Melissa Auer
Senior Director of Exhibitor Services, MHI
mauer@mhi.org
Number of events in 2025: 2
Types of events: Trade shows
Average number of attendees in 2025: 48,733 & 52,223
What is your role associated with meetings and events?
I manage the operational aspects of the MODEX and ProMat trade shows, including overseeing sponsorship sales and execution, and the on-floor educational conference.
What skills do you think are essential for planning successful meetings and events?
Skills essential for planning successful events include attention to detail, resourcefulness, adaptability, relationship-building, and grit. While you can try to think of all the possible scenarios and create solutions for those scenarios in advance, there will always be unpredictable challenges. The ability to adapt and be resourceful in those moments is critical. Having strong relationships with your team and partners is helpful when you must work through those unforeseen issues quickly.
What is your philosophy or approach to challenges and unexpected issues?
The first step is not to panic. I like to take a breath and a moment to review the issue, consider potential solutions, and identify helpful resources. Remaining calm helps those around you remain calm. Then, solve one
piece of the puzzle at a time. The show goes on!
How do you keep up with industry trends, changes, and cutting-edge developments?
I attend IAEE education and events, such as Expo Expo and Sam Lippman events, read partner newsletters, and take advantage of any opportunities to engage with other show organizers. Often, your peers provide better advice than educational sessions.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love that my job is never the same; every event has its own set of challenges and learning opportunities. I also enjoy working with my coworkers at MHI and our key strategic partners. When you have an amazing team, it makes the challenges more fun.
How would you describe your biggest professional success?
My biggest professional success was MODEX 2024 winning IAEE’s 2024 B2B Show of the Year. I have been a part of the MODEX team since its inception and launch in 2012. It has been rewarding to see it grow and evolve. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring people together to connect.
Please share an anecdote about a unique or unusual event that you organized.
When our show expanded across two halls for the first time, our team had to think of creative ways to get people to the new hall. We placed fun activations along the way, such as prize giveaways, games, food trucks, custom-designed backdrops and spaces, and even brought puppies in so attendees could play with and pet them. We have continued to do this as the event has grown.
For our latest activation at ProMat 2025, held in Chicago, we set up a ProMat Pier for happy hour, taking advantage of the amazing lakeside view from the Lakeside Ballroom of McCormick Place. We created backdrops of Chicago’s neighborhoods and served neighborhood foods and drinks, including beer served from a Chicago train car. Since our show was during St. Patrick’s Day, we had a live bagpipe band play and march from the entrance of the building over to the ProMat Pier. We had local cloggers dance as well. It added something fun and exciting for our attendees and brought crowds to our new hall, which helped our exhibitors.
What is the best professional advice you ever received, and what advice would you offer others in the industry?
It is easy to get busy with all the tasks of planning an event, but it is important not to forget the people. Anticipate your attendees’ needs, look out for your team, make yourself available to help your customers, and treat your partners respectfully.
What do you hope to achieve or look forward to as you plan events in 2026?
Our MODEX 2026 show will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Our challenge is coming up with creative opportunities within the available space to expand the show floor so we can accommodate our customers who are on a waitlist to exhibit. We also have some new activations that I think people are going to enjoy. I always love seeing it come together at show time.
