This year, CMEE is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Launched in 1991, CMEE has grown into Canada’s largest and longest-running tradeshow for meeting and event professionals.
It’s the place to be for networking with suppliers, discovering destinations and venues, sourcing décor and event services, and staying connected to what’s next in the industry.
CMEE is especially known for its educational programming, designed to help industry professionals strengthen their skillsets and deliver better meetings and events.
We know that reaching 35 years in business in the meetings and events industry is rare. The industry has evolved dramatically over the years, and so have attendee expectations, networking styles, and the way events are delivered.
So, what’s the secret to lasting this long?
We’ve outlined five key reasons CMEE has continued to evolve, grow, and remain relevant for nearly four decades.
1. Reinvention Has Always Been Part of the DNA
To survive this long, we knew that adapting was key. We couldn’t stay the same tradeshow we had always been.
That evolution happened through changes both big and small, from refreshing our logo and updating speakers and educational programming, to larger, more complex shifts like reimagining our brand entirely.
In 2019, we became the Canadian Meetings + Events Expo (CMEE). A total rebrand from the known and loved IncentiveWorks. Then came 2020 — and we all know what happened next.
In a post-pandemic world, we faced the uphill battle of reintroducing a newly rebranded show while also navigating an industry that had fundamentally changed. The way people met, networked, and did business looked very different than it had before.
To move forward, we had to rethink the attendee experience and understand how industry professionals wanted to connect in this new environment.
“While some long-standing events can become overly attached to tradition, we at CMEE understood that staying relevant and engaging for our attendees and exhibitors meant we couldn’t stay stagnant,” said Shawn Shapiro, CMEE Show Manager. “We knew reinvention wasn’t a risk, it was necessary.”
2. Listening to the Industry
Another key reason CMEE has survived this long is because we take feedback seriously.
Our post-event surveys, exhibitor feedback, and conversations with planners, suppliers, venues, and attendees mean a great deal to us. If someone shares a suggestion or insight, it’s thoughtfully considered. We don’t like to operate on assumptions. Instead, we measure our growth and success through the people who attend and support the show.
That feedback has helped shape everything from programming and networking opportunities to broader industry initiatives connected to CMEE.
One example is our Hall of Fame. Through conversations with industry professionals, it became clear that people wanted to feel more involved in the nomination and selection process. In response, CMEE Show Manager Shawn Shapiro created the Hall of Fame committee. Today, committee members serve two-year terms and help select Hall of Fame inductees, creating a more collaborative and industry-driven process.
3. Identifying Gaps and Creating Experiences Around Them
Another reason CMEE has made it to 35 years is our ability to identify gaps and opportunities within the show itself.
No event is perfect. But recognizing areas for growth, and acting on them intentionally, is key to long-term success.
We know the tradeshow floor and educational programming are CMEE’s foundation. They’re what keep event professionals engaged, informed, and returning year after year. But we also knew attendees were looking for more meaningful ways to connect beyond the traditional show experience.
When we noticed many attendees were flying in the night before CMEE began, we recognized an opportunity to create additional networking experiences. Instead of leaving that time unused, we built something around it.
That insight led to the launch of the VIP Breakfast program — an experience designed to add value through elevated networking and more intentional industry connections. The response was immediate. The program sold out, with attendees citing the opportunity to build stronger relationships and take part in a networking experience they couldn’t find elsewhere.
For us, innovation has never been about change for the sake of change. It’s about being intentional, recognizing opportunities, and continuously finding new ways to better serve the industry.
4. Relationships Have Always Been the Foundation
As any event professional knows, relationship-building is everything. Countless events have grown, or even come to exist in the first place, because of strong, long-standing industry relationships.
CMEE didn’t make it to 35 years by operating alone. We’ve grown alongside the industry by building meaningful partnerships with organizations that share similar values — partnerships like the one we’ve built with EventMobi.
We work hard not only to establish relationships, but to nurture them over time. Whether it’s with venues, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, or attendees, we want our partners to know they are a vital part of CMEE’s success. Without them, we’d simply be another event on the calendar.
5. Community and Trust Keep People Coming Back
Finally, our community is what keeps people coming back. After nearly four decades, CMEE isn’t just an event people attend because they have to — it’s an event they trust.
When people come to CMEE, they know they’ll find value. They know they’ll have opportunities to network, strengthen relationships, and make the face-to-face connections that are difficult to replicate throughout the rest of the year. Most importantly, they trust that the people, conversations, and partnerships that matter to them will be there.
“That’s something newer events can’t duplicate overnight,” said Shawn Shapiro. “But they can work to ensure they deliver on those promises at each and every event in order to build that trust over time.”
At the end of the day, the meetings and events industry will continue to evolve — and so will we. After 35 years, we’re not afraid to grow and change. That’s the secret to our success: we’re not focused on preserving what we once were. We’re focused on continuing to evolve while staying connected to the incredible community that has supported us along the way.
Register for this year’s conference:
Use code word CELEBRATION
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