ENGAGE is the signature event of the Global Speaking Industry Association (GSIA), formerly the International Asssociation of Speakers Bureaus (IASB).

This invitation-only event features 3 days of educational programming, industry and roundtable discussions, robust networking opportunities, the Annual Industry Awards and the Speaker Showcase Program.  Learn More

Applications for the next Speaker Showcase are being accepted June 1 - July 1.

Apply to be one of 6 speakers that will be in the Speaker Showcase held during ENGAGE, our annual conference! 

Who's in the Audience?

Our members are professional booking agents who evaluating new speakers to recommend to their clients.  As part of the application process you'll be evaluated by a special group of our members and if selected as a Finalist, you will be invited to showcase in front of professional booking agents from around the world at our live showcase event and benefit from a 12-month marketing program.  This program is designed for professional speakers, emcees and corporate entertainment artists. 

Visit here to Learn More about the Requirements and Program Benefits

This program is available to professional speakers who have been nominated by an IASB/GSIA Member.  

A special curated program designed to deliver exceptional value and exclusive opportunities for speakers and members.

The Speaker Showcase has been a core program of IASB for over 25 years, bringing together professional speakers looking to take their speaking business to the next level with professional booking agents from around the globe. More than just a showcase, IASBtalks provides actionable, relevant feedback to applicants on what agents are looking for and provides speakers selected for the program with exclusive opportunities to engage with agents before, during and after the live showcase.  Agents benefit also with increased talent knowledge plus a special booking incentive just for Members!

Login here to view who is available for the incentive.

Learn more about the program including upcoming dates and deadlines.

GSIA/IASB is governed by a volunteer board who provide guidance and oversight and work in partnership with our  committees, teams and staff to carry out our strategic initiatives.  While we are a US-based nonprofit organization, we have members from 20+ countries around the world and value the variety of perspectives and experiences members volunteering on the board and committees bring to inform our decision making.  

• Learn more about the Election; Candidate Eligibility & Expectations.

In addition to providing leadership for our industry and association, serving as a Governor on the IASB Board is a fantastic way to enhance professional relationships that provide additional benefits to both the individual and the company supporting their service on the board. 

Apply by August 1^st

Applications for the board are accepted online year-round through the Candidate Interest Form (more info available here).   Forms received by the date above, are reviewed by the Nominating Committee for inclusion on the Annual Election Ballot that is voted on by members.  Elected Governors begin their term on January 1.  

For more information about the board, contact Marie in the IASB Office by email or phone +1 (480) 839-1423.

Volunteering on an IASB Committee or Team is a great opportunity to network with your colleagues and develop meaningful, fun relationships while collaborating on projects that enhance our industry and association.

We have a variety of opportunities and there is a place for everyone, whether you are new to the Association and looking for a short term position on a task force, or a long time member looking to give involved again.

For more info, visit the Committees section online or contact Marie in the IASB Office at info@iasbweb.org or +1 (480) 839-1423. 

Built to Elevate Our Industry Through Professional Education and Connections.

Designed to provide curated content for our global community, the LeaderPass platform is a secure, modern web application that runs in all web browsers.  Following up on our sneak peek for members at 2025 ENGAGE, we are thrilled to invite Members to experience our new learning platform as part of initial roll-out.  Learn More

Special Thanks to our Partners!

The Board welcomes 2 new volunteer leaders elected to the Board by the Membership to serve in the role of Governor-at-Large:   

• Brittanny Kreutzer
• Meta Nelson

The following individuals were elected by the Board as an Officer for 2026: 

• Jennifer Lier, Board President
• Mauricio Candiani, President-Elect
• Katie Lo, Secretary/Treasurer

IASB thanks the following Governors for their many years of distinguished service as they rotate off the board at the conclusion of their respective terms:

• Ivan Abanades, ThinkingHeads (Governor 2020-2025)
• Martin Perelmuter, Speakers Spotlight (Governor 2020-2021; President-Elect 2023; President 2024; Immediate Past President 2025).

2026 Executive Committee

Listed by Office along with the member company affiliation.

• President:  Jennifer Lier, National Keynote Speakers (USA)
• President-Elect: Mauricio Candiani, Allenamenti Speakers Bureau (Mexico)
• Secretary/Treasurer: Kate Lo, London Speaker Bureau (United Kingdom/Hong Kong)
• Immediate Past-President: Michelle Joyce, Michelle Joyce Speakers (USA)
• Executive Vice-President: Marie Fredette, CAE ex-officio 

2026 Governors-at-Large

Listed alphabetically by last name along with the member company affiliation.

• Governor: Donna Buttice, Platinum Speakers Agency (USA)
• Governor: Don Jenkins, Premiere Speakers Bureau (USA)
• Governor: Brittanny Kreutzer, The Speaker Exchange Agency (USA)
  
• Governor: Meta Nelson, Meta Speakers (USA)
• Governor: Alec Melman, Gotham Artists Talent Services (USA)
• Governor: Andrew Stoney,  JLA (United Kingdom)
  

For more information on the IASB Board of Governors, visit here: www.iasbweb.org/Leadership.

Are you a Member that is Interested in serving on the IASB Board or a Committee?

The IASB Nominating Committee strives to ensure Governors on the board are reflective of the diversity of member organizations – including business model, services offerred and geographic location.  If you are an owner or employee of an IASB Member organization and would like to learn more about serving as a Volunteer Leader on the Board or one of our Committees, please visit one of the pages below or contact IASB's Executive Vice-President Marie Fredette, CAE in the IASB Office - available by phone +1 480-839-1423 or via email.

• Board Information
• Committees

This year's showcase features 6 exceptional speakers carefully selected by the IASB Showcase Committee from 90+ applicants.  Members may preview these speakers live at the showcase being held at 2025 ENGAGE, IASB's Annual Convention.   

The best part? The first IASB Member to book them AFTER the showcase receives a special incentive!

Cam F. Awesome	Damon Dunn	Erin Hatzikostas	Gregory Offner	Henna Pryor, CSP	Sarah Wells
Managed by Upside Speakers			Managed by Eagles Talent

The IASB Speaker Showcase has been a core program of IASB for over 20 years, bringing together professional speakers looking to take their speaking business to the next level with professional booking agents from around the globe. More than just a showcase, IASBtalks provides actionable, relevant feedback to applicants on what agents are looking for and provides speakers selected for the program with exclusive opportunities to engage with agents before, during and after the live showcase.  Agents benefit also with increased talent knowledge plus a special booking incentive just for Members!

IASB recognizes Member Companies for their engagement and support of their local, regional and global communities through the Annual IASB Community Service Award which is .  

Nomination Deadline: October 1st

Members: login and upload a brief video showcasing your team telling us about one of your community service projects. Learn more:  www.iasbweb.org/CommunityService

Nominate* them for one of our two Industry Awards that will be presented at the IASB Annual Convention.

John Palmer Award

Recognizes an individual that has shown exemplary service to the association and bureau industry. 

Dottie Walters Helping Hand Award

View past recipients of these awards here. 

Nominations are accepted online through August 15

IASB Members are invited to nominate individuals for these awards using the online form available here (login required).  

This year's recipients were recognized during the Awards Program held at 2024 ENGAGE, IASB's Annual Convention held this year in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Lifetime Achievement Award

This prestigious award is presented by the Board of Governors to an individual to recognize their career achievements, leadership and volunteer service that have brought about significant industry advancement and contributed o the growth and standing of IASB.

• Jim Keppler, Founder of Keppler Speakers and a Founding Member of IASB.

Industry Awards

IASB's highest recognition are the John Palmer and Dottie Walters Awards which are named in honour of IASB's Founding Leaders.

• Randy Ehman, 2024 John Palmer Award Recipient
• Brittanny Kreutzer, 2024 Dottie Walter's Helping Hands Award Recipient
  

Association Awards

These awards recognise individuals and partners that have contributed to the association in a significant manner, helping IASB achieve it's mission.

• Jenny DeRosse, 2024 Above & Beyond Award Recipient
• Rebecca Matthews, 2024 Above & Beyond Award Recipient
• Tim Mathy, 2024 Pacesetter Award Recipient
• Michelle Joyce, 2024 President's Award Recipient

For more information about IASB's Recognition Program, including award descriptions and past recipients, visit: www.iasbweb.org/Awards.

This year's showcase features 7 exceptional speakers carefully selected by the IASB Showcase Committee from 90+ applicants.  Members may preview these speakers live at the showcase being held at the 2024 ENGAGE, IASB's Annual Convention.   

The best part? The first IASB Member to book them AFTER the showcase receives a special incentive!

David Allison	Mark Antoine	Nikolas Badminton	Alisha De Lorenzo	Rachel DeAlto	Nicolas Hamilton	April Rinne
				Managed by Michelle Joyce Speakers	Managed by Speaking Office

The IASB Speaker Showcase has been a core program of IASB for over 20 years, bringing together professional speakers looking to take their speaking business to the next level with professional booking agents from around the globe. More than just a showcase, IASBtalks provides actionable, relevant feedback to applicants on what agents are looking for and provides speakers selected for the program with exclusive opportunities to engage with agents before, during and after the live showcase.  Agents benefit also with increased talent knowledge plus a special booking incentive just for Members!

ENGAGE is the signature event of the International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB) and is the largest gathering of speaker bureau, agency and speaker management professionals in the world. This invitation-only event features 2+ days of educational programming, industry and roundtable discussions, robust networking opportunities, the Annual Industry Awards and the IASBtalks Speaker Showcase Program. 

• Learn more about the Vision for this program.

Top reasons for attending include:

• Experience customized content for owners and agents presented by industry experts and thought leaders.
• Engage in face-to-face networking opportunities and build prosperous professional relationships.
• Take away new techniques, business practices and innovative strategies for growing your business.

Advance Registration Ends October 15*!

Register online or by phone +1 480-839-1423.

*Members may still register after this date; however, the pricing increases by $100.  

IASB Members receive an invitation to participate in this confidential industry benchmarking study being conducted by ZigZag Research.  Learn More
Not yet a Member? Join Today!

What is the IASB Benchmarking Study?

IASB and ImpactEleven undertook a five-year strategic partnership to deliver groundbreaking, industry benchmarking data and analysis to IASB Members.   The data is gathered through a confidential study conducted through an independent research firm.

Good to Know

• The Survey will be open from July 16 - August 27.
  We are starting earlier this year so participants will receive their Individual report in November so they can refer to it during the special Industry Insights session at convention [learn more].
• Based on feedback from participants, we have adjusted the data period to be a calendar year, for Year 3 it will be January - December 2023.
• Participation in a prior year's study is not a requirement to participate in Year 3.
  You'll still get extreme value from participating including: understanding vital emerging trends, comparative data on your business, assessing your performance and identifying areas for improvement and growth.
• The ONLY way to receive the Individual Report and Industry Comparison Data is if you participate in this confidential study.  

What will IASB Member Study Participants Receive?

Through an annual data collection process among members, followed by best-in-class data analytics, IASB members that participate in the study will receive:

• Benchmarking data on our industry and how it’s evolving over time.
• Critical information about your organization's performance relative to firms with similar profiles.
• Qualitative research to understand vital emerging trends and guidance on how member bureaus and management companies can react and make decisions to ensure your future success.
• Individual member reports benchmarking metrics against relevant segment (member size, business type, etc.) and against our industry at large.

Learn More:  www.iasbweb.org/Research-Industry-Benchmarking-Initiative

If your company participated in the confidential study conducted by the independent marketing research firm, Stitch,  please look for an email from @stitchresearch.com with an attachment. 

• If you have questions about your individual company report, please contact Stitch (opinions@stitchresearch.com).
• If you have questions about this Research Initiative, please contact the IASB Office at +1 480-839-1423 or evp@iasbweb.org.  Note: IASB Staff does not have access to your report or company level data; industry level data is only available to members that participate in the study.

Participation in the Annual Industry Benchmark Study is a members-only benefit!

Learn more about this Research Initiative here.

Not yet a Member? Join Today!

Special thanks to our our partners in this groundbreaking study! 

Data privacy and anonymity are of critical importance in this study. Stitch Marketing Research is an independent third party that uses the highest level of data security, guaranteeing the privacy of your information. Neither IASB nor ImpactEleven will have access to any unaggregated data, or any aggregated segment data. 

The Board welcomes 3 new volunteer leaders elected to the Board by the Membership to serve in the role of Governor-at-Large:   

Donna Buttice	Jennifer Lier	Katie Lo

The following individuals were elected by the Board as an Officer for 2024: Martin Perelmuter, Board President; Michelle Joyce, President-Elect; Mauricio Candiani, Secretary/Treasurer.

IASB thanks the following Governors that are rotating off the board after years of distinguished service as both a Governor and Officer:  Randy Ehman, Keppler Speakers (Board Secretary/Treasurer 2016-2020); Shawn Hanks, Premiere Speakers Bureau (Board President 2021-2022) and Ann Sudry, The Harry Walker Agency (Board Secretary/Treasurer 2021-2023).

2024 Executive Committee

Listed by Office.

• President:  Matin Perelmuter Speakers Spotlight (Canada)
• President-Elect: Michelle Joyce Michelle Joyce Speakers (USA)
• Secretary/Treasurer: Mauricio Candiani, Allenamenti Speakers Bureau (Mexico)
• Immediate Past-President: Tim Mathy Speak Inc. (USA)
• Executive Vice-President: Marie Fredette, CAE ex-officio 

2024 Governors-at-Large

Listed alphabetically by last name along with the member company affiliation

• Governor: Iván Abanades Thinking Heads (South Korea, Spain & USA)
• Governor: Donna Buttice Platinum Speakers Agency (USA)
  
• Governor: Christa Haberstock See Agency (USA)
• Governor: Jennifer Lier Executive Speakers Bureau (USA)
  
• Governor: Katie Lo London Speaker Bureau (United Kingdom)
  

For more information on the IASB Board of Governors, visit here: www.iasbweb.org/Leadership.

Are you a Member that is Interested in serving on the IASB Board or a Committee?

The IASB Nominating Committee strives to ensure Governors on the board are reflective of the diversity of member organizations – including business model and geographic location. If you are an owner or employee of an IASB Member organization and would like to learn more about serving as a Volunteer Leader on the Board or one of our Committees, please visit one of the pages below or contact IASB's Executive Vice-President Marie Fredette, CAE in the IASB Office - available by phone +1 480-839-1423 or via email.

• Board Information
• Committees

This year's recipients were recognized during the Awards Program held at 2023 ENGAGE, IASB's 2023 Convention in Denver.

Industry Awards

IASB's highest recognition are the John Palmer and Dottie Walters Awards which are named in honour of IASB's Founding Leaders.

• Diane Goodman, 2023 John Palmer Award Recipient
• Mirjana Novkovic, Dottie Walter's Helping Hands Award Recipient
  

Association Awards

These awards recognise individuals and partners that have contributed to the association in a significant manner, helping IASB achieve it's mission.

• Don Jenkins, 2023 Above & Beyond Award Recipient
• Katie Lo, 2023 Above & Beyond Award Recipient
• ImpactEleven, 2023 Pacesetter Award Recipient
• Martin Perelmuter, 2023 President's Award Recipient

For more information about IASB's Recognition Program, including award descriptions and past recipients, visit: www.iasbweb.org/Awards.

What is the IASB Benchmarking Study?

IASB, ImpactEleven and Stitch Marketing Research are in year two of a five-year strategic partnership to deliver groundbreaking, industry benchmarking data and analysis to IASB members.

What will IASB Members Receive?  

Through an annual data collection process among members, followed by best-in-class data analytics, IASB members will receive: Benchmarking data on our industry and how it’s evolving over time Critical information about your organization's performance relative to firms with similar profiles Qualitative research to understand vital emerging trends and guidance on how member bureaus and management companies can react and make decisions to ensure your future success Individual member reports benchmarking metrics against relevant segment (member size, business type, etc.) and against our industry at large.

Learn More: www.iasbweb.org/Research-Industry-Benchmarking-Initiative

IASB Members Earn a Special Booking Incentive!

After the IASBtalks showcase, each speaker offers IASB Members a special incentive to be the first to book them after the program. For more information on this special incentive, click here (requires login).

• Learn More about the Featured Speakers that were a part of the most recent showcase. 
• Find Out who in the Current Program is still available for the incentive (requires login).  

About the Program

IASBtalks is a special curated program designed to deliver exceptional value and exclusive opportunities for speakers and members. A core program of IASB for over 20 years brings together professional speakers looking to take their speaking business to the next level with professional booking agents from around the globe. More than just a showcase, IASBtalks provides actionable, relevant feedback to applicants on what agents are looking for and provides speakers selected for the program with exclusive opportunities to engage with agents before, during and after the live showcase.  Agents benefit also with increased talent knowledge plus a special booking incentive just for Members!  Learn More

The Events Industry Council today announces the appointment of the APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force, an inclusive body that will work to develop recommendations, guidelines and resources needed to support the industry’s recovery globally.

The APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force will be led by Co-Chairs Michael Dominguez, President and CEO, Associated Luxury Hotels International (AHLI), and Kristin Horstman, Senior Director, Strategic Events, Salesforce.

“The strength of our industry has always been in our ability to work together,” said Dominguez. “There has never been a greater need to give confidence to the meetings and events community that we are working together to ensure a safe environment for attendees that considers the entire journey.”

Horstman added, "The events industry has always been about bringing people together to educate, celebrate and entertain. In our new abnormal, we need to focus on stabilisation and recovery. The task force will guide our industry on how we will gather again in safe and healthy environments."
The full task force membership, which represents multiple segments across the events industry ecosystem, will be announced in the coming days.

“This is a pivotal moment for all of the companies, associations and organisations that form the global meetings and events industry,” said Paul Van Deventer, Chair, Events Industry Council. “We are not only looking at how we operate in the near-term given this new reality, but also what kind of legacy we are leaving for the future of our industry. The APEX Commission and COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force will help us do this with a global approach and understanding.”
“Our industry is adapting to the reality that face-to-face, in-person meetings are not an immediate option, but we have 26 million people with direct and indirect jobs who are ready to get back to work,” said Amy Calvert, Events Industry Council CEO. “Now, more than ever, we need this global task force to aggregate, develop and implement our industry practices moving forward.”

About the Events Industry Council

The Events Industry Council’s more than 30 member organisations represent over 103,500 individuals and 19,500 firms and properties involved in the events industry. The Events Industry Council’s vision is to be the global champion for event professionals and event industry excellence. It promotes high standards and professionalism in the events industry with the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) programme and signature programme activities. The CMP credential is recognised globally as the badge of excellence in the events industry. The qualifications for certification are based on professional experience, education and a rigorous exam. The four signature programmes – Sustainability, Industry Insights, Knowledge and Leadership – represent the key initiatives, assets, services and products for the Events Industry Council. Learn more online at www.eventscouncil.org.

"Today, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted and the President is expected to sign the CARES Act, which will provide relief to US residents and businesses. One of the most encouraging sections of the CARES Act is the nearly $350B available for small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program. These funds will be made quickly available for eligible small businesses through approved banks and lenders. Find out if your business is eligible and more CARES Acts facts and information here: https://nsba.biz/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CARES_SmBiz_FACT-SHEET.pdf"

View the messaging here:

• PDF document
• Word document

We need your help to amplify this message:

If you in the United States, please contact your elected representatives about the importance of including small businesses and the unique challenges we face to ensure a strong recovery for the economy.

• US Senate (Find Your Senators): https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact
• US House of Representatives (Find Your Representative): https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Members in other countries, we are working on identifying advocacy efforts taking place outside the United States, please look for an invite this week to share information with us; in the meantime, please customize the above messaging as needed to be effective in your respective settings.   

IASB is in the process of coordinating this postponement with the hotel and will be reaching out to attendees and our partners, including speakers and sponsors to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible including the release of any confirmed hotel reservations made within our block.  More details about these efforts will be posted on the IASB website – Convention FAQs (https://www.iasbweb.org/page/ConventionFAQ) as they become available. 

We want to thank in advance our attendees and partners for their patience and support, especially over the next few weeks while IASB Staff works to ensure tasks are prioritized appropriately to minimize the impact of the postponement.  Members in need of urgent assistance are encouraged to contact Marie or Kate at +1 480-839-1423 or info@iasbweb.org (please leave a detailed message so we can respond effectively).  

ENGAGE 2020 was on course to be one of our best conventions ever – we are only delaying the date that the program will occur, we are not cancelling it.   The current environment only reinforces that the connections between our members, the relevant educational content and dedication to professionalism are absolutely instrumental in making sure that our community thrives after the coronavirus situation subsides. 

We would also like to highlight and give public thanks to the large number of members, speakers and partners who have invested a significant amount of time putting this convention together, we do not want this effort to go to waste.  Please stay tuned for updates as we work through a process of determining the new date for the 2020 Convention. 

Richard Schelp IASB 2019-2020 Board President	Nick Gold IASB 2020-2021 Board President

We fully support the organizations and individuals in the global speakers bureaus community as well as the broader meetings and events industry.  We know that many in our community are feeling the direct effects of this current crisis from clients to speakers to their own team members.  In some cases, the effects are minimal while others are not – each story is different and unique.  We share the concerns being expressed about the long-term effects on the meetings and events industry but passionately agree that when people work together collaboratively, good things happen and the industry will not only recover but flourish. 

We encourage everyone who is involved with planning, attending or supporting an event or meeting to view and share the resources and information available on the Events Industry Council's (EIC) website: https://eventscouncil.org/Industry-Insights/About-coronavirus.  As a Member of the EIC, IASB values and supports the efforts of the Council in creating a readily accessible source of reliable and timely sources of information so that responsible, informed decisions are made. 

We encourage IASB Members to also bookmark this page: https://www.iasbweb.org/page/CoronavirusResources where resources and information specific to our industry are posted.  

The IASB Board met recently and reaffirmed our commitment to holding our signature event scheduled for next month as planned barring any definitive action from the US Government or the State of Florida preventing us from doing so.  Our attendees and partners health and welfare is important to us - we are monitoring the situation and will provide updates as necessary. We understand that some of our industry colleagues from severely affected areas may not be able to participate but registration for our premiere event continues to be strong.   

Our convention, ENGAGE, embodies the values of collaboration and community - bringing our members together to solve shared challenges is at the heart of why IASB was formed.  

 The IASB Board of Governors and Staff are dedicated to the success of IASB Members, and as such, are positioned to be a resource for issues related to the Speakers Bureau Community.   

For those that have registered for the Convention (or are thinking about registering), please view the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that is available here: https://www.iasbweb.org/page/ConventionFAQ.

Members that have questions or would like to share concerns with IASB are encouraged to contact a Governor (list available on this page: https://www.iasbweb.org/page/Leadership) or IASB’s Executive Vice-President, Marie Fredette, CAE at +1 480-839-1423 or evp@iasbweb.org .