119: Innovation, Events, and Leadership with Gary Shapiro The Business of Meetings

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with an amazing leader and a legend in our industry, Gary Shapiro! Gary is President and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association- the association that owns the famous Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. He is a New York Times bestselling author and was recently awarded a Legend of Honor. 
Gary is full of drive and passion! In this episode, he talks about his experiences and shares his fascinating views on the meetings and events industry.
We hope you enjoy listening to today’s inspiring conversation with Gary Shapiro!
Bio:
Gary Shapiro is an acclaimed author, lobbyist, president, and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, which represents over 1,500 consumer technology companies and owns and produces the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) ® — The Global Stage for Innovation. 
A Georgetown Law graduate, Shapiro began his career as an associate at the Squire Sanders law firm. After an extended tenure in law, he began working on Capitol Hill as an assistant to a prominent member of the U.S. Congress. Later in his life, Gary would use this combined law and legal experience to be named one of The Hill’s top lobbyists numerous times throughout his career (2015-2021). As his experience in law and politics progressed, he became more aligned with the world of technology, which eventually brought him into the fold of the Consumer Technology Association in 1982. 
Taking the role of President and CEO, Shapiro evolved the idea of the workplace over his 40-year-long tenure leading the organization. Directing a staff of 150 employees alongside thousands of industry volunteers, he built a forward-thinking and successful business focused on the further development and integration of technology in all industries of the world. Under his leadership, CTA has won numerous awards for its healthy workplace, family-friendly employment practices, and environmentally friendly exhibition practices. In 2019, CTA earned its sixth consecutive selection as a Washington Post Top Workplace. 
Shapiro is a New York Times bestselling author whose books include “Ninja Future: Secrets to Success in the New World of Innovation” (HarperCollins, 2019), “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” (HarperCollins, 2013), and “The Comeback: How Innovation will Restore the American Dream” (Beaufort, 2011). Through these books, numerous television appearances, and as a columnist whose more than 1,200 opinion pieces have appeared in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, Shapiro has helped direct policymakers and business leaders on the importance of innovation and technology in the U.S. economy. 
Shapiro consistently stays active in policy, thought leadership, government, and community development alongside his position at CTA. He currently sits on the Northern Virginia Technology Council, CEO Update Roundtable, Council of Manufacturing Associations Board, and more. A subject of regular praise, Shapiro was once called a “mastermind” for his initiative in helping to create the Industry Cooperative for Ozone Layer Protection. His mind for an evolving workplace and consumers while staying environmentally conscious has paved a roadmap for bipartisan law and policymakers to follow in making a more innovative world. 
Gary Shapiro is happily married and lives in Michigan.
Gary’s story
Gary enrolled at Georgetown Law School as the youngest student. He started school with no money and immediately landed a job at Capitol Hill. In his second year, Gary started working for a law firm. He spent his third year working there almost full-time. He loved what the law firm was doing because they focused on the future. He became a summer associate and then an associate. 
CES
While still a student, Gary worked for a client at the law firm, which he loved and saw as the future of technology.