DALLAS — The Exhibition Services and Contractors Association (ESCA) held its inaugural Rising Leaders Summit Feb. 4-5 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. Aimed at both young professionals and those new to leadership positions or the industry, the summit provided well-rounded education and fun networking opportunities to attendees.
The Rising Leaders Summit was created as a vehicle for providing emerging leaders with industry education, foundational skills and personal development tools, as well as a chance to network across the industry with their peers.
The summit also had opportunities to get a professional headshot taken and to get a one-on-one consult about your LinkedIn profile.
Pricing for the event was intentionally kept reasonable, and a more central location was chosen to encourage companies to send employees. These considerations proved successful with the event attracting 100 attendees and garnering nearly 20 sponsors of different tiers.
“One of the most impactful things we heard was that, for some attendees, this was the first time they’ve ever been an actual attendee at an event. That realization is going to stick with me for a long time and shape how we think about our events moving forward. It was an honor to provide that experience for them,” said Julie Kagy, CEM, ESCA’s Executive Director. “We also heard that the content didn’t just apply to their day-to-day jobs — it had real takeaways for their long-term careers and even personal growth. That’s exactly what we hoped for.”
Two-Track Program Provides Flexibility
Because the audience is a broad mix of exhibition industry suppliers, from general service contractors to furniture suppliers to event technology providers and beyond, the summit was intentionally programmed to include sessions that appealed to the entire audience and some that were more niche.
The first day of the event featured more broad general sessions that the entire audience could find takeaways from like Michelle Cederberg’s opening keynote “The Energy-Success Equation,” which described how success can be reached with the right mix of goals, belief, discipline and energy.
ESCA’s programming also featured Dr. Sam Potolicchio, the President of Preparing Global Leaders Summit who also teaches in Executive Education EMBA programs at Georgetown and the Mannheim Business School in Germany and undergraduate classes. Potolicchio was involved in a variety of sessions, from teaching the skills for effective decision-making to providing tips to hone in on persuasive skills, he provided attendees with actionable insights to up their personal and professional development.
He also moderated a discussion about high-stakes decision-making with former CIA Operations Officer Edward Bogan, and another about the art of crafting clear and concise messaging with Nicholas Johnston, Publisher of Axios.
In some industry-specific sessions on day one, Tommy Goodwin, Vice President of the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance talked with Chris Schimek, Chief Operating Officer at Freeman, and Jeff Quade, President of GES Exhibitions, about the importance and impact of advocacy and how rising leaders can get involved and make a difference in their local communities and organizations.
Tom Himmer, Vice President – Exhibitor Success at GES, discussed the ways to build a culture of customer success, as well as identify obstacles to meaningful change and ways to get past them as a leader.
Related. ESCA Announces the 2025 Rising Leaders Summit
On the second day, programming featured two tracks, allowing attendees to choose their own sessions and customize their experiences. One track was focused on personal leadership skills and workforce navigation, while the other was centered around industry trends and more specialized knowledge.
“Not every session speaks to every attendee personally or professionally, so offering two tracks allowed people to tailor the experience to their needs,” Kagy said. “Honestly, the only ‘complaint’ we heard was that some attendees wished they could be in two places at once because they wanted to attend everything! That’s a great problem to have.”
Day two sessions included:
- The Leadership X-Factor: Developing Skills for Extraordinary Leadership with Michelle Cederberg, Certified Professional Speaker and Health and Productivity Expert (Track 1)
- Why You Should Pay Attention to LinkedIn with Debbie Wemyss, Independent LinkedIn Specialist with DW Consulting Solutions (Track 2)
- Persuading Skeptics: How to Influence in a Polarized and Fragmented World with Sam Potolicchio (Track 1)
- Mastering AI One Prompt at a Time with Rich Stone, CEO of Expocad (Track 2)
- Key Client Base for ESCA Member Business: The US B2B Exhibitions Industry State of the Industry and Outlook Moving Forward with Nancy Drapeau, IPC, Vice President of Research at the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (Track 1)
- Event Safety, Security & YOU! With Jeff McKissack, President of Defense by Design (Track 2)
- Effective Wayfinding, Show Floor Technology and Planning with Rich Stone (Track 1)
- Hook, Line & Sinker with Jeff McKissack (Track 2)
Find more in-depth ESCA Rising Leaders Summit educational takeaways in the TSE Young Professionals Corner next week.
Meaningful Networking
The event also featured a “Dine Around” networking night, where attendees who opted in were placed in small groups based on their food preferences to have dinner together at Dallas restaurants.
Each “Dine Around” was led by an ESCA Rising Leader committee member, and following dinner, everyone was invited to hang out at Will Call for some after-hours networking. This led to spontaneous connection building, and a chance to go out on the town in an inclusive group setting.
“The dine-around format was the perfect choice for this audience, especially since many attendees were new to the industry and didn’t know anyone. We wanted to ensure that companies weren’t just sticking with their own groups but instead encouraging attendees to step out of their comfort zones and genuinely connect,” Rachel Rodean, ESCA’s Director of Education & Events, said. “A key priority in designing this event was creating meaningful networking opportunities. Our goal was to help attendees build their own industry connections so that at future events, they wouldn’t feel limited to interacting only with their colleagues. Plus, we recognized that this rising leaders’ generation values deeper, more personal connections—something that can be difficult to achieve in a traditional networking setting. The dine-around created an environment where those relationships could form naturally, making it a great success.”
Looking Forward to 2026
“We’re already deep in discussions about location, content and speakers. From the start, we wanted to make this event so strong that people couldn’t wait to come back — and based on the energy in the room, I think we nailed it,” Kagy said. “The bar is high for 2026, but I have complete confidence in the ESCA team and the Rising Leaders Committee to make it even better.”
“The outpouring of support from our industry partners, who believed in our mission, was nothing short of amazing. To everyone who believed in us and contributed to this inaugural event — we did it! This was not just an event; it was a pivotal moment in an ongoing conversation that must continue to ensure the next generation of leaders is poised to rise,” Rodean said. “I am so proud of everyone who played a part in bringing this vision to life, and I am deeply honored to have contributed to it. I can already feel the anticipation for the 2026 Rising Leaders Summit, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us!”
Final Thoughts
“My final thought is of gratitude,” Kagy said. “A huge thank you to the ESCA Board (past and present) for pushing for this content and believing in the power of investing in our next generation. This event wouldn’t have happened without their vision.
“To our incredible sponsors — they didn’t just write a check; they made this event possible in ways that matter. Their generosity shaped this experience, and we are beyond grateful. To the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, for generously welcoming us so warmly and making us feel at home. To every company that trusted us with their teams — we are grateful for recognizing the value in developing their teams. That means everything.
“And finally, to the attendees — they showed up, they leaned in, and they made this something truly special. They are the reason we did this, and we hope they left knowing just how much they belong in this industry and how much we are all here for them!”
