Event attendee interest in networking and making authentic connections has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Sarah Thomas.

“Of course, education is important—it’s the main reason people attend events—but they also want to make connections with the people in the room, people who have the same struggles,” says Thomas, director of events for Greater Cleveland Partnership. “We’ve worked really hard to overhaul how we build events—from agendas to room setups to structured networking—to ensure people have that time to connect.”

Greater Cleveland Partnership has consistently found success hosting events at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, including the group’s signature event—their Annual Event, which includes an hour-long program for more than 1,000 business and civic leaders gathered to drive the region forward through panel discussions, keynotes, videos and an awards presentation.

“We pack a lot into that hour, and it’s about creating that space where conversations happen, where business leaders truly connect, where we can get our strategy and messaging across and really give not just a report on where we’ve come over the past year, but also where we’re going,” Thomas says. “And all of this is to support business growth and regional competitiveness. Comparing ourselves to other notable cities in the region, how do we rank? What’s drawing people to our city? What’s drawing businesses to our city? And since our goal is to encourage conversations and connections, we set the room in rounds so you can talk to 10 to 12 people at your table versus theater style, where you’re restricted to the people on either side of you.”

In-person experiences for a cross-network sector of private business and nonprofits is how Greater Cleveland Partnership builds relationships and keeps members and partners informed, says Thomas, who notes that the 2025 Annual Event featured the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, requiring additional security support from Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.

Thomas believes it’s important, but never easy, to quiet the room down and demand attendee focus, and for the 2025 Annual Event, that task was accomplished through a massive stage production and performance by local violinist Humble G tha Fiddla.

A step further

Greater Cleveland Partnership also recently hosted 300 attendees at the Huntington Convention Center for the 2026 Corporate Sustainability Summit.

“We don’t just attract regional attendees—at one point, it was the largest corporate sustainability event in the country, and we operate this event a lot differently than a ‘one-and-done’ event,” Thomas says. “We make sure every single item is either reusable or compostable. And if we can’t find one, then it’s recyclable. We bring in a separate composting company to accomplish this.”

It doesn’t hurt that the Huntington Convention Center has one of the highest sustainability certifications, LEED Gold, and for the 2026 Corporate Sustainability Summit, Thomas and her team overhauled the entire food disposal plan working with onsite caterer Levy.

“But we took it a step further and composted everything,” she says. “We use a local company called Rust Belt Riders and they came in and taught the serving staff how things should be composted in their bins and where things go. We also removed all extra trash receptacles because we didn’t want people throwing things away in bins that they shouldn’t go in.”

Thomas also focused on bulk products over individual containers, such as sugar packets, and decided to forego tea in 2025 because elements of the tea packets weren’t compostable (a problem that was remedied in 2026). She endeavors to find sustainable options for every facet of events and is always learning something new, such as how compostable drink tickets don’t seem to existent and that her local recycling company doesn’t recycle the paper her name badge-printing system was using.

Their personal mission

Thomas says the Huntington Convention Center and its partners are critical to the success of her events.

“These aren’t just events, they’re experiences; it’s a community,” she says. “From the convention center’s sales team to their onsite partners—Levy as their caterer, Mills James as their AV provider, Edlen for their electricity—you don’t feel like you’re just another person walking into their building, having an event. They take the time to make sure they understand my vision. They understand my why. They understand the purpose of this event. These are the conversations that we want to have happen. And they take it as their personal mission to help with that.”

Thomas says the Huntington Convention Center team works with onsite vendors to make sure her budget can be met while staying as close to the vision as possible.

“With costs increasing, especially in production, this is such an important dynamic to have,” she says. “We don’t need to sacrifice one for the other—budget for experience, and vice versa.”

A recent expansion at the Huntington Convention Center—which offers more than 520,000 square feet of meeting and event space and is connected to a 600-room Hilton—was designed to create a more modern and flexible experience for meeting planners and attendees, according to General Manager Mike Campo.

“One of the standout features is the abundance of natural light throughout the atrium, creating a bright, welcoming atmosphere that helps attendees stay energized throughout the day,” he says. “Combined with new meeting spaces, a rooftop terrace and a seamless connection to our exhibit halls, the expansion gives planners greater flexibility while creating a memorable experience for their guests.”

Sustainability is at the core of the center’s operations, Campo says, as in addition to the LEED Gold certification, it features a Grind2Energy system and a 19,000-square-foot urban farm.

“We’re continually looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact,” he says. “As sustainability becomes a higher priority for event planners, we work closely with organizers to support their goals through waste reduction, locally sourced ingredients, recycling and composting programs and sustainable food and beverage options.”

One of the biggest trends Campo sees right now is an attendee desire for experiences that go beyond meetings.

“Planners are creating more opportunities for networking, wellness and interactive programming that keep attendees engaged,” he says. “We’re also seeing a growing demand for sustainable practices and flexible event spaces, and we’re proud to offer both.”