Frequently Asked Questions

The Center is a resource for exhibitors and event marketing professionals to serve their interests and fulfill their needs for education, strategy, networking, data, research and ideas. The resources will be delivered primarily through an online platform which will, in turn, help them achieve their own marketing goals and objectives.

The Center is a subsidiary organization of IAEE. The Center’s mission is to serve as the gateway of information for all who are engaged in exhibition and event marketing. Rich program content will be provided at Expo! Expo! and TS². Governance of The Center will be provided through its own board of directors, and organizations directly related to the exhibition and event marketing industry, including exhibitors, corporate event marketers, event managers and individuals representing industry organizations.

The Center creates a multi‐faceted community for exhibit managers and event marketers domestically and internationally. The Center promotes education and professional development for exhibit managers and event marketers through a resource rich and interactive Web site. It supports professional certification, advocacy, research projects, international outreach and networking.

The Center will enhance and support the efforts of IAEE and CEIR, along with other industry organizations, and for the first time provide connections between organizers, suppliers, exhibitors, event marketers and their vertical organizations in the U.S. and abroad.

The Center is a collaboration of industry organizations and leaders providing a powerful focal point for outreach to the exhibitor and event marketing professional community. It serves as a resource for all who are actively engaged in exhibit and event marketing.

For the first time, The Center is the only entity in the exhibitions and events industry that completes the connections between show organizers, suppliers, exhibitors and event marketers and thus provides a new opportunity for cooperation and collaboration between everyone in the industry.

IAEE and National Trade Productions (NTP), owner of TS², announced a partnership in 2008 to work together to reach show organizers, exhibitors and event marketers. An important component of this collaboration is the creation of The Center which will be the principal, internationally recognized organization representing exhibitor and event marketing professionals and will be partially funded through TS².

Funding to provide capital for The Center’s operations will come from a variety of sources including:

• NTP/TS² from an allocation of TS² revenues each year
• Affiliate Dues paid to The Center from supporting organizations
• IAEE Membership Dues allocation
• Programming and Activities fees
• Sponsorship and Advertising

The Center will enhance and support the efforts of IAEE, ESCA, CEIR and EIF by providing a collective opportunity for customers to take advantage of all resources and data afforded by each entity.

The Center is a gateway designed to meet the needs of companies and individuals in the exhibiting and corporate marketing community. Participation of all sister organizations is welcome and encouraged, to provide the most robust resource possible to benefit the exhibitor and event marketing community. The Center intends to serve as a supportive partner to those organizations with whom it establishes an affiliated relationship, thus providing those partners with enhanced opportunities to achieve their own goals and objectives.

No. Over the years, the industry has seen the establishment of many organizations serving specific aspects of the industry. The vast number of these organizations has led to an unfocused approach in reaching the customer base—exhibit and event professionals. The Center is designed to complement these already established organizations and provide a focal point for them to get their message out.

The Center serves as a focal point for all types of information, research and data. Participating organizations can provide their members access to all of this information, research and data as an added benefit of their membership. Participating organizations also have the opportunity to be involved in setting future directions, projects and initiatives for The Center, directly benefiting their membership. Lastly, participating industry organizations have access to thousands of potential new members through The Center.

While there are many initiatives with specific benefits to segments of the marketplace, The Center provides one focal point for all exhibitors and event marketers to look to for industry‐wide initiatives, research and education presented collectively by all industry organizations. Think of The Center as a portal to all of the resources that may be helpful to those looking for solutions.

The Center completes the circuit between show organizers, exhibitors, suppliers and event marketers which has been missing until now. The Center will function as an IAEE Council, so another organization is not being introduced into an already crowded space, but rather The Center will serve as a resource to improve the work of exhibitors and event marketing professionals.

The idea of The Center is not new. Throughout the history of our industry, there have been several attempts by individual groups to capture the scope of our market—1.5 million exhibiting companies—achieving limited success. The Center represents a new paradigm and direction needed to bring the industry together.

Organizers now have a complete online resource to direct their exhibitors and event marketers to so that exhibitors and event marketers can take advantage of the tools and strategies which will improve their exhibiting experience and marketing plans. High on the list of The Center’s immediate objectives is to provide exhibitors and event marketers with learning resources that will enable them to execute their duties effectively and efficiently. Through our relationship with organizations like The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), The Center will also serve as a bridge that allows its members to find and secure valuable research and reference materials.