I talk to mid-market CEOs every week who’ve done everything right on paper. They bought the tools. Hired the people. Launched the pilots. Gave the all-hands speech about transformation.
Six months later, the meeting notes look better. The emails are more polished. And the organization is still slow, still noisy, still stuck in the same decision loops it was stuck in before they spent the money.
Over a year ago, in my January ’25 column, titled The Future of Tradeshows, I wrote:
“The Department of Defense began funding AI research in the sixties. Today, AI enhances communication and accelerates analysis and content production. It can impact all phases of a tradeshow: from improving security and event planning, to logistics and production.
International briefs this month span venue operations, certifications, sustainability tools, congress growth, destination marketing, and event technology across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.
With respect to the “weight of the lift,” audio and visual (A/V), staging, and lighting have the most immediate effect on cost efficiency for a supply chain. It makes sense that this element of the event supply chain were early adopters even if they did not realize they were being more sustainable.
Before Disneyland and Epcot Center, before travelling carnivals, local amusement parks, and modern-day convention centers, there was the great grandaddy of all entertainment destinations—the Midway Plaisance at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The place was a mile long, 73 acres in size, and “midway” between Jackson Park (home to the Fair) and Washington Park.
A new generation of professionals is now part of the workforce alongside seasoned talent. The voice of the tradeshow and expo industry is evolving into one that is more collaborative, purpose-driven, and adaptive. Highlighting this evolution inspires confidence in the industry’s future and reassures professionals about ongoing progress.
Pete Bosader remains a pivotal figure in the tradeshow industry, currently serving as Willwork’s Northeast Director of Operations, and wears many hats. He handles duties in operations, and business development. Bosader has been working in this industry since 1992, associated with Willwork for over 30 years. His relationship with Willwork’s CEO, Bill Nixon, entails a long history of collaboration and mentorship that has shaped Pete’s career and his leadership role.
Employco marked its 30th anniversary on Saturday, April 18, 2026, with an evening event at Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse in Oak Brook, Illinois, celebrating the company’s growth from a family startup into a multigenerational business.
In recent years, AI has transformed the business and professional events industry.
No, not that AI. I am talking about an even more transformative AI: advocacy involvement!
We need to have an honest conversation about “Cognitive Dissonance.”
In psychology, it describes the mental discomfort of holding two conflicting beliefs. In our industry right now, it describes the gap between the polished fantasy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the sweaty, chaotic reality of a tradeshow floor.
Logic, logic, and a bit more logic. But wait? What if I want to change my thoughts on something, what happens?
Joyce Leveston brings a depth of operational expertise and global perspective to her new role as the president and CEO of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (Javits Center) with more than three decades of experience in the convention center and venue management sector. Javits Center is a six-block venue on Manhattan’s West Side, right by New York City’s most up-and-coming neighborhood, Hudson Yards. As a model of reinvention, the center is a sustainability leader with a living green roof and urban wildlife habitat, as well as a national space where business, culture, and ideas intersect.
