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What is the Account Associates Program?
Developed in 2014, the Account Associate Program offers recent college graduates a full-time position at GES with an immersive onboarding process and hands-on training. The program introduces new team members to key departments such as business development, client services, marketing, and operations where they experience the sales business cycle from start to finish. Each team member is given the opportunity to engage and interact with clients and experience site visits, creative and planning meetings, and be onsite to assist with the production and management of key accounts. At the end of the first year, associates are given additional responsibilities and are ready to perform business development, client services, creative, and marketing roles throughout GES.
Hear from our current Account Associates:
We caught up with three current Account Associates, Kennedi Judd, Maddy Thibodeaux, and Paige Pierce, to get a glimpse into their experiences and insights gained from the program.
Kennedi Judd's journey into the events industry was shaped significantly by her active involvement in college extracurriculars. Kennedi's tenure as an account associate has been marked by invaluable opportunities to collaborate with seasoned professionals on large-scale projects.
"The most beneficial experience from school was getting involved; like being president of Women in Business and on my school's business council. From that experience, I was able to learn how to take initiative and work in teams. Working alongside senior teams has allowed me to glean insights and best practices, But what truly sets GES apart is the supportive environment. Here, everyone genuinely cares and is willing to lend a helping hand whenever needed."
Kennedi Judd
For Maddy Thibodeaux, her college years served as a crucible for developing soft skills essential for her career journey. Transitioning to the business development team, Maddy found herself equipped with a wealth of knowledge and support garnered during her time as an account associate.
"In school, I developed a lot of soft skills that I’ve utilized in my career. For example, I feel comfortable at networking events and have the confidence to speak on behalf of myself and GES. During my time as an Account Associate, I was introduced to so many different people and departments at GES. Although I haven’t learned everything yet, I am well equipped to ask the right questions to the right people."
Maddy Thibodeaux
Through the voices of Kennedi, Maddy, and Paige, it becomes evident that the Account Associate Program at GES isn't just a training ground; it's a transformative journey that empowers young professionals to unleash their potential, forge meaningful connections, and make lasting contributions to the vibrant landscape of the events industry.
"With a background in hospitality management, I've found that skills like customer service, marketing, budgeting and finance, communication and networking, as well as crisis management, have been invaluable in my role at GES."
Paige Pierce