August 25, 2025
A Leaner, Tighter IES25 Finds Its Footing in Anaheim
At the annual conference, the IES emphasized technical rigor, fiscal restraint and the long game of industry engagement
On a warm August morning in Anaheim, while families flocked to Disneyland just a few miles away, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) was immersed in a different kind of magic — less fantasy, more fluorescence with a hint of 2700K warmth. The IES25 Annual Conference, held August 21-23, didn’t feature fireworks or animatronic pirates, but it did offer something just as intricate: a dense tangle of white papers, committee meetings, awards programs and a community still figuring out how to reinvent itself in a post-pandemic, new-LightFair-reality world.
Attendance hovered near 500, according to IES, a respectable showing for an event built not on spectacle, but substance. The structure was familiar: technical sessions, standards updates, award ceremonies, and manufacturer exhibits that offered less pizzazz and more presence. But woven into the schedule were signals of change, some subtle, some structural, as the Society continues to expand its perception from a standards organization to a broader member-driven institution.
Pre-Conference Programming and EP Energy
The official kickoff came Thursday, but much of the groundwork was laid the day before. Committee meetings, a Board of Directors session, and the Emerging Professionals (EP) gathering set the stage for the days to come. The EP event, in particular, served as a soft landing for students and early-career lighting people — many of whom flew in on support from their local IES sections.
Above: Volunteers representing numerous lighting industry disciplines engaged with emerging professionals at IES25
For these attendees, the value was clear: a chance to connect directly with seasoned professionals in a low-pressure setting. Rather than being thrown into the deep end of technical presentations, EPs got a primer on the culture and ecosystem of lighting — and a seat at the table, figuratively and sometimes literally. Some left with ambitions to specialize in lighting. Others saw it as a way to enrich their broader design education. Some EPs will be back in the years to come. Others won’t. That’s the nature of the pipeline.
Colleen Harper and the Case for Fiscal Reality
In the general sessions, Executive Director and CEO Colleen Harper struck a careful balance: making a compelling case for what the Society offers, while also making it plain that trade-offs are real. IES now counts roughly 5,000 members in 57 countries, supported by 80 local sections, over 400 education programs, more than 100 standards, 320+ annual events, and 8,500 users on its e-learning platforms since 2020.
Above: IES CEO and Executive Director, Colleen Harper
Harper’s rundown emphasized that IES should feel like a professional home, not a transactional database of documents and dues. She highlighted the “why” behind involvement — growth, knowledge, connection — and laid out the tangible value of membership: $240 in dues, over $2,100 in annual benefits when fully used.
But throughout the conference numbers spoke in different ways. Under her leadership, the Society has restructured its events and committee operations to be as close to budget-neutral or positive as possible. The annual conference, historically a loss leader, now reflects that fiscal discipline. Meals were scaled back. Speaker registration was discounted rather than comped. And while some murmured subtle complaints, few seemed surprised. Lighting people understand budget constraints better than most.
A Subtler Progress Report, and A Notable Absence
One telling example of change: the Progress Report. Due to certain IES-imposed changes, the Progress Committee decided not to present the Progress Report at IES25.
So instead of a live stage presentation showcasing each recognized product, IES opted for a slide deck that looped in the background of certain parts of the conference. Vice President Jared Smith offered a brief two-minute preamble, and the 87 selected products rotated on screens throughout the venue. No live rundown. No theatrical send-up.
And no skits.
That might sound like a minor tweak, but it broke from one of the conference’s most beloved (and zany) traditions. For decades, the Progress Report has featured parody musicals, pop culture spoofs, and inside jokes that delighted the audience while softening the edges of dense technical content. Past themes have included Wicked, CNN, the Olympics, and even a lighting-themed Taylor Swift cover.
Above: A Progress Committee skit from the 2023 IES Annual Conference in some place called Schaumburg, Illinois
It should also be noted that each year, that despite the widespread applause and laughter the skits generate, a small number of attendees reportedly voiced concerns to the IES that some of the humor pushed the boundaries of good taste. This year, the skits were gone. It was more efficient. It was also, for many, a little flat.
Exhibits and Intentional Conversations
Another change: extended exhibit hours. With fewer distractions and more time, manufacturers and attendees had room for longer conversations and more meaningful exchanges. The tone was calm, deliberate, and for many, more productive than a chaotic trade show floor.
There were no flashy product launches or jaw-dropping booths. That wasn’t the point. These were table-top exhibits meant to support the IES and provide connective tissue between stakeholders, not dazzle with spectacle.
Technical Content Remains the Core
As always, the technical program was the beating heart of the conference. From glare metrics to spectral tuning, from outdoor lighting policy to control system interoperability, the sessions offered depth for those seeking it. This isn’t an event judged by applause volume or crowd size. A half-full room with the right audience is a success — and by that metric, the event delivered.
Attendees followed their own educational tracks, ducking in and out of niche topics that matched their practice area. Whether or not every presentation resonated, the structure allowed for flexibility and focus. That’s a strength, not a weakness.
Imagineering Light: A Creative Journey keynoters, left to right: Disney’s Randy Fox, Lesli Bjork, and Jason Badger.
A Dose of Disney Realism
The keynote from Disney Imagineering offered a rare look into a world where lighting does more than illuminate — it tells a story. The team shared how they fabricate custom fixtures to support the narrative of each attraction, and how their back-of-house control systems range from aging analog boards to the latest DMX tech. It was a reminder that even in the most magical places, lighting must function across timelines, styles, and technologies.
Above: A variety of controls systems from different eras are in use at Disney theme parks
The talk was engaging and rooted in real-world applications — a fitting capstone for a conference that’s more about practical knowledge than blue-sky vision.
Looking Ahead: Denver, This Time for Real
Next year’s conference,IES26, heads to Denver. The actual city, not a suburb. It will mark IES’s first return to Colorado in over 15 years. The last “Denver” event was held in some place called Westminster. And the 2023 “Chicago” conference? Schaumburg, near an IKEA and an Olive Garden. The optics matter, and this time, the Society is aiming for clarity.
Like the conference itself, the location choice reflects a subtle but important shift: getting the fundamentals right, even if the perks are scaled back.
