In just a few days, C-level trade show organizers, suppliers to the industry, financial experts, invest banking firms and media will gather Sept. 16-17 in Chicago for the Center for Exhibition Industry Research’s (CEIR) Predict – Annual Exhibition Industry Outlook Conference.

The past couple of years, the conference typically was broken up into experts talking about specific market sectors, but this year, led by Britton Jones, president and CEO of Business Journals Inc. and CEIR’s board chairman, the program has been redesigned.

“We are very excited about our 2015 program. We took a deep dive into the PREDICT conference at the conclusion of our 2014 event and have significantly revamped this year’s content,” Jones said.

He added, “We have retained and built upon what have been the strongest elements of PREDICT and have added several sessions that will take a hard look at the future of the events business. These sessions, including one with Don Pazour moderating a panel with Galen Poss, Gary Shapiro and Greg Topalian, will examine what changes we must embrace to keep our industry thriving and moving forward.”

The first session of the two-day conference will examine the “Global Economic Outlook and Impact on the Exhibition Industry”, led by Amir Sufi, Ph.D., Chicago Board of Trade Professor of Finance and Co-Director, Initiative on Global Markets, University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Research Association, Corporate Finance, Economic Fluctuations and Growth, and Monetary Economics Programs, National Bureau of Economic Research.

Next up, Brian Casey, president and CEO of CEIR, will present findings from the latest CEIR Index, which tracks quarterly metrics in the trade show industry, such as attendance and revenues.

“This year’s Predict will deliver both a perspective on the general business performance of the exhibition industry as well as insights into the path of our future,” Casey said.

He added, “We believe each participant will leave better prepared to position their business models to fit the already changing environment of the industry through dynamic speaker interaction as well as peer to peer exchange of ideas.”

Nancy Walsh, president of Reed Exhibitions North America, also will facilitate a discussion on the first day “Head or Tail Winds?” that will be a discussion with several trade show leaders about where the industry is headed and why.

That evening there will be a reception at Workspring, a designed environment that promotes wellbeing and provides a unique venue for meetings, trainings, professional development, business events and co-working.

The next morning starts off Marc Pomerleau, vice president of Strategy, FreemanXP, will be leading a session called “What We see – Change!’ about how the way we learn, communicate and engage is going through a period of profound change.

Another session will be led by renowned designer and thinker Bruce Mau, founder of Bruce Mau Design, who will talk about the future of design, charting his path from object and environment-based design to the more essential contemplation of how one engineers a sustainable, creative life.

Some other sessions the second day also include “Innovating Brand Activation at Trade Shows”, led by GES’ David Saef with panelists Karen Gebhart, vice president of Business Development, Helicopter Association International and Michael Glatts, senior director Global Congress Lead, Pfizer.

“ Models of the Future: A Group Discussion”, led by Access Intelligence’s CEO Don Pazour with Galen Poss, vice chair of dmg::Events; Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of Consumer Electronics Association; and Greg Topalian, president of Leftfield Media.

Three of the industry’s visionaries will discuss how the existing trade show model must evolve and they will explore new business models to keep face-to-face, community based media the most effective marketing medium tool for CMOs.

Lastly, Poss will wrap things up after lunch with some key takeaways from the day.

 “It is an exciting time for our industry that will present not only challenges but many opportunities for those open and prepared for change. Predict is the perfect place to address all of this!,” Casey said.

Jones added of other changes for the 2015 event, “ … this year’s program will also be much more interactive and provide sufficient time for quality networking. Thankfully, this revamped content is hitting a responsive chord as attendance is very strong.”

For the full CEIR Predict schedule, please visit HERE.