Our second part (see part one here) tells the story of how planners ended up working in the meetings industry, ranging from seniors falling down the stairs to working for random strangers while preparing for job interviews elsewhere wait.
The following 10 planners have taken very different and often indirect paths in their event careers, from TV producer to cruise director to accountant.
“I’ve always been interested in events and even audited a college class on special events my freshman year. But eventually, I got a degree in journalism and became involved in various events through the public relations route.
“My first job out of college was in media relations for a high-tech company, where I was responsible for events through their recruiting team and annual user conference. At 23, I was second in command of the registration workflow, Learning the ropes.
“Then, at the holiday party that year, the workflow lead fell down the stairs and her wine glass went right through her hand. She called in sick and put me in charge of her duties. So, though, I wasn’t “stuck in the event,” but it was the “fall in the event” that got me!
“After that, I ran education and annual conferences for two industry associations, then returned to the corporate world and spent 15 years at Dell and IBM, leading the global events team. In 2018, I left the agency to start an experiential agency, and then in 2022, left the agency to start my current business, The Community Factory, with one of my original co-founders. We now focus most of our time and energy on Club Ichi, which is what we do for B2B. A community provided by event marketers that has over 6,000 members.
2. Marty Glynn, CEO, MAD Event Management
“I don’t think I did anything different than other college graduates in 1987. … I got a job just like my parents asked me to!
“I had a lot of different summer jobs, but none that turned my management and international business degree into a career. When I applied for an ad as an account manager for a trade show contractor, I was looking for anything that would make my parents happy. Work because I’m about to get off their paycheck.
“My interview changed everything. I had a Magnum PI experience.” “Boy, jump in the car (a red Ferrari) and let’s talk.” One of the owners was even more arrogant than the car.
“This is show business, once it gets in your blood, you never leave. It’s been a wild ride – not unlike day one.
3. Sibley Guilianelli, Creative Team Project Manager
“I remind myself every day that small decisions can have big impacts. It was a seemingly insignificant decision in college—taking a night class and handing my resume to my professor as I walked out the door one night—that started me An 8-year career in the meetings and events industry.
“After an unexpected job opportunity from that professor, I spent the first five years in association management, providing member support and administrative services to MICE industry groups such as IRF and ILEA. In 2021, I transitioned to a third-party organization to focus on attendees engagement and experience, and by June 2023, I have fully embraced the role of Meetings and Incentives Travel Planner.
4. Sarah LaFrance, Conference and Event Planner, CWT Meetings and Events, Boston Scientific Corporation
“I attended Widener University and earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel management. While in college, I worked in the hospitality industry – both front of house and in the food and beverage department. I quickly realized that the front of the house was my place!
“After graduation, I joined the Development Manager program at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. I started as a front desk MID in Piscataway, New Jersey and worked at Wyndham for approximately 8 years in total.
“After Wyndham, I entered the trade show industry and worked with two different companies, both owned by a single owner. I was in a sales role at the first company, working with venues, trade show managers Working with exhibitors, then I moved to an established exhibition hall, working with large pharmaceutical companies. I worked in the industry for about 13 years.
“I spent the next 5 years pursuing higher education at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, working with companies that needed a more educated workforce. I was the cog between the companies, students, and WPI.
“I currently work for CWT as a conference planner for the Boston Scientific account. I work with their different departments to plan conferences and trade shows across the United States.”
5. Meg Pisani, Vice President of Supplier Relations, Maritz
“I attended the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1983 to 1987. While all my friends were studying to be teachers, journalists, and engineers, my goal was to work in the cruise industry as a cruise director. Mizzou did not have a hotel management department at the time; So I studied arts and science and took some parks and recreation classes (one highlight was learning to build composting toilets).
“My journey began during my junior year of college when a friend introduced me to the Clipper Cruise Line in St. Louis. To pursue my dream, I took a year off from college to work as a stewardess on the Nantucket Clipper and promised my dad I will come back and finish my studies.
“That transformative year solidified my love for creating exceptional experiences for passengers and led me to become a Cruise Director. I made good on my promise, completed my degree in record time, and returned to the cruise line for two An incredible time of year planning activities and events on board.
“My career took another exciting turn when a friend from Clipper told me about an opportunity at Maritz. I joined Maritz’s Business Group Travel department as Event Management Project Manager and eventually as Procurement, Account Positions such as management, proposal event design and now supplier relations.
6. Tina Madden, CEO, Global Meetings & Incentives
“I started my career at a CPA firm out of a love for numbers. However, I quickly realized that sitting in a cubicle all day crunching numbers was not my true passion. I decided to join Our family business, M&IW, took on an accounting role to learn more about the business.
“As I explored this industry, I became truly excited about the events industry and the value it brings to organizations. My accounting background has proven invaluable and I am excited to be part of this dynamic field that offers unlimited growth opportunities.
7. Craig Dooley, President, SDI Meetings and Incentives
“I started my career in events at The Merchandise Mart in Chicago in 1994 as a market research manager, where I supported trade shows and conferences by crunching data and delivering engagement value. I was able to take a fact-driven approach approach to demonstrate the practical benefits of in-person events, emphasizing their importance in fostering business connections and growth.
“As I gained experience, I took on a broader, more strategic role, including marketing to attendees and exhibitors. This progression allowed me to apply these analytical insights into broader event strategy.
“Ultimately, my early start in events reinforced the broad skill set – from data analysis to creative storytelling to operational expertise – that is essential to effectively supporting the power of meetings and events and unlocking the full value of bringing people together. Necessary.
8. Jordan Sanford, Vice President of Sales Strategy at Meet Prestige
“Before working in meetings and events, I worked a $10-an-hour gig at a retail store in Seattle and lived in income-assisted housing—a product of a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, which was completely predictable. The job search process was fraught Write a jargon-filled cover letter to a local tech company and a resume full of soft skills.
“I ended up going to a final round of interviews at a local startup to fill a customer service position and was getting ready to meet with the CEO when some poor guy kindly let me tell him my life story and Solve the problem.
“That person gave me some great career advice, coached my responses, and cheered me on as I went into interviews. That startup offered me a job, but if you fast forward a year, I ended up working for the guy I met in the lobby and he created a new position at his company based on our conversation and being able to see my own talents.
9. Ashley Baroniunas, Project Operations Manager, EGR International
“After living in Albany for a short time with my then-fiancé (now husband), we moved back to Long Island and I needed to find a job quickly. I went through a temp agency, which led to my EGR profile Enter an interview opportunity for the position.
“Initially, I was managing multiple rebate and loyalty programs. It was the first job I really enjoyed, even with commuting into the city every day. Then a new client came along in our Global Experience (Live Events) department Chances are, I was asked to handle event registration and attendee management, and the rest, as they say, is history!
10. Tiffany Cohen, Senior Vice President, Incentives and Global Sourcing, Opus Agency
“With a degree in Television/Film Communications, my initial goal was to become a producer with a desire to bring stories to the screen. I dove headfirst into the fast-paced world of television, landing entry-level roles on major networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon .
“Looking for stability without sacrificing creativity, I moved into a marketing role at Nextel, where I discovered that planning events requires the same creativity, strategic planning and precision as TV production. This put me in charge of managing a trade publications, trade shows and sponsorships, then a role in special events at Goodwill, and later as the Director of Education and Marketing for a law firm network, where I honed my skills in managing conferences and summits, balancing education, marketing, and events. Logistics skills.
