DALLAS
After 20 years at the helm of IAEE—and a number of years at associations before that—Steven Hacker is vacating his position at the trade show industry association. Hacker, a shrewd observer of the industry, will bring his association management expertise with him when he steps down on Sept. 30 and become a columnist and the resident association management expert for Association News magazine.
"In the next chapter of my career, I want to help educate future generations of association leaders by sharing the things I've learned over the years," said Hacker. "Some of these lessons involve subjects that even the industry organizations do not discuss. With this platform, I will have the freedom to address the key issues that mean the difference between success and failure in the association management profession."
David DuBois, who previously served as the COO of MPI and the president and CEO of PCMA, will take IAEE’s reigns in October. In addition to having held high-level staff positions with industry associations DuBois—who is currently the president and CEO of the Fort Worth CVB—has served in many volunteer leadership roles with the various organizations throughout his career.
During Hacker’s two-decade career as president of IAEE, formerly the International Association for Exhibition Management (IAEM), he built membership from less than 2,600 to more than 9,000. The association now has offices in Dallas, Brussels, Singapore and Beijing. Seventeen international, national and regional associations in the exhibition industry have aligned themselves as working partners of IAEE through a series of reciprocity agreements. IAEE's CEM Professional Designation program now operates globally through a network of licensees. Hacker is a member of the prestigious Convention Industry Council's Hall of Leaders.
In a statement, DuBois said of his new role: "It is an honor and a pleasure to have been selected to become the new staff leader of IAEE. Our association is the principle global resource for those who plan, produce and service the exhibitions and events industry. I enthusiastically look forward to working closely with the staff and volunteer leaders of IAEE as we continue to promote the unique value of exhibitions and other events that bring buyers and sellers together.”
