Category Archives: Event News Articles

Event News Articles on GovEvents Blog includes editorials directly pertaining to Government & Military Event News.

Looking Back at the 2016 Federal Events Market

Posted on by


It's the time of year when everyone finds themselves wondering how time went by so fast and what the new year will bring. We thought we'd jump on the bandwagon of reflection with a look back at the federal event market predictions we made at the beginning of 2016.

Here's a re-cap of the predictions and what really happened in the past 12 months:

Prediction 1: More creativity in events - We did see many events shaking up their normal routines and adding more interactive sessions and more social media to shows. Amazon Web Services used a social media center to share conference information and activity as it was happening at their annual public sector event. We're looking forward to seeing the reaction to ASAE's unconference format that will be introduced this May in Washington, DC.[Tweet "What the new year will bring for #Federal events. #GovEventsBlog"] Continue reading →

Go Take a Hike

Posted on by

The television show, The West Wing, was famous for its walk and talk scenes. But more than being dramatic, there is something to the function of moving while talking. Companies across all industries are implementing walking meetings for problem solving and collaborative discussions with great results. A Harvard Business Review study found that those who participate in walking meetings are 5.25% more likely to report being creative at their jobs than those who do not. Additionally, walking meeting participants are 8.5% more likely to report high levels of engagement. While these are not huge numbers, it shows that there is something to be said about the connection between movement and engagement.[Tweet "Walking meeting participants report high levels of engagement. #GovEventsBlog"] Continue reading →

Great Expectations: What Sponsors Want

Posted on by

What would happen if sponsors at tradeshows and conferences suddenly disappeared? Most likely there would be significantly fewer events, as there would not be enough money to pull most of them off. Much like our post that looked at events without a speaker, we likely won't see sponsor-less shows, but we may see sponsors playing a different role at events--becoming more of a participant and less of a funding source.[Tweet "What would happen if sponsors at conferences suddenly disappeared? #GovEventsBlog"]

Part of this transition is in response to many organizations who are no longer content to hand over money just to receive a logo on a sign in return. They need (and deserve) tangible returns for their investment. This evolution is being driven by sponsor and exhibitor expectations but has an incredibly powerful impact on the attendee experience as well. Sponsors want to be more involved in events. This can mean including their executives and experts as speakers or being involved in the event planning process. It can also mean providing access to attendees beyond waving them over on the show floor. Sponsors are hoping to build relationships with attendees that extend beyond the show dates.[Tweet "Sponsors want to be more involved in events. #GovEventsBlog"] Continue reading →

Behind the Curtain: 2016 AMSUS Federal Health 2016

Posted on by

AMSUSIn this Behind the Curtain feature, we're taking a look at one of the longest running events for the federal market, the 2016 AMSUS Annual Federal Health Continuing Education Meeting. AMSUS, The Society for Federal Health Professionals, was founded in 1891 and formally chartered by an act of Congress in 1903 for the advancement of federal health. In the time that the Chicago Cubs were without a World Series title, AMSUS has continued to evolve through medical trends, wartime needs, and peacetime support. Their annual conference is a unique venue that brings together military health officers for in-depth education on the latest technologies, tools, and techniques.[Tweet "A look behind the curtain at #AMSUS Federal Health 2016 #GovEventsBlog"]

This year's event is scheduled for November 29-December 2 at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort just outside of Washington, DC. The theme for 2016 is "Raising the Bar" and the Executive Director of AMSUS, VADM Mike Cowan, MC, USN (Ret.) took time to share some details about what attendees can expect at this year's event.[Tweet "Executive Director of AMSUS, VADM Mike Cowan, MC, USN (Ret.) discusses #AMSUS 2016"] Continue reading →

The UnConference

Posted on by

Much like Alice learned when happening upon the unbirthday party in Wonderland, everyone wins when events become inclusive - it's more about the group than one single person. This idea, as fantastical as it sounds, is truly making its way into the event world. We wrote earlier this year about events without speakers as well as how streaming technologies are allowing attendees to broadcast event content themselves. But these are isolated tactics. What might a complete unconference look like?[Tweet "What might a complete unconference look like? #GovEventsBlog"]

We may get our answer this May when the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE) launches their new program, Xperience Design Project (XDP). This program replaces the association's long running and wildly popular Springtime conference. This event ran like a typical tradeshow with keynote speakers, break-out sessions, and a trade show floor, but organizers found that attendees were ready for something different. Continue reading →