Professional Education International

What Professional Education International does

Professional Education International (PEI), operating under the DBA PEI Education, is a full-service association management and continuing education firm founded in 1972 and headquartered in Two Prudential Plaza, Chicago, Illinois. The company delivers six core service lines: Association Management, Conference and Exhibition Management, Corporate Strategy, Marketing/Communications, Exhibits and Sponsorship, and Digital Media. These services are operationalized through executive forums, conferences, symposiums, expositions, technology demonstrations, printed and electronic publications, webinars, webcasts, eNewsletters, social media, and online resource centers.

PEI serves three primary client categories — corporations, non-profits, and industry associations — across seven disclosed verticals: electrical and computer engineering, information and communications technology, semiconductor and EDA, smart energy technology, cybersecurity, finance, and healthcare. Marquee engagements include IEEE, AT&T, BlackHat, TIA, ECEDHA, DesignCon, DeviceTalks, Morgan Stanley, Duke Energy, Southern Company, China Telecom, NTT, and PCCW, spanning more than a decade of relationship continuity. Geographic reach is global across North America, Canada, Asia, South America, and Europe.

The business model is professional services fees paid by associations and corporate clients for management retainers, conference/exhibition execution, sponsorship sales, executive programming, and digital content distribution. No pricing is publicly disclosed and all engagement is initiated through direct client contact. The firm reports 1-10 employees, is privately held with no disclosed parent, investors, funding rounds, M&A activity, patents, or proprietary technology platform. The only named executive is Kim Simpao, Corporate Relations Director.

Name

Professional Education International

Legal name

Professional Education International

Website

https://pei-education.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Professional Education International is a Chicago-based, privately held association management and continuing education firm founded in 1972, delivering association management, conference and exhibition management, corporate strategy, marketing, sponsorship, and digital media services to corporations, non-profits, and industry associations across ICT, engineering, energy, finance, and healthcare verticals worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Association Management and Continuing Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

Keywords

• Association management services
• Conference management
• Continuing education programs
• Executive forum development
• Corporate strategy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Association Management Services: Provides comprehensive association management including resources, services, and expertise for corporations, non-profits, and associations to realize goals and advance their missions.
2. Conference and Exhibition Management: Innovative solutions, strategic guidance, and executive insight resulting in world-class industry programs and exhibitions. Revenue generated through event management fees and sponsorship support.
3. Corporate Strategy Services: Executive experience, vision, and proven business process leadership to drive organizations forward.
4. Marketing and Communications Services: Strategic campaign development to enhance brands, increase awareness, and grow communities.
5. Exhibits and Sponsorship: Exhibits and sponsorships designed to provide added value to programs while maximizing revenue potential.
6. Digital Media Services: Content packaging and management including webinars, webcasts, eNewsletters, social media, and online resource centers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Professional Education International (PEI) is a full-service association management and continuing education firm that delivers association management, conference and exhibition management, corporate strategy, marketing/communications, exhibits and sponsorship, and digital media services to corporations, non-profits, and industry associations across verticals including ICT, semiconductor/EDA, smart energy, cybersecurity, finance, healthcare, and electrical/computer engineering.

Product overview

Professional Education International (PEI) operates as a full-service association management and continuing education firm rather than a software product company. PEI offers a suite of service offerings organized around six core services: Association Management, Conference and Exhibition Management, Corporate Strategy, Marketing/Communications, Exhibits and Sponsorship, and Digital Media. These services are delivered through educational programs including executive forums, conferences, symposiums, expositions, technology demonstrations, printed and electronic publications, webinars, webcasts, eNewsletters, social media, and online resource centers. PEI primarily serves vertical industries including electrical and computer engineering, information and communications technology, semiconductor and EDA, smart energy technology, cybersecurity, finance, and healthcare.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Association Management
• Conference and Exhibition Management
• Corporate Strategy
• Marketing / Communications
• Exhibits and Sponsorship
• Digital Media

Named customers16 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Kellen Company: Specializes in association management, conferences, and communications for trade and professional associations, including technical and standards-oriented organizations — overlapping directly with PEI's customer profile and service mix.
• Associations International: Full-service association management company offering membership, meetings, and education services to member-based organizations — competes with PEI for similar association management and continuing education engagements.
• Management Solutions Plus (MSP): Provides association management, conference management, and continuing education services to healthcare, technology, and engineering associations — overlapping with PEI's verticals and service lines.
• SmithBucklin: Largest U.S. association management company, providing full-service management, conferences, and member services to trade and professional associations — directly comparable to PEI's core association management and continuing education model.
• Virtual, Inc. Provides association management, conference, and event services predominantly to technology and standards-focused organizations — directly comparable to PEI's engineering and ICT-heavy client base.
• Association Management Center (AMC Institute): Boutique association management firm serving professional and trade associations with management, events, and education services — closely matches PEI's niche, full-service association management offering.

Broad incumbents

• MCI Group: Global association, events, and meetings management firm serving associations and corporations across multiple verticals — comparable in service mix to PEI, with significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Informa Markets: Global leader in B2B exhibitions, conferences, and events across technology, engineering, and energy verticals — a much larger incumbent competing for the same enterprise event and sponsorship dollars as PEI.
• Freeman: Largest brand experience and event production company, providing end-to-end event strategy, design, and execution — competes in the same enterprise conference and exhibition delivery space as PEI.
• Emerald X: Operates a large portfolio of B2B events, conferences, and trade shows across multiple industries — broader and larger-scale event operator with comparable content and audience development capabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/professional-education-international-pei

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Professional Education International