Her Story
About Mary
Mary Altemus, is an accomplished leader in large-scale conferences, events, and trade shows, currently serving as Conference Logistics & Exhibition Manager with The Asprey Group. Since entering the events industry in 2002, Mary has built a reputation for turning complex logistics into seamless experiences, managing conferences and exhibitions ranging from 1,000 to more than 5,000 attendees. Her expertise encompasses the full event lifecycle, from venue selection, floor plans, exhibitor coordination, and vendor management to fire marshal compliance and the intricate move-in and move-out processes that keep large-scale events running smoothly. Her career began with legal research for a pioneering indoor-cycling fitness company before she transitioned fully into event planning, ultimately establishing herself as a trusted strategist in the health, wellness, corporate, and exhibition sectors.
Mary’s commitment to excellence is reflected in her industry-leading certifications: Certified Meeting Manager (CMM), Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), and Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM). These credentials complement her extensive hands-on experience and reinforce her dedication to continual learning and professional development. Beyond her work, Mary actively contributes to the growth of the events industry as a board member and Director of Membership for the IAEE Central Texas Chapter, while also maintaining involvement with Meeting Professionals International (MPI). In her leadership role, she helps strengthen the professional community through member engagement, education, networking, and opportunities for industry professionals to connect and grow. She brings the same attention to detail and collaborative spirit to her professional associations that she brings to every event she manages.
For Mary, success is about more than executing a flawless event—it is about understanding the strategy and purpose behind every decision. She is passionate about mentoring emerging professionals and encourages those entering the industry to look beyond simply completing assigned tasks and instead understand the “why” behind them. Whether it is understanding the timing of a room turnover, the importance of food-and-beverage minimums, or the complexities of loading-dock operations, Mary believes that learning the reasoning behind the details is what transforms an executor into a manager and ultimately a strategist. With her combination of technical expertise, leadership, industry involvement, and commitment to mentorship, Mary continues to elevate both the events she manages and the professionals who will shape the future of the industry.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mary
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't just do the task. Understand why the room sets need to be done like this. Always ask yourself why, and if you don't know the answer, then ask. Save yourself a headache. Just ask up front why. Surround yourself with people who want to invest in your self-taught knowledge and help answer the whys.
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