IAEE授予GES高级副总裁Julie Smith 2026年Pinnacle奖

DALLAS — The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE)® presented its 2026 Pinnacle Award to Julie Smith, CTA, CEM-AP, CEM Fellow, Senior Vice President of Business Development at GES.

Smith has been a member of IAEE since 1985, served for more than eight years on its Board of Directors and worked as Chairperson in 2016.

She was also one of the first women to be Chair of the Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA) and has been recognized with numerous other accolades.

Trade Show Executive’s Young Professionals Corner checked in with Smith to learn about her distinguished career, perspectives on the industry’s evolution and advice for up-and-comers.

ANDREW: What brought you to the events industry?

JULIE: In 1982, I was living in the Washington, D.C. area and was working in the PR department at American University, while taking graduate courses in marketing. A professor referred me to a small show management firm in Northern Virginia, and they hired me as an Account Manager, although I had never seen a trade show. They wanted to train someone to use their processes without any prior experience.

ANDREW: What were some early challenges you faced or lessons you learned?

JULIE: The firm managed meetings and exhibitions on contract for associations. Because the company was small, I got exposure fast to many aspects of the industry.

I did everything from identifying prospects, writing the exhibitor prospectus, cold calling and selling exhibit space, and hiring contractors and suppliers to site selection and negotiation, collections, overall operations, onsite show management, invoicing and rebooking for six to 10 events a year.

I learned how to listen to clients and help develop solutions and long-term partnerships, [and] work well with venue and supplier partners, and how valuable it is to understand the entire event ecosystem.

For a little context, this was before much technology was available — we had no internet, cell phones, faxes or laptops, we shared one office computer to do our budgets (a Radio Shack TRS-80), had a telex machine to communicate internationally and traveled with bankers boxes full of paper records for registration and exhibitor contracts. We used landlines and the U.S. mail for almost all our communication!

Another lesson I learned is how important it is for a company to have a good HR infrastructure, which, unfortunately, this company did not.

ANDREW: Is there anything you wish you would have done differently?

JULIE: I wish I had kept a journal of my travels, favorite restaurants, hotels, attractions and unique experiences and characters I met. We’re so busy that it is easy to forget details.

ANDREW: What were some early milestones for you?

JULIE: My next industry job was at a healthcare trade association. I focused on all non-dues revenue sources (the expo, associate memberships, sponsorships and magazine advertising). I was able to focus on growth within one organization, which was a good change.

I moved to California in 1988 after getting married (yes, I met my husband at a trade show), and my association kept me on long-distance when I moved (it was very innovative to be a remote employee at that time), but I found working at home to be too isolating in a new city.

I also discovered that I preferred the for-profit sector, and following six months of telecommuting (before Teams or Zoom!), I joined GES after they supported my last association show.

ANDREW: What are your most memorable achievements?

JULIE: My career and life have been immeasurably enriched by my involvement with industry organizations, most notably IAEE. I started with local committees and board involvement, and was encouraged by good friends like the late Bob Dallmeyer to get involved on the national level.

Ultimately, I served on the IAEE board and was Chairperson of IAEE in 2016. Concurrently, I was serving on the board of ESCA and served as ESCA’s President in 2017.

I also spent time on the Visit Anaheim board, and more than a dozen years on the board of trustees of the Health & Pension Trusts of Local 831, the decorators’ union in SoCal. I was honored to be named the inaugural Woman of Achievement by IAEE, among other honors from IAEE, ESCA, the Events Industry Council and others.

As a CEM faculty member, I taught CEM modules in many countries. I am grateful that the leaders at GES gave me the support to be deeply involved with a variety of industry organizations.

At GES, I have been fortunate to work with an amazing team and have wonderful clients. My career sales equaled over $800 million in revenue, which was only possible because of the great teams we have supporting shows.

ANDREW: What inspired you to get your CEM and how did it upgrade your career? Do you recommend this path?

JULIE: Believe it or not, when the CEM was “young,” it was only available to show organizers.

I’m a little bit competitive, and as soon as the rules changed and the CEM became available to suppliers, I sat for the test and was one of two suppliers to earn the designation that first year.

I love being a part of the CEM program and served on the CEM committee when the program was first redesigned to its current format of modules. In addition to being a CEM faculty member, I have earned the CEM-AP and CEM Fellow designations.

I recommend the programs to anyone in the exhibition industry for overall industry knowledge, as well as the camaraderie engendered through the classes and CEM networking.

ANDREW: How does it feel to win IAEE’s Pinnacle Award?

JULIE: It is difficult to articulate how much IAEE has meant to me in my career. So many of my favorite experiences, travel highlights, accomplishments and close friends came from my IAEE involvement.

I hope that this recognition inspires others to get involved in industry volunteerism and advocacy.

ANDREW: How have you seen the events industry change?

JULIE: In some fundamental ways, exhibitions are not terrifically different physically than they were more than 40 years ago — they are still temporary marketplaces designed to bring products, services and education together with members, attendees, fans or consumers.

The graphics and entrance treatments might be fancier, but the business on the show floor is the same.

However:

Technology is one of the most obvious changes — so many tasks that were once manual have been streamlined and enhanced.

Show organizers also have a much higher bar to meet to attract and retain both attendees and exhibitors. Exhibitors and sponsors have quantified expectations for ROI measurement and have many competitors for their marketing dollars. Attendees, particularly post-pandemic, are more reluctant to travel for business unless you are offering something that cannot be found online or closer to home, and they have many choices for meetings.

The workforce has changed — there is competition for the labor force within unions, facilities and venues, and a need for industry organizations to actively promote the industry as a viable career. The generations entering the workforce are also more adamant about work-life balance, which historically can be tough to achieve in an industry with long hours and lots of weekends. I’m encouraged that we continue to embrace DEI, regardless of whether it is currently in “fashion.”

Sustainability is a much bigger focus in an industry that has had a lot of waste in the past, another positive.

Conversely, as the industry has become more global, world events and policies (such as tariffs, visa issues, fuel costs, wars, politics and pandemics) have real-time impacts on exhibitions. We used to consider the industry somewhat recession-proof because of the value it presented, but that changed dramatically.

ANDREW: What advice would you give to young or up-and-coming professionals?

JULIE: Compensation is important, but finding an employer that aligns with your values and provides opportunities is most critical. Know your value, so you can advocate on your own behalf. Take intelligent risks when unexpected doors open but also learn patience.

If you change jobs every time something is uncomfortable, your employers won’t invest in you long-term.

ANDREW: Is there anything else you would like to add?

JULIE: Get involved!

At different times in your life your bandwidth will vary, but there are many ways that you can be a volunteer. I promise you that it will be worth it.

When you travel to work, try to find time to do something city-specific (visit an attraction or museum, eat local foods, jump on the Hop On, Hop Off bus, etc.). Traveling on someone else’s dollar is really a gift, and you don’t want to waste it just moving between the hotel and convention center.

I know that it isn’t always possible, but sometimes you can incorporate these side trips into your client entertainment, or just your restaurant selection.

Last, be proud of the career path you have chosen. Meetings and exhibitions have the power to change the world — we drive commerce, encourage global travel and collaboration, celebrate diversity, promote science and learning, focus on sustainability and bring people together to solve problems and create solutions.

To get more articles like this, sign up for TSE’s free Young Professionals Newsletter.

The post Perspectives from Julie Smith, IAEE’s 2026 Pinnacle Award Winner appeared first on Trade Show Executive.