In-Person Event Set for May 13-16 in Orlando, Florida

PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J.—March 21, 2024—Physical cards play a key role in our daily lives and will for many years to come. Thus, the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) invites global card industry professionals and organizations to learn how to future-proof their card strategies at the 2024 ICMA Card Manufacturing & Personalization EXPO.

This premier in-person industry event is scheduled for May 13-16 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida.

“The 2024 ICMA EXPO is the card industry’s unique one-stop shop for learning about the latest trends and technologies that are advancing tomorrow’s tomorrow,” said Jeffrey Barnhart, ICMA founder and executive director. “In the face of industry disruption at every angle, including digital cards, mobile wallets and AI to name a few, the global card industry continues to move adeptly into the future and our successful annual EXPO is a testament to that.”

The 2024 EXPO will include an exhibition of more than 50 leading card industry suppliers showcasing equipment, materials, card components and services as well as diverse networking opportunities such as speed networking with exhibitors, golf and outdoor receptions and dining with card manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and consultants. Winners of the 2024 ICMA Élan Awards of Excellence, which celebrates the pinnacle of design innovation, security and technical achievements in the card industry, will also be announced at the EXPO.

The agenda includes educational presentations and panel discussions on current card industry topics. Industry thought leaders will discuss new trends and technological innovations affecting card markets across the globe. Presentations will also focus on the “greening” and future of the global card industry.

Keynote speaker Patrick Luce, a vital member of ITR Economics’ team of expert economists, will review short-term and long-term economic forecasts and how they will directly impact the global card industry. Luce will identify leading economic indicators of utmost importance to watch and provide economic insight on inflation, interest rates and taxes. His keynote address will also review current events and how they are expected to affect the global card market, as well as provide instructions for moving forward.

ICMA EXPO topics and presenters also include:

• Reduce. Reuse. Rethink Gift Cards., Lisa Taylor, VP Sales & Marketing, Monadnock Paper Mills
• U.S. Consumers’ Behavior About Payment Cards (Physical and Digital), James Sufrin, SVP NORAM Payment Services, IDEMIA
• Eco-Focused Enters the Growth Stage: Staying Focused on the Essentials to be Competitive, CPI Card Group
• The Mastercard Sustainable Card Program, Joe Pitcher, Vice President, Industry Standards, Mastercard
• Experience of Physical Card Payment for Consumers with Visual Impairments, Heather Bock, Director, Global Brand & Innovation, Visa
• Unlocking the Future: The Evolution of Biometric Cards Over the Last Decade, Antonio D’Albore, VP Sales, Zwipe
• Will Banks Play a Role in the Mass Adoption of Crypto by Consumers?, Emmanuel Proust, G+D
• Card Design Trends Shaping the Industry, Jared Stillman, Key Account Manager NORAM Payment Services, IDEMIA
• Digital Order Automation/Small Order Processing, George E. Daddis Jr. PhD, CEO/President, Bristol ID Technologies
• Biometrics: Breaking Through to Mass Adoption, John Calzaretta, President and CRO, Sentry Enterprises     
• Digital Intelligence Brings ROI to Card Personalization & Issuance, Zain Aleem, Director Business Analysis & Consulting, Entrust
• Coextruding Toward the Future, Pietro Parmeggiani, General Manager, SPICA Srl
• ACE: The Answer to Improving Hiring and Employee Retention, David Tushie, ICMA Standards and Technical Representative, Magellan Consulting Inc.

Make the most of your EXPO attendance by packaging it with an Advanced Card Education training and certificate program. To register for an ACE training and exam at the EXPO, visit ICMA.com. There is a separate fee to participate in the ACE program and non-members are not eligible to attend.

Currently, ICMA offers three designations, ACE-Manufacturing (ACE-M), ACE-Personalization (ACE-P) and ACE-Advanced Technologies (ACE-A). Each designation is developed as a standalone and does not build upon, nor require, any other designations as a precedent.

ACE-M looks at PVC/plastics, inks, adhesives, printing, collation, lamination, die-cutting and standards/testing. ACE-P reviews printing and barcodes, magnetic stripe encoding, embossing, laser engraving, smart card encoding, financial transaction card data, fulfilment and standards/testing. ACE-A delves into advanced materials and card construction, card technologies, security technologies and environmental initiatives.

The ACE training and exam schedule for the 2024 ICMA EXPO is as follows:

Tuesday, May 14
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – ICMA ACE-P Training Session (1 of 2)

Wednesday, May 15
9 a.m. to noon – ICMA ACE-P Training Session (2 of 2)
1-6 p.m. – ICMA ACE-A Training Session

Thursday, May 16
Noon to 6 p.m. – ICMA ACE-M Training Session
1-4 p.m. – ICMA ACE-A & ACE-P Exam (proctored by ICMA Staff)

Friday, May 17
8 a.m. to noon – ICMA ACE-M Exam (proctored by ICMA Staff)

Take full advantage of attending the EXPO by exhibiting or sponsoring at the event.

For more information about ICMA membership and to register for the EXPO, visit ICMA.com.

About ICMA

ICMA is a nonprofit association of card manufacturers, personalizers, suppliers and related industry participants. With members globally, ICMA is a resource focused on the production, technology, application, security and environmental issues of cards. More information is available at ICMA.com.