At the Society of Independent Show Organizers CEO Summit in early March, 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.
Building on ECA’s success since its launch in 2021 during the Covid pandemic, ECA 2.0 will double down on the group’s advocacy work in Washington, D.C., while introducing new opportunities for industry leaders and advocates to support ECA’s public-policy priorities.
Further, ECA will launch new programs, services, and tools that more closely connect stakeholders across the events industry to the action inside the Beltway on the policy issues that matter most.
ECA 2.0 will highlight the ongoing need for a strong, unified public policy voice for the business- and professional-events events industry, which drives more than $400 billion in economic activity annually and employs 2.6 million Americans.
“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,” said Fernando Fischer, ECA board chair and president, Americas for RX (formerly Reed Exhibitions).
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.
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, most recently served as executive vice president.
“Tommy has helped build ECA from the ground up and consistently delivered policy wins that matter to the industry,” said Hervé Sedky, ECA board secretary and president and CEO of exhibition organizer Emerald. “He has effectively brought together event and meeting organizers, exhibitors, venues, and suppliers to create a strong advocacy voice in Washington, D.C.”
ECA’s Public Policy Agenda for 2026
ECA’s agenda is focused on six areas critical to strengthening the events industry and having it continue to serve as a growth engine for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and communities nationwide. They are:
- Trade and tariffs: ECA supports trade policies that preserve affordability and reduce uncertainty for the industry and its customers.
- International travel: ECA supports policies that lower barriers to attracting international exhibitors, attendees, and buyers, including reducing visa wait times, modernizing visa processing, and eliminating unnecessary fees and overly restrictive policies that deter travel to the U.S. for events.
- Taxes: ECA supports federal, state, and local tax policies that enhance industry competitiveness while opposing measures that disproportionately harm the U.S. business and professional events ecosystem.
- Workforce development: ECA supports policies that strengthen the industry’s ability to recruit, train, and retain its next-generation workforce.
- Sustainability: ECA supports common-sense policies and industry-led efforts that help ensure the industry maintains control of its path to Net Zero.
- Operating environment: ECA supports a competitive, predictable policy environment that supports innovation and growth throughout the industry.
ECA’s member associations include the Experiential Designers & Producers Association; Exhibition Services & Contractors Association; International Association of Exhibitions and Events; International Association of Venue Managers; International Congress and Convention Association; Professional Convention Management Association; Society of Independent Show Organizers; and UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.
