IFEA’s 55^th Annual Opening Keynote Speaker

William O'Toole

International Events Development Specialist

"Global Outreach:  How the Festivals & Events Industry is Touching the World 

Due to unforeseen business obligations, Bill Schermerhorn, Vice President and Creative Director with Macy*s Parade and Entertainment Group will be unable to present at the IFEA 55^th Annual Convention and Expo in Saint Louis.  With sincere regrets, we are already planning for Bill to join us for the IFEA 56^th Annual Convention & Expo in 2011.

We are pleased to welcome our new Opening Keynote Speaker, William (Bill) O’Toole. O'Toole is an international events development specialist and one of the world’s leading industry advocates. He assists councils, cities, regions, countries and companies, around the world, to grow their festivals and events portfolios and create long-term event programs. For the last five years O’Toole has advised the Supreme Commission for Tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the development of their new festival program throughout the thirteen provinces of that country. O’Toole trains and assists United Nations event organizers in places such as the Sudan and Uganda and is facilitating the development of the event industry in Kenya. He is a founding director of the Event Management Body of Knowledge (EMBOK) and a key advisor to the International Event Management Competency Standard. O’Toole has organized events in 39 countries, is the author of two international event textbooks, and the information and checklists on his CDROM EPMS (www.epms.net)  are used by events and venues around  the world to manage their events.  O’Toole is a member of the International Festivals & Events Association’s (IFEA) Global Round Table and the IFEA President’s Council.

O’Toole’s Opening Keynote, “Global Outreach: How the Festivals & Events Industry is Touching the World,” is sure to expand your vision and understanding of the enormous and important role that our events and industry play in the world around us.