In Conjunction With (ICW) Meetings and Events

In Conjunction With (ICW) Meetings and Events

ICW Meetings and Events at AES 2025

 

Your proposed meeting must be submitted by form and approved by AES. Space is assigned for single-day events on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note that requests for space on multiple days will be reviewed in mid-October once most events have been submitted.

Organizations, corporations, educational institutions, individuals, and other entities wishing to hold a meeting or event that is related to epilepsy and/or includes AES Annual Meeting attendees and takes place anywhere in the Atlanta area between Tuesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 10, 2025, must apply for an ICW meeting/event and comply with AES ICW guidelines.

 

 

Host an ICW Event During AES 2025

Request an ICW

AES ICW Guidelines

The American Epilepsy Society welcomes its members and the broader epilepsy community to its Annual Meeting each year. While the primary purpose of the meeting is to provide top-quality medical education and other career building opportunities for our members, we are pleased to support the epilepsy community by including events and other gatherings that engage AES attendees in conjunction with (ICW) the AES Annual Meeting.

To ensure that access to AES attendees is fair, equitable, organized, and appropriate for all nonprofits and commercial entities—including but not limited to nonprofit organizations, universities, hospital systems, medical centers, private practices, industry, publishers, recruiters, agencies, etc—the following policies and guidelines must be observed by any organization or entity wishing to have an ICW meeting or event.

Note that these guidelines apply equally to nonprofit organizations as well as commercial entities. Neither group has priority in the approval of ICWs or the assignment of space. Space is available on a first come, first served basis. Note: Requests for space on multiple days will be reviewed in mid-October once most events have been submitted.

 


 

What is an ICW?

An ICW is any meeting, function, program or event relating to epilepsy that is not part of the official 2025 AES Annual Meeting program that is held in the greater Atlanta area during the inclusive dates of Tuesday, December 2 to Tuesday, December 9.

All such gatherings, whether or not they are located in the AES HQ hotel or other AES space, are ICWs and must be approved by AES. ICW meetings and events are bound by AES Annual Meeting code of conduct.

Examples of ICW meetings include but are not limited to: 

  • Alumni Reunions/Receptions
  • Advisory Board Meetings
  • Committee Meetings, Board Meetings, Focus Groups, Task Forces
  • Social Events: Breakfast, Lunch, Reception, and Dinner 
  • Exhibitor Team Meetings

 

Additional ICW Information

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Fees arrow_drop_down

Fees

The administrative fee for an ICW space request is non-refundable, provided that AES can accommodate the requested date, time, room, and capacity. Payment is due upon submission of application form.

 

  • Applications will not be accepted after the final deadline date of Friday, November, 7, 2025.
  • If an organization cancels their ICW after being connected to a hotel, they may be subject to additional charges.


Type of OrganizationAdministrative Fee
Requests received by Friday, October 31
Administrative Fee
Late Requests (Nov 1–7)
University or Non-Profit Organization
Up to 4 hours$250.00$375.00
4–8 Hours$400.00$600.00
Annual Meeting Exhibitor
Up to 4 hours$400.00$600.00
4–8 Hours$550.00$825.00
Non-Exhibiting Companies
Up to 4 hours$800.00$1,200.00
4–8 Hours$1,100.00$1,650.00


Other Costs

At AES-contracted locations, you will be required to use services and vendors contracted by AES. You will pay the hotels and vendors directly for these services. 

  • Food and Beverage Service:Indicate your need for this service on the "Application" form. When AES approves your ICW, the meeting facility will contact you directly to arrange food, beverage, and payment requirements. Menus and pricing will be provided by the facility upon request.
  • Audio-Visual Resources: Indicate your need for this service on the "Application" form. Our Official AV Provider will contact you directly to make arrangements for equipment and payment. See below for contact information.

AES Official A/V Provider: IMS Technology Services, Jon Little (jlittle@imsts.com, 610-361-1870 x1104)

ICW Scheduling and Availability arrow_drop_down

All events affecting attendees during the Annual Meeting dates and location require approval through the application process before promotion or implementation, regardless of venue.

ICW meetings and events may be scheduled during the following times:

Thursday,
December 4
Friday,
December 5
Saturday,
December 6
Sunday,
December 7
Monday,
December 8
Tuesday,
December 9
7:00 – 12:00 PM7:00 – 8:30 AM7:00 – 8:30 AM7:00 – 8:30 AM7:00 – 8:30 AM7:00 – 8:30 AM
12:00 – 6:00 PMN/A12:00 – 2:00 PMN/A12:00 – 2:00 PM11:30 – 6:00 PM
6:00 – 10:00 PM6:00 – 10:00 PM6:00 – 10:00 PM5:30 – 10:00 PM6:00 – 10:00 PM6:00 – 10:00 PM


Meetings for groups of 20 people or less, or exhibit staff meetings, may be held outside these times.

What ICW events get approved? arrow_drop_down

 

Approval of your ICW request is at the discretion of AES. While we try to approve all ICW requests that are submitted by the deadline and meet AES guidelines, AES reserves the right to disallow an ICW. Your ICW must meet the following qualifications:
  • Only a select, clearly identified group of people may be invited. Your meeting or event may not be open to all AES Annual Meeting attendees.
  • Attendance at an ICW event must not exceed 100 attendees including your organization’s representatives, employees, vendors, etc.
  • If a commercial entity and a nonprofit organization (nonprofit organizations of Epilepsy Leadership Council Only), or two nonprofit organizations partner for an event, each of the two organizations may reach their limit of 100 people total over the course of the event for a total of 200 people, with these conditions:
    • If additional nonprofits partner on the event, the head count limit will not increase beyond 200 people. It will remain at 200.
    • The content of the meeting must meet AES guidelines and the intent of the ICW program.

*Exhibitors that reach Leader level or higher may be approved for an event of up to 300 people. Please email meetingspace@aesnet.org for more information.

What ICW events do not get approved? arrow_drop_down

If your ICW request is not approved, you will be notified within 5-7 business days of your submission.

  • ICW requests for meetings outside the approved times will be denied for groups of 20+ people. 
    Note: Exhibitor staff meetings can be held at any time. 
  • Cannot include training or medical education of any kind—informal or accredited—will not be approved. If you wish to provide CME or non-CME medical education, AES provides satellite symposia opportunities.
  • Cannot include presentation of product information or scientific materials will not be approved. If you wish to do product presentations, AES provides product theaters on the exhibit floor. If you wish to do scientific presentations, AES provides scientific exhibit space. 

 

What happens once my ICW is approved? arrow_drop_down
  • After you apply, AES will only contact you if we need additional information, have questions, or challenges with assigning space. 
  • The online request form is used to apply for function space approval. AES assigns the meeting space, but you will work with the hotel directly on all details of your meeting or event.
  • If you do not hear from AES within 5 -7 business days that your ICW request is NOT approved, you may assume your ICW request is approved, unless otherwise communicated by AES.
  • When your event is approved by AES, the hotel will contact you directly.
  • The hotel will assign an event manager and will begin contacting organizations in mid-to-late October. This process will continue through mid-November.  Please note: this timeline depends on when your request was submitted.
  • You will be required by the hotel to review, approve, and sign a confirmation referred to as a Banquet Event Order (BEO). This document must be returned to the hotel by their deadline date in order to complete the process.
  • Final room assignments will be provided by the hotel by mid-November. Assignments are not provided prior to this time, as they are subject to change.

 

Where can I hold my ICW? arrow_drop_down

Meetings Using AES-Contracted Space

 

Limited meeting space is available at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park during the 2025 AES Annual Meeting. If AES cannot place your event at the HQ hotel, it will be placed at another contracted hotel. ICW meeting requests are approved and assigned through AES.

If AES does not have available meeting space at the HQ hotel, AES will refer your organization to another contracted hotel with available meeting space.

 

Off-Site Meetings (Available by the end of August)

 

Any meeting or event that does not take place at the AES Headquarter Hotel, Convention Center, or any AES Contracted Hotel.

Organizers must complete an off-site request form to receive approval for meetings and events not held at the AES Headquarters Hotel, Convention Center, or Contracted Hotels.

  • Events held off-site must follow all AES ICW guidelines
  • Off-site meetings will not be assessed any fee by AES
  • Organizations requesting to hold an off-site event must disclose the location of their event on the application form

 

How may I promote my ICW? arrow_drop_down
  • Announcements, invitations, on-site materials, and other materials related to an ICW must not imply that the event is part of official AES Annual Meeting activities or endorsed by AES.
  • Organizations are prohibited from including the AES name or logo on materials and in URLs that promote the event.
  • Materials must include the following statement: Not an official event of the 2025 AES Annual Meeting. Not sponsored or endorsed by AES. 
  • Materials may only be distributed on-site in the contracted booth space and at the entrance to the ICW event.
  • Signage may not be placed more than one hour prior to the event and must be removed immediately following.
  • No signage may be placed in the convention center or hotel lobbies. This includes any kind of hand-carried signage, brochures, or other promotional materials that are not allowed.
  • AES reserves the right to remove any signs that do not meet these guidelines, whether on easels, worn, or hand-held. 
Additional ICW Information arrow_drop_down
  • Space is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Early submission is recommended.
  • AES must review and approve all requests for an ICW prior to event planning. If you incur any costs prior to approval or promote an ICW that is not yet approved, you do so at your own risk.
  • ICW meeting requests are approved and assigned through AES. If you contact one of our hotels or the convention center for meeting or event space, that property will refer you to AES.
  • You must observe the messaging and communications guidelines when promoting your ICW.
  • AES will do its best to accommodate all ICW requests that follow our guidelines, but we are under no obligation to fulfill all requests.
  • AES monitors compliance with its ICW policies and guidelines.
  • Please be informed about what you should know about gifts to physicians from industry and the Open Payments  required by the Affordable Care Act (Sunshine Act), which collects information about the payments drug and device companies make to physicians and teaching hospitals for things like travel, research, gifts, speaking fees, and meals. Though this information is provided here for your convenience, please confirm guidelines with the compliance professionals in your company.

 

Questions?

Maddy Shupak | Meetings Assistant
312-883-3800 x109
meetingspace@aesnet.org