named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Global Exhibitions Day
Worldwide initiative to raise awareness about the economic and strategic value of exhibitions and business events
Global Policy Forum
International gathering in Washington, D.C., co-hosted with UFI and MAD Event Management to shape the future of business events through global collaboration
Legislative Action Day
Annual advocacy event in Washington, D.C., where industry professionals engage with policymakers to promote favorable legislation for the business events sector
Summer Educational Conference
Annual conference offering tactical learning sessions and networking opportunities for trade show and event professionals, held in locations such as Banff
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Industry Advocacy and Regulatory Engagement 2 activities
- Driving industry awareness and maintaining a favorable operating environmentConducts efforts to increase general awareness of the business events industry’s economic impact and works to maintain a favorable operating environment in the United States through domestic and global partnerships.
- Operating the ECA Advocacy Network and digital advocacy toolsRuns the ECA Advocacy Network, a year-round platform for policy engagement, and provides an online system that enables industry members to contact elected officials. Also offers a custom ChatGPT tool to educate users on policy issues and advocacy actions relevant to the business events sector.
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Leadership & Policy Dialogue Forums 1 activity
- Co-hosting global policy forums on trade and sustainability in the business events sectorCo-hosted the inaugural Global Policy Forum on May 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C. with UFI and MAD Event Management, convening industry leaders and government officials to discuss cross-border policymaking on trade, sustainability, and the future of business events.
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Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Organizing inclusive face-to-face business eventsOrganizes in-person business events designed to foster a climate of belonging and embrace diverse perspectives within the business events industry.
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Policy Advocacy & Research 1 activity
- Organizing industry-wide advocacy campaigns and legislative engagementOrganizes large-scale advocacy events such as Legislative Action Day, which in 2026 engaged 226 industry leaders on Capitol Hill, and issues urgent calls to action enabling members to contact lawmakers on critical policy issues. Maintains ongoing advocacy momentum through coordinated campaigns.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Producing policy-focused communications for the business events industryProduces and distributes a biweekly newsletter that covers public policy developments relevant to the business and professional events industry, keeping stakeholders informed on legislative and regulatory changes.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Advocacy for public policies supporting the business events industryAdvocates at local, state, federal, and international levels for policies that support job creation, economic stability, affordability, and competitiveness in the U.S. business and professional events industry. Focus areas include trade and tariffs, workforce development, visa wait times, music licensing, and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).
- Workforce development initiatives for the exhibitions industryPartnered with CNTV to launch a video series promoting careers in the exhibitions industry, aimed at addressing workforce development challenges and expanding talent pipelines.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$544K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$544K100%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$540K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$238K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$313K
Cash$101K
Investments$0
Liabilities$280
Net assets$313K
Liquid reserves2.3 mo
2 years on record · 2023–2024 · YoY revenue -1.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS GOODWIN | VICE PRESIDENT | 40 | $224K |
board members · 14
- CHRIS GRIFFIN — SECRETARY/TREASURER
- CHRIS SCHIMEK — DIRECTOR
- DOUGLAS EMSLIE — DIRECTOR
- FERNANDO FISCHER — DIRECTOR
- HERVE SEDKY — CHAIR
- JANET DELL — DIRECTOR
- KERRY PAINTER — DIRECTOR
- KEVIN MCLAUGHLIN — DIRECTOR
- MARK BOGDANSKY — DIRECTOR
- MARSHA FLANAGAN — DIRECTOR
- MARY LARKIN — DIRECTOR
- MARY PAT HEFTMAN — VICE CHAIR
- NANCY WALSH — DIRECTOR
- SHERIFF KARAMAT — DIRECTOR
relationships · 45
Who they work with
- Auto Care Association Partner — Industry partner whose representative serves as Vice Chair of the ECA Board of Directors and participated in Legislative Action Day.
- Auto Care Association Partner — Represented by board member Mark Bogdansky on the ECA Board of Directors
- Axios HQ Partner — Collaborates with ECA to produce and distribute the ECA Public Policy Update newsletter.
- CNTV Partner — Partnered with CNTV to launch a workforce development video series for the exhibitions industry.
- Clarion Events North America Partner — Represented by board member Mike Carlucci on the ECA Board of Directors
- Consumer Technology Association Coalition — Member association of ECA that represents the tech sector and produces CES.
- Consumer Technology Association Partner — Represented by board member Kinzie Fabrizio on the ECA Board of Directors
- Crew XP Partner — Represented by board member Chris Griffin on the ECA Board of Directors
- Cuil Bay Capital Partner — Represented by board member Douglas Emslie on the ECA Board of Directors
- ECA Advocacy Network Network — EXHIBITIONS & CONFERENCES ALLIANCE INC operates the ECA Advocacy Network as a member engagement platform for policy advocacy.
- ECA Advocacy Network Network — EXHIBITIONS & CONFERENCES ALLIANCE INC operates the ECA Advocacy Network as a platform for industry advocacy.
- EDPA Partner — Member association represented within the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance ecosystem.
- Emerald Partner — Represented by board members Hervé Sedky and Beth Cowperthwaite on the ECA Board of Directors
- European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA) Network — ECA collaborates with EEIA to advance advocacy for the exhibition industry at the European Union level.
- Exhibition Services & Contractors Association Coalition — Member association of ECA representing firms in the meetings, exhibitions, and hospitality industry.
- Exhibition Services & Contractors Association Partner — Represented by Randy Pekowski as a representative on the ECA Board of Directors
- Experiential Designers & Producers Association Coalition — Member association of ECA serving professionals in the experiential, exhibit, and event industry.
- Experiential Designers & Producers Association Partner — Represented by board member Chris Griffin on the ECA Board of Directors
- Freeman Partner — Represented by board members Janet Dell and Chris Schimek on the ECA Board of Directors
- ICCA Partner — Member association represented within the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance ecosystem.
- International Association of Exhibitions & Events Coalition — Member association of ECA representing individuals who plan, produce, and support exhibitions globally.
- International Association of Exhibitions & Events Partner — Represented by board members Mark Bogdansky and Mike Carlucci on the ECA Board of Directors
- International Association of Venue Managers Coalition — Member association of ECA representing public assembly venue professionals worldwide.
- International Association of Venue Managers Partner — Represented by board member Trevor Mitchell on the ECA Board of Directors
- International Congress and Convention Association Coalition — Member association of ECA focused on the international association and governmental meetings industry.
- International Congress and Convention Association Partner — Represented by board member Senthil Gopinath on the ECA Board of Directors
- International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) Partner — ECA collaborates with IFES to support international collaboration and knowledge sharing within the global events services sector.
- MAD Event Management Partner — Co-hosted the Global Policy Forum with MAD Event Management to bring together industry leaders.
- MAD Event Management Partner — Co-hosted the inaugural Global Policy Forum with ECA and UFI.
- MAD Event Management Partner — Represented by board member Martha Donato on the ECA Board of Directors
+ 15 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Coordinated Advocacy Mobilizationmethodology: coordinated_advocacy_mobilizationBy rapidly mobilizing stakeholders with timely policy updates and action tools, the organization amplifies industry influence because coordinated, widespread engagement increases pressure on policymakers and improves advocacy effectiveness.
- Global Collaboration for Policy Changemethodology: global-collaboration-for-policy-changeBy aligning with international partners and sharing best practices, the organization influences U.S. policy outcomes because coordinated global advocacy strengthens the credibility and impact of domestic reform efforts in the business events sector.
- Policy Advocacy for Industry Growthmethodology: policy_advocacy_for_industry_growthBy advancing targeted public policy and legislative initiatives, the organization strengthens the business events industry because it creates a favorable operating environment that drives economic growth, job creation, and small business sustainability.