Organization will Address the Career Development and Education Needs for Seasoned Event and Meeting Professionals
August 17, 2026 – APEX Event Network (APEX), a Texas registered 501(c)6 nonprofit organization, has officially launched to elevate accomplished professionals in the events and meetings industry, as well as service providers, hospitality, destination, and other companies supporting events. APEX provides meaningful pathways to impactful work, peer mentoring and connections, and relevant education and skill building — enabling members to forge new careers and make a positive impact on the future of events and meetings.
APEX’s mission is to create pathways for continued professional relevance, collaboration, and contribution. While many industries struggle with how to retain institutional knowledge and leadership experience, APEX is focused on reframing it as a competitive advantage — not a liability. The board is committed to ensuring extensive knowledge and experience remains a valued asset in the modern workforce.
APEX will initially offer members monthly education webinars focused on later stage career development and transitioning, networking opportunities to connect with APEX members, member services in career coaching and finding contract work and new business opportunities, and articles and other resources. New events and services, as well as additional benefits will continually be added to address our members’ needs.
Initial member benefits include free registration for our monthly webinar series focused on later stage career development and transitioning, member services for career coaching, growing a consulting, event management, or other business, and a proprietary matchmaking tool for seasoned professionals to find freelance and consulting work, or new business opportunities from companies and organizations looking to hire highly experienced professionals. Peer-to-peer connections and mentoring opportunities, other member services, and more education and skill building events will be added soon.
APEX brings together industry veterans that continue to contribute deep expertise and knowledge across strategy, sales, marketing, meeting planning, operations, finance and other vital roles. The organization is led by a board of respected and seasoned industry leaders, including Tim McGuinness, President of Sterling Advisory, Karen Vogel, CEO of Event Performance Group, David Dubois, formerly President of IAEE and currently president of the DuBois Group, BJ Enright, President and CEO of Tradeshow Logic, Chris Brown, formerly with NAB and now President of Level Up Event Strategies, Dan Cole, recently Senior Director of Sales with AVIXA, Jill Birkett, formerly Event Director with Questex and now President of Escapades Together, Joe Felperin, Director of Channel Partnerships with Popshap, and Shelley Cohen Renn, a 30+ meeting planner veteran.
“APEX exists to help accomplished professionals transition to new career paths, start a consulting practice, launch new businesses, and continue to contribute to the growth of the events and meetings industry,” said McGuinness. “With event industry associations focused on young professionals and emerging leaders, APEX fills a gap to help seasoned event professionals that want to keep contributing, mentoring, and working — and the industry needs them to.”
“Ageism is real and many event professionals with years of experience are being laid off and often struggle to find the next step in their career,” said Vogel. “APEX is designed to help leaders and professionals in later stage careers find full-time, consulting, contract, and business opportunities, as well as improve their AI and other technical skills to compete with the younger workforce.”
Membership is open to professionals in the events, meetings, and experiential industries, as well as hospitality, media, destinations, venues, and service providers that support events. Members must have a minimum of 18 years of combined experience to join. The initial membership will start October 1, 2026 and run for 15 months through December 31, 2027, with 12-month membership renewals.