Good day from your friends and colleagues at Exhibitor Group. Depending on when you are reading this column and taking in all of EXHIBITOR magazine's excellent content, we will either be anticipating or have just facilitated yet another outstanding EXHIBITORLIVE show and educational conference. I am very excited about the year ahead as the exhibitions and events industry continues to reach and even surpass 2019, the record-breaking year of results and activities.

The Exhibitor Group team continues to focus on providing the best education and networking for thousands of professionals in our industry. We have many new initiatives that have been developed and are being executed in order to help us achieve our mission and goals. I often refer to the four pillars that shore up our industry's foundation: attendees, supplier partners, exhibition and events organizers, and exhibitors. All of these individual groups are critical to our successes and must continue to synergistically work together as a team.

I have had the pleasure of participating in more than a dozen conversations with C-level executives who are leaders in their companies and in the exhibitions and events industry. These people helped me and Exhibitor Group's team prioritize the top issues that we will continue to focus on in EXHIBITOR magazine and all of our educational offerings. These issues are – not in any prioritized order – workforce development, AI, advocacy, sustainability, ROI/measurement, cost containment, and global trends.

We know that there is significant pressure to focus on all of our priorities because they all are important, and as we continue to work closely together, we will collaboratively achieve the goals that support the four pillars of our industry. Please reach out to me at any time if I or our team can be of assistance in helping you reach your goals (ddubois@exhibitorgroup.com).

As we reflect on the past year, I wish you continued success and a very successful 2024.E