Expo! Expo! 2025 highlights innovation and strategic growth in Houston
The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) brought more than 1,800 industry professionals to Houston for Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2025, held 8–10 December at the George R. Brown Convention Centre. Over three days, the programme combined classroom-style learning, curated immersive experiences on the show floor, and social events designed to reconnect organisers, suppliers and association leaders after a busy season of return-to-event activity. According to the original report, the gathering also served as a platform to preview the association’s strategic priorities and next year’s host city, Milwaukee.
“Houston delivered an extraordinary week of learning, celebration and transformation! From start to finish, this year’s Expo! Expo! showcased the innovative spirit that defines our industry,” said IAEE President and CEO Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM, reflecting the organisation’s emphasis on member-driven education and community. The company said in a statement that immersive learning zones and new floor configurations were intentionally designed to fuse education and commerce.
The event opened with a full slate of Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) courses and local chapter activity, then moved into celebratory and fundraising programming. The IAEE/TSNN Awards recognised the sector’s achievements while a fireworks and drone display arranged by Houston First Corporation capped the opening night, reinforcing host-city engagement as a key element of the experience. Proceeds from wellness and auction activities were earmarked for CEIR research and IAEE scholarships, underscoring the event’s dual commercial and charitable aims.
A central theme on day two was professional credentialing and recognition. IAEE honoured Julie W. Smith, CTA, CEM-AP, CEM Fellow, Senior Vice President of Business Development for GES, with the 2025 IAEE Chairperson’s Award for long-standing service, and celebrated the CEM Class of 2025 as the programme marked its 50th anniversary. Industry data shows the CEM programme continues to expand its global footprint, with the organisation noting more than 5,100 CEMs worldwide following the recent graduations.
The exhibition floor showcased more than 230 exhibitors across over 35,000 net square feet and introduced five themed immersive learning zones, ranging from marketing and monetisation to operations and AI’s impact on events, plus a new Sustainability Sanctuary. The company claims these curated neighbourhoods were intended to accelerate practical takeaways for association and trade-body executives seeking measurable returns on time spent away from the office. The IAEE also highlighted partnerships intended to enhance the digital attendee experience at the event.
Programming on the final day balanced wellness, business development and destination promotion. The Terence Donnelly Memorial Health and Wellness Event, hosted by Maritz, tested participants’ stamina on 29 floors of the Marriott Marquis Houston and formed part of broader fundraising objectives. The closing celebration was led by VISIT Milwaukee, signalling the handover to Expo! Expo! 2026 and offering a first look at the next host’s tone and marketing approach. IAEE confirmed that Expo! Expo! 2026 will take place on 16–18 November at Milwaukee’s expanded Baird Centre.
IAEE has further published a multi-year roadmap to help association meeting planners and trade bodies schedule resources: Expo! Expo! dates are set through 2028, with New Orleans hosting in December 2027 and Las Vegas in December 2028. The association’s announcement of an integrated delivery partnership with Swapcard for Houston and the confirmation of multi-year dates reflect a deliberate effort to give members clear planning milestones and a more connected event technology stack.
Expo! Expo! 2025 positioned itself as both a marketplace and a laboratory for exhibition professionals, marrying education, supplier discovery and civic stewardship, while signalling continuity of strategic initiatives such as CEIR integration and a predictable event calendar that helps associations plan long-term member services and industry engagement.