Rochester, New York–based Fusion Productions is a meetings, learning, and technology company that produces events for associations and corporate clients such as Bausch & Lomb. But the company, led by president and co-founder Hugh Lee, 60, may be best known for its own event, Digital Now, which it co-owns with Disney.
Now in its 13th year, Digital Now invites 300 executives from professional and trade associations to Walt Disney World for three days of education and networking focused on helping their organizations adapt and thrive in the digital age. Lee ensures every element of the event is focused on interaction and engagement. Thought leaders (what most events would call keynote speakers) engage in problem-solving with audience members for a portion of their presentations. In lieu of a traditional trade show, Lee creates a resource center: 12 invited vendors are asked to share case studies of how their products solve problems—no sales pitches allowed.
“If I sell as many booths as I can and make it a sales show, there’s not going to be a lot of sharing and collaboration,” Lee says. “At the end of the day, yes, we have to be profitable, but we want to build a brand that has loyal followers, that has people knocking on the doors to get in, that has people coming back year after year saying, ‘This is the best event in the industry.’ You don’t do that by starting in reverse and saying, ‘How many booths can I cram in there?’ You do it by saying, ‘How can I make it the most engaging, memorable, exciting event?’”
