Paul A. McDonnough
Paul A. McDonnough is a co-founder of the Council has spent the past 20 years as a Global Tradeshow and Event Management Professional. Paul is currently Team Leader, Custom Events Services & Leader Banks-Sadler for American Express Global Business Travel. Previously, Paul served as Divisional Director of the Life Sciences and Healthcare business unit at IQPC (International Quality and Production Center, a division of Penton Learning System), where he was responsible for the launch of events focused on the digitization occurring within the industry. Working alongside a committee of ignitors from Merck, Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Takeda, Paul launched cutting-edge educational programs and shows on AI in Drug Discovery, Intelligent Automation in Pharma/Healthcare and Digital Marketing in Pharma.
Paul is known for his innovative learning styles and disruptive patterns of engagement. Wherever he has worked, he has made bold changes and shaken up the conventional model of shows and conferences.
Paul got his first taste of “big box” tradeshows during his tenure at the Data & Marketing Association (formerly known as Direct Marketing Association), where he served a distinguished twelve-year career as Vice President of Conference & Events. His portfolio of events, totaling $10M in net revenue, included DMA’s Annual Conference & Exhibition (&THEN), Marketing Analytics Conference, IMW (Integrated Marketing Week) and DMA’s Awards Programs (ECHO, Innovation Awards, Marketer of the Year, and Hall of Fame).
Between 2003–2004 Paul was Founder, Sole Proprietor and CEO of P&T Enterprise, a full-service event management company focused solely on the production of two/three-day Conferences and Experiences.
Paul’s early years in the production of Live B2B Events began as Vice President/Conference Director at KNect365 (formerly Institute for International Research), leading a team of content/event developers in the Finance/Capital Markets and the Public-Sector area.
Paul is a graduate with a degree in Business Management and Organizational Theory from the University of Miami, FL. Paul has numerous recognitions and achievements in both the private and public sector including:
- Appointee-Office of Presidential Personnel: Sept. 1989–Jan 1990
- Who’s Who in American Politics: 1993–1994, 1996–1997
- Outstanding Young Men of America: 1987, 1996
- Consultant to political campaigns (Presidential, Senatorial and Gubernatorial) in Florida, North Carolina and New York