The Ascent CEO Promise seeks to marshal leaders in the business events community around issues of inclusion and diversity. Building upon global efforts, The Ascent CEO Promise outlines actions that organizations and companies have taken or will take to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces and events. We recognize that there is much work to be done and that these three actions are merely a beginning. We invite CEOs across the business events industry to join our list of signatories.

The Ascent CEO Promise

As we face chronic and harmful inequities across the globe, we must work to mitigate tensions around gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and disabilities. We must promote inclusion and diversity within our organizations and also at the events we produce and attend.

We believe greater inclusion will foster new voices to strengthen our leadership, our businesses, and our world. By working together, we will cultivate meaningful social change.

Today we join the wider business community in this cause to commit to three initial goals:

We will create and maintain workplaces and business events where people feel comfortable and respected and where open conversations about inclusion, diversity, and equal and fair treatment are welcomed. We will strive to motivate and to educate our teams on the business case and best practices for inclusive workplaces and events.

Let us recognize that we all have unconscious biases and work to move beyond them. Education will enable us to minimize potential blind spots when it comes to inclusivity and diversity. We commit to offering education that fosters awareness of unconscious bias within our organizations and companies and at our events.

Our organizations and companies will establish inclusion and diversity initiatives. Those that are further along the path will extend a hand, sharing successes and failures through industry channels. At our events, we will be intentional about creating diverse and inclusive panels and speaker programs. We will adopt a zero-tolerance harassment policy so all participants feel safe and welcome. We will ensure that our venues are accessible for people with disabilities.

The Ascent CEO Promise

The Ascent CEO Promise seeks to marshal leaders in the business events community around issues of inclusion and diversity. Building upon global efforts, The Ascent CEO Promise outlines actions that organizations and companies have taken or will take to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces and events. We recognize that there is much work to be done, and that these three actions are merely a beginning. We invite CEOs across the business events industry to join our list of signatories.

As we face chronic and harmful inequities across the globe, we must work to mitigate tensions around gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and disabilities. We must promote inclusion and diversity within our organizations and also at the events we produce and attend.
We believe greater inclusion will foster new voices to strengthen our leadership, our businesses, and our world. By working together, we will cultivate meaningful social change.

Today we join the wider business community in this cause to commit to three initial goals:

  1. We will make our workplaces and events open and trusting settings.

We will create and maintain workplaces and business events where people feel comfortable and respected and where open conversations about inclusion, diversity, and equal and fair treatment are welcomed. We will strive to motivate and to educate our teams on the business case and best practices for inclusive workplaces and events.

  1. We will provide education on barriers to inclusivity, including unconscious bias.

Let us recognize that we all have unconscious biases and work to move beyond them. Education will enable us to minimize potential blind spots when it comes to inclusivity and diversity. We commit to offering education that fosters awareness of unconscious bias within our organizations and companies and at our events.

  1. We will share what we know, what we learn, and what needs improvement.

Our organizations and companies will establish inclusion and diversity initiatives. Those that are further along the path will extend a hand, sharing successes and failures through industry channels. At our events, we will be intentional about creating diverse and inclusive panels and speaker programs. We will adopt a zero-tolerance harassment policy so all participants feel safe and welcome. We will ensure that our venues are accessible for people with disabilities.

Please add your name, email, title and organization to make the Ascent CEO Promise. All names will be added to the website.

%%your signature%%

Share this with other CEOs:

   

LATEST SIGNATURES
163 Ms. Susan Elise Ayala Business Developmet Associate LATAM at PCMA
162 Mr. Peter Kakucska President
161 Mr. Junior Tauvaa Chief Sales Officer
160 Ms. Mariama S. Boney Achieve More LLC
159 Ms. Yolanda Gonzalez National Sales Director
158 Mr. E. Maurice Jones Beverly Vacations
157 Ms. Ana Maria VISCASILLAS Business Tourism Services
156 Ms. Marveen Hart Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
155 Mr. Julio Valdes Director of Cat Consultores
154 Ms. LUIS ESPARZA UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE NAYARIT
153 Janet Stovall Senior Client Strategist, NeuroLeadership Institute
152 Lynn Frailey Owner
151 Leticia Rosas Tu Tierra Events with Sustainability
150 Pawntra Shadab VP of events & Marketing, Elite Productions International
149 Leigh Wintz President & CEO Leigh Wintz Consultants, LLC
148 ELLIOTT ELSNER Vice President, Sales & Client Services @ Infinity Marketing Team (IMT)
147 Allison DeLeone CEO, TPN
146 Thomas Kann CEO- IEM
145 Aaron Bludworth CEO, Fern
144 Peggy Marilley President, Precision Meetings & Events, Inc.
143 Lauren Kramer CEO, Meeting Priorities
142 Rochelle Richardson SVP | AVIXA InfoComm
141 Kerry Crockett Insurance Accounting and Systems Association, Inc. (IASA)
140 Kamy Persaud RIMS
139 Lina Ilekis
138 Gretchen Hall Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
137 Mike McIlwain CEO, PSAV
136 Keith Backsen Visit Omaha
135 Bob Jameson Visit Fort Worth
134 Maguy SICURO Director, EASL International Liver Foundation
133 Ben Hainsworth EASL, Managing Director
132 Amelia Binti Roziman Acting CEO / COO
131 Tom Gibson CEO, MCI USA
130 Jean-Paul de Lavison JPdL International
129 Michael Dominguez Associated Luxury Hotels International
128 Steve Moore CEO Visit Phoenix
127 Marla Roe Visit Frisco
126 Barbara Connell, CAE, CMP American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
125 Scott White President & CEO, Greater Palm Springs CVB
124 Kerry Painter Director, Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex
123 Elizabeth Kretchmer Strategic MEeting Manafger, Strategic Meeting Manager, LLC.
122 Dee Brewer Downtown Alliance (Salt Lake City)
121 Milton Segarra CEO, Coastal Mississippi
120 robert mercure CEO
119 Joseph Schramm Northport
118 Roger Dow U.S. Travel Association
117 Dr. Jeffrey K. Zeig, PhD Founder and Director, The Milton H. Erickson Foundation
116 Steve Bova Executive Director, Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals
115 Donald Moss President, Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
114 John O'Brien President and CEO, EDUCAUSE
113 Dr. Marcus Weiss Weiss AG
112 Arlene Pietranton CEO, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
111 Stacy Ritter CEO, Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB
110 Jane Cunningham Managing Director, Cunningham Consulting
109 Mark Everton CEO, Visit Oakland
108 Heidi Wallace Toruism Toronto
107 David Kliman The Kliman Group
106 Jorge Pesquera CEO Discover The Palm Beaches
105 Rich Gibbons President, SpeakInc
104 James Youngblood CEO, Heart Rhythm Society
103 Josh Lesnick President & CEO
102 Todd Hauptli President and CEO, AAAE
101 Ken Monroe Chairman and CEO, Bostrom
100 Mark Hoplamazian Hyatt Hotels Corporation
99 Jocelyne Muelli Managing Director
98 Merryn Scholz K.I.T. Group
97 Layne Kertamus Owner, Asperian Nation
96 Valerie Sumner VRS Meetings & Events Inc
95 Brad Dean CEO - Puerto Rico Destination Mktg Org
94 Janet Tan-Collis CEO, East West Planners
93 El Kwang Untangled Pte Ltd
92 Kathleen Ratcliffe President, Explore St Louis
91 zillah Byng-Thorne CEO, Future PLC
90 Wes Scott CEO, EventWorx Corporation
89 Clark Grue CEO, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre
88 Tyler Gates Managing Principal, Brightline Interactive
87 Al Hutchinson Pres./CEO Visit Baltimore
86 Claire MacLellan MD - Media Services & People
85 Hagai Feiner Access Networks
84 David Labuskes CEO, AVIXA
83 William Talbert, III President & CEO, The Greater MIAMI Convention & Visitors Bureau.
82 Ernest Wooden President and CEO, Los Angeles Convention and Tourism Board
81 Nitin Sachdeva Executive Director, Venture Marketing
80 JAE SUNG PARK CEO, VENICA
79 ERIC MOTTARD CEO, GRUPO EVENTOPLUS
78 Bruce Dalton President & CEO Visit Aurora
77 Val Tsanev ConferencePulse
76 Dawn Sweeney President and CEO, National Restaurant Association
75 Don Welsh President & CEO, Destinations International
74 Lori Burke President and CEO, LLB Enterprises LLC
73 Tony Salah CEO, Heka Health
72 Tania Armenta President & CEO, Visit Albuquerque
71 Rip Rippetoe President & CEO, San Diego Convention Center
70 Richard Scharf VISIT DENVER
69 Robert Kozub Showcare Event Solutions
68 David Campbell EVP - COO, Freeman AV Canada
67 Mathias Posch President & Chairman, International Conference Services Ltd.
66 Graziela Padoin CEO, Alegra Consulting
65 Martin Sirk CEO, ICCA
64 Robert Priest-Heck Chief Executive Officer
63 Doug Small President/CEO, Experience Grand Rapids
62 Ian Edwards CEO - ICC Wales & The Celtic Manor Resort
61 Sallie Matthews President & CEO, BSC Management
60 Hilary Laney CEO, Evia Events
59 Roger Helms CEO-HelmsBriscoe
58 OSCAR CEREZALES COO ASIA PACIFIC, MCI GROUP
57 Liga Zebauers Executive Director, WINDO
56 Tammy Blount-Canavan Monterey County CVB
55 Leonard Hoops President & CEO, Visit Indy
54 Johanne Belanger Tourism Toronto
53 Lisa Furfine CEO
52 Kimberley Gishler Corporate Event Marketing Association
51 Mark Cooper CEO, IACC Meetings
50 Cheryl Kilday President & CEO
49 Susan Bender Phelps Founder, Lead Trainer, Odyssey Mentoring & Leadership, LLC
48 James Rooney CEO, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
47 John Paganini CEO, IoT Directions, LLC
46 isabel bardinet CEO european society of cardiology
45 Ken Crerar CEO, Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers
44 Michael Carrier OKCCVB
43 Mike Gamble CEO, SearchWIde
42 Don Kline CEO, Map Your Show, LLC.
41 Aurora Dawn Reinke Founder and CEO, Astrapto LLC
40 Craig Davis President & CEO, VisitPITTSBURGH
39 ANNARITA MONTANARO GIGLIO SERVICE EVENTS - INFINITY
38 Malcolm Roughead CEO, VisitScotland
37 Sarah Markey-Hamm CEO, ICMS
36 Bruce MacMillan CEO, Bandwidth
35 James Wood President & CEO
34 Ron Price President & CEO, Arlington Convention &Visitors Bureau
33 Scott Hunt Retired CEO, The Endocrine Society
32 Kimberly Patterson Founder/CEO, Visitor Engagement Academy
31 Robert Wright davies tanner
30 Dennis Edwards President & CEO, Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau
29 David Audrain CEO, Exposition Development Company Inc
28 Michelle Mason Association Forum
27 Dorri McWhorter CEO, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
26 Matt Sanderson President & CEO, SmithBucklin
25 Gregory O'Dell President & CEO
24 Karen Williams President & CEO, Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau
23 Heike Mahmoud COO, CCH – Congress Center Hamburg
22 Karen Kotowski CEO, Events Industry Council
21 Phillip Jones CEO Visit Dallas
20 Nina Freysen-Pretorius The Conference Company
19 Karen Bolinger CEO, Melbourne Convention Bureau
18 Lyn Lewis-Smith CEO, Business Events Sydney
17 Carina Bauer CEO, IMEX Group
16 Rafael Hernandez CEO, World Meetings Forum
15 Fran Rickenbach President & CEO, Management Excellence Inc
14 Eduardo Chaillo CEO, Global Meetings & Tourism
13 Michael Guerriero Division President, Experient, A Maritz Global Events Company
12 Joseph Terzi President & CEO
11 Marcelo Zolessi CEO, CNTV
10 Steve O’Malley Division President, Maritz Travel
9 David Peckinpaugh President, Maritz Global Events
8 Roberta Kravitz Executive Director, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
7 Fred Dixon NYC & Company
6 Christina Tzavellas Video West Inc
5 Nick Borelli President, Borelli Strategies
4 Tony Lorenz CEO, AlliedPRA
3 Tom Norwalk President & CEO, Visit Seattle
2 Alex Plaxen President & CEO, Little Bird Told Media
1 Sherrif Karamat President & CEO, PCMA

Learn how PCMA Ascent is promoting inclusion & diversity across the business events industry

Become a Member

Get premium access to provocative executive-level education, face-to-face networking and business intelligence.

Join PCMA