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BY SHELBY DEERING
Ingenious
» AS I WROTE THE ARTICLE in this issue’s Meeting Notes section about the opening of the highly anticipated Obama Presidential Center in June in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side—and the abundant meeting spaces and amenities the center will offer planners—it brought me back some 17 years. During the evening on the day Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was elected president, Nov. 4, 2008, I was scared that I was about to become a not-so-great dad. My pregnant wife, Bonnie Berger; her parents; and I sat on the beds in Bonnie’s and my hotel room at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Flagstaff in Arizona watching the results come in state by state. The networks called the race at 11 p.m.
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But we weren’t in Flagstaff to watch the election returns. The next morning, we had a predawn check-in for Bonnie’s procedure to give birth to our firstborn son by cesarean section at Flagstaff Medical Center. As we watched the election of the country’s first Black president unfold, I was thinking mostly about how in the world I could calm a crying child, change a diaper, and myriad other things all other parents seem to instinctively know how to do.
The next day, as we got to the hospital room after our son Ben was born, I walked across the room and plopped myself into the armchair next to Bonnie’s bed, happy to get the chance to relax. Ben was in a bassinet next to the bed, and the nurse peeked inside his diaper. She said, “Dad, he needs a change. Badly.” Stunned for a moment that she was asking me to handle this problem, I was subsequently so, so appreciative of the nurse’s guidance as I struggled with my first diaper change. It was rather ham-handed, but it also was my first lesson in trial by fire as a parent. I didn’t realize it then, but I now know that is pretty much how everyone learns how to take care of and raise a child. You do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and your kid certainly lets you know if you are temporarily oblivious.
Seventeen years later, in a full circle moment, I hope to take teenage Ben to the Obama Presidential Center soon. Years in the making, the site will be a remarkable gathering place built not only as a monument to one man, but also as a celebration of the many ordinary people who made the center and his story possible. Across its 19.3 acres, meeting planners will gain inspiration and find much to like.
TODD R. BERGER Editor-in-Chief tberger@greenspring.com
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PRESIDENT TAMMY GALVIN
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
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HOUR MEDIA CEO STEFAN WANCZYK PRESIDENT JOHN BALARDO The pages between the covers of this magazine (except for any inserted material) are made from wood fiber that was procured from forests that are sustainably managed to remain
With 16 unique beach neighborhoods along 26 miles of sugar-white sand and turquoise water, South Walton is the ultimate event destination. Luxurious amenities meet small-town charm for getaways that feel like coming home, no ma er where you’re from. With convenient airport access and easy driving from Atlanta, Birmingham, and New Orleans, you’ll spend less time en route and more time in good company.
From resorts to boutique hotels, South Walton is home to unique architecture, breathtaking views and accommodations to suit any style.
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa is Northwest Florida’s largest beachfront resort! With over square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting and event space, Hilton Sandestin Beach can accommodate groups of every size.
HiltonBeachMeetings.com • -
South Walton’s endless activities and breathtaking backdrops create opportunities for truly meaningful team building. Unique venues and accommodations blend with incredible dining and nightlife to personalize every experience. Start planning at MeetInSouthWalton.com.
Whether you’re planning a board retreat, steampunk convention, or large conference, Middleton, Wisconsin, is the right fit for almost any business. Middleton is home to Dane County’s largest convention hotel and surrounded by quality lodging properties that work closely together for overflow room blocks. This city offers a variety of restaurants (about 80); shopping; outdoor activities; and fun off-site locations for meetings, dinners, or tours. Downtown Middleton is located just 15 minutes from downtown Madison, the state’s capital, and about 20 minutes from Dane County Regional Airport, 1 1/2 hours from Milwaukee’s airport, and within 2 1/2 hours from Chicago’s airports. Visit Middleton, the city’s tourism department, offers tools, assistance, grants/sponsorships, and more to help ensure meeting planners, as well as attendees, have a positive experience. Come discover why it’s the middle things that make Middleton special.
Maximize attendance and participation by identifying and responding to language-service needs BY LINDEN
M. BAYLISS
know reach matters, and ensuring all attendees have equal access to content is a critical part of that. Language services, including interpretation (for spoken words), translation (for written words), closed captioning, and live captioning (also known as CART) can be important tools for including attendees who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have limited English proficiency. To accommodate all language and hearing abilities, planners must first understand what the needs are and how to plan for them.
Identify Attendee Needs: One of the easiest and most effective ways to evaluate language-service needs is by simply asking your audience on registration forms, of which you should consider creating multiple translations. A question like, “Do you require language or accessibility services?” can reveal lots of helpful attendee information early in the planning process, including interpretation, translation, or captioning requirements. Identifying common languages spoken in the host city and reviewing attendee demographics data from past events also can help you anticipate demand for language services.
Assess Application Methods: Once needs are identified, determine which event elements require language support. Common touch points include keynotes and breakout sessions, slide decks, signage, websites, mobile apps, welcome packets, and postevent materials, among others. Remember to give interpreters and live captioners relevant documents ahead of the event so they have time to familiarize themselves with any
pertinent terminology. And don’t overlook logistics— for example, larger events might require headsets, audio channels, interpreter rotation schedules, or dedicated interpretation booths.
Enlist the Pros: For help finding a quality, accredited language services professional, the American Translators Association, based in Alexandria, Virginia, has a free Language Services Directory searchable by language and service type. Organizations like Chicago-based Interprenet also support in-person, remote, and hybrid events.
Helpful Tech: Zoom provides an interpretation feature for webinars and virtual meetings, and tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) like Wordly aid in providing captioning and translation at scale. Keep in mind that while AI can be an easy-to-use, cost-effective tool, it is not always 100% accurate and often lacks the ability to identify nuance, idioms, or cultural references. Therefore, employing human professionals remains the gold standard. atanet.org | interprenet.net | wordly.ai
» THE OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER will debut in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side with a grand opening celebration from June 18 to 21; it will open to the public beginning June 19, coinciding with the Juneteenth federal holiday. On May 6, the Obama Foundation, which shepherded the construction and will manage the center, will make tickets available for visiting the Museum Building, and most of the rest of the Obama Presidential Center and its 19.3-acre campus will be free and open to all. In addition to numerous on-site gathering spaces, the center also infuses events with plenty of “Yes We Can” energy.
In a video message that accompanied the announcement for the grand opening celebration, former President Barack Obama says, “It is easy to look around right now and feel like the challenges we face are simply too big. But hope is not about ignoring the hard stuff. It is that thing inside us that insists something better awaits if we are willing to work for it. Here, on the South Side of Chicago, hope is getting a permanent home. … This is not a monument to the past; it is a living destination for people who refuse to accept the status quo.”
Rentable meeting spaces at the Obama Presidential Center include the Museum Building, which features the 500-personcapacity, three-story Hope and Change Lobby, plus the Sky Room and Sky Room Vista, overlooking Lake Michigan and the city. Planners can opt to buy out the entire museum. Also available are Home Court, a multipurpose NBA-regulation basketball court
that hosts up to 999 for a reception; the 58,000-square-foot Great Lawn outside; and the outdoor Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit and Vegetable Garden atop the center’s Chicago Public Library branch, available for elegant dinners of up to 60 attendees. Planners might also consider the Elie Wiesel Auditorium with theater seating or the light-filled Hadiya Pendleton Atrium, which includes a raised platform and available theatrical lighting. Both gathering spaces are in the center’s Forum Building.
Perhaps most remarkable about the center is the architecture of the building itself, with the Museum Building’s Sky Room looking out through huge concrete letters etched into the building. The letters form the former president’s words from his March 7, 2015, speech at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on the 50th anniversary of the first of the civil rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in March 1965. At the top of the Obama Presidential Center, it says, “You are America. Unconstrained by habit and convention. Unencumbered by what is, ready to seize what ought to be. For everywhere in this country, there are first steps to be taken, there is new ground to cover, there are more bridges to be crossed. America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.’ ‘We The People.’ ‘We Shall Overcome.’ ‘Yes We Can.’ That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone. Oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.” obama.org
Chicago’s Theater of the Mind in the historic Reid Murdoch building in River North was co-created by Grammy, Academy, and Tony awardwinning musician and artist David Byrne and philanthropist Mala Gaonkar, whose work explores the intersection of neuroscience, storytelling, and human perception. Byrne and Gaonkar worked with 39 neuroscientists from two continents to develop Theater of the Mind.
The immersive theatrical experience is directed by Andrew Scoville; it invites participants through a sequence of rooms designed to engage multiple senses and challenge assumptions about how people understand the world around them. Attendees travel through a personalized, 15,000-square-foot, 360-degree
installation—meaning no two participants will have the same experience. Groups can book up to 16 tickets per 75-minute performance. Theater of the Mind, which The Goodman Theatre created and the city of Chicago supported with development funding, runs through mid-July.
“Theater of the Mind is a world-class, immersive theater experience offered exclusively in Chicago,” says John Collins, executive director of The Goodman Theatre. “For a century, The Goodman has served as Chicago’s flagship resident theater. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate 100 years of a theater built on reinvention, in the city built on reinvention, [than with Theater of the Mind].”
theaterofthemindchicago.com
Natasha Miller, author of “Corporate Event Mastery: Strategies and Solutions to Support Corporate Event Professionals in High-Demand Roles” and CEO of San Francisco-based event-planning company Entire Productions Inc., initially sought to write a book to help her clients navigate planning systems, processes, and artificial intelligence. While she did include those important topics in the book, as she interviewed other planners, she ended up reshaping the focus to something she found a bit more pertinent: making the job easier for overworked planners who love their work. The book is full of ideas to ramp up corporate events, including strategies to increase a client’s return on investment. But Miller also emphasizes the impact of self-confidence and encourages planners to take a seat at the decisionmakers’ table. Interviews with planners are sprinkled throughout the book.
“Corporate planners need to be seen and heard,” Miller says. “When they read this book, they will [likely think], ‘Ah, that’s me in the story.’ Readers also might think, ‘Oh, my gosh. I was wondering how to do this, and I didn’t know how to ask.’” entireproductions.com
» ILLINOIS MEETING PLANNERS have many options for shipboard gatherings statewide, including sightseeing forays, floating meetings, and dinner excursions. Boats chug into Lake Michigan and on the Chicago River, Fox River, Mississippi River, and Illinois River, among others. The following includes three companies to consider, all offering regular public cruises and custom private charters for corporate and nonprofit planners to book for meetings, meals, and merriment.
Chicago Architecture Center River Cruises on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan—and narrated by the architecture center’s expert docents—showcases the city’s monumental skyscrapers. The 90-minute tours for up to 250 attendees take a deep dive into the history of the Willis Tower, The St. Regis Chicago, the art deco Wrigley Building, and the massive Merchandise Mart. Groups of 20-plus receive a discount on most cruises. architecture.org
Grafton Marina River Cruises , in Grafton, Illinois, north of St. Louis at the Mississippi and Illinois rivers’ confluence, is the base for Grafton Harbor River Adventures, offering sightseeing and private river tours for up to 49 attendees aboard the Hakuna Matata. The ship sports an open-air upper deck and an enclosed middle level—plus a tiki bar—from May through November. Themed cruises include sunset sailings, winetasting jaunts, and more. graftonharbor.com
St. Charles Paddlewheel Riverboats on the Fox River in the western suburb of St. Charles a few miles north of Aurora and Naperville, hosts on its ships up to 70 for private sightseeing forays and 40 for dinner excursions, plus regularly scheduled departures. The 60-minute tours launch from Pottawattamie Park in St. Charles June through August, and groups can bring aboard snacks and nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy during their scenic float. stcriverboats.com
G et out of the boardroom and get on the water with Lake Geneva Cruise Line. Our corporate charters offer a refreshing alternative to traditional meeting spaces, pairing productivity with fresh air and stunning shoreline views. For everything from team outings and client entertainment to executive gatherings and company celebrations, our fleet provides flexible layouts, onboard catering, and a seamless planning experience.
Step aboard and turn your next meeting into something more engaging, memorable, and inspired. With every detail handled by our experienced crew, you can focus on connection, creativity, and results! Great ideas don’t just happen around a table. They happen when you change the view.
These Illinois gaming and entertainment venues offer planners versatility and plenty of amenities to create unforgettable event experiences BY CATHERINE M c COY
» FOR PLANNERS LOOKING for venues that offer memorable experiences beyond the conference agenda, casinos are a great option, providing one-stop shops for meeting essentials while delivering versatility and fun. A plan for an event at a casino often begins with intentional design—a large footprint and robust on-site team give event planners the flexible space configuration, reliable audiovisual capabilities and connectivity, catering options, and entertainment to tailor the format for their group’s particular needs. And most Illinois casinos have many entertainment options in addition to gaming.
There are multiple casinos across Illinois that can meet the requirements and preferences of almost every meeting planner. From flexible spaces that bring scale for intimate gatherings or large conferences to customizable food and beverage packages, these venues up the ante for event planners.
Bally’s Chicago is the city’s first downtown casino and curates event opportunities in the heart of the River North neighborhood. It currently operates out of a temporary location at Medinah Temple on North Wabash Avenue, while its permanent riverfront
casino is under construction in River West on West Chicago Avenue. The future property will feature 43,000 square feet of flexible meeting space upon completion, which is expected next year, with an official opening date not yet announced. The gathering rooms will include windows letting in lots of natural light, provide access to two outdoor terraces with views of the Chicago skyline, and connect to the adjacent casino resort. Many of the property’s 500 hotel rooms will overlook the Chicago River.
“What will make the property truly unique is what will exist outside the walls,” says Melanie Lucero, director of sales optimization at Bally’s Corp., the parent company of the Chicago casino.
“A 2-acre public park and roughly 2,000 feet of riverwalk frontage will give attendees something most urban casino resorts simply can’t offer—a genuine connection to the city itself.”
In the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, Rivers Casino Des Plaines approaches each event with the planners’ and attendees’ expectations at the forefront. The property executes gatherings ranging in size from 10 to 1,000 eventgoers, making it ideal for trade shows, conventions, and small- to large-scale meetings.
Located minutes from O’Hare International Airport, Rivers Casino Des Plaines and its team help planners facilitate transportation options for their groups, including 24/7 round-trip shuttle service that goes between the airport and the Chicago Transit Authority’s Rosemont Blue Line Station.
“Hospitality is the focus of everything we do at the property, and having attendees experience great customer service is essential for hosting a productive meeting,” says Steve Pairolero, vice president of food and beverage at Rivers Casino Des Plaines.
Beyond the meeting rooms, attendees at Rivers Casino Des Plaines will find six distinct restaurants and lounges on-site, which include Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House, RC Supply Co., Lotus, AquaBar, BetRivers SportsBook, and Hi-Limit. The venue also regularly hosts performances by well-known entertainers, and sports fans might enjoy BetRivers SportsBook, in particular, which features a 48-foot, floor-to-ceiling video wall.
Hollywood Casino Joliet is at the intersection of interstates 55 and 80 in the southwestern suburb of Joliet. It has three different spaces specially designed for intimate to large meetings and events. Its Event Center is equipped with 8,500 square feet of space, hosting up to 1,000 attendees. The Sportsbook restaurant provides intimate gathering space for VIP celebrations or other small gatherings with seating for up to 12 people. Planners also can consider the casino’s Sorellina by Giada, an Italian restaurant with a private dining room. In addition, Hollywood Casino Aurora opens this June, 20 miles northwest of Joliet.
There also are numerous casinos outside Chicagoland accommodating events. Hard Rock Casino Rockford is one of the newest Hard Rock casinos, opened in 2024, and the venue emphasizes music and the arts, making it a lively setting for attendees.
“The Hard Rock brand brings a strong music and culture component that resonates with diverse audiences, making attendee downtime feel purposeful, engaging, and distinctly memorable,” says Lorie Moran, director of banquets and entertainment at Hard Rock Casino Rockford.
A future on-site hotel is in the works, with an opening date not yet announced. While the venue currently partners with area hotels within proximity, the new lodging property will allow planners to host multiday events without relying on off-site hotels, minimizing transportation logistics, for example.
To the west in Rock Island, near Interstate 280 and state Route 92 and minutes from Quad Cities International Airport, Bally’s Quad Cities Casino & Hotel provides some 6,000 square feet of meeting space for large events, including trade shows, banquets, and fundraisers. The casino’s 205 hotel rooms offer modern amenities with views overlooking Wicks Lake.
In addition to a 24-hour casino, the venue features a peaceful setting for outdoor events on a patio, which also has access to the Aqua Golf Range. The latter is a floating green in the shape of a spade, allowing golfers to practice their long-game accuracy.
When hosting at casinos, planners will find reliable on-site partners and strong infrastructures at the forefront to execute
seamless meetings and events. As planners look to bring their gatherings to life, they can count on casinos across Illinois to curate a compelling experience for attendees: combining modern venues with dining, entertainment, and dynamic social environments designed for memorable events.
casinos.ballys.com/chicago casinos.ballys.com/quad-cities casino.hardrock.com/rockford hollywoodcasinoaurora.com hollywoodcasinojoliet.com riverscasino.com/desplaines
From atmospheric venues to Route 66-driven experiences, Illinois’ capital city proves meetings can be both functional and unforgettable
» WHEN SPRINGFIELD -based Next Steps Coaching founder David Swihart set out to host his first leadership event, he knew he wanted to do it in his hometown of Springfield. What Swihart didn’t know was just how many people would show up.
“We wanted a place where we could flex [the capacity for] up to 250 people,” says Swihart. “Some of the other spaces we could have used were far more rigid.”
Ultimately, Swihart chose to host the event at Pole Barn Chic, a space that most certainly broke from the traditional meeting mold and a decision that further reflects a broader shift among planners seeking more flexible, experience-driven spaces. And make no mistake, Swihart’s experience fits into the evolution taking place across Springfield, where a growing
BY TRICIA DESPRES
number of venues—both traditional and nontraditional—are evolving to meet the needs of today’s planners.
“When you think of corporate and nonprofit events, the thinking once was just long, basic tables and everything being very structured. That just got boring,” says Audrey Kondelis, a self-described country farm girl and owner of Pole Barn Chic—a 5,000-square-foot venue sitting on a sprawling 5 acres near Springfield. Pole Barn Chic has hosted everything from trivia nights for the Springfield Area Arts Council to fundraisers for the city’s Sojourn Shelter & Services. “You walk in, and you’re just like, ‘Wow!’” says Kondelis.
“Our [leadership event] attendees loved the aesthetics of the space and the attention to detail,” adds Swihart about Pole
Barn Chic, which also has on property a renovated 1865 house for overnight stays.
“The parking and grounds were excellent for our group, plus the proximity to hotels, restaurants, and shopping makes it a great place to host an event,” says Swihart.
That accessibility and convenience have long been part of Springfield’s overall appeal. With its central location that is home to the state Capitol, the host city continues to draw large meetings, legislative events, and organization gatherings.
Springfield isn’t defined by its past, although many of the city’s venues are firmly planted in American history.
“We’re seeing 2026 as a huge travel and tourism year,” says Terry Truman,
sales manager for sports for Visit Springfield, the city’s convention and visitors bureau. “Whether [they are hosting] meetings or conventions or sports events, [planners will find that] we are able to tie in a lot of different things.”
Indeed, Springfield’s momentum is fueled in part by long-term investments now coming to fruition—with everything from the Route 66 Centennial to Illinois America 250 this year, the latter being a series of statewide initiatives commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
But when it comes down to it, the city’s affordability continues to be a major factor in enticing planners. “We really offer a lot of the amenities that you can get in a bigger city, but you’re not going to pay near the same amount [in Springfield],” says Truman. “You’re not [necessarily] going to pay Chicago prices here.”
This affordability, paired with incentive packages and flexible booking, is certainly attractive to planners navigating
tighter budgets. And just as appealing is the personalized level of service that Springfield offers to planners.
Truman says, “Every meeting or event we are touching has someone working with planners all the way through— whether it is a 30-person board meeting or a 1,500-person convention.”
And it is this personal touch with the hands-on support that planners often appreciate. From customized digital assets and registration to on-the-ground assistance and attendee navigation, each event element is streamlined by the city’s team of convention professionals.
“[Visit Springfield] can even create a custom 360-degree map, so your attendees know exactly where to go—whether that is a nearby microbrewery or area shopping,” says Truman. “Those are the extra steps we just like to take.”
Another important feature of Springfield that continues to draw planners is its convenience. Centrally located between Chicago and St. Louis and within easy
driving distance for much of Illinois, the city offers a practical alternative to larger metropolitan areas—allowing attendees to navigate between venues, hotels, and off-site experiences with ease.
In Springfield, many of the city’s most compelling meeting spaces aren’t necessarily new, they’re simply being used in new and innovative ways.
Take the restored Union Station, for example. It is a former train depot that is now part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum campus, and groups can easily move between spaces on the campus—hosting check-in and cocktails in one area before transitioning to a seated dinner in another. “We use the former ticket counter as a bar,” notes Britta Brackney, venue rental manager at the library and museum.
Brackney also says she continues to see a shift in how meetings are structured, with more and more planners putting
greater emphasis on comfort and flexibility throughout the course of a day. She says, “We work with many planners who very much want a lounge or a quiet space for a conference. The Stevenson Room here in the library is unique in that it’s an exhibit space and a meeting space, but also can be a place where people can step away, answer a phone call, check their emails, and things like that.”
That focus on comfort reflects a broader shift in how meetings are being experienced. Today’s attendees expect more than just a place to sit—they’re looking for environments that allow them to engage, recharge, and connect throughout the day.
To immerse meeting attendees in additional historical activities, the city’s Lincoln Home National Historic Site preserves an entire neighborhood in Civil War-era charm, with free, permitted group tours available for planners to book.
Springfield’s constantly evolving dining scene also plays a role in shaping the overall attendee experience, particularly when it comes to off-site events. Along Route 66 through Springfield, historic restaurants offer both a sense of place and functional event space. Truman says, “A lot of the
“We really offer a lot of the amenities that you can get in a bigger city, but you’re not going to pay near the same amount [in Springfield]. You’re not [necessarily] going to pay Chicago prices here.”
–TERRY TRUMAN
Sales Manager for Sports, Visit Springfield
heritage of Route 66 is tied to area dining establishments that developed along the route. And Springfield is fortunate that many of those are still here.”
The city is home to upscale spots, like Maldaner’s Restaurant & Catering—the oldest continuously operating restaurant on Route 66—to more casual, nostalgic stops, such as Cozy Dog Drive In. These restaurants provide planners with plenty of regional flavor for everything from board dinners to postmeeting outings.
“A ‘cozy dog’ is like a corn dog on a stick,” says Truman. “But don’t let them hear that I called it a corn dog, because they’re very quick to point out that there’s a difference. I’m not 100% sure what it is. I just think it’s a better version of a corn dog.”
That being said, planners seeking modern venues don’t need to look far, as restaurants such as Vele and Curate both offer design-forward spaces for everything from executive dinners to full buyouts. For more casual gatherings, venues
like Obed & Isaac’s Springfield offer larger, flexible spaces ideal for receptions and postmeeting events.
It’s that combination of practicality and creativity, with logistics simplified and experiences elevated, that continues to set Springfield apart in a competitive meetings landscape. Sweetening the deal is the fact that most of Springfield’s most intriguing dining options are within proximity to major venues and hotels, making it easier for planners to design events that
feel cohesive and during which attendees can move naturally from meetings to meals without added complexity.
Whether event professionals are planning a large-scale event at the Bank of Springfield Center; setting up lodging at the connected President Abraham Lincoln Springfield Hotel, A DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel; or mulling over the numerous meeting spaces the Illinois State Fair
Grounds offers, Springfield has what most planners need. Because of this, planners often come back.
“The Illinois Pork Producers Association had their first reimagined annual meeting with us,” says Brackney. “The association used most of the venues in the library, had an evening event at the museum, and now they’re looking to incorporate Union Station as well. That’s how things are meant to work.”
Because no matter what kind of meeting you want to plan, Springfield and its team of event and destination professionals have a way of continuing to evolve their offerings, adding layer after layer of things for attendees to discover.
“There are some meetings that cannot be done over email,” concludes Kondelis. “And it is those meetings that are meant [to be held in] Springfield.”
agr.illinois.gov/statefair boscenter.com
cozydogdrivein.com curatespringfield.com hilton.com ihg.com maldaners.com nps.gov/ilho obedandisaacs.com polebarnchic.com
presidentlincoln.illinois.gov visitspringfieldillinois.com velespringfield.com
Inventive Illinois planners are blazing trails by refreshing the vibe of traditional meetings
BY SHELBY DEERING
You are attending an opening breakfast for an event, and suddenly, you hear music that’s worthy of a dance club—a DJ is spinning tunes as you enjoy your omelet. During a break, you and your colleagues play arcade games, or you head to a wellness area for some much-needed rest and revitalization. And you can’t get enough of the performances put on by professional dancers and actors during the event.
This is the kind of gathering that Anthony Navarro, creative director at Liven It Up Events, throws. With offices in both Chicago and Los Angeles, Navarro is one of those innovative, hip planners who is taking the industry by storm, and he joins the ranks of fellow trailblazers who are shaking up meetings and events.
Long gone are the days of cucumber finger sandwiches and PowerPoint presentations with seemingly no end in sight. Instead, these reinvigorated events are powerhouses of fun, filled with the fresh and unexpected.
For instance, instead of “checking boxes,” as Michelle Durpetti, founder of Chicago’s Michelle Durpetti Events, calls it, she sees every event through the lens of “experience and energy.” That is something that Jodi Wolf, CEO of Chicago’s Paulette Wolf Events, centers on as well, saying that she doesn’t just produce meetings, but instead notes, “We shape experiences that move industries forward.” Meanwhile, Akeshi Akinseye, CEO of Kesh Events and author of “The Art of Celebrating: Inspiration and Ideas for Meaningful Gatherings,” serves clients in Chicago and worldwide by shifting the conversation from trend-driven events—instead, she’s all about “meaningful, impactful, and experience-led celebrations.”
Often the most innovative planners fundamentally do things differently, focusing on experiences rather than fly-by-night, standard food, beverage, and decor. And this is something that resonates with attendees. Illinois Meetings + Events chats with several of the state’s top meeting planner trendsetters.
There are some top buzzwords surrounding innovation in the meetings industry right now, and they include “culture,” “engagement,” “storytelling,” and “meaningful.” And, of course, clever uses of technology also come into play.
As Wolf sets out to innovate an event, she takes time to understand each client’s brand, which is another trending buzzword. This branding, which injects the distinctive personality of each company and client into an event, can come in the form of interactive elements, as Wolf calls them. She often turns to things like virtual environments and interactive apps, things she says create immersive experiences.
For The Nature Conservancy (based in Arlington, Virginia) 60th Anniversary Gala, Wolf shares that a tech-enabled environment set the scene, complete with images and video mapping on the ceiling of the venue.
“We used projection mapping to enliven and animate the surroundings of the attendees,” says Wolf. “At the appointed hour, a buffalo stampede was unveiled above the audience with a drumline to direct attendees’ attention to the front of the stage for the brief program.”
Music has been a tried-and-true staple for all types of events, and Akinseye likes to integrate it in unanticipated ways. She says, “I love to curate the musical experience and create transitions between spaces that shift the mood, energy, and design in a way that feels intentional. I also like moments of surprise and delight; a surprise dance or entertainment between courses is always a hit.”
Some innovative planners squarely focus on attendee activities. For example, Navarro recently turned traditional caricatures on their head by having attendees drawn in highfashion ensembles, and additionally through something he calls sketchbots, “where you take a selfie at a photo station, and a robot then sketches you.” He also isn’t afraid of unforeseen themes. Once reserved only for raves, an LED “glow party” orchestrated by Navarro included glowing games, luminous cocktails, and incandescent bartops.
“Unconventional venues are another fun way to engage attendees and get them excited about attending,” Wolf points out, who has held events at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Navy Pier, and Soldier Field. Navarro says that he recently activated Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and was able to use the full roster of entertainment used during the NBA’s Indiana Pacers basketball games, “including the drum corps, cheerleaders, an acrobatic dunk team, pyrotechnics, and the team’s mascots,” he says.
“Build a team that challenges you, supports you, and elevates the work. Creativity doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in collaboration.”
–MICHELLE DURPETTI Founder, Michelle Durpetti Events
“Find what you are good at and use that as your superpower. And don’t be afraid of your ‘crazy’ ideas— they are usually the best ones.”
–AKESHI AKINSEYE CEO, Kesh Events
While these visionaries do things in their own ways, they have one thing in common: They’re not tied to the trends. “We always start with people, not Pinterest,” Durpetti says, about understanding clients’ visions. “Our job is to listen and build from that rather than applying a formula.”
So, how do these game-changers come up with these grand plans to innovate meetings? Well, as Wolf says, she starts with a blank canvas. “Since no two clients are the same, their meetings shouldn’t be either,” she says. “We design each program from the ground up based on brand, audience, and objectives. We break up the expected with strategic energy shifts throughout the day, interactive personalized touch points, movement-based activations, and special guest appearances, turning the meeting into part of the journey.”
Durpetti has planned galas and many other corporate events that have featured live performances on expansive stages and even a bevy of performers wearing feather-festooned headpieces. She always starts with avoiding “what has typically been done.”
“Instead, we start with intention, what this should feel like, and what people should walk away remembering,” she describes. “From there, every decision is filtered through that lens.” For Akinseye, she likes to think about the five senses, whether that’s through culinary experiences, entertainment, decor, architecture, or cultural moments.
Innovation isn’t innovation without taking some risks, and those risks can be personal from planner to planner. Wolf shares that she recently hired Jim Karas, a Chicago fitness trainer who owns a well-known weight-loss management firm in the city, to “transform a traditional meeting break into an energizing experience getting attendees up, moving, and recharged while reinforcing the value of fitness and healthy living,” creating a “literal shakeup” of their meeting. Even though it was a bit outside the norm for a movement break, Wolf says it was a “wildly successful risk.”
For a closing-night award ceremony, Navarro says he took a risk by placing unique performance acts throughout the event, which included
high-energy dance numbers, atmospheric acts, and a roller-skating duo who had appeared on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”
“After the show concluded, various high-level team members came up to us and told us that we should have sold tickets to that show, because it was award-worthy in and of itself,” he says.
Some planners find it risky when they put themselves out there in a way they are unaccustomed to. For Durpetti, that was launching a YouTube channel focused on the world of event planning. “It felt time-consuming and vulnerable, and there is always a level of uncertainty when you are putting your voice out there in a new way,” she says. “But it has become an incredibly rewarding platform. I started receiving inquiries from it, and it allows me to communicate directly and honestly, educating both clients and fellow creatives.”
Through their intrepidness, these changemaking planners are bringing about positive
Clockwise from left: The 2025 Simon National Con ference by Liven It Up Events, partially held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis; Luminescent performance at the Simon conference, also partially held at the JW Marriott Indianapolis; A 2023 cele bratory event produced by Michelle Durpetti Events at the Chicago History Museum; Stage-length LED wall during the Simon conference at the JW Marriott; Book launch celebration by Kesh Events at The Langham Hotel in Chicago with feathery entertainment
evolutions, both in the industry and among clients who discover that there are fresh, forward-thinking ways to go about meetings.
Navarro says that raising of the bar has resulted in better, even more creative experiences, and attendees who “get a taste of happiness.”
He says, “They feel inspired, and they bring that back out to the world. When they do this, they start having a positive effect on other people, and then it just has a chain reaction.” If such a chain reaction is something that you would like to start fueling through your own innovative events, these visionary planners have some invaluable pieces of advice.
Firstly, Wolf maintains it’s important to have honest, collaborative conversations early. “Share exciting, creative ideas, but frame them within the client’s objectives, budget, and audience expectations,” she advises. “When clients understand the why behind innovation, they’re far more open to embracing it.”
Durpetti says it’s key to trust your creativity, instincts, perspective, and points of view,
since those are “differentiators” that distinguish your work. She adds, “Build a team that challenges you, supports you, and elevates the work. Creativity doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in collaboration.”
Navarro notes meeting planners shouldn’t bite off more than they can chew, and to learn how to tackle event elements in muliple stages.
“Progress with your clients as you gain more experience and add a little bit every time you produce an event,” he recommends. “If you overpromise—and you either do not have the vendor resources to accomplish it or the experience to produce it properly—even though you have all of these fun and unique ideas, they might not execute all that well.”
Lastly, Akinseye says, “Find what you are good at and use that as your superpower. And don’t be afraid of your ‘crazy’ ideas—they are usually the best ones.”
durpettievents.com keshevents.com
livenitup.com pwe-e.com
“Unconventional venues are another fun way to engage attendees and get them excited about attending.”
–JODI WOLF CEO, Paulette Wolf Events
» THE CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL approved a groundbreaking resolution establishing a tourism improvement district (TID) for Chicago in mid-March, a move that will provide a stable and dedicated funding source for Choose Chicago, the city’s destination marketing organization. The TID positions Chicago to effectively compete with peer urban areas, including more than 200 others with comparable funding laws, whose destination marketing organizations continuously benefit from significantly larger and more consistent budgets.
“This is a transformative moment for Chicago’s tourism industry,” says Kristen Reynolds, president and CEO of Choose Chicago.
“With the TID in place, we now have the enhanced resources to match the ambition and vibrancy of our city. This investment will allow us to amplify our marketing efforts, attract more conventions and events, and ultimately deliver significant benefits to Chicago’s economy and communities.”
The TID will generate funds through a 1.5% assessment on lodging stays at hotels with 100 or more rooms within designated zip codes; the assessment went into effect May 1. The resulting funds are projected to reach $40 million annually.
choosechicago.com | visitorstodayjobstomorrow.com
T he publication La Liste ranked The Peninsula Chicago, a Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond hotel since its opening in 2001, the No. 1 hotel in the world last summer, in a tie with nine other properties. The dramatic, opulent hotel on Michigan Avenue features 339 guest rooms and 11 indoor meeting rooms that range from expansive to intimate, including two ballrooms with capacity of up to 550 people for a cocktail reception and windows with views of the Magnificent Mile. The Terrace restaurant, with an outdoor patio suitable for up to 450 attendees, is influenced by Shanghai, China, in the 1930s. The restaurant also has a private dining room seating up to 30.
peninsula.com
» CHOOSE CHICAGO promoted several employees and hired a vice president of sales in the first quarter of this year. The organization elevated five staffers in late March, shortly after the creation of the Chicago Tourism Improvement District, with its projected future revenue to be directed to the budget of the destination marketing organization.
Dustin Arnheim , Choose Chicago’s vice president of sales and client services since 2022, became chief sales officer, and he will spearhead the organization’s global sales strategy, including driving meeting and convention demand, advancing client engagement, and serving as a key ambassador for Chicago.
“Dustin’s leadership has been instrumental in strengthening our sales organizations and delivering meaningful results for the city of Chicago,” says Kristen Reynolds, the organization’s president and CEO. “He brings a
powerful combination of strategic vision, deep industry relations, and a people-first leadership style that will continue to elevate Chicago as a premier global meetings destination.”
In addition, Choose Chicago promoted Radhika Agarwal to vice president of human resources, Joanie Faletto to become senior manager of social media, Brenna Gannon to senior marketing and communications manager for the Chicago Sports Commission, and Stephen Crano to senior manager of corporate communications. Choose Chicago also hired Shakara Shelton for the role of vice president of sales. Shelton most recently served as national sales manager for Hilton Hotels & Resorts of McLean, Virginia.
“These promotions and this new hire reflect both the strength of our team and our commitment to building a best-in-class organization,” Reynolds adds. choosechicago.com
United Airlines of Chicago will modernize its fleet, acquiring 250-plus additional aircraft over the next two years to replace many Boeing 757s and some smaller jets. The airplanes will create new experiences for transcontinental travelers and introduce fresh onboard products for every passenger. The new models include the Coastliner Airbus A321, United’s first narrowbody aircraft with elevated interiors and featuring a lie-flat seat in United Polaris business class; the Airbus A321XLR, which will double the number of premium seats to 32; the Bombardier CRJ450, operated by SkyWest to connect smaller cities to the airline’s Denver and Chicago hubs; and the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, also with elevated interiors and 27-inch, 4K OLED seatback screens—the largest screens among U.S. carriers. Many of these planes will begin service this year.
“These new planes and products not only complement our fleet and network plans, but they also give customers more premium amenity and seat choices—whether they bought a basic economy ticket to fly from Chicago to Fort Wayne, Indiana, or are flying United Polaris business class between San Francisco and Singapore,” says United Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella in a prepared statement. “United Airlines is setting the pace and innovating at a scope and scale unheard of in aviation history—and we’re not taking our foot off the gas.” united.com
The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) hosted the organization’s 2025 Stars of the Industry Awards at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel on Dec. 11. The awards ceremony, which included a luncheon, honored Illinois hotel employees chosen by peers as going above and beyond in their jobs. The awardees included Sheila Miller of The Gwen Hotel in Chicago in the Housekeeping category, Jérémy Foissac of Adorn Bar & Restaurant at the Four Seasons Chicago as top Mixologist, and Brit McKinney of the Hampton Inn Decatur/Mt. Zion as Hotelier of the Year. Encore, with a U.S. base in Schiller Park, handled most of the decor; Chicago’s Fig Media furnished a DJ; and the band Libido Funk Circus energized many of the 1,325 attendees from the Illinois hospitality industry.
1. Michael Jacobson 2. Festive table setup 3. Aja Miller 4. Beth Marchetti, Scott Dahl, Gina Speckman, and Maureen Riedy 5. Scott Tucci 6. Scott Ball, Michelle Geiger, and Michael Jacobson 7. Justin Cedeno 8. 2025 Stars of the Industry Awards winners: Sheila Miller, Michael Krause, Aja Miller, Michael Jacobson, Brian Ortega, Didier Luneau, Scott Tucci, Brian Wilson, Jen Rickelman, Raquel Toro, Nikki Espana, Casey Frankel, Kelly Van Diggelen, Dennis Jones, Michelle Geiger, Bryan Farbiz, Mirham Mahmutagic, Jérémy Foissac, and Brit McKinney
Rochester, Minnesota is quietly redefining what a meetings destination can be. It’s compact, connected, and refreshingly easy to navigate. With a vibrant downtown convention district, Minnesota’s largest ballroom, and 2,400 hotel rooms connected by skyway, Rochester delivers big-city capabilities without big-city friction.
Cort Carlson, executive director of the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, heads up a ‘small, but mighty’ team that is positioning the region as a big meetings player BY
TODD R. BERGER
After Cort Carlson graduated from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, he settled in Elgin, Illinois, near his hometown of Carpentersville in Chicago’s northern suburbs. While there, he read an article in the Elgin Daily Courier News about the city getting a riverboat casino downtown on the Fox River and the likely increase in tourism traffic that would come from it. The article mentioned the Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and, Carlson notes, “I did not know that the convention and visitors bureau existed [before I read that]. But I was fresh out of college, looking for a job. So, I blindly sent them a resume and cover letter saying, basically, ‘Hey, [the riverboat casino] is going to [be a big deal] for Elgin tourism. You are probably going to need more staffing. And if there is an opening for a marketing or public relations position, I am interested.’ And, sure enough, they hired me.”
For Carlson, who today is the executive director of the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, a career was born from that initial foothold in Elgin. After subsequent stints around the state at the Lake County, Illinois Convention & Visitors Bureau in Gurnee and in retail marketing, he joined the fledgling McHenry County Convention & Visitors Bureau in Woodstock, Illinois. He says, “McHenry County was a brand-new bureau. I was the first hired staff and executive director, so I built the bureau [from the ground up]. I was there for seven years, and it went from nothing to a well-established, certified, grant-funded Illinois convention and visitors bureau. Building that bureau from scratch was really satisfying.”
Some 11 years ago, Carlson accepted the top job at the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, which represents 12 suburbs. He heads up a team of five fulltime employees. Carlson says, “We are a pretty small convention and visitors bureau, but we work hard and get a lot done. We’re aggressive and good at what we do, I think. We are small, but mighty.”
He is most excited about the June opening of the 226-room Hollywood Casino Aurora, which, along with The Herrington Inn & Spa in nearby Geneva, raises the area’s meetings profile. He says, “We are creating the branding now [to position the area] as a regional meetings destination. We will become a big player, and the casino hotel and the Herrington Inn will allow us to do that, which is very cool.”
enjoyaurora.com
