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Freeman Announces Retirement of Chief Development Officer, Ken Sanders

Freeman announced today that Ken Sanders, Freeman’s Chief Development Officer, is retiring on January 31, 2023.  While retiring, Ken will remain a strategic advisor to the company.

During his tenure at Freeman, Ken played an instrumental role in the company’s growth through business development, acquisitions, and partnerships.   Joining the company in 2008 as president of Freeman AV, Ken restructured the business, built out the sales team and bought several key businesses – AVMG, AVT, Staging Connections, Encore – to strengthen the company’s AV capabilities and grow our revenue.   Before divesting the Encore business in 2019, Ken was able to triple the revenue.

“Under Ken’s guidance, the company acquired strategic capabilities that allowed us to better serve our customers’ changing needs. His contributions to our company and the industry will have a positive impact for years to come.” said Bob Priest-Heck, CEO.

At the same time, Ken was active in the events industry and served on the boards of American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), INFOCOMM, Meeting Planners International (MPI), PMCA and most recently on U.S. Travel Association (USTA).

Reflecting upon his 40-year career, Ken Sanders stated, “My time at Freeman has been the highlight of my professional life.  I would like to thank Don, Carrie and the entire Freeman Family for the opportunity to work alongside the best in the business.  It has been an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life.”

About Freeman

Freeman is a global leader in events. Whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid, we are on a mission to redefine live for a new era. With a data-driven approach and the industry’s largest network of experts, our insights shape exhibitions, exhibits, and events that drive audiences to action. Our integrated full-service solutions leverage a 95-year legacy in event management as well as new technologies to deliver moments that matter.