Industry Education: Roads to the Executive Suite

Want to be a tradeshow CEO? Start out as a police officer, receptionist, cheese salesman, writer or maybe none of the above. The industry's executive suites are open to talent from many fields.

Meeting Professionals Intl. lists more than 300 colleges, most in the United States, that offer meeting planning, hospitality or tourism studies. The Society of Independent Show Organizers works with universities to expand the amount of tradeshow information required in marketing courses.

Other industry associations have their own forms of education. The Intl. Assn. of Exhibitions and Events, through sponsor ICAT Expo, is offering three days of career development for up-and-coming industry professionals later this month. And the Trade Show Exhibitors Assn. offers extensive education culminating in achieving the Certified Manager of Exhibits designation. Other groups offer an alphabet soup of certifications.

Yet education isn't the only path to the executive suite. In 2006, when Tradeshow Week last surveyed show managers, the median post-secondary education of respondents' staff amounted to just 3.3 years. Among current job openings at major tradeshow companies, a number have no educational requirements or mention only "equivalent tradeshow experience." Some say "bachelor's degree preferred" or "bachelor of science desired, but not necessary." One even asks simply for a "good degree."

Mike LaTour, chairman of the marketing department at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, said his instructors take students to tradeshows to help them understand the synergy of different modes of marketing. "We have students born and raised in Las Vegas, a town with 2,000 meetings and tradeshows a month, who have never seen a tradeshow," he said. "The students tell us they are blown away with the visit, particularly if they also talk with show management."

It's because of the industry's hidden qualities that there's no tried-and-true road to the executive suite. Just ask today's CEOs.

Mary Dolaher, CEO of IDG World Expo, delayed college, opting first for the working world. Her second job in the events business was as a receptionist with IDG. Six months later, she was asked to be company founder Pat McGovern's assistant.

Loving her work, Dolaher took advantage of the company's tuition reimbursement program and earned a degree in communications and business management from Boston College. Eventually, she was promoted to director of corporate communications.

In 1996, she left IDG to successfully manage E3/Electronics Entertainment Expo for the Entertainment Software Assn. She returned to IDG World Expo last November.

For future executives, Dolaher believes there is value in a college degree, as well as industry certification, but also stresses personal attributes:

• willingness to learn
• strong organizational skills
• grace under pressure
• the ability to choose a good team
• an aversion to micromanaging

According to Dolaher, the event world also means committing a good deal of personal time to the job and a willingness to thrive under a schedule that requires working all year for one big event, then coping with the post-show letdown.

IDG has repeatedly been named one of Fortune Magazine's Best 100 Places to Work, and it still offers tuition reimbursement, along with a strong group of on-the-job training programs and a well-defined promotional ladder.

Located in Dallas, Hanley Wood Exhibitions can't cherry-pick experienced pros from other companies in the region because there are so few nearby. Instead, it is determined to grow its future executives from within.

"Our division was formed in 2000," said Hanley Wood President Galen Poss. "We have 88 employees, and I estimate that since 2000, 75 of those people have earned promotions."

Hanley Wood conducts annual assessment tests that grade employees on five key areas: sales, operations, conference management, marketing and finance.

"We all take the test, including me," Poss said. "This is not a pass-fail test, but an opportunity for individuals to see where they may have an aptitude that is beyond their current job responsibilities or to find out where they may need additional education or experience. We cross-train constantly, and we conduct day-and-a-half training programs on specific subjects where the tests may have indicated a need for additional knowledge."

He said he believes college is necessary for future tradeshow executives, but adds that the ability to make decisions, "being wired for long hours," self-motivation and the ability to roll with the punches makes the difference between those who excel and those who don't.

Getting a name on the CEO door isn't easy, but a "good degree," experience, key personal characteristics and in-house training could be the formula.