In Memoriam: Lee Knight
Founder of Exhibitor Media Group
Sept. 30, 1949 – May 21, 2025
Lee Knight, the pioneering founder of Exhibitor Media Group and a transformative figure in the tradeshow and event marketing industry, passed away on May 21, 2025, in Rochester, Minnesota. He was 86.
Knight’s influence spanned more than four decades. Through his leadership, he elevated the tradeshow world with a relentless focus on education, innovation, and professional development. His work reshaped the landscape of face-to-face marketing and inspired generations of exhibit and event professionals.
Knight earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1964, where he studied under acclaimed painter Byron Burford and worked as a personal studio assistant to British artist David Hockney. This early creative foundation fueled a career rooted in storytelling, design, and strategic thinking.
In 1982, Knight launched Exhibitor Media Group with a mission to bring structure and professional standards to the tradeshow industry. Over the next 40 years, he built a portfolio of programs that helped define the modern exhibit and event marketing profession. He launched EXHIBITOR Magazine, which quickly became the leading publication for tradeshow and corporate event marketers and established the Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) program, the industry’s only university-affiliated credential. He created EXHIBITORLIVE, the flagship conference for face-to-face marketing education, and expanded professional development through EXHIBITORFastTrak, and EXHIBITOR eTrak. He also founded Gravity Free, a design conference known for bringing together creative leaders from across disciplines to explore innovation from fresh angles.
Knight sold Exhibitor Media Group in 2022 but remained active through LK Publications, where he continued to write, mentor, and advise as “Observer-at-Large.”
He often said CTSM’s success came from collaboration. He credited early conversations with Jim Anderson, Walt Skowron, and Dee Silfies for shaping its foundation—and praised Silfies for building it into a respected credential. “I could not have entrusted it to a better person,” he wrote. That belief in shared leadership and mentorship defined how Knight approached every initiative.
In a statement following Knight’s passing, EXHIBITOR described him as someone who “inspired generations of marketing professionals” and was respected for his “visionary leadership and deep commitment to the professional growth of others.”
The Lee Knight Exhibit Design Scholarship
Knight’s commitment to fostering new talent continues through the Lee Knight Exhibit Design Scholarship at Bemidji State University. Established with his wife, Sharon Van De North, the scholarship supports students in the School of Technology, Art, and Design who focus on exhibit and experience design.
The award is given to students described as “fearless designers”—those who take creative risks and demonstrate leadership potential through innovation.
“The establishment of this scholarship not only reflects the importance of designers practicing creativity and innovation in the world but also Lee Knight and Sharon Van De North’s dedication to fostering budding talent,” said Dr. Sachel Josefson, professor at Bemidji State. Dr. Bonnie Higgins added, “We are immensely grateful for their generosity and are excited to see the positive impact this will have on our students’ futures.”
Tributes from Across the Industry
Peers, colleagues, and friends from across the exhibit and event marketing world shared tributes honoring Knight’s legacy.
“Lee didn’t just raise the bar, he built the ladder for others to climb. He understood that growing the industry meant growing the people in it. He gave so many of us the tools, the knowledge, and the encouragement to believe we belonged here. His impact is woven into the very fabric of this industry, and his absence will be felt on every show floor, in every classroom, and in every conversation where we push this work forward,” said Don Svehla, Founder and Publisher of Exhibit City News.
“Lee Knight was an icon. He called himself ‘The Tradeshow Conjurer’ and attracted crowds by performing card tricks. But his biggest trick was creating a magazine that shared exhibitors’ success stories and changed the industry,” said Bob McGlincy, author and longtime tradeshow strategist.
“I first met Lee at TS2 in New Orleans, sitting at a table with him doing card tricks. Over the decades—at Gravity Free and Exhibitor Shows—he was always the gentleman and took time to encourage me,” said Melinda Stewart, a veteran recruiter in the exhibit and design world.
“Lee changed the exhibit industry into the trade show and event marketing industry. A true innovator,” said Gary Stewart, founder of StewartMDM.
“He was one of the most important contributors to the professionalism and success of the events industry,” said Skip Cox, former CEO of Exhibit Surveys and Senior Vice President of Research at Freeman.
“Not many people have had this kind of impact. A consistent inspiration. Fly fishing with angels now,” wrote Drew Powers, Vice President of International Business Development at Willwork.
“Didn’t matter who you were or how long you had been in this industry—you left with a new idea, and a new friend,” said Jason Thomas, CTSM, a longtime government event manager.
A Lasting Legacy
Knight’s legacy is built not just on the companies he founded, but on the professionals he empowered. He believed that learning, mentoring, and challenging norms would drive the industry forward. He showed others how to think creatively, act strategically, and invest in people.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon Van De North, and a global community of peers, students, and colleagues who continue to benefit from the ideas, programs, and values he championed.
Memorial information will be shared as it becomes available. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Lee Knight Exhibit Design Scholarship at Bemidji State University.
Knight once described his mission as “turning strategy into performance and learning into leadership.” That mission continues, in every professional he inspired and every program that bears his name.
This story originally appeared in the Q3 2025 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 94. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/exhibit_city_news_-_jul_aug_sept_2025/94.
