Member Spotlights
Showcasing our Chapter Members

IAEE MWC Member Spotlight on Skyler Peggie

 Company Name: Central Michigan University

Title: Student

How did you learn about your new IAEE membership, and what do you hope to gain by being an active member? 

Skyler: While researching scholarship opportunities this past Spring, I discovered the 2020 Helen Brett Scholarship and decided to give it a chance and apply. After hearing the news that I was selected as a scholarship recipient a few months later, I was given the opportunity to attend the IAEE’s Expo! Expo! Conference the following December. After attending that virtual event, I am now involved with the IAEE Midwest Chapter Young Professionals Committee, and I am excited for what the future holds!

How did you decide your current major and what are your goals after graduation?

Skyler: I had been volunteering at my childhood summer camp, Camp Linden, for my last two years of high school. I absolutely loved facilitating activities and running weekend events. One of my camp mentors, Emily Holmes, recommended that I check out the amazing recreation, parks, and leisure services (RPL) department at Central Michigan University (CMU), where she studied outdoor recreation. I enrolled in my first two RPL classes for my very first freshman semester at CMU and I ended up loving the program so much that I signed my major in recreation and event management later that same semester.

Once I complete my senior year of college at the end of this month, which has consisted of the documentation and analysis of two different professional, full-time internship experiences for credit spanning 30 weeks, my goal is to secure a full-time employment opportunity that begins in April. Unfortunately, I will be graduating during a very strange time for the event industry, though I am excited and optimistic for what the future holds in store!

What is the first thing you did as a new IAEE member? 

Skyler: As a new IAEE member, the very first thing I got to do was attend the virtual 2020 Expo! Expo! Conference this past December. It was a blast!

You received a scholarship to attend the 2020 Virtual Expo! Expo! event. Tell us about your experience.

Skyler: I had the opportunity to attend sessions relating to topics such as planning virtual events and being a young professional in the event industry through the virtual 2020 Expo! Expo! Conference. I also got to network with event professionals along the way, some of which I have had the pleasure to coordinate one-on-one calls with throughout the past few weeks. While I have attended conferences in the past, I felt that attending this virtual conference provided me with a unique yet engaging experience like no other. I appreciate the IAEE’s staff for being adaptable during this unprecedented time, and I am thankful for this experience as it provided me with professional development and networking opportunities.

What goals do you have with student engagement and outreach?

Skyler: The CMU recreation and event management program truly has a special place in my heart, and I continue to be amazed by everything that my peers achieve. I would love to see more students in this program apply for the 2021 Helen Brett Scholarship as I have felt that this has been an incredible opportunity to connect with experienced industry professionals and gain professional development. My goal is to help promote this scholarship opportunity to current students of the program. Currently, the CMU recreation and event management program is not a membered educational institution with the IAEE, but I believe that it has the potential to be a mutually beneficial connection for both CMU students and industry professionals with the IAEE.

What's one new thing you've learned in the last month (either industry-related or other)? 

Skyler: Last week, I finally discovered and researched my enneagram type, which is 4w5. I believe that learning about our individual strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of our teammates, helps us to learn how to best work together in teams containing diverse personalities and skill sets.

Tell us one fun fact about yourself.

Skyler: I have held an active Lifeguard certification since July of 2017!

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See Skyler's Member Spotlight interview here!

IAEE MWC Member Spotlight on Jenn Welby 

Company Name: SmithBucklin
Title: Sr. Associate, Event Service

What is the first thing you did as a new IAEE member? 

Jenn: I joined the Young Professionals Committee!  It was a great way to get to know people in the industry who are in a similar career spot. I love to learn how members got into the industry and get/give advice. This is a great way to get to know people in the industry who are in a similar career spot as myself.  

How did you start your career in this industry?

Jenn: I was a Business Major with a Hospitality Management Minor at the University of Missouri- Columbia (MIZ!). I really enjoyed my hospitality classes, so I focused on applying to positions in the industry. I have been at SmithBucklin for 2.5 years and have helped plan over 12 events ranging from 100-25,000 attendees, not to mention multiple virtual events in the past eight months! My favorite part of working in Event Services is seeing our hard work pay off onsite. You get to see everything come full circle! 

What’s one new thing you’ve learned in the last month (either industry-related or other)? 

Jenn: In the last month, I learned how to play Pickleball—and now I am obsessed!  It is a combination of tennis and ping pong and a lot of fun.

Tell us one “fun fact” about yourself.

Jenn:  In April, my sister and I decided to walk a marathon in one day. We had no training and just decided to go for it. We walked into our neighborhood, and it took us 9 hours and 41 minutes—it was challenging but a lot of fun!

IAEE MWC Member Spotlight on Mary Liz Davis, CEM

Company Name: Global Experience Specialists (GES)
Title: Senior National Sales Manager

The IAEE Midwest Chapter Member Connect program kicked off in September. Members are paired with others in the industry to connect, network, idea share, and have fun! The activity this month had members choosing this or that in various categories to help start off conversations between each other. We are please to introduce you to our member Mary Liz Davis, CEM. Mary Liz has been in the industry for 24 years, starting on the general contractor side. She now works at GES as a Senior National Sales Manager. As a long time active member of IAEE, it is no wonder she is active in this Member Connect program and passionate about connecting with others in our industry.

See her below answers from the first activity to get to know one of our members.

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IAEE MWC Member Spotlight on Laura O’Connor

Company Name: Allured Business Media
Title: Show Manager

What caused you to pursue your IAEE membership, and what do you hope to gain by being a member?

Laura: I have been in Trade Shows for over 20 years, but have always been on the vendor side (Registration and then I&D). Now I am on the management side, and so this is the best resource to be on this side of the trade industry. The webinars and all the other information I am receiving as been truly amazing.

What is the first thing you did as a new IAEE member?

Laura: Joined the webinar Golden Nuggets and sat through the amazing information. Was wonderful.

How did you start your career in this industry?

Laura: My Uncle was the COO of the first registration vendor company I worked for. I was young and right out of college. I had just spent a month in Europe, and while I was on the trip (this was before Cell phones) he had planned with my Mother to book me to contract for my first trade show job. So 4 days after I returned, I packed my bags and went to California for the first time to work my first event. I was hooked, and that was 25 plus years ago. I have had some different job paths along the way, but I always seem to come back to this industry. We will come back, stronger and more powerful than ever. We will get through this.

What’s one new thing you’ve learned in the last month (either industry-related or other)?

Laura: What an amazing community that we have in the trade show industry. That we are all together, during this unbelievably difficult time. Now that I am in a new job, how much I feel part of this amazing community.

Tell us one “fun fact” about yourself.

Laura: I was on 20/20 for a fun contest I did about 12 years ago. So there is a national news broadcast of that amazing time in my life.