This feature is sponsored by Convene, a global hospitality company that manages a growing portfolio of brands that design and operate premium event venues, meeting spaces, and flexible office.
BizBash is turning 25 this year—a milestone that has us reflecting on the visionaries, rule-breakers, and trendsetters who’ve shaped the events industry. Over the past quarter-century, we've written about and worked with countless event profs whose influence has left an indelible mark on the field.
There are certainly too many to honor in a single feature, but the 20+ names below are ones we were especially eager to catch up with. This isn’t a definitive list—how could it be?—but it’s a celebration of the people whose ideas and impact have helped define modern events. Below in their individual profiles, we spotlight the immense impact they've had on business events and experiential marketing since the start of the 21st century—and where they're excited to see this ever-evolving industry go next.
Amy Calvert
President & CEO, Events Industry Council
Bob Spiegel
Chef & Founder, Pinch Food Design
Bryan Rafanelli
Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Rafanelli Events
Candace Montgomery
Executive Vice President, AtlanticLIVE
Colin Cowie
CEO, Thrive Hospitality
David Adler
Curator in Chief, GatheringPoint.News
Founder, BizBash
David Beahm
Chief Creative & Founder, David Beahm Experiences
David Stark
Chief Creative Officer, David Stark Design and Production
Don Welsh
President & CEO, Destinations International
Jitter Garcia
Vice President, Events and Production Design, Dick Clark Productions
Judy Lee
Senior Director, Global Brand Experiences, Pinterest
Julius Solaris
Founder, Boldpush
Kate Patay
Vice President, Global Engagement, Terramar, a DMC Network Company
Chairperson, SEARCH Foundation
Kenya Hardaway
Senior Vice President, Integrated Promotions, Mult-Platform Marketing, FX
Kristin Banta
Creative Director, Kristin Banta Events
Lance Fensterman
CEO, Fanatics Events
Lindsay Carroll
Chief Marketing & Events Officer, Robin Hood
Executive Producer, Robin Hood Benefit
Maureen Elliott
Senior Director, ESPN Experiential Marketing
Mindy Weiss
Founder, Mindy Weiss Party Consultants
Monique Ruff-Bell
Chief Program & Strategy Officer, TED
Ricky Kirshner
Executive Producer, Kirshner Events
