The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), the unified public policy voice of the US business and professional events industry, has announced its elected officers and Board of Directors for 2026. The appointments reflect ECA’s continued commitment to representing the diverse and interconnected ecosystem of exhibitions, conferences, venues, suppliers, and service partners across the country.
The ECA Board has elected Fernando Fischer, President, Americas, at RX, as Chair for a one-year term ending 31 December 2026. He will be supported by Mark Bogdansky, Vice President, Trade Shows and Community Engagement, Auto Care Association, as Vice-Chair; Chris Griffin, President & CEO of Crew XP, as Treasurer; and Hervé Sedky, President & CEO of Emerald, as Secretary.
The officers are joined by an accomplished Board of Directors drawn from leading industry organisations, including Clarion Events North America, Freeman, UFI, International Association of Exhibitions & Events, International Congress and Convention Association, PCMA, and International Association of Venue Managers, among others. Collectively, the sector represented by ECA supports more than 2.6 million American jobs and generates over USD 400 billion in direct annual spending.
Commenting on his appointment, Fischer said the year ahead brings both challenges and opportunities for the industry, adding that ECA will continue advancing a policy agenda focused on job creation, affordability, economic certainty, and global competitiveness for US events.
ECA also formally recognised Hervé Sedky for his service as the organisation’s inaugural Chair. Tommy Goodwin, Executive Vice-President of ECA, credited Sedky’s leadership over the past five years with laying a strong foundation for the alliance’s advocacy success and future growth.
