CHICAGO — This year’s Trade Show Executive (TSE) Pioneers are a group of innovative and influential industry professionals who are making significant contributions to their organizations. EAST I caught up with Adam Horne, Digital Marketing Manager at Informa Markets, to find out more about his career journey, the lessons he’s learned and what he’s looking forward to for the trade show industry.
Q: How did you get started in the trade show industry?
I was originally working in Informa’s academic publishing at Taylor & Francis and heard about an opportunity to work at Informa Markets from a colleague who had already made the transition. At the time, I was looking for a new opportunity to develop my skills, so I applied for the Digital Marketing Manager role and started working on WWETT and WasteExpo.
Q: What attracted you most at the time and what interests you most today in your work?
At first, I was attracted by the opportunity to work in a new industry while focusing entirely on digital marketing. Today, I love working in digital marketing, where I can strive to achieve new goals each year that are directly related to an event that I experience in person. Plus, I work with an amazing team!
Q: What was one of the most important lessons you learned during your career?
It’s important to strive to do your best every day, but failures and mistakes happen to the best of us.
Related. Meet the Pioneers of 2024: Lindsey Hall.
Q: What or who inspires you to strive for excellence?
My family and my continued faith in God.
Q: What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
One of the proudest moments of my career was being nominated for an internal Informa award in 2023. I was surprised and delighted that my colleagues nominated me and felt my impact in the company.
Q: How do you define success?
For me, success is knowing that I did my best to be a better person today than I was yesterday.
Q: What aspects of the future of this industry interest you? Why?
The isolation that many have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the increase in professionals working from home, has created an additional need for face-to-face interaction that our industry is helping to provide. Now that we are fully out of the pandemic, I am excited that we can play an increasingly valuable role in the marketplace, while ensuring the health of our business for years to come.
Q: Advice for other newcomers
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or admit when you’re wrong. You’ll have good days and bad days, but keep doing your best.
Nominator Quote: “As our team’s digital marketing lead for WasteExpo and WWETT, Adam has demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills and remarkable accomplishments within the industry,” said Meg Estevez, VP of Marketing, Infrastructure & Construction at Informa. “Through his expertise in regionally focused paid digital marketing, his continually updated and engaging organic social media content, and his personalized email marketing campaigns, Adam was able to drive an additional 3,257 registrations for WWETT 2024 in just three weeks. Adam’s leadership and adaptability were truly commendable during the WasteExpo website redesign and transition. His tireless efforts ensured the success of attendee marketing and sales initiatives for both shows, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to our team’s success.”
Find out more about all the Trailblazers in the June issue of TSE.