Meeting Professionals International and host city partners Meet AC and Caesars Entertainment have unveiled several unique and exciting networking opportunities at this year’s World Education Congress (WEC) in Atlantic City.

MPI is offering a new registration option – the WEC Networking Package – that grants exclusive entry to all four evening events, including the MPI Foundation’s Rendezvous, which will be headlined by the Grammy® Award-winning band Train.

Cvent, a cloud-based enterprise event management company, entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by affiliates of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm focused on investments in software, data and technology-enabled businesses.

Vista will acquire 100 percent of the outstanding shares of Cvent common stock for a total value of approximately $1.65 billion.

“We are pleased to announce this transaction that provides a significant premium for Cvent stockholders,” said Reggie Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Cvent.

Las Vegas top meetings and convention experts came together April 14 to celebrate the first Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) at the newly opened T-Mobile Arena.

The event marked the expansion of North American Meetings Industry Day, held earlier this year and was spearheaded by the Meetings Mean Business Coalition and Convention Industry Council.

Hannover Fairs USA, a subsidiary of Germany-Based Deutsche Messe AG, will launch the North American Commercial Vehicle Show Sept. 25-29, 2017, in Atlanta.

The 300,000 square feet of planned exhibit space will allow suppliers, commercial vehicle OEMs and the supply chain to meet with and address the needs of the North American commercial vehicle industry audience, according to show organizers.

“The new North American Commercial Vehicle Show is a perfect fit with Deutsche Messe’s commercial vehicle events portfolio,” said HFUSA President and CEO of Larry Turner.

Chicago’s newest neighborhood, McCormick Square, has been unveiled by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority.

In her remarks at a luncheon held to present the new destination, MPEA CEO Lori Healey, detailed the current developments underway at McCormick Square.

“The addition of the Event Center and the Marriott Marquis Chicago, coupled with the Hyatt Regency, McCormick Place, and the exciting tourist attractions planned nearby, McCormick Square is becoming a destination rather than just a building,” Healey said.

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization’s BIO International Convention and Living in Digital Times’ Digital Health Summer Summit plan to collocate to bring together the biotech, pharma and digital health industries under one roof.

Both conferences will be held June 6-9 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

More than 260 for-profit show organizer CEOs, trade show industry suppliers, association leaders and guests gathered for the Society of Independent Show Organizers’ CEO Summit, held April 3-5 at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego, to not only take in high-level educational sessions, but also do plenty of networking.

David Audrain, who stepped into the role of SISO executive director earlier this year, said there were two main goals that the organization had for attendees coming to the event.

Successful branding differentiates a company from the competition, builds customer loyalty, and generates revenue.

Meeting and event professionals are also recognizing the importance of branding as a tool to achieve these goals.

This webinar will focus on the benefits of developing a strong event brand as well as strategies and tips on how you can re-ignite your own event’s brand for improved performance and results! Association marketing executives will present case study examples of event branding strategies.

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events has added another new chapter in Asia, the IAEE India Chapter.

The IAEE Board of Directors approved the creation of this new chapter during its meeting, held March 31 at the HITEX Exhibition Center in Hyderabad, India.

“This is another important step forward in the internationalization of IAEE,” said IAEE President and CEO David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA.

In the 1940s, department stores were the primary retailers of most every item for daily life, including stationery and writing instruments. Tessie Goldwater, a buyer for May’s Department Stores, regularly attended gift shows in New York and Chicago, but felt there was a need for a more specialized paper goods show.