As Senior Director of Global Accounts for international meeting resource firm HelmsBriscoe Steve Giddens orchestrates Conferences by securing venues and assisting organizations in planning the details of gatherings at different venues around the world. Since beginning in his role in 1997 he has received multiple Presidents and Masters Club Awards as he excelled at assisting his clients connect with optimum locations and resources at venues to develop successful events.
His relationship with pregnancy help network Heartbeat International has encompassed much of his tenure in this high-profile global corporate role, and it’s something that he describes as “a cherished and fulfilling partnership.”
Giddens becoming acquainted with Heartbeat, the largest network of pregnancy help organizations in the U.S. and the world, recognized for its annual Conference, happened somewhat inadvertently.
“My adventure started as a guest for the closing concert of the Heartbeat International Annual Conference in St. Louis at the St. Louis Airport Hilton back in 1998,” Giddens said.
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“I met Steve at our Conference in 1998 when he came as a guest of one of our friends to the Heartbeat International Conference,” recalled Peggy Hartshorn, Heartbeat International board chair emerita.
“Steve was so personally moved by our mission that he found the perfect way to help the Heartbeat network build a culture of life—by offering his professional services to help select and book sites for future Conferences,” she said.
Giddens would come to serve as Heartbeat International’s go-to expert in planning Heartbeat Conferences, doing so for the past 25 years.
“We didn’t know that when Steve found us, we were creating a vital relationship for Heartbeat and our affiliates in that moment,” said Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International. “But that’s exactly what happened as he brought exactly what we needed for a major season of growth.”
Giddens recounted how it all began with the closing ceremony for the 1998 Heartbeat Conference in St. Louis in a conversation with Pregnancy Help News. He recalled the concert as refreshing and Hartshorn’s closing remarks as very gracious.
Hartshorn had challenged the audience with ways to get involved to move the mission forward and those words stuck with Giddens. His new work with HelmsBriscoe where he would help organizations streamline securing meeting venues certainly could aid Heartbeat.
The next week he researched more information on Heartbeat International. Giddens ended up calling Hartshorn about two weeks after the Conference.
“I gave her the ‘elevator speech,’” he said the conversation. “And her exact words were, ‘Steve, you’re the answer to my prayers.’”
From there Giddens would research venues, negotiate contracts with hotels and other venders starting with the 2000 Heartbeat Conference until the present time.
He doesn’t just love his work—he loves Heartbeat and the staff.
“I believe in what they’re doing,” said Giddens.
Giddens demonstrates this belief through his approach to the task of what he calls the “front end work” of the Conference, carefully seeking the best price and value as if he were spending his own money.
“He has renewed this gift of himself and his expertise for an astounding 25 years,” Hartshorn observed.
“Through every Heartbeat Conference and many other of our events, you have seen the work of his hand,” noted Andrea Trudden, vice president of Communications and Marketing for Heartbeat International.
“Steve has helped us provide corporate-level experiences at non-profit pricing because he knows that everyone serving in pregnancy help deserves the same experience as Fortune 500 companies—of which he has worked with many as well!” Trudden said.
Giddens spoke of the amazing growth he has witnessed over the years as the Heartbeat Conferences have provided professional development in an atmosphere of a loving and caring organization.
This has been reinforced by the response of hotels and vendors after Heartbeat Conferences.
“The first question is, ‘what do we have to do to get them back?’” he said.
“They are so gracious, so easy to get along with,” he quoted from hotel staff and venue managers. “They are just lovely ladies and gentlemen to work with, and they’re very detailed in the planning.”
Godsey credited Giddens’ efforts.
“Our affiliates have more than tripled since Steve first brought his event expertise to us,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine how we would’ve reached the record numbers of Conference attendees without his help.”
“Moreover, he’s set us on a great path to continue to serve our affiliates with excellence,” Godsey added regarding the expected continuation of the trend.
Heartbeat presented Giddens an award at the 2025 Conference in appreciation of his dedication to the cause of pregnancy help. It was especially poignant given that Giddens will be transitioning away from the role and is mentoring a replacement. Trudden made a statement about the award.
“When God gives you gifts, you have a choice as to how to use them,” she said. “Steve is a very successful businessman who has dedicated more than 25 years of his life to serving pregnancy help through his work. He sees the value of each and every life and serves the movement by using his business savvy to help us.”
“I’ve had all kinds of clients,” Giddens said, everything from professional sports organizations, Fortune 500 companies, international organizations.
“I think I have like 25 trophies sitting on my office bookcase from performance achievements from HelmsBriscoe,” he said, “but the one that I got from Heartbeat, that’s the real special one to me. Very humbling.”
Tweet This: I think I have 25 trophies on my bookcase from performance achievements. But the one I got from Heartbeat-that’s the real special one to me.
Trudden reflected on Giddens’ hands-on engagement with Heartbeat Conferences even beyond his help in planning and securing venues.
“His tender heart for this movement is evident upon his arrival to events when he rolls up his sleeves to start unpacking boxes, while asking about our families,” she said. “He truly cares, and it shows.”
“One of the highlights of every Conference for me, since 2000, has been always sharing a big hug with Steve,” Hartshorn said. “He will be greatly missed in his professional role, but, no matter where our Conference meets, Steve will always be a welcome guest (again)!”
Giddens is grateful for the faith and trust that Heartbeat International has placed in him over the years. He plans to “proudly continue to support Heartbeat International’s mission whenever given the opportunity or called upon.”
“It’s been wonderful experience,” Giddens concluded. “I’m truly blessed to be a small part of it. Pretty honored.”
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
