April 1 saw the start of Jim Russell’s tenure as global head, business events solutions, for Maritz. After 36 years on the supplier side of the business, Russell now leads the team of event producers for a human-performance-focused firm that is one of the largest meeting and incentive agencies in the world.
In addition, Russell is presently the chair of the International Board of Directors for MPI, recognized as a global leader influencing the future of meetings and events.
Russell comes over from Freeman, where he was an executive vice president who led the sales team for Freeman Audio Visual Services for 17 years. He started his career in 1990 with PSAV (now Encore) and spent 19 years there.
He brings “deep industry expertise and a proven track record of driving strategic growth, innovation and operational excellence within some of the most respected companies in the events industry,” according to a Maritz media release.
Commentary From Russell’s First Exclusive Interview
In his first media interview after the announcement, Russell told Meetings Today that his role is “to oversee the team that puts on events from start to finish for our client partners, to make sure those are executed with excellence.”
Russell noted that his coming over from decades on the supplier side—specifically the audiovisual and production sector—will be advantageous for Maritz’s clients.
“Part of the reason I was asked to take on this role is because I have a different perspective and a different way of looking at events," he said. "To bring that type of thinking about what can be done within the corporate and association live-event experience will, I hope, add a lot of value.
“Coming from the production side, I can say, ‘Let’s think a little differently about that task—let’s not position it to our customers as a cost but rather as an investment, and let’s be specific about what we’re trying to deliver as outcomes,'" he added. "From that, we should then invest only in things that will be fruitful. Production services is a huge lever for how we get learning across to attendees and get the intended messages across during the event and beyond the event.”
In at least one way, it might take some time for Russell to get used to being on the planner side of the business.
“I just got a notification that I was accepted as a hosted buyer for the IMEX Frankfurt show in May and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a pretty interesting thing,’ because I’m used to be being on the other side of that,” he said.
Maritz CEO David Peckinpaugh Weighs In
Russell's new boss, David Peckinpaugh, president and CEO of Maritz, said the industry veteran will bring a mindset and leadership skills that will benefit the company.
“Jim is an exceptional leader whose innovative mindset and global perspective align perfectly with the culture and capabilities at Maritz,” Peckinpaugh said. “This addition to our team enables me to focus more fully on my CEO responsibilities as part of long-term succession planning, and I couldn’t be more confident in his ability to help chart the next chapter of Business Events Solutions at Maritz. His leadership philosophy mirrors our commitment to developing talent, fostering collaboration and supporting the success of our people. Most importantly, Jim’s vision and experience will bring even more creative, high-impact solutions to our clients.”
Russell added in the release that “Maritz has a unique ability to combine behavioral science, creativity and data to drive meaningful business outcomes. I’m excited to join a team that is not only shaping the future of business events, but redefining the role those experiences play in helping organizations connect, perform and grow.”
