By Chris Cowlbeck, IBO CVO, Ardmore OK USA
Over the years, IBO has been shaped by the passion and dedication of some truly remarkable people. One of those people is Becky Smith. We are incredibly grateful for the time, talent, and heart she brought to our organization, and we wish her nothing but success and fulfillment in her next chapter. I am personally grateful for Becky’s close confidence, friendship, and caring during this last difficult year for me. Becky’s impact on our community will be felt for years to come, and we thank her sincerely for all she has contributed.
At our core, IBO has always been about people. We are a community of independent Out-of-Home media owners who believe that collaboration, trust, and shared purpose are what move our industry forward. We honor the legacy that built this network while continuing to invest in the tools, technology, and relationships that will carry it into the future.
The world around us is changing quickly. Advances in AI, Technology, and social dynamics can feel uncertain and at times overwhelming. Moments like these call for steady leadership and clear vision. At IBO, our focus is simple and unchanged: protecting the well-being of our members, helping them understand what’s coming, and ensuring they are supported as new tools and systems continue to emerge.
IBO exists to help independent operators thrive in a rapidly changing advertising landscape. By pairing a personal, hands-on approach with smart, evolving technology, we can offer confidence and transparency in advertising that has been eroded by the magnitude of unverified and invalid campaigns across the media mix.
Our strength has always come from bringing people together. Through our conferences, services, shared platforms, and now expanding technologies, we create space for ideas to grow, partnerships to deepen, and the next generation of OOH standards to take shape. The meaningful connections that are built between global agencies and our network of regional members unlock doors to both traditional and digital campaigns in ways that are accessible, profitable, and sustainable.
Across every part of IBO, that mission remains unchanged:
IBO Marketing & Speedway help our members simplify live access to their more than 100,000 displays, making it easier to grow revenue and participate confidently in ever larger campaigns driven by more instantaneous demands.
IBO Services provides the steady support behind the scenes, handling invoicing, reporting, and the coordination that allows our network to stay focused on what matters most, driving their revenues.
OOH Info & OOH Admin pair our validated display details with complex traffic and audience data in clear, actionable insights, giving our members and partners the confidence to invest and grow, whether it’s used by buyers nationally, globally, or for local sales, concurrently.
We believe independent media owners deserve a seat at the global advertiser table—today and in the far future. Together, we continue building a network that combines scale with independence, innovation with integrity, and technology with a human touch. Our commitment to serving and protecting our members remains as strong as ever, and we are excited about what lies ahead. Our New Orleans conference continues to be in the proven hands of the incredible Sarah Davis, who has brought novelty, excitement, and national pizazz to what originated around a cooler of beer. We will see you, our members, there soon!
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