Global Security Exchange 2019–Chicago Here We Come!
And Planning for 2020 GSX in Atlanta is Already Underway
By: Ron Rosenbaum
Chief Global Marketing & Business Development Officer | ASIS International
[email protected]
The eve of GSX 2019 is upon us and kicks off a couple of shorts days from now at one of the finest convention centers in the world, McCormick Place in Chicago. As more than 20,000 ASIS members and volunteer leaders, allied association and media partners, attendees, exhibitors, and vendor partners descend upon the city, one thing remains constant: the security industry’s most comprehensive, flagship event is jammed packed with networking, learning and exposition offerings all week long. And the GSX event team is prepared to deliver an amazing experience for everyone involved.
In the meantime, our planning for the future never stops and GSX 2020 is headed to Atlanta with a new schedule! Mark your calendars—the dates for GSX 2020 are Monday, 21 September through Wednesday, 23 September.
One of our guiding principles in this effort for continuous improvement has been to solicit and receive important feedback from all of our valued stakeholders including attendees, exhibitors, and vendor partners. In addition, we’re also complimenting event stakeholder feedback with data on broader event industry trends. With that input, we are pleased to share GSX 2020 schedule highlights:
Saturday, 19 September – Sunday, 20, September 2020:
Traditional pre-conference activities occur as usual including:
• ASIS International Board and Foundation meetings, council meetings, pre-conference workshops and certification review courses, volunteer leader Town Hall, and awards programming
Monday, 21 September – Wednesday, 23 September 2020:
• Beginning in 2020, GSX officially kicks off on Monday morning with our Opening General Session, laying the groundwork for three days of learning, networking, and exposition
• Monday remains preserved as a day for learning and networking
• Highlighted by a new addition to the agenda: a second General Session in the afternoon, delivered in a unique format
• Monday’s second General Session concludes at 3:15 pm giving attendees and exhibitors quality time to convene on the expo floor for three hours of networking activities from 3:30 – 6:30 pm
• Tuesday morning follows the same pattern as Monday with a General Session to set the tone for the day
• Then transition to a full day of classroom and X Learning, exposition, and networking
• Lunch will be served in the GSX Bistro on the expo floor
• Close with an expo happy hour and an evening dedicated to exhibitor hosted events
• Wednesday concludes the week with a full day of activities
• We follow the same pattern as Tuesday with a General Session in the morning
• Then transitioning to a full day of classroom and X Learning, exposition, and networking activities
• Lunch will be served in the GSX Bistro on the expo floor
• GSX concludes with the GSX President’s Reception
Important takeaways:
• Attendees and exhibitors are looking for a more compact but holistic/robust event experience
• In 2020, all stakeholders will still learn, network, and conduct business as they always have but in a more efficient schedule
• This is an excellent opportunity for attendees to preview the exhibitor offerings on the expo floor earlier in the week
• The 2020 schedule does not impact our best-in-class, peer-driven educational offerings
• Bookends: Opening Night Celebration on Monday and the President’s Reception on Wednesday
The ASIS International event management and volunteer leadership teams embrace a culture of continuous improvement in every area of our operation. And while we are confident this is the final substantive change to our event schedule in the coming years, our event stakeholders have our commitment that we will continue to make smart investments in GSX and always look for opportunities to improve the attendee and exhibitor experience.
Registration opens in February 2020. Immediately following GSX here in Chicago, you can go online at GSX.org/2020news to read about the FAQs of the new schedule and sign up for the mailing list to receive the latest event information when it’s released.
I’ll close by saying the ASIS International staff and volunteer leadership teams are proud to support the security profession all year long with a range of industry resources including our award-winning Security Management magazine, industry research, certification programs, Standards and Guidelines, webinars, and much more.
However, we understand that one of our most important responsibilities is to provide an in-person forum for security professionals to build their networks, access best-in-class education, and experience the newest innovations in the product and service marketplace. You have our commitment that Global Security Exchange (GSX) will continue to provide that important, holistic event experience.
If you have suggestions for improvements (or just questions), feel free to send them my way at the email address above.
We look forward to seeing you here in Chicago. And if you can’t join us in 2019, we hope you’ll hold the time on your calendar for 2020 in Atlanta!