ASBPE’s 2023 National Conference showcased “Heroes of B2B Media” — publications and journalists who are champions/heroes of their beats or within the industries they cover. Our speakers, presenters and guests demonstrated success in managing change, growing their audience, launching new products/publications, spotlighting and championing diversity, and pivoting to provide their readership/membership vital information and thought-provoking stories.

If you missed our annual conference, hosted May 11-12, 2023 at the Atlanta Marriott Suites Midtown in Atlanta, Ga., you can still get the benefits of this year’s educational programming through our recorded sessions and blogs. Recordings of our 2023 sessions are available for $25 per session, or save 20% when you purchase the full set of sessions for $200. You can purchase the full set of recordings and receive notifications as they are released, or watch for links to purchase and access individual session recordings below and in our monthly newsletters. Azbee judges, you can use your Azbee Bucks towards these recordings! Please email conference@asbpe.org with questions.

ASBPE welcomes you to share suggestions for a webinar or 2024 conference session topic.

Save the date for next year’s conference, which will take place from May 16-17, 2024, plus keep an eye out for special announcements as ASBPE celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024!

2023 Sessions & Recordings

Keynote: The Power of Story

It was our privilege to have Nick Chiles, author and writer in residence for journalism at the University of Georgia, as our keynote speaker at the 2023 National Conference in Atlanta. As a distinguished author or co-author of 21 books, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and a skilled interviewer, Chiles explained and demonstrated his superpower of storytelling and bringing out the best details and insights from the people he interviews. 

In his keynote, Chiles said: “Our brains are wired to respond to stories. We use stories to make sense of our world, to understand behavior, to remember important information. As storytellers, we have enormous power to shape the perceptions and emotions of others. It is an enduring superpower. Those who understand the power of narratives and how to manipulate them become the masters of all of our fates.” 

Access only this recorded session or access the full set of sessions.

What Editors Can Learn from Freelancers about Project Management

How do you stay organized and manage your workflow as a freelancer? When hiring a freelancer, how do you ensure that everyone stays on track? In ASBPE’s 2023 session, “What Editors Can Learn from Freelancers about Project Management,” our panel explored everything from establishing deliverables to tracking workflow to providing freelancers with starter questions for interviews. Learn more from moderator Brooke Bilyj, owner & chief content officer at Bantamedia; Nicole Racadag, senior managing editor at the American College of Radiology; Heather Tunstall, president of Tunstall Content LLC; and Brooke Turbyfill, freelance writer and editor at Turbowords Editing.

Recording will be available soon!

Bringing New Energy and Purpose to an Aging Brand

In this session, members of the Food Technology Magazine design and editorial team discussed their approach to reimagining the Institute of Food Technologists’ 75-year-old flagship publication while staying true to its roots. The presentation focused on the work that led to the magazine’s 2022 national gold Azbee Award win in the Publication Redesign category. Panelists Mary Ellen Kuhn, executive editor; Brian MacKenzie, design and production manager, publications; and Bill McDowell, editor-in-chief and vice president of content strategy, focused on what they learned through the process and answered a number of audience questions.

Recording will be available soon!

ChatGPT: Hero, Horror Show, or Hogwash?

In this lunch-and-learn session, Samantha Enslen, president of Dragonfly Editorial, took on the topic of the moment — what is ChatGPT and when will it take our jobs? She shared her experience of what AI can do, where it fails, and the value we bring as human writers. While AI can generate story ideas, summarize content, suggest social media posts, and convert complex writing to plain English, some writers are doing more with the tool, such as using it to write first drafts. Watch Enslen’s presentation to learn more about the significant problems with AI — generic and outdated content, plagiarism, and inaccurate information — and how we can do a level of work that can’t be replaced by AI.

Recording will be available soon!

How to Launch Your Own B2B Podcast

An informal poll of attendees indicated this session was a highlight during the conference. Speakers Brendan Howard, podcast host and Michael Castañeda, audio engineer & owner of plasticAudio, taught attendees what it takes to make a great podcast and answered an array of questions regarding what it takes to start a podcast, why podcasts are better (or worse) than videos and written content, what equipment to use to get started, and why we should stop worrying and just try it. And as a bonus for attendees, Howard and Castañeda set up a private podcasting space for everyone to experience the recording/interviewing process!

Recording will be available soon!

(Heroic) Lessons from Atlanta Journalism History

Echoing the theme of this year’s conference and honoring our host city, a panel of real Atlanta journalism heroes shares insights from their groundbreaking careers in radio, print and digital journalism. Moderator Rich Luna, senior director of content for Associated Luxury Hotels International, is joined by panelists Leroy Chapman, Jr., editor-in-chief of The Atlanta Journal Constitution; Janis L. Ware, publisher of The Atlanta Voice; and Marsha Washington George, second vice president of the National Board and Atlanta Chapter president for the National Black Radio Hall of Fame. Ranging from covering the work of Martin Luther King Jr., to ushering the city’s leading publications into the future, this panel inspires and educates.

Recording will be available soon!

Celebrating 20 Years of ASBPE’s Stephen Barr Award

We took a special look back at the prestigious Stephen Barr Award as the ASBPE Educational Foundation celebrates the award’s 20-year legacy. Panelists included previous Stephen Barr Award winners Kevin Davis, managing editor of the ABA Journal from the American Bar Association; Megan Gates, senior editor of Security Management and editor-in-chief of Security Technology from ASIS International; and Meagan Parrish, lead editor of PharmaVoice from Industry Dive; with a special, recorded appearance from Adam Minter, author and columnist at Bloomberg Opinion and the Barr Award’s first recipient. Moderated by Roy J. Harris, Jr., freelance B2B journalist and former senior editor of CFO Magazine, the group delved into how their enterprising and investigative reporting changed their industries and their careers for a truly captivating session.

Recording will be available soon!

You Were a Journalist — Now You’re the Boss

Leadership is a learned skill. So says Meagan Parrish, lead editor of PharmaVoice from Industry Dive. When she moved into a leadership position, Parrish found that her job was no longer about herself and her journalism work, it was all about the people in her organization. In addition to covering the basics of transitioning into a leadership role, Parrish covered the skills required to be a good team leader, the potential perils of being the boss (including writing less), and the many lessons she learned from her mentors. Watch her presentation to learn more about effective leadership and establishing a successful team.

Recording will be available soon!

Style Matters: Are You Up-to-Date on the Latest Language that Supports DEI Efforts?

Moderated by ASBPE board member Rich Luna, this session focused on language that supports diversity, equity and inclusion welcomes speakers Chiriga “Zoe” Moore, strategic equity, diversity and inclusion consultant at Grow with Zomom, and Nicole Racadag, senior managing editor at the American College of Radiology. The trio’s engaging discussion answered the question: How can B2B media professionals keep abreast of the latest language trends to be more inclusive in their publications and media? This clearly was a topic affecting many in our industry, as attendees peppered our speakers with questions that they handled with aplomb.

Recording will be available soon!

Event Coverage Amid Change

Our final conference session, moderated by ASBPE Educational Foundation president Paul Heney, focused on “Event Coverage Amid Change.” His fellow panelists included Danica Tormohlen, vice president of content at Tarsus Group and Tess Vismale, CMP, DES, founder and CEO of iSocialX. The group discussed what B2B journalists need to know today as industry events have evolved and audience priorities have shifted. The traditional ways of covering events may not cut it anymore, they said. Getting the most out of event coverage today includes prioritizing meetings and schedules, knowing what can be skipped, finding alternatives to traditional reporting techniques, newer networking best practices, and much more. This informative session had our attendees taking many notes and offering their own best practices!

Recording will be available soon!

RECORDINGS: Recordings of our 2023 sessions are available for $25 per session, or save 20% when you purchase the full set of sessions for $200. You can purchase the full set of recordings and receive notifications as they are released, or watch for links to purchase and access individual session recordings below and in our monthly newsletters. Azbee judges, you can use your Azbee Bucks towards these recordings! Please email conference@asbpe.org with questions.

Awards Coverage

Follow our national Azbee Awards coverage, visit our 2023 winners gallery and read about our top awards (additional coverage coming soon):

• ASBPE Educational Foundation’s 2023 Stephen Barr Award
• ASBPE Educational Foundation’s 2023 Journalism That Matters Award
• ABA Journal Named 2023 Magazine of the Year (11 or Fewer Issues per Year)
• Engineering News-Record Wins Gold for Feature Article Design

Save the Date for ASBPE’s 2024 Conference

Mark your calendar today for next year’s conference, which will take place from May 16-17, 2024, plus keep an eye out for special announcements as ASBPE celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024!

About Our 2023 Sponsors

Supporting ASBPE’s national conference is the best way to show your support for the hard-working B2B journalists and publications that not only use your products and services, but endeavor to make us all better informed, hold officials accountable and improve the industries they cover. Read more about sponsoring ASBPE’s national conference.

GOLD SPONSOR

Dragonfly Editorial is your outsourced content partner, helping you with writing, editing, design, and content strategy. We’re an extension of your team, easing your workload and reducing your stress. We create clear, compelling content that meets your business needs and helps you shine.

SILVER SPONSORS

Brendan Howard is a high-energy podcast host who creates (or hops on board) custom podcast series to help B2B businesses with existing content streams looking to get into audio. A 20-year B2B publishing veteran, Howard makes genuine connections with people he interviews, asks unexpected questions and is willing to take the time to truly understand instead of accepting the first answer.

 

plasticAudio provides recording, editing and mixing to both independent and corporate podcasts, as well as tape syncs and field recordings for radio. Past clients include PayPal, New York Times Magazine, BBC, NPR, and ESPN. Current clients include Private Parts Unknown and Business Of Home.

 

Questions?

We love to hear from our members and guests. If you have feedback for ASBPE, are interested in speaking at or becoming a sponsor for our 2024 conference, please get in touch with us at conference@asbpe.org.

If you have suggestions for a conference session topic, please complete our suggestion form.

Azbee Awards judges, did you know you can use your Azbee Bucks to cover a portion of your conference registration fees and towards session recordings? Email info@asbpe.org for your coupon code!