How experience-driven leadership propels MCI USA’s convention division forward

Through innovation and over 100 years of experience, MCI USA’s Strategic Events, Meetings & Incentives team is transforming the events industry  

Event organizers understand the importance of choosing the right registration and housing platform for their event and the direct impact this has on its success. They often consider several variables such as the registration and housing provider’s services, technology and experience. Experience can be a subjective yet invaluable factor and has many definitions and forms of measurement. Merriam-Webster defines experience 10 different ways, one definition being “practical knowledge, skill, or practice derived from direct observation of or participation in events or in a particular activity.” MCI USA placed an emphasis on experience in 2015 when building its Strategic Events, Meetings, and Incentives (SEM&I) Division and choosing the people to lead and operate it, starting with its decision to bring on longtime industry expert and executive Shawn Pierce as its president.  

Pierce, along with MCI USA Senior Vice President of Registration and Housing Chris Williams, Vice President of Registration James Kelly, Vice President of Housing Operations and Contracting Jason Ware, and Vice President of Business Development Jen Mitchell, guides clients to success through partnership and 130 combined years of industry experience. Here, these leaders discuss how their expertise has allowed them to help the organizations we work with to create memorable experiences using our next-generation registration and housing platform, OneSystem Plus, which combines the best features from traditional SaaS platforms and custom platforms to give event organizers the speed, control and customization they need.  

Throughout your 30 years in the industry, what lessons have you learned that influence how you execute your current and future vision for MCI USA’s SEM&I division and our clients? 

Shawn Pierce: Having worked with both for-profit/independent show organizers and the service provider side of the business has given me a unique skillset. Serving on the client side and building event experiences was a great start to my career. When I made the switch to the service side of the business, I was able to connect and understand our clients in a much deeper way. I’ve worked for both private equity and family-owned businesses. The private equity industry taught me how to evaluate the business for growth and profitability, while family ownership taught me how to build a company, not for the next few years but for the next 100 years. In the end, I’ve learned that our MCI talents, the relationships that have been built and the careers created are the real keys to running a successful business for our clients.  

What has your experience taught you and how do you use that in your day to day? 

Chris Williams: I have been in the convention business for 27 years [and all of them] have been spent as a supplier of registration and/or housing services to event organizers. One of the primary things I’ve learned over my 27 years is how to service a client. I spend every day building an organization, so it has the resources to understand client goals and implement solutions to improve their events. My experience has taught me what success looks like in our industry. World-class service is a never-ending journey that requires constant time, attention and resources. My experience allows me to navigate the constant change the convention business brings. 

How has working with large trade shows and events impacted your career, and what is one key insight you’ve gained because of this experience? 

James Kelly: My experience working with independent show organizers has been instrumental in my work with large association events. For many organizations, these events are their Super Bowl because they drive a large portion of revenue for the year. [One thing I’ve learned is] you always need to be looking at the data captured during registration to find trends to help grow and impact the event for the future. 

As a former meeting planner, what unique perspective do you bring to the MCI USA team and to our clients? 

Jason Ware: My experience is not only relatable with our clients, but it allows others on the MCI team to see through a planner’s eyes. I know what our clients need and help them achieve their goals. I use my experience, from being in their shoes, to help them leverage their buying power and take advantage of the many concessions they can realize by maximizing their room blocks. Also, I share my experience and best practices with them in terms they can understand and implement into their overall housing strategy for their meetings and events. 

What has changed in the event’s industry since you started your career, and how does that prepare you for what's next? 

Jen Mitchell: Over the course of 18 years, there is no way to really focus on only a few things that have changed because in the events world, there is constant change. Organizers know that for their audience to receive great value and ROI from their events, they must evolve and create new experiences from event to event, year to year. Registration, which is the single touch point of every single person coming to an event, is no different. Working in tandem with our clients, we always have and always will be thinking of new tools, smarter solutions, and value-added applications and technology that continues to focus on happy customers, which includes our clients and their attendee and exhibitor communities. Always prepare for change — it’s part of the thrill and evolving engagement of what we are all doing in our events community! 

Take advantage of The MCI Experience. Request a demo today to see MCI USA’s next-generation registration and housing platform, OneSystem Plus, in action.