irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2020
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $298KSUPPORT RESEARCH IN THE TRADE SHOW INDUSTRY.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Asia CEO Summit
Annual summit convening event industry leaders across Asia to explore regional growth opportunities in business events.
Leadership Conference
Annual leadership development event for for-profit show organizers focusing on macro trends and industry challenges.
SISO CEO Summit
Annual premier networking event for C-level executives in the show organizing industry, featuring peer discussions and strategic insights.
SISO Marketing Exchange
Peer forum for marketing professionals in the events industry to share strategies, trends, and best practices.
Workforce Development Video Series
Collaborative initiative to highlight career opportunities in the exhibitions industry through storytelling and video content.
activities · 10 groups
What they do
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Professional Networking Events 3 activities
- Convenes Asia CEO Summit for regional industry leadersHosts the annual Asia CEO Summit to bring together event industry leaders from Asia and beyond, exploring regional business event growth potential. This initiative originated from a 2021 Joint Leadership Summit co-hosted with UFI, AEO, and SACEOS.
- Facilitates peer networking and business connectionsHosts in-person and virtual events—including webinars, regional meetups, and dedicated sessions at conferences—that connect industry professionals to share insights, generate ideas, and create high-value business opportunities, including company acquisitions facilitated through the CEO Summit.
- Hosts annual CEO Summit for C-level executivesOrganizes the annual CEO Summit, a premier networking and learning event for C-level executives in the for-profit trade show industry, featuring roundtables, research outlooks, a women’s forum, and high-value business connections that have led to corporate acquisitions. The 2024 summit had record attendance with over 300 organizations represented.
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Industry Research and Benchmarking 1 activity
- Conducts industry research and produces white papersProduces in-depth white papers on operational topics such as emergency planning, hotel attrition, mergers and acquisitions, and international operations, written by members for practical application. Also conducts original research in the trade show industry.
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Fundraising for Community and Charitable Initiatives 1 activity
- Funds and supports CEIR promotional campaignsPioneered fundraising efforts to launch a national promotional campaign and provides ongoing financial and personal support to CEIR programs.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Hosts annual Leadership Conference for senior show organizersOrganizes the annual Leadership Conference focused on management, sales, and marketing trends, with interactive sessions designed and led by successful show organizers. The 2024 conference included programming on macro trends shaping the future of events.
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Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
- Offers membership benefits and event accessProvides early bird discounted access to flagship events such as the CEO Summit and Leadership Conference for all members, and designs summit programs collaboratively with members facing common industry challenges.
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Member-Exclusive Resource Access 1 activity
- Operates member resource hub and digital toolsMaintains a members-only resource hub offering access to white papers, research, newsletters, webinars, and industry studies, along with a keyword-searchable website and a membership directory of senior management contacts within the independent show organizing community.
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Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 1 activity
- Provides workforce development initiativesProduces a video series highlighting career opportunities in the exhibitions and events industry and participates in workforce development efforts including a joint job board, school presentations, and career-focused events.
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Industry and Community Recognition Awards 1 activity
- Recognizes industry leadership through awardsPresents the annual Krakoff Industry Award of Excellence to recognize impactful leaders in the for-profit trade show industry, hosted during the CEO Summit.
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Professional Association Capacity Building 1 activity
- Supports member-led working groups and knowledge exchangeOperates eight member-led working groups for senior event industry leaders to address shared challenges, facilitating regular virtual and in-person meetings, quarterly roundtables, and dedicated sessions at SISO events. Also provides curated expert talks and monthly member-led spotlights to support real-world learning.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Advocates for industry interests and partnershipsCollaborates with industry partners to resolve regulatory issues, such as a potential tax matter in Kentucky, and co-hosted a 2021 Joint Leadership Summit in Singapore with UFI, AEO, and SACEOS that led to a memorandum of understanding to launch the Asia CEO Summit.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.71M
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$1.63M95%
Investment income$43K2%
Other revenue$40K
expenses
Total expenses$1.55M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1.97M
Cash$59K
Investments$1.51M
Liabilities$400K
Net assets$1.57M
Liquid reserves12.1 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -22.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 19
- DAVID ADLER — DIRECTOR
- FERNANDO FISCHER — DIRECTOR
- GEOFF DICKINSON — DIRECTOR
- HEATHER FARLEY — DIRECTOR
- JEFF PRESSMAN — DIRECTOR
- LES WEIR — DIRECTOR
- LISA HANNANT — CHAIR
- LIZ IRVING — DIRECTOR
- LIZ PLIZGA — DIRECTOR
- MARY LARKIN — IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
- MICHELLE METTER — DIRECTOR
- NANCY WALSH — SECRETARY & TREASURER
- PAUL MILLER — VICE CHAIR
- RACHEL WIMBERLY — DIRECTOR
- SIMON FOSTER — DIRECTOR
- TOM KEMP — DIRECTOR
- VINCENT POLITO — EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- WALTER CHARNIZON — DIRECTOR
- YANCY WEINRICH — DIRECTOR
relationships · 72
Who they work with
- AEO Partner — Co-hosted a Joint Leadership Summit and signed a memorandum of understanding to launch the Asia CEO Summit.
- AFIDA Partner — Partner organization working to strengthen the exhibition industry.
- AMPROFEC Partner — Partner organization collaborating on exhibition industry development.
- Access Intelligence Partner — CEO Don Pazour credits the SISO CEO Summit for facilitating two major acquisitions.
- Access Intelligence Partner — CEO Don Pazour of Access Intelligence attributes business acquisitions to connections made at the SISO CEO Summit.
- Access Intelligence Partner — Company led by Don Pazour, CEO, which has executed acquisitions stemming from connections at the SISO CEO Summit.
- Access Intelligence Partner — Don Pazour, CEO of Access Intelligence, credits business acquisitions to connections made at the SISO CEO Summit.
- Access Intelligence Partner — Engages in SISO CEO Summit networking that has directly led to business acquisitions and exchange of best practices.
- Access Intelligence Partner — Engages in networking and business development opportunities through participation in SISO events such as the CEO Summit.
- CCPIT Partner — Partner organization that hosts the CEFCO conference to support exhibition industry growth in mainland China.
- CEIR Partner — Provides financial and personal contributions to support CEIR programs and collaborates on industry promotion.
- CNTV Partner — Partnered to produce a workforce development video series highlighting career opportunities in the exhibitions and events industry.
- CNTV Partner — Partnered to produce a workforce development video series.
- Calanca & Associates LLC Partner — Company represented by Tony Calanca, who highlights the SISO CEO Summit as the most valuable networking event of the year.
- Calanca & Associates LLC Partner — Participates in SISO events valued for high-impact networking, learning, and peer engagement.
- Calanca & Associates LLC Partner — Tony Calanca describes the SISO CEO Summit as the most valuable networking and learning event of the year.
- Calanca & Associates LLC Partner — Tony Calanca of Calanca & Associates LLC describes the SISO CEO Summit as the most valuable networking and learning event of the year.
- Calanca & Associates LLC Partner — Tony Calanca of Calanca & Associates LLC endorses the SISO CEO Summit as a top networking and learning event.
- Clarion Events Partner — CEO Liz Irving highlights SISO membership as instrumental for professional growth and organizational advancement.
- Clarion Events Partner — CEO Liz Irving of Clarion Events cites SISO membership as instrumental to her organization's professional development and advocacy efforts.
- Clarion Events Partner — Liz Irving, CEO of Clarion Events, cites SISO membership as critical to professional growth and organizational advancement.
- Clarion Events Partner — Membership in SISO supports professional development, collaboration, and access to industry resources and advocacy.
- Clarion Events Partner — Organization led by Liz Irving, CEO, that has benefited from SISO membership for industry insights and collaboration.
- Clarion Events Partner — Participates in SISO as a member organization, leveraging its resources, collaborative initiatives, and advocacy work to support organizational growth.
- Exhibition Services & Contractors Association Coalition — Collaborates as part of the Exhibitions Industry Collective on workforce development initiatives.
- Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance Coalition — Collaborates as part of the Exhibitions Industry Collective on workforce development initiatives.
- Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance Partner — Jointly issues statements on industry matters, such as the introduction of new tariffs.
- Exhibitions Industry Collective Partner — Collaborated on the production of a workforce development video series for the exhibitions industry.
- Exhibitions Industry Collective Partner — Collaborates on initiatives such as a workforce development video series.
- Experiential Designers + Producers Association Coalition — Collaborates as part of the Exhibitions Industry Collective on workforce development initiatives.
+ 42 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.
- Innovation Through Curated Experiencemethodology: innovation-in-actionBy designing conference programming that translates bold ideas into practice, the organization advances the events industry because structured, real-world application of concepts accelerates adoption and impact.
- Peer-Led Collaborative Learningmethodology: peer_led_collaborative_learningBy convening face-to-face peer exchanges among industry professionals, the organization fosters innovation and professional growth because shared experiences and open dialogue generate actionable insights and solutions to common challenges.
- Storytelling for Workforce Developmentmethodology: storytelling-for-workforce-developmentBy using video storytelling to highlight real career paths in the exhibitions industry, the organization attracts emerging talent because humanized narratives make non-traditional careers more relatable and visible to students and young professionals.