By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA 

ICMA is excited to celebrate its 35th anniversary at the 2025 Card Manufacturing & Personalization EXPO! Join us in Orlando, Florida, from May 12-15 as we commemorate three and a half decades of connecting and advancing the global card industry. 

This year’s EXPO will focus on the future of card manufacturing and personalization with the theme Next-Gen Cards: Innovating for the Future. The event will showcase the latest breakthroughs in card technologies, featuring a dynamic agenda covering a wide range of topics. 

Featured ICMA EXPO Sessions and Speakers: 

• Keynote: Challenges and Opportunities in 2025–2026–2027 – Taylor St. Germain, ITR Economics 

• The Brand Importance of Successful Design in Cards – Steffanie L. Haase, Global Director, Creative Services, Siegel + Gale New York 

• Why Preventing Fraud Can Be More Eco-Friendly Than Sustainable Materials – Cyril Lalo, CEO and Co-Founder, Ellipse 

• Materials That Tell a Story: Notable Trends Enhancing the Card Experience – Megan Anthony Bogard, ACE-M, ACE-P, Director, Pre-Sales & Design, CPI Card Group 

• Cryptography vs. Quantum Computing: The Race to Stay Ahead of Cyber Threats – Antoine Kelman, CTO, NORAM, Payment Services at IDEMIA Secure Transactions 

• Adhesive Know-How Unlocked: An Interactive Card Industry Session – Christoph Krämer, Senior Market Manager Card Security, BU Technical Products, and Jan Eller (ACE-M), Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG 

• Illuminating the Future of Payments: Why Card Design Still Matters – Ed Tomko, Sales Director, NORAM, Payment Services at IDEMIA Secure Transactions 

• From Materials to Mindset- Sustainability as Strategy in the Card Industry, David Nicholson, Director of ESG, CPI Card Group 
• Addressing Gift Card Fraud Through Industry Collaboration – Karen Brooker, VP of Growth Strategy, Marketing Card Technology; Chanda Wicker, SVP, Global Production Services, InComm; Erin Wood, Director, McDonald’s Arch Card Program & RGCA Board Member, P2W, McDonald’s Gift Card Company; Jim Schulz, Associate Manager, Gift Cards, Best Buy; Derek Dlugosh-Ostap, CEO, Pack-Smart Inc.; Cara Renfroe, SVP,   Global Operations & Transformation, Blackhawk Network (BHN) 

• Creating Industry Standards to Eliminate Gift Card Fraud – David Anderson, Co-CEO/Co-Founder, Karta 

• Exploring Material Choices and Sustainable Solutions in Card Manufacturing – Carrie Hill, Product Line Manager, Cards & Graphics, Americas; Jeffrey Smith, R&D/Innovation; Devesh Mathur, Vice President Technology and Innovation, Klöckner Pentaplast 

• Traditional Card Trends: Exploring the Evolving Closed-Loop Market – Tiffany Milbrandt, Manager of Business Development, CARDSource 

• Reinventing Your Business to Stay Relevant – Michael Dorner, ICMA Past President and Managing Partner, Variuscard 

• Adding the “Cool Factor” – Advances in Materials and Techniques for Transparent Antennas – Chris Burket, Senior Marketing Engineer, TDK 

• Tapping into Trade – Navigating Recent Actions in the International Trade of Smart Cards – Jonathan M. Zielinski, Partner, Cassidy Levy Kent (USA) LLP 

• A Card Can Do More – Nazar Kovch, Research and Development Engineer, CompoSecure 

• The Future of Gift & Loyalty Cards: Sustainable Innovation and Material Evolution – Lisa Taylor, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Monadnock Paper Mills 
• Expansion of High-End Payment Cards, Augusto Juvenal, Head of Advanced Products, Card Products Division, Giesecke+Devrient ePayments GmbH 

The EXPO offers attendees a comprehensive look at card industry trends, technological innovations, business opportunities and strategies for enhancing manufacturing and personalization. With numerous networking events—including the Speed Share session, themed receptions and the Élan Awards dinner—attendees will have the chance to connect with industry leaders, colleagues and current and prospective clients. 

As part of ICMA’s 35th anniversary celebration, the EXPO will feature special experiences highlighting the association’s rich history and its forward-thinking vision. Attendees can also network extensively, with opportunities to build relationships, collaborate and gain valuable insights from suppliers in the exhibit hall. 

The 2025 EXPO will also be the venue for the announcement of the prestigious Élan Awards of Excellence winners, making this milestone celebration even more exciting. 

Maximize your EXPO experience by combining it with an Advanced Card Education (ACE) training and exam. Please note that there is a separate fee for the ACE program, and non-members are not eligible to participate.  

This is a significant year for ICMA, and we look forward to celebrating with you at the EXPO. Get ready to be inspired, connected, and transformed. To register, visit icma.com/icma-expo/register-now. 

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Don’t Miss the Keynote Address at ICMA EXPO – Navigating 2025 and Beyond! 

As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, business leaders will face both opportunities and challenges like never before. At the ICMA EXPO, we are thrilled to present an exceptional keynote address that will provide critical insights into navigating the complex economic landscape. 

In the coming years, inflation and rising interest rates will be driven by government spending, a tightening labor market, global demand and higher production costs—from raw materials to energy. To succeed, companies must take immediate action to prepare for the twin challenges of inflation and interest rates. Our keynote will dive into the timing and strategies that businesses can implement to get ready for the next few years—and the rest of the decade. 

The economy as a whole is in recovery, but the speed of recovery will vary across industries and regions. We will present valuable insights into both domestic and global economic landscapes, helping decision-makers position their companies for maximum success in the coming years. 

Meet Our Keynote Speaker: Taylor St. Germain  

We are excited to welcome Taylor St. Germain, an experienced economist and a trusted advisor to small businesses, trade associations and Fortune 500 companies. Taylor is a key contributor to maintaining ITR Economics’ impressive 94.7% forecast accuracy. His expertise in market and company-level forecasting will provide invaluable guidance on how to prepare for the challenges and opportunities ahead. 

Taylor’s dynamic personality, combined with his deep understanding of economic trends and their relevance to business, has made him a sought-after speaker and consultant. He has extensive experience working with industries ranging from tech to manufacturing, helping clients navigate the business cycle and optimize corporate strategies. 

A graduate of the University of Vermont with a degree in statistics, Taylor is currently completing his master’s in applied economics at Southern New Hampshire University. His insights have been featured in OEM Magazine, NALP, Lawn and Landscape and various podcasts, including Fab Lab and Wealth Formula. 

This keynote session is a must-attend for anyone looking to understand the economic trends shaping the future and to ensure their company is positioned for success in the years ahead. 

Be sure to attend and gain the knowledge you need to lead your business through 2025 and beyond!