Neal Mintz (left), director, third-party partnerships; and Brian Ludwig, senior vice president, sales, Cvent, explored the key trends that are helping meeting managers transform their meetings and events—they even recited a poem Ludwig wrote just for the occasion.
Brent Snyder, director of IS, Gray Consulting International Meetings and Incentives; Mark Solomon, GForce Promotions; and Beeta Soltani, Cvent, enjoyed each others company.
Left to right: Ingrid Catlin, Tata Consultancy Services; Philip Snyder, The Venetian and Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casinos; and Jennifer Aiello, MWI Veterinary Supply, at the opening evening reception.
Left to right: Cathie Myers and Shelly Sichta with Best Friends Animal Society share a moment with opening general session speaker, artist, and author Erik Wahl.
Donna Kastner, who recently was promoted to vice president, expo/sponsor sales and activation with Velvet Chainsaw Consulting, tossing the Catchbox throwable microphone to a participant in a session she led on the secrets to stimulate more revenue through sponsorships.
Cvent staffers (from left to right) Cara Krueger, David Johnson, Rachel Gorsky, Jack Bleyaert, and Beeta Soltani joined Caroline Hartman, Aimia (third from right), in celebrating a successful kickoff to the event at the first evening’s colorful, kaleidoscope-themed welcome reception and dinner at The Venetian.
PSAV's Greg Van Dyke gave a rousing closing presentation on how technological innovations are affecting the daily lives of today's consumers—otherwise known as meeting attendees.
Speaker, artist, and author Erik Wahl shared the stage with Cvent's vice president of marketing and Summit emcee Eric Eden during the opening general session.
Cvent's leaders congratulating some of the planner award winners honored in 2014.
Heidi Bullock, senior director of marketing with Marketo, offered lots of tips and advice on how to increase event marketing initiative effectiveness during a breakout session.
The opening night reception was a big hit with attendees, who also got to experience an event at the Venetian's Tao Restaurant the following evening.
Theatrical group Improv Everywhere livened up a general session when they overtook the stage and broke into a musical number.
A few thousand additional virtual attendees tuned into the live broadcast of a session featuring meeting and event planners discussing how they use technology. Pictured are Julie Pugh, Cisco; Kim Scott, Illumina; and Kimberly Throne, John Deere World Headquarters, with moderator Cvent's Eric Eden.
Both Erik Wahl and general session speaker Bill McDermott with software giant SAP got resounding standing ovations from the audience.
A ballroom was set aside as the Ask the Experts and Innovation Pavillion, which in addition to setting the stage for several mini-theater demos was a consistently popular place to hang out and meet with other attendees and ever-present Cvent staffers.
