Nominations close November 13
Power 100
Who should you nominate?
The 2026 CEMA Power 100 recognizes professionals whose work advanced corporate events. Use this guide to decide who to put forward. That can include you.
Start here
Can you answer yes to all three?
1
Does their work advance corporate events?
This includes corporate events, event marketing, brand experience, meetings, technology, operations, audience growth and supporting services.
2
Has their impact reached beyond their own team?
Look for influence across their organization, their partners or the wider events community.
3
Can you point to a specific example?
Describe leadership, innovation, a contribution or an outcome you can name. Titles and reputation on their own are not enough.
Next, choose the category that fits them best.
Categories
Where do they fit?
Categories give context for different roles. Every nomination is judged on the same criteria.
Champions
Corporate-side professionals with 5+ years of experience who lead strategy, teams, portfolios, stakeholder influence or business outcomes.
Rising Stars
Fewer than 5 years of experience, or exceptional early-career contributions to strategy, innovation, execution or impact.
Industry Partners
Agency, supplier, destination, venue, hospitality, technology, production and service professionals who advance corporate events.
Community Impact and Innovation
A distinction for work in inclusion, sustainability, accessibility, technology, talent or industry advancement. Judges award it to honorees from any category, so you don’t nominate for it separately.
Before you nominate
What to look for in a nominee
Whether you’re nominating a colleague or yourself, these five questions will help you decide who to put forward. Membership, employer prestige, follower counts and personal relationships don’t factor in, so focus on the work.
01
Demonstrated impact
Can you point to results? Look for business value, better audience outcomes, growth, efficiency or stronger operations.
02
Leadership and influence
Do others follow their lead? Look for someone who earns trust, develops talent and moves their team, organization or the profession forward.
03
Innovation and future readiness
Are they doing something new? Look for fresh approaches to strategy, experience, technology, AI, measurement, sustainability or accessibility.
04
Collaboration and community
Do they lift others up? Look for mentoring, partnerships, knowledge sharing, volunteering or contributions to peers.
05
Clear evidence
Can you tell their story? The strongest nominations include specific examples, credible outcomes and a clear fit with the category.
Who can nominate and be nominated
- Anyone, anywhere in the world
- Members and nonmembers alike. Honorees don’t need to join or share anything to be recognized.
- You can nominate a colleague, or yourself
- People at every career stage, within the category definitions
- Past honorees who have made meaningful new impact
Writing a strong nomination
- Start with one specific example of the work and why it matters
- Name the outcome: what changed, for whom, and by how much
- Explain how the work fits the category you chose
- Back up every claim with an example. Promotional language without examples won’t score.
Good to know
- Late, incomplete, duplicate or inaccurate nominations may be removed
- Selected honorees approve their name, title, organization, headshot, bio and citation before anything is published
Someone came to mind?
Nominations close November 13 at 5:00 PM CST.