--- title: "CEO to CEO: New Conference Tricks" id: "40076" type: "post" slug: "ceo-to-ceo-new-conference-tricks" published_at: "2017-10-11T09:40:48+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T20:32:29+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/10/11/ceo-to-ceo-new-conference-tricks/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/10/11/ceo-to-ceo-new-conference-tricks.md" excerpt: "What one new thing are you implementing at a conference that you're most excited about?" taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "conferences" - "event planning" - "Leadership" - "Meetings" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » CEO to CEO: New Conference Tricks ### G. Larry Merrill, CAE *Executive Director, Michigan Townships Association, Lansing, Michigan* In an effort to create an experience for attendees and drive even more traffic to our already-popular expo, we’re incorporating a performance pop-up stage. It’s a great opportunity to showcase local talent and offer even more valuable exposure to the exhibitors and sponsors who participate. It’s also a creative way to demonstrate our appreciation to these partners who provide important nondues revenue. ### Stephen P. Stahr, CAE *CEO, Million Dollar Round Table, Park Ridge, Illinois* We are excited about the customization of our annual meeting. With such a diverse demographic (interpretation into 13 languages), we needed to enhance the members’ experience. We formatted our meeting somewhat like the Olympics, where everyone gathered in an opening session before going to their respective areas for language- and topic-specific sessions. It provided better networking opportunities and a central location for each language with optimal opportunities to deliver focused messaging. ### Jeffrey F. Paniati *Executive Director and CEO, Institute of Transportation Engineers, Washington, DC* At our upcoming Annual Meeting and Exhibit in Toronto, ITE will offer content capture services for the first time. We have contracted with an outside firm to do audio recordings of our sessions and to synch the recordings with the presentation materials. We will sell the content in different packages and make it available for a low price as an add-on for our meeting attendees, while marketing it more broadly at a higher price to those who could not attend. ### Willa Fuller *Executive Director, Florida Nurses Association, Orlando, Florida* We have utilized various forms of gamification at our past two conferences to create interaction and engagement and also to drive attendees to various exhibitors’ booths. We create games where they have to go to exhibitors to get stickers but also have to go to their colleagues to trade for the right ones. We create the stickers and game cards ourselves, and the game is based on the conference theme. [ASAE Staff](https://associationsnow.com/author/asae-staff/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/asae-staff/) Tags: [#conferences](https://associationsnow.com/tag/conferences/) [#event planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/event-planning/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoAshley Cobb Shares Her Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/12/ashley-cobb-shares-her-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoJenny Teeson, CHSE Shares Her Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/12/jenny-teeson-chse-shares-her-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoLakisha Woods, CAE Shares Her Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/12/lakisha-woods-cae-shares-her-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoKevin Hesser Shares His Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/12/kevin-hesser-shares-his-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2017%2F10%2F11%2Fceo-to-ceo-new-conference-tricks%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !