A Farewell Message from Jason Groupp

Photo courtesy of I Heart NY Photography

Whoa, it’s been a long time since I’ve had the time to write a blog post here but I wanted to take a minute to deliver some important news….

My 4 ½-year tenure as the Director of Education and Membership for the Photo+ Group is coming to an end. FEAR NOT, I will still be at WPPI (in less than two weeks!), but this will be my last show as the director. I’m looking forward to six days of high fives up high, and closing out what has been an absolutely fascinating, terrifying, exhausting and wonderful journey.

Four-and-a-half years ago, Emerald Expositions took a chance on a guy they didn’t know all that well to come in and fill some monstrous shoes. I had no conference or tradeshow experience… and no “9-5” office experience AT ALL. Of course, I ran my own business for the 16 years prior, but coming into an office environment after so many years where most decisions were made by me to then working with a large group of people was rather jarring, to put it lightly. Thanks to the guidance of Lauren Wendle and Mike Gangel, I was able to navigate some rough waters and learned how to do my job both internally and externally. The experience I’ve gained over the last few years has been one of the most valuable educations I could have asked for. I’ve learned what true leadership is, how to work with others and communicate effectively. I’d also like to thank Jacqueline Tobin, who has become like a sister to me, and thanks to her I’ve also managed to become a better writer, a tool not easily learned.

I also want to thank you guys! My gosh, what an adventure we’ve all been on! From the day I began you guys have been my champions, and I could not have made it without all of you! Seriously, I’ve never been alone these last few years; you’ve always been around to offer advice and lend a hand!

So what’s next for me? I’m proud to announce that I’ll be coming on as the CMO for SongFreedom and FyfrFly (which will launch officially in June). Four-and-a-half years ago, I could have never dreamt of taking on a role like this, but thanks to the experience I’ve gained at Emerald Expositions and WPPI, I’m excited for the next epic journey! So, you’re not done with me yet, I’m just moving into a new role.

It’s all about taking big leaps and getting what you want. I hope I’ve served you well and can inspire you to take that leap someday to take on your dreams! I can’t wait to see you all in Vegas for one more amazing show!