The Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA) hosted its annual Summer Educational Conference June 28 through July 1 at the Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, Canada.
The week opened with a white-and-blue-themed reception. From golf and fishing to food tastings and gondola rides, attendees experienced Banff while making connections amid the Rocky Mountains.
Sessions Day 1
Monica Cohen, chief executive officer of the American Cider Association, challenged attendees to examine habits, policies, and processes that once helped companies grow but may now limit change.
Chris Schimek, chief operating officer of Freeman, moderated a panel with Larita Clark, chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority; Mark Tester, executive director of Orange County Convention Center; and Freddie Peterson, general manager of Miami Beach Convention Center. The panel focused on how venues must adapt as outside forces reshape events.
Marc Ghafoori, senior vice president of client experience at Heritage, turned the room into a live data source during “The Pulse of the Room,” using anonymous phone polling.
Monday also included a personal safety conversation between Julie Kagy, executive director of ESCA, and Stephanie Flinn, board president of The Maverick Minute Foundation. Flinn described a “Maverick minute” as a brief pause to assess risk before acting. ESCA plans to bring the message into the industry through signage, safety conversations, and member outreach.
Marsha Flanagan, president and chief executive officer of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), closed Monday’s program with research and market insights from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).
The day concluded with the Rising Leaders’ Happy Hour and networking.
Sessions Day 2
Anirban Basu, chairman and chief executive officer of Sage Policy Group, opened with an economic outlook on uncertainty in the U.S. economy. Alexander Easdale, director of Plural Strategy, discussed mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and investor interest in the industry. Nick Borelli, director of marketing at Zenus, closed with a practical look at using artificial intelligence (AI) without treating it as a replacement for expertise.
Attendees then moved into breakout rooms with the three speakers before conference activities, including the ESCA golf tournament, and an evening exploring Banff.
Sessions Day 3
Deb Gabor, co-founder of Sol Marketing, opened Wednesday’s program with a session on brand loyalty, pricing pressure, and standing out before the request for proposals (RFP) process reaches the bid stage.
Hope Goldstein, shareholder at Vedder, followed with a session on the changing federal landscape affecting employers, unions, and labor-management processes.
Randy Pekowski, president and chief executive officer of The Expo Group; Larry Grossenbacher, president of CSI Worldwide; and Glenn Charles Jr., president and chief executive officer of Show Strategy, Inc., led a room-wide discussion on pressures shaping exhibitions and events.
Tommy Goodwin, president and chief executive officer of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), gave a Washington, D.C., update on policy trends affecting business events, tradeshows, exhibitors, and suppliers.
Danny Goldberg, entrepreneur with Danny Goldberg Speaks, closed the educational program with a session on how leaders create the conditions that allow teams to perform at a higher level.
The final day concluded with networking, scholarship fundraising, and a Canada Day-themed closing reception.
ESCA 3.0
Unveiled at the conference, ESCA 3.0 is a new strategic framework designed to guide the association’s next phase and strengthen its support of the tradeshow industry. The framework gives ESCA four priorities for advocacy, workforce development, standards and safety, and industry connection.
Advocacy & Industry Voice: telling the story of the exposition services industry, defending its interests, shaping its narrative, and representing it in policy and regulation.
NextGen & Workforce Development: recruiting, training, mentoring, and retaining the next generation of exposition services professionals at every stage of their careers.
Industry Standards & Safety: reducing the complexity of exhibiting by setting industry standards, creating shared platforms, and establishing safety practices that support efficiency, accountability, and sustainability.
Community & Connection: continuing to connect the exhibition industry and create new opportunities for collaboration and growth.
For more information on ESCA 3.0, visit the ESCA website or watch its educational videos on the framework.
The Summer Educational Conference returns June 27-30, 2027, at the Everline Resort & Spa in Lake Tahoe, California.
This story originally appeared in the Q4 2025 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 30. For original layout, see Print Version
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