Margaret Pederson
President of Exhibitions,
a group within Penton Media.

The Penton Media Exhibitions division creates and produces events in a variety of industry groups - marketing, power, electrical, entertainment, fitness, utilities, industrial, communications and publishing.  Events include Waste Expo, LDI, International Wireless Communication Expo, Club National and The Special Event. Penton Media Exhibitions also organizes other smaller conference-driven events and roadshows.

Pederson is responsible for all aspects of managing the business with overall responsibility for the long term strategic direction and growth of the group, including overseeing business plans, marketing strategy, show budgets and P&L for exhibitions.  She develops key contacts and business partnerships within the industry and establishes business relationships with primary associations and sponsors.  Pederson handles business development, including evaluating potential acquisitions, integrating new shows into existing business base and developing strategies, business plans and budgets that will effectively grow the division.  She works with internal and external customers to ensure the needs of both exhibitors and attendees are met. The exhibition team works closely with their Penton Media publishing and online colleagues to integrate everything from strategy to marketing to conference content.

Previous Experience
Pederson has extensive exhibition experience.  She was with Reed Exhibition Companies, a member of Reed Elsevier Plc group, for 16 years, ultimately serving as Senior Vice President for the Canadian and consumer divisions as well as key industry tradeshows.  Formerly she held senior operating positions in the manufacturing, food, building, media and technology groups. She also spearheaded business development, planning and research in earlier roles.

Honors and Industry Commitments
In 2003, Pederson was recognized as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the Tradeshow Business" and one of the "25 Women to Know" in the exhibitions industry by Tradeshow Week magazine.  Pederson served on the Board of Directors for SISO (Society of Independent Show Organizers) and was chair in 2004-2005.  She has served on the Board of Trustees for the IAEM (International Association of Exhibition Managers) Foundation, the Strategic Planning Committee for IAEM, Chairman of the Nominating Committee for IAEM and the Consumer Show Group for IAEM.  She has also been Chair of the Harvard Business School Club of Westchester and Fairfield.  She speaks at several exhibition and conference industry events

Education
Margaret has a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration and participated in the Honors Program in International Law and Business at the London School of Economics.  Her undergraduate degree is from the Honors Program at the University of Virginia.