Rethinking Connection at Association Events

Rethinking Connection at Association Events

In an Associations Now article, Mark Athitakis explores how association events can more effectively foster belonging, the core reason many members join. Meetings, he writes, are the industry’s “proof of concept,” yet they often fall short of building meaningful connections. Traditional tools such as name tags or networking mixers tend to serve extroverts better than introverts and rarely produce authentic engagement.

Athitakis spoke with meeting experts Jeffrey Cufaude and Lee Gimpel, who argue that associations must move beyond viewing connection as something that happens “in the hallway.” Cufaude points out that technology alone cannot create belonging; tools like conference apps often demand too much pre-event effort from participants. Instead, planners should transform underused spaces, like registration lines, into opportunities for spontaneous networking by grouping attendees with shared interests.

Gimpel adds that belonging should be intentionally designed into every part of an event. Planners need to start by defining what success looks like: who should meet, and why. Too often, conferences divide content and networking into separate silos, creating barriers rather than bridges. Integrating smaller, more interactive session formats allows attendees to connect naturally during the event itself.

Meaningful engagement doesn’t happen by accident. Reimagining association events around intentional connection design, supported by clear expectations for presenters and staff, can transform fleeting “hallway moments” into lasting professional relationships.