Passing the Baton

Editorial Note: Originally published in the June 2023 issue of Trade Show Executive magazine.

You never know how those of us in the exhibitions and events industry found our way into it, and the stories are often surprising. In my case, I was the first person in my family to attend a four-year university in lieu of taking over my father’s dry-cleaning business based on his advice to pursue a career I am passionate about. I attended the Michigan State University School of Hospitality Business because my friend’s parents owned a catering business and that appealed to me. Now, 47 years later, I’ve had a wonderful career working with hotels, convention bureaus and associations.

This would not be possible without great mentors along the way. I warmly recall Kathy Ray, who was the resident manager of one of the hotels I worked for out of Chicago. Kathy taught me the value of developing a personal brand. She stressed the importance of only making promises that can be delivered because while promises may close deals, unfulfilled commitments are detrimental to continued business. Whether you are in sales, marketing, membership, finance, etc., your brand is your personal reputation. The better that reputation is, the more career opportunities you’re going to have. I am grateful for those words of wisdom that have guided me since.

We manage ourselves at the front end of our careers, and in building my personal brand I concentrated on operating with honesty and integrity in order to build trust and credibility. I embraced the golden rule, treating others as I would like to be treated, which is not difficult when you are genuinely interested in the people behind the business. This has allowed me to build relationships that have not only benefited me professionally, but personally. At this point in my life, the lines between fruitful business partnerships and close personal friendships are fairly blurred – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As I moved into managing teams, it was important to me to continue building on that foundation. My goal with team members is to empower them with room to grow into the next generation of leaders, while also providing the support and guidance they require from me. As an executive leader, it is my duty to vet team members that demonstrate a high sense of ‘can do’ attitude, creativity and thought leadership that I can amplify for the greatest benefit of the organization. I can honestly say that my managerial style is one of cultivating the best teams I can through mutual respect and collaboration.

Fast forward a few decades and a question I believe seasoned executives should ask themselves is, “Am I leaving the team better than it was when I started?” I was fortunate in inheriting a strong team, but when I conclude my 11-year tenure at IAEE at the end of this year, I feel I am leaving the best team IAEE has ever had and one of the best Board of Directors that I helped nurture, recruit and recommend. Much like a superb relay race runner, I am handing the baton to my successor at the team’s peak stride.

I am blessed to have a fulfilling career that has come through hard earned accolades sprinkled with the inevitable failures that translate into valuable learning experiences and I look forward to seeing you in the future as I pursue my next career stop in our industry. In the meantime, I humbly share my story in hopes it serves those in the process of composing their own career narrative and encourage all executive leaders to duly consider how they will pass the baton.

David DuBois, CMP Fellow, CAE, FASAE, CTA
IAEE President & CEO
Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance Co-President