BALTIMORE — April 22-24, 2026, more than 170 event professionals gathered for Trade Show Executive’s (TSE) Fastest 50 Awards & Summit, which celebrated the fastest-growing trade shows in the U.S. from last year.
Fastest 50’s 13th edition provided top-tier networking opportunities and an elite Education Summit, and recognized honorees and presented the Grand Awards at an Awards Gala.
Learn more in TSE’s recap of this distinguished event!
Exclusive Networking
April 21, early arrivals were treated to an exclusive dinner at Rusty Scupper Restaurant & Bar hosted by Rick Simon, TSE Media Group Chairman and CEO of United Service Companies. This Baltimore favorite is known for its fresh seafood, warm hospitality and spectacular harbor views.
The next day, participants raced through the heart of Baltimore in an exciting scavenger hunt, teaming up to find famous landmarks — such as The Horse You Came In On Saloon, the oldest continually operated saloon in North America, and a gigantic bust of Frederick Douglass — and the winning team was made up of Anna Liu, Alicia Ng, Jeremy Worrell, Andrew Olson, Jerry Gildea, Vanessa Dang and Matt Schmidt.
After a lunch spent cracking crabs at The Choptank, attendees filed onto one of Charm City’s famed water taxis for a tour of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
Participants got a close look at Baltimore’s shipping industry and passed by Fort McHenry where, during the War of 1812, the sight of a U.S. flag inspired Francis Scott Key to write what would become America’s National Anthem.
That evening, the stars were out at the Baltimore Convention Center as TSE’s Fastest 50 Awards & Summit officially began with a Welcome Reception. Attendees mingled with handcrafted cocktails, including the Orange Crush, Maryland’s state cocktail, fine cuisine and live music.
Insight Sharing from Industry Leaders
April 23, professionals gathered for the event’s prestigious Education Summit, which featured some of the industry’s top voices. This year’s theme was “Disruption as a Discipline,” and the experience provided actionable takeaways to help organizers thrive.
First, Rick Simon, TSE Media Group Chairman and CEO of United Service Companies, welcomed participants and set the stage for a day of impactful learning.
“Our program is all about the industry leaders, what they’re reimagining the work rules to be now and how they’re rewriting the playbook,” Simon said. “We’re going to be talking with some of the industry’s brightest minds about how they are going to evolve the industry.”
Also, Kireem Swinton, Visit Baltimore’s new President and CEO, shared updates from Charm City, which include enhancements at Harbor Point, Harbor Place, Warner Street Entertainment District and Baltimore Peninsula.
Related. Visit Baltimore Names Kireem Swinton President and CEO
“We are a city that has a mood and a vibe for everyone,” Swinton said. “Baltimore right now is undergoing a true transformation, with $7 billion of reinvestment and development.”
Then, in a panel moderated by Beth Cowperthwaite, Senior Vice President, Communications, at Emerald — Kirstin Lewis, Vice President, Event Performance, Questex; Stuart Ruff-Lyon, CMP Fellow, AAiP, Chief Commercial Officer (Events, Marketing, Sales), Risk and Insurance Management Society; and Joe Webster, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Emerald, discussed trade show experimentation.
Top TSE Takeaways:
- Webster explained that Emerald identified an opportunity with six brands to create new, AI-assisted newsletter products. They pulled relevant information from other sources and used AI tools to create content that was edited by humans, developing relationships with subject matter experts. This project doubled open rates and drove click engagement, and is building awareness and community throughout the year.
- Lewis described a mobile-app overhaul at Questex: The organization eliminated printed materials and made an event’s app the “sole source of truth.” Through periodic announcements, challenging attendees to perform actions such as visiting certain booths, the app got them involved, while also driving revenue and helping participants connect. The adoption rate hit 90%.
- Ruff-Lyon’s team created a more-than-$1-million revenue stream by combining hospitality events under one roof to create a gigantic community, increasing revenue and headcount.
Next, Beth Casson, Senior Vice President at RX, moderated a case study looking at Vision Expo with Todd Sheahan, Vice President, Portfolio Sales, RX, and April Stackhouse, Event Vice President, Vision Expo, RX.
Top TSE Takeaways:
- After a year-long research process, RX made a significant operational change at Vision Expo to serve their customers and set up the event for long-term growth: Participants were having trouble attending two Vision Expos every year, and were seeking a one-stop-shop, so RX decided to hold one show annually.
- The organization was ready to experience a short-term loss for a long-term gain — Casson emphasized that a long-term view is truly important.
- Marketing-wise, it was vital to have one clear story, make it easy to understand “why this, why now” and to align channels, messaging and timing across teams and partners.
After a networking break, Moderator Anna Horn, Vice President, Event Operations, Informa Markets, spoke about how David Beck, President and CEO, Kentucky Venues; John Gonzalez, CMP, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Houston First Corporation; and John Schreiber, Vice President of Strategic Account Sales, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, are upgrading their venues.
Top TSE Takeaways:
- All three leaders explained that these projects are not just expansions: They include vital updates to the guest experience, which were informed by research.
- At Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center, there is a big focus on public space, because attendees and planners are interested in activations and community.
- On top of additional space, the Kentucky International Convention Center will have its own power system, preventing outages.
- The Las Vegas Convention Center is adding escalators in North Hall, which will connect participants directly to the new West Hall bridge, shortening the walk and creating a new premiere exhibit space.
Then, Maddy Ryley, Managing Editor, TSE, and Michelle Troop, Chief Revenue Officer, Ai4, and TSE’s May 2026 Power Lunch cover star, looked at how Troop identifies market gaps, takes bold risks and drives impact across numerous sectors.
Top TSE Takeaways:
- When choosing an event to work with, Troop looks for a product champion — someone who is totally immersed in a community — a clear identity and a strong sponsor community. With the right buyers and sellers, growth can happen more quickly.
- Troop explained that acquisitions can be exciting, it is important to think about why you are selling (and if you are ready) and make sure that you have the right banker, attorneys and supporters so your thoughts and visions align with the acquisition. Without all these pieces in place, things could go wrong.
- Key decisions to drive revenue at Ai4 included streamlining and focusing on bolstering what was working, while trying new selling and experiential strategies.
Following a networking lunch, attendees convened for a final block of education sessions.
Before they started, however, the next location for the Fastest 50 Awards & Summit was revealed: Houston, Texas. We look forward to welcoming the best of the best of the events industry next year in “Space City!”
In the second-to-last panel, Vincent Polito, CEO and Managing Director, Society of Independent Show Organizers, and Angela Harar, Vice President, Strategy & Growth, MAU Vegas, Clarion Events North America, looked at how MAU Vegas is increasing participants’ ROI and creating lasting community.
Top TSE Takeaways:
- One of Harar’s secrets to success is a natural curiosity and a love of connecting with other people; she never starts off conversations with business, creating powerful professional relationships. Harar emailed MAU’s entire attendee list and offered to meet with them, which helped inform her organizing strategies.
- MAU Vegas is positioned as a vibe rather than a trade show: This sets the tone that — while business and will occur — energy will be strong.
- The show’s features are what Harar thinks has helped drive its growth. The stages are important, but, for Harar, it is what attendees experience during the event that truly matters.
In the last panel, Amanda Strombeck, Head of Client Service Delivery, 360 Live Media, moderated a panel with Dan Cole, Senior Director, Sales, AVIXA; and Susan Newman, Senior Vice President, Event Strategy, National Retail Federation, about the next-gen sponsorship playbook.
Top TSE Takeaways:
- Newman asserted that the industry is taking on too much responsibility for sponsor ROI. She believes that it is not the organizer’s responsibility to guarantee or demonstrate ROI; they set expectations at point-of-sale very clearly.
- Cole said that the industry needs to feel less constrained and be less afraid to “venture into the unknown,” and encouraged organizers to think about less-typical sponsorship offerings. AVIXA has shifted from transactional selling to value-based selling.
- Newman shared that thought leadership, such as roundtables and podcasting, is a powerful, hot-button sponsorship offering right now.
The Winners Are Revealed
After a glamorous Cocktail Reception, attendees sat down for the much-anticipated Awards Gala.
Data Center World took home the Rock Star Award, which honors the show that ranked highest across the Fastest 50. It ranked No. 1 across all the lists for the 2025 edition.
TSE also introduced the Lenay Gore Award of Excellence. Named for the late industry icon, Lenay Gore, the award recognizes excellence in the trade show industry and a commitment to service.
Jennifer Hoff, CEO of Taffy Event Strategies, was the well-deserving recipient of this inaugural award.
Finally, attendees enjoyed an Afterglow sponsored by LVE. Honorees toasted their achievements and enjoyed upbeat music and relaxed networking, relishing the final moments of this unforgettable evening.
To discover all of the award winners, click here.
Looking to see your photos from the event? Find Oscar & Associates’ SpotMyPhot here: https://www.myphotogallery.co/register/fb424fb8-b1f4-4ec0-9d87-637b06cb6e99
Thank you to all of our Fastest 50 attendees, speakers and sponsors.
The next TSE event is the Gold 100 Awards & Summit, which is set for Sept. 22-24, 2026, at Terranea Resort.
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