centers, will share tried and tested tricks on how to incorporate dietary needs into menus without affecting the bottom line.
- The benefits of hybrid will be demonstrated in “Hybrid is still a thing, so let’s get it right.” Brandt Krueger, owner of Event Technology Consulting, believes that when done properly, hybrid events can deliver expanded reach and improved inclusivity—all without losing the power of a hands-on experience.
- “The metaverse is cool, but I don’t know where to start.” Scooter Taylor, founder of West Peek Group, has heard this from his clients dozens of times and risen to the challenge. In “Enter the metaverse: a how-to guide,” he will lay out all the steps to planning a metaverse event, share resources and give attendees a first-hand glimpse into the metaverse.
- In “Sustainability and the circular economy: What the future holds,” Aurora Dawn Benton, chief change agent at Astrapto, along with Benoit Sauvage, CEO of Hospitality Sustainability Revolution, will acknowledge that incorporating the circular economy is key to a full events industry recovery. They will detail how integrating best practices in events delivers a host of benefits from enhanced brand, increased clientele, reduced costs and exceptional experiences.
