Billed as the Midwest's largest gathering of business services and hospitality exhibitors, the Association Forum of Chicagoland's Holiday Showcase drew around 2,000 professionals to the Hyatt Regency Chicago on Tuesday.
Along with a trade show floor that showcased everything from software to printing services, Tuesday's expo offered twice the number of educational sessions as last year's.
Topics included networking strategies, trends in virtual events, and methods for boosting sponsorship revenue. Keynote speakers included Wes Moore, formerly a special assistant to U.S. secretary Condoleezza Rice and the current global strategist for Citigroup. Moore offered advice on becoming an effective leader and mentor.
This year's also event employed new technology, including online exhibitor profiles and appointment-scheduling software that let exhibitors and guests connect before the show.
