Pearce founded the South Australian exhibition hire company in 1986 with her husband and was its sales and marketing director until 2014, when she retired.
She was active both in the business events industry and in the wider community, receiving a medal of the order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2019 for her service to the community and children’s charities.
Alongside her role at Adelaide Expo Hire, Pearce sat on the board of what is now Business Events Adelaide for six years and was a board member for the South Australian branch of Meetings and Events Australia for a decade.
She was also on a couple of tourism and event management advisory committees for TAFE SA.
Business Events Adelaide CEO, Damien Kitto, said Pearce was “a proud South Australian and a passionate advocate for our industry”.
“Sue’s warmth, enthusiasm and commitment to South Australia and the business events industry will be greatly missed,” said Kitto.
“Sue’s achievements reflected her energy and generosity. She was the first woman in South Australia to receive MEA accreditation, was selected as a torchbearer for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, was on multiple occasions the highest Variety Bash fundraiser in South Australia and nationally and was a dedicated Red Cross blood donor.”
