Sally Shankland Named Emerald Expositions’ President and CEO
May 13, 2019
Emerald Expositions' board of directors appointed Sally Shankland as president and CEO of the company.
Shankland will assume her new role on June 1 and will remain a member of the company’s board.
Phil Evans, Emerald’s Interim president and CEO, who was appointed when long-time leader David Loechner stepped down, will continue to serve as the company’s CFO.
”Sally’s experience, skills and approach are a perfect match with the Board’s requirements for the Emerald CEO position; and, after conducting a thorough search over the last seven months, I am thrilled to have her accept the position,” said Kosty Gilis, chairman of Emerald Expositions.
He added, “Sally has achieved remarkable success in her career by bringing inspirational leadership, purposeful strategies and strong execution skills to businesses with unmet potential. The Board and I have been particularly impressed by her success in driving growth and capturing new opportunities by harnessing data, technology, and a strong and persistent focus on customer satisfaction.”
Shankland brings more than 35 years of experience, including a tenure of 20+ years with UBM, now part of Informa plc, a U.K.-based multinational events, academic publishing and business intelligence business.
Shankland’s most recent position at UBM was CEO of the Americas, delivering events and marketing services in the technology, fashion, licensing, advanced manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries.
Shankland currently is a principal and founder of Astra Terra, a strategic advisory and consulting firm.
In 2018, she served as Interim Executive at Healthline.com, the fastest-growing health information site globally.
Previously, Shankland served two years as president of McGraw-Hill Higher Education, helping it to transition from a print-based model towards adaptive learning software.
“I recently joined the Emerald Board as a non-executive director and quickly realized that I could apply my leadership principles, experience and skills to improve the Company’s financial performance and growth prospects,” Shankland said.
She added, "Emerald owns some great assets that are extremely relevant in their markets and, I believe, have significant opportunity available to them. I'm very excited about the opportunity to lead the business.”
Gillis said, “On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to thank Phil for assuming the role of Interim president and CEO for the last seven months in addition to his role as Emerald’s CFO. Phil’s experience and deep knowledge of the Company allowed the Board to be thoughtful and take the necessary time to find the right leader who we believe can unlock the vast potential that we see in Emerald.”
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
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Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
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Gold Key Members
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OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
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Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
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42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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