The initiative strengthens the industry’s unified policy voice and expands engagement opportunities across the business and professional events sector.

KIAWAH ISLAND, SC—Earlier today at the SISO CEO Summit, the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), the unified public policy voice of the U.S. business and professional events industry, announced the launch of ECA 2.0. Through this initiative, the alliance will advance its advocacy impact, expand engagement across the industry, and build a more sustainable platform for long-term value creation.

Building on ECA’s success over the past five years, ECA 2.0 represents the organization’s next phase of growth. Throughout 2026 and beyond, ECA will double down on its advocacy work in Washington, D.C., while introducing new opportunities for industry leaders and advocates to engage in support of ECA’s public policy priorities. At the same time, ECA will launch new programs, services, and tools that more closely connect stakeholders across the industry to the action inside the Beltway, the policy issues that matter most, and to one another.

This next phase highlights the ongoing critical need for a strong, unified public policy voice for an industry that drives more than $400 billion in economic activity annually and employs 2.6 million Americans.

“ECA has made significant progress in a relatively short period of time, and ECA 2.0 is about building on that foundation with purpose and ambition,” said Fernando Fischer, Chair of the ECA Board of Directors and President, Americas for RX. “As our industry continues to navigate a complex policy environment, this effort will help ensure that ECA remains responsive, strengthens its connection to the industry, and expands its engagement with policymakers at all levels of government.”

Since its launch in 2021, ECA has helped secure several important public policy wins for the industry, including advances in international travel, workforce development, scam prevention, tax policy, and more.

The development of ECA 2.0 was supported by SG Strategy, including Christoph Schedl and Jakob Kjeldsmark, who partnered with the ECA Board of Directors and member associations to help shape the initiative.

As part of this next chapter, ECA also announced that Tommy Goodwin has been appointed the alliance’s first President and Chief Executive Officer. Goodwin, who joined ECA at its founding in 2021, most recently served as Executive Vice President.

“From day one, Tommy has helped build ECA from the ground up and consistently delivered policy wins that matter to the industry,” said Hervé Sedky, Secretary of the ECA Board of Directors and President and Chief Executive Officer of Emerald. “He has effectively brought together event and meeting organizers, exhibitors, venues, and suppliers to create a strong advocacy voice in Washington, D.C. The Board of Directors is confident that Tommy is the right leader to guide ECA through this next phase of growth and impact.”

For more on ECA and its work on behalf of the industry, click here.

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About the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance:

The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) is a coalition of leading associations comprising the unified public policy voice of the business and professional events industry.

ECA’s member associations include:

• Experiential Designers & Producers Association (EDPA)
• Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA)
• International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE)
• International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM)
• International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)
• PCMA
• Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO)
• UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry