The final day of the INTIX 47th Annual Conference & Exhibition kicked off with a morning networking coffee break sponsored by Headout. It was an energizing start to the day, full of conversation and connection.
Next, attendees gathered in the Paris Theater for an important roundtable general session. The interactive workshop revisited the Cultural Intelligence (CQ) framework introduced at last year’s conference before shifting to practical examples of how it can be applied to improve the fan experience, build more collaborative teams, and empower effective leadership throughout an organization. The conversation reinforced how the IDEA (Inspiring Direction for Effective Access) Committee’s work continues to advance goals from the INTIX Strategic Long-Range Plan (SLRP) while championing a more inclusive and culturally aware ticketing industry.
INTIX IDEA Committee members with session presenter Dr. Kristal Walker, Vice President of Learning & Talent Development at Sweetwater.
Rebecca Throne, INTIX Board Chair and Consultant at Art of Ticketing, underscored the SLRP as the INTIX Board’s most critical work each year, which is continuously developed, refined and reaffirmed to guide the organization’s future.
“The SLRP is the tool that we use to set direction, establish priorities and hold ourselves accountable,” said Throne. “It serves as our compass throughout the year as we work to support the INTIX community through programming, education and leadership. This roundtable session … focuses on strengthening the everyday practices that shape who feels welcomed, understood, and well served across our organizations, our industry and our community.”
Rebecca Throne
After her remarks, Throne introduced Anwar Nasir, IDEA Committee co-chair, member and Executive Director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, to share his thoughts and introduce the roundtable general session.
“Many of us were introduced to the Cultural Intelligence framework, which gave us the language to navigate diverse perspectives in the workplace. This year, we are moving from the ‘what’ to the ‘how.’ This progress is supported by the dedicated work of our IDEA Committee … Our community is strengthened by the values of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. Here, those are not dirty words. They define what we do, and they define who we are. When we reach out and touch as many people as possible, it strengthens our community … Today's session is designed to turn those IDEA values into actionable tools.”
Anwar Nasir
Because I SEE You: Practical Strategies for Putting Cultural Intelligence (CQ) to Work
Dr. Kristal Walker, CPTM, SHRM-CP, opened her session by welcoming back the many ticketing professionals who had taken part in last year’s CQ conversation. She also thanked INTIX for asking her to return, noting, “When an organization invites you back, it means two things … that the conversation still matters and that there is still work to do.”
Walker said, “[I like to define] Cultural Intelligence as a neutralizer for those who really don't understand the work of what it takes to embrace diversity, to create equitable spaces, to ensure that everyone's voice is heard. And I like to leverage Cultural Intelligence as a leader or as a driver into inclusive excellence. When we have this conversation today, I want you to think about the role that you play in your world every single day, not just in the workplace, but also at home. Because the reality is culture shows up every single day.”
Dr. Kristal Walker
Dr. Walker guided attendees through a set of questions, encouraging them to slow down and reflect on how their responses connect back to CQ. She challenged participants to consider whether they are truly present in the patron experience, and then, drawing on examples from guest services, explored common challenges, instinctive reactions and thoughtful resolutions. Attendees were asked to think about the full range of guests they may serve, from VIPs and confused tourists to non-English speakers and neurodivergent patrons. Before opening up the floor to questions, she shared some powerful reflections.
“Your guests are never going to think about your policies. They are not going to be thinking about what SOPs or what training you had … They are not even going to be thinking about how you feel. They are going to be thinking about how you made them feel in that moment. And if they are confused about the experience and trying to navigate it because they just want to get into it and enjoy themselves, we have to be mindful of that. If they are having accessibility issues and they want to be able to get in without feeling different … which is probably a feeling that they always experience, how do we shift a perspective and see them in that moment? So, if you don't remember anything that I've said today, how can you put into practice an experience, a habit that's going to allow you to feel and see what people are experiencing in real time? Can you be present enough to experience that?”
Combatting Fraud
New at INTIX 2026, the four-hour Ticketing Risk Boot Camp tackled one of the most pressing challenges facing the industry today — fraud, payments and chargebacks. In this hands-on session, attendees explored how the chargeback landscape is evolving, learned how to spot emerging risks, and gained practical strategies to protect both revenue and reputation.
Expert facilitator Mandi Grimm, Director of Fraud Prevention at Etix, and panelists Sally Baptiste, Senior Payment Consultant and Co-Founder, and Christine Wade, Senior Risk and Fraud Consultant, both of Payment Operations Group, guided attendees from venues of all sizes and types through real-world scenarios and proven response strategies. By the end of the boot camp, participants left not just informed, but empowered, armed with new tools, sharper instincts and a clear action plan to take on fraudsters with confidence.
Meaningful Connections in the Exhibit Hall
Following a morning of learning, attendees made their way to the INTIX Exhibit Hall for brunch sponsored by LUDUS and conversations with ticketing peers, partners and friends. As always, the vendors showcased leading and innovative solutions for the global ticketing and live events industry.
Winning Attendees
A longtime conference favourite, the 50/50 draw plays a meaningful role in supporting the INTIX Professional Development and Education Fund (PD&E). All of the money raised provides conference scholarships for ticketing professionals who might not otherwise be able to attend, while also supporting webinars and INTIX’s year-round educational programming and initiatives. In Las Vegas, Jamie Hernandez of FEVO was the big winner. Congratulations, Jamie!
Huge thanks to the volunteers who kept 50/50 tickets moving all week long. Their enthusiasm and efforts directly support the PD&E and help make a real impact across the INTIX community.
Over in the INTIX booth, members were asked what the organization means to them. We were delighted by all the wonderful sentiments. Marisa Quijano from the Sunrise Theatre in Florida was the winner of an Amazon gift card for her entry: “INTIX means community and support. It means friendly faces, decades of wisdom, and the feeling that you’re not the only one with silly ticketing problems.”
The winner of the new member selfie challenge was Tayla Mapatac, Supervisor, Ticketing Services at Mount Royal University in Calgary. A first-time attendee and grant recipient, she documented her inaugural INTIX experience on Instagram, capturing everything from Las Vegas moments to connections with fellow members, exhibitors and ticketing peers. On winning, she said, "This is fantastic news and the loveliest cherry on top of what was such a beautiful and inspiring experience as a whole for me!"
From the Exhibit Hall
For Adam Petrus, Business Development and Sales Lead - Sports and Entertainment at Zebra Technologies, INTIX stands out for the relationships it fosters. “I love the connectivity of the vendors, customers and partners … It's a great environment, all under one roof, to discuss the challenges, solutions and future of the ticketing industry.”
He shared, “Zebra Technologies is a global company that specializes in mobile computing, data capture, RFID and delivering results. You've probably come across Zebra hardware and never realized it, but if you have ever been to Target, Home Depot or Lowe's, every employee walks around with a Zebra device … And every Amazon package that comes to your door is printed on a Zebra printer,” said Petrus. “What we are doing in the world of venue access control is bringing this best-in-tech technology, allowing you to use Wi-Fi-enabled, cellular-enabled 5G devices with hard, rugged plastics, Gorilla Glass, to ensure that enterprise hardware delivers so that the fans have a very smooth entry and egress into the venues.”
Petrus added, “It is important for Zebra to be [exhibiting at INTIX] because we offer great solutions that can really help further the mission and the cause of the ticketing industry. We're here to deliver a performance edge and bring world-class hardware solutions.”
Eric Schwab, President of TheaterProducts, values the opportunity to connect and share information at INTIX. “It is always good to be here because we meet new people, get to see and talk to people that we have known for years, and run into people that we've known, loved and worked with for lots of years. [We also value the opportunity] to educate people on what's new out there and show them what we have to offer.”
Those offerings include two very important yet different types of equipment for live events and entertainment organizations.
“One of the main things we do is box office intercom systems and accessories for them. We sell the entire systems,” Schwab explained. “We also sell accessories for systems that people may already own and service those systems. So, if they don't have the budget to buy a new system, but they want to keep theirs running, we work with them to do that.”
Schwab continued, “The other side of what we do is ADA assistive listening devices. We are really big on educating people about the latest technologies, and we are proponents of equal access … We believe that the better a person can hear at your venue, the more often they'll want to come back. So, we try to do everything we can to help people help people hear.”
Sammy Arena, Director of Event Operations for Flash Parking/Park Whiz, enjoys the mix of people he encounters at INTIX, including prospects and existing customers. The company provides a prepaid parking platform and is the largest provider of parks equipment in the United States, with a primary focus on garages. It offers everything from scan-to-pay signage, parking equipment, vision cameras, and handheld devices.
“It's great to see people that we work with on a daily basis, and we work with most of the ticketing platforms that are here … so it's good to get to put faces with names,” said Arena. “It's important for us to be here to be at the forefront of people's minds. Parking is … sometimes an afterthought for many places, and something that most people don't realize is that it doesn't really matter if you control your parking or not. We can help them out with that … We’re the only company out there that does everything in parking.”
Arena adds, “We don't see our customers as clients, we are partners … We see everybody as a partner or a potential partner. Even our [competitors], we have to integrate with [and] they have to integrate with us, so we're friendly with everybody. There is nobody that is really competition because we literally have to integrate with everybody.”
Closing Keynote
The closing keynote of the 47th Annual INTIX Conference & Exhibition featured Ben Feller and his talk, “How To Make Your Audiences Care.” An award-winning journalist who served as Chief White House Correspondent for The Associated Press during the presidencies of Barack Obama and George W. Bush, Feller now works as a strategic advisor helping organizations find clearer, more human ways to communicate.
Ben Feller
“If you only do this out of the presentation I'm giving you — think like your audience,” Feller emphasized. “What is it that they need to hear and feel, and in what tone and in what space, and with what gravity? How do we connect with them? How are they hearing it? If you only do that, there is a lot more I want you to do, but if you only do that, you are so much more likely to succeed.”
Feller emphasized that organizations must ask the right questions to get to the words and stories that will resonate. Those questions are:
- Who are you?
- What do you do?
- How it is different?
- Why should I care?
“Talk about what you do and why it matters in a way that is personal. Companies don't talk to companies. People talk to people,” He shared, underscoring that storytelling is often what turns information into connection.
He continued, “You don't do what you do in isolation, right? We work in a competitive landscape. Your ability to differentiate yourself is not just in the offering. It is in how you talk about the offering. What is it that you do that's different? You have to be a little bold and a little bit edgy … [And when it comes to the final question], now I get what you do … what does it mean for me?”
From there, Feller wove personal stories from his life and career into a lesson on connecting with customers. He balanced humor and heart. He made the audience laugh, listen and reflect on why word choice matters.
“So, here are the takeaways,” Feller said. “You can have everything [and] a great event like this one, talented people … [and] the right intentions, but if your language isn't connecting, it won't matter. It's up to you to make it matter.”
See You in New Orleans!
As the 47th Annual INTIX Conference & Exhibition came to a close, attendees departed with new ideas and stronger connections while looking ahead to what’s next. The conversation continues January 25-28, 2027, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. Until then, thank you for an unforgettable week!
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