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                                                                   Exhibit 10.9

                               PENTON MEDIA, INC.
                               ------------------
                     SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
                     --------------------------------------
                                        
                                   SECTION 1
                                   ---------
                                        
                                  INTRODUCTION
                                  ------------

1.1 THE PLAN AND ITS EFFECTIVE DATE. This Penton Media, Inc. Supplemental
Executive Retirement Plan (the "plan") has been established by Penton Media,
Inc. (the "company"), effective August 7, 1998 (the "effective date").

1.2 PURPOSE. The company maintains the Penton Media, Inc. Retirement Plan (as
the same may hereafter be amended, the "retirement plan"), which is intended to
meet the requirements of a "qualified plan" under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"). While the Code places limitations on the maximum
benefits which may be paid from a qualified plan and the maximum amount of an
employee's compensation that may be taken into account for determining benefits
payable under a qualified plan, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended ("ERISA"), permits the payment under an "unfunded plan" of
benefits which may not be paid under a qualified plan because of such
limitations. The purpose of the plan is to provide certain key employees of the
company and its subsidiaries with certain benefits which may not be provided
under the retirement plan because of the maximum compensation limitation of the
Code.

                                   SECTION 2
                                   ---------
                                        
                            ELIGIBILITY AND BENEFITS
                            ------------------------

2.1 ELIGIBILITY. Each key employee of the company or a subsidiary of the company
(a "participant") who participates in the retirement plan and who is a party to
an employment agreement with the company or a subsidiary of the company
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 1 (as the same may
hereafter be amended, his "Employment Agreement") that provides for his
participation in the plan or in the Pittway Corporation Supplemental Executive
Retirement Plan shall participate in the plan, subject to the conditions and
limitations of the plan. It is expressly understood that variations among the
participants' Employment Agreements may result in differences in the numbered
paragraphs thereof in which corresponding provisions appear (for example, the
non-competition provisions which are in paragraph 10 of Exhibit 1 attached
hereto, or variations thereof, may be in paragraph 10 of certain of the
Employment Agreements but in paragraph 9 of others). Accordingly, each reference
in the plan to a particular numbered paragraph of a participant's Employment
Agreement shall be deemed to be a reference to the paragraph thereof, if any,
which corresponds to the identically numbered paragraph of Exhibit 1.

2.2 ACCRUED BENEFIT. For 1995 and for each full calendar year and any final
fraction of a calendar year of a participant's Employment Period (as such term
is defined in such participant's Employment Agreement), the participant shall
accrue a benefit under the plan equal to 1.85 percent of that portion of his
earnings (as defined in section 2.3 below) for such year or fraction that is in
excess of the "maximum dollar limitation" (as defined below) for such year or
fraction and is less than $300,000. 



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For purposes of the plan, "maximum dollar limitation" means, for
any year or fraction of a year, the greater of $150,000 or the dollar amount of
any higher maximum limitation on annual compensation taken into account under a
qualified plan for such year or fraction of a year determined by the Secretary
of Treasury or his delegate or by law under section 401(a) (17) of the Code; it
being understood that annual compensation for purposes of such limitation is
computed differently from "earnings" for purposes of the plan. A participant's
accrued benefits under the plan shall be referred to hereinafter as the
participant's "supplemental retirement benefits."

2.3 EARNINGS. For purposes of the plan, a participant's "earnings" for any year
or fraction means his total, regular cash compensation paid for such year or
fraction for services rendered to any Penton Company (as such term is defined in
the retirement plan) or, prior to the effective date, to the Pittway Companies
(as such term is defined in the Pittway Corporation Retirement Plan) during such
year or fraction, consisting solely of his salary and his annual discretionary
cash bonus, if any, for such year. It is expressly understood that a
participant's "earnings" do not include any other compensation, including,
without limitation, any of the following:

         (a)      Long-term incentive compensation;

         (b)      Unused vacation pay;

         (c)      Special cash bonuses;

         (d)      Any income realized for Federal income tax purposes as a
                  result of the grant or exercise of an option or options to
                  acquire shares of common stock of a Pittway Company or the
                  company, the receipt or exercise of any stock appreciation
                  right or payment, or the disposition of shares acquired by the
                  exercise of such an option or right;

         (e)      Any noncash compensation, including any amounts contributed by
                  the participant's employer(s) for his benefit under the
                  retirement plan or any other retirement or benefit plan,
                  arrangement, or policy maintained by his employer(s);

         (f)      Any reimbursements for medical, dental or travel expenses,
                  automobile allowances, relocation allowances, educational
                  assistance allowances, awards and other special allowances;

         (g)      Any income realized for Federal income tax purpose as a result
                  of (i) group life insurance, (ii) the personal use of an
                  employer-owned automobile, or (iii) the transfer of restricted
                  shares of stock or restricted property of a Pittway Company or
                  the company, or the removal of any such restrictions;

         (h)      Any severance pay paid as a result of the participant's
                  termination of employment (it being expressly understood that
                  any amount(s) taken into account pursuant to the final
                  sentence of section 2.8 below shall not be deemed severance
                  pay for purposes hereof); or

         (i)      Any compensation paid or payable to the participant, or to any
                  governmental body or agency on account of the participant,
                  under the terms of any state, Federal or foreign



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                  law requiring the payment of such compensation because
                  of the participant's voluntary or involuntary termination of
                  employment with the company .

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a participant's "earnings" do include (i) any
salary reduction amount elected by the participant and credited to a cafeteria
plan (as defined in section 125(c) of the Code) or a qualified cash or deferred
arrangement (as defined in section 401(k) of the Code) and (ii) the initial
value ascribed to any performance shares award the participant elects to receive
in lieu of a portion of his annual discretionary cash bonus.

2.4 PAYMENT OF BENEFITS. Each participant's Employment Agreement provides that
in no event shall his Employment Period be extended beyond his 65th birthday
except by mutual agreement of the participant and his employer. Subject to the
conditions and limitations of the plan, upon a participant's attainment of age
65 years, he shall be entitled to a monthly benefit payable for his life
commencing upon his attainment of age 65 years in an amount equal to one-twelfth
(1/12) of the sum of the participant's accrued supplemental retirement benefits.
A participant's supplemental retirement benefits shall be paid to him in the
form described below that applies to the participant; provided, however, that in
lieu of payment in the normal form described below, the participant may
irrevocably elect, within thirty (30) days after his commencement of
participation in the plan, to receive his supplemental retirement benefits in a
single lump sum as soon as practicable after his attainment of age 65 years. A
participant's "supplemental retirement benefit commencement date" means the date
as of which the initial payment (or, in the case of a single lump sum, full
payment) of the supplemental retirement benefits to which the participant is
entitled is payable. Subject to the conditions and limitations of the plan, a
participant's supplemental retirement benefit commencement date shall normally
be the first day of the calendar month coincident with or next following the
participant's attainment of age 65 years. Notwithstanding the immediately
preceding sentence, if a participant's Employment Period under his Employment
Agreement terminates prior to his attainment of age 65 years and he is eligible,
and elects, to receive early retirement benefits under the retirement plan, and
if the participant requests a supplemental retirement benefit commencement date
prior to his attainment of age 65 years, then with (but only with) the consent
of the committee (as defined in section 3.1 below), the participant's
supplemental retirement benefit commencement date shall be such earlier date, if
any, selected by the committee. Supplemental retirement benefits that are paid
in a lump sum, or commence, before the participant's attainment of age 65 years,
if any, shall be subject to actuarial reduction in accordance with section 2.5
below.

         (a)      LIFE ANNUITY. If a participant does not have a spouse (as
                  defined in section 2.7 below) on his supplemental retirement
                  benefit commencement date, and if he has not elected pursuant
                  to the preceding provisions of this section 2.4 to receive his
                  supplemental retirement benefits in a single lump sum, payment
                  of his supplemental retirement benefits shall be during his
                  lifetime on a life annuity basis.

         (b)      JOINT AND SURVIVOR ANNUITY. If a participant has a spouse (as
                  defined in section 2.7 below) on his supplemental retirement
                  benefit commencement date, payment of his supplemental
                  retirement benefits shall be in the form of a joint and 50
                  percent survivor annuity unless the participant has
                  theretofore elected pursuant to the preceding provisions of
                  this section 2.4 to have his benefits provided in a single
                  lump sum.

                  Such joint and 50 percent survivor annuity shall consist of a
                  reduced monthly benefit continuing during the participant's
                  lifetime, and if such spouse is living at the time of


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                  the participant's death, payment of 50 percent of such monthly
                  benefit shall be made to such spouse until such spouse's death
                  occurs. The amount of the participant's and such spouse's
                  benefits under this subsection shall be calculated so that it
                  is the actuarial equivalent of the supplemental retirement
                  benefits to which the participant would otherwise be entitled
                  under the plan. If such spouse predeceases the participant, or
                  if the participant and such spouse cease to be married after
                  the participant's supplemental retirement benefit commencement
                  date, there shall be no adjustment to the participant's
                  monthly payments and no supplemental retirement benefits shall
                  be payable to any person after the participant' s death.

2.5 ACTUARIAL EQUIVALENT. A benefit shall be actuarially equivalent to another
benefit if the actuarial reserve required to provide such benefit is equal to
the actuarial reserve required to provide such other benefit, computed on the
basis of the same actuarial assumptions, interest rates, tables, methods and
procedures, including reduction factors for commencement of payments prior to
attainment of age 65 years, that are used for purposes of the retirement plan as
in effect on the applicable date that a benefit payment amount is determined.

2.6 PRE-RETIREMENT SURVIVING SPOUSE BENEFIT. If a participant dies prior to his
supplemental retirement benefit commencement date, no supplemental retirement
benefits under the plan shall be paid or payable with respect to the
participant; provided, however, that if the participant has a spouse (as defined
in section 2.7 below) at the time of his death, such spouse shall be entitled to
receive a monthly benefit for such spouse's lifetime equal to 50 percent of the
amount of monthly benefit that would have been payable to the participant in the
form of a joint and 50 percent survivor annuity if he had terminated employment
as of the date of his death with entitlement to supplemental retirement benefits
under the plan and the committee (as defined in section 3.1 below) had permitted
his supplemental retirement benefit commencement date to occur on the first day
of the calendar month coincident with or next following the date of his death,
taking into account actuarial reduction for commencement prior to the
participant's attainment of age 65 years. The first payment to the spouse shall
be made as of the first day of the calendar month coincident with or next
following the date of the participant's death and the final payment shall be
made as of the first day of the calendar month during which the spouse's death
occurs. If, prior to the participant's death, the participant had elected
pursuant to section 2.4 above to receive his supplemental retirement benefits in
a single lump sum, in lieu of the monthly payments described above, such spouse
shall be entitled to receive a single lump sum equal to 50 percent of the lump
sum value of the participant's supplemental retirement benefits as of the date
of his death, taking into account actuarial factors for payment prior to the
participant's attainment of age 65 years. Such lump sum payment shall be made to
such spouse as soon as practicable following the participant's death.

2.7 SPOUSE. For purposes of the plan, a person will be considered the "spouse"
of a participant as of any date if and only if such person and the participant
have been married in a religious or civil ceremony recognized under the laws of
the state where the marriage was contracted and the marriage remains legally
effective. Any person who is not, or who has ceased to be, a participant's
"spouse" on the participant's supplemental retirement benefit commencement date
(or, in the event of the participant's death prior to his supplemental
retirement benefit commencement date, the date of his death) shall not be
considered the participant's "spouse" for purposes of the plan.

2.8 FORFEITURE; EARLY TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT PERIOD. If the participant's
Employment Period ends early pursuant to paragraph 5 of his Employment Agreement
on account of a Termination for

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Cause or a Termination by Executive with Advance Notice (as such terms are
defined, respectively, in his Employment Agreement), or if after the
participant's Employment Period ends (whether or not early and regardless of the
reason) the participant breaches any of his agreements in paragraph 7, 9 or 10
of his Employment Agreement, the participant shall forfeit all of his
supplemental retirement benefits, if any, under the plan, no benefit under the
plan shall thereafter be payable to or with respect to the participant or his
spouse, and any benefit under the plan theretofore paid to or with respect to
the participant or his spouse must be repaid to the company by the participant
or his spouse promptly upon demand. If the participant's Employment Period ends
early pursuant to paragraph 5 of his Employment Agreement on account of a
Termination without Cause or a Termination by Executive for Good Reason (as such
terms are defined, respectively, in his Employment Agreement), the participant's
supplemental retirement benefits under the plan shall be the supplemental
retirement benefits the participant would have been entitled to under the plan
had his Employment Period remained in effect until the earlier of the date on
which (without any extension thereof) such Employment Period was then scheduled
to end pursuant to his Employment Agreement or the date of his death and had the
participant's salary in effect as of the last day of his Employment Period (or,
if greater, his Executive's Reference Salary (as such term is defined in his
Employment Agreement)) continued until the earlier of such dates and been paid
at the times such salary would have been paid, and had the participant received
no further annual cash bonus.

2.9 FUNDING. The plan is intended to be non-qualified for purposes of the Code
and unfunded for purposes of the Code and ERISA. Benefits payable under the plan
to a participant and/or his spouse, as the case may be, shall be paid directly
by the company . The company shall not be required to segregate on its books or
otherwise any amount to be used for payment of supplemental retirement benefits
under the plan. Each participant and spouse is solely an unsecured creditor of
the company with respect to any benefit payable with respect to a participant
hereunder.

                                    SECTION 3
                                    ---------

                               GENERAL PROVISIONS
                               ------------------

3.1 COMMITTEE. The plan shall be administered by the plan administrative
committee of the retirement plan (the "committee"). The committee shall have, to
the extent appropriate, the same powers,, rights, duties and obligations with
respect to the plan as it has with respect to the retirement plan. Each
determination provided for in the plan shall be made by the committee under such
procedure as may from time to time be prescribed by the committee and shall be
made in the absolute discretion of the committee. Any determination so made
shall be conclusive.

3.2 EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS. Neither the establishment of, nor participation in, the
plan shall be construed to give any participant the right to be retained in the
service of the Penton Companies or to any benefits not specifically provided by
the plan.

3.3 TAXES AND WITHHOLDING. Each participant (or his spouse, as applicable) shall
be responsible for any taxes imposed on him (or his spouse) ("taxes") by reason
of the establishment of, or his participation in, the plan, including, without
limitation, any Federal, state and/or local income or employment taxes imposed
on benefits or potential benefits under the plan (or on the value thereof) in
advance of the participant's receipt of such benefits or potential benefits. The
company or a subsidiary of the company may deduct any taxes from payroll or
other payments due the participant or his spouse. The committee shall deduct
from all payments under the plan any taxes required to

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be withheld, including, without limitation, any Federal, state and/or local
income or employment taxes. In the event that such deductions and/or
withholdings are not sufficient to pay the taxes, the participant (or his
spouse) shall promptly remit the deficit to the company upon its request.

3.4 INTERESTS NOT TRANSFERABLE. Except as to withholding of any tax under the
laws of the United States or any state, the interests of participants and their
spouses under the plan are not subject to the claims of their creditors and may
not be voluntarily or involuntarily transferred, assigned, alienated or
encumbered. No participant shall have any right to any benefit payments
hereunder prior to his termination of employment with the Penton Companies.

3.5 PAYMENT WITH RESPECT TO INCAPACITATED PARTICIPANTS OR BENEFICIARIES. If any
person entitled to benefits under the plan is under a legal disability or in the
committee's opinion is incapacitated in any way so as to be unable to manage his
financial affairs, the committee may direct the payment of such benefit to such
person's legal representative or to a relative or friend of such person for such
person's benefit, or the committee may direct the application of such benefits
for the benefit of such person in any manner which the committee may select that
is consistent with the plan. Any payments made in accordance o with the
foregoing provisions of this section shall be a full and complete discharge of
any liability for such payments.

3.6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. To the extent permitted by law, no person
(including the company, any subsidiary of the company, the Board of Directors of
the company (the "Board"), the board of directors of any subsidiary of the
company, the committee, any present or former member of the Board or of the
board of directors of any subsidiary of the company or of the committee, and any
present or former officer of the company or of any subsidiary of the company)
shall be personally liable for any act done or omitted to be done in good faith
in the administration of the plan.

3.7 CONTROLLING LAW. The plan shall be construed in accordance with the
provisions of ERISA and other Federal laws, to the extent such provisions are
applicable to the plan. To the extent not inconsistent therewith, the plan shall
be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio.

3.8 GENDER AND NUMBER. Where the context admits, words in the masculine gender
shall include the feminine and neuter genders, the plural shall include the
singular and the singular shall include the plural.

3.9 ACTION BY THE COMPANY. Any action required of or permitted by the company
under the plan, including action by the company to amend the plan, shall be by
resolution of the Board or by a duly authorized committee of the Board or by a
person or persons authorized by resolution of the Board or such committee. The
procedure for amending the plan is that the plan shall be amended by the company
taking appropriate corporate action to effectuate any amendment considered by it
to be advisable to be made. Appropriate corporate action includes action by
resolution of the Board, by a committee authorized by the Board, or by a person
or persons authorized by the Board or such committee, as provided above.

3.10 SUCCESSOR TO THE COMPANY. The term "company" as used in the plan shall
include any successor to the company by reason of merger, consolidation, the
purchase of all or substantially all of the company 's assets or otherwise.



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3.11 MISCELLANEOUS. The plan shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
the parties, their legal representatives, successors and assigns, and all
persons entitled to benefits hereunder. Any notice given in connection with the
plan shall be in writing and shall be delivered in person or by registered mail,
return receipt requested. Any notice given by registered mail shall be deemed to
have been given upon the date of delivery indicated on the registered mail
return receipt, if correctly addressed.

                                    SECTION 4
                                    ---------

                            AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
                            -------------------------

While the company expects to continue the plan, it must necessarily reserve, and
hereby does reserve, the right, either in general or as to one or more
particular participants, to amend the plan from time to time or to terminate the
plan at any time; provided (i) that no amendment of the plan with respect to a
participant that reduces or eliminates any benefits such participant has accrued
as of the effective date of such amendment shall be effective unless such
participant consents to such amendment; and (ii) no amendment of the plan with
respect to a participant whose Employment Period under his Employment Agreement
has not yet ended that adversely affects such participant, or termination of the
plan with respect to such a participant, by the company on any date shall be
effective prior to the date on which (without any extension thereof) such
participant's Employment Period is then scheduled to end pursuant to his
Employment Agreement unless the participant consents to such amendment or
termination.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this plan has been executed on behalf of the
company by its duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above
written.

                                           PENTON MEDIA, INC.


                                           By:  /s/ Preston L. Vice
                                              ------------------------------
                                              Its   Preston L. Vice
                                              ------------------------------
                                              Date  November 12, 1998
                                              ------------------------------


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                                                                       EXHIBIT 1
                                                                       ---------
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                              --------------------

                  AGREEMENT made as of __________, between Penton Media, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), and _____________ ("EXECUTIVE").

                  In consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and
other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are
hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

                  1. EMPLOYMENT. The Company shall employ Executive, and
Executive accepts continued employment with the Company, upon the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement for the period beginning on the date
hereof and ending as provided in paragraph 5 hereof (the "EMPLOYMENT PERIOD").

                  2. POSITION AND DUTIES.

                  (a) During the Employment Period, Executive shall serve as the
__________ of the _________ Group of the Company or any successor to such Group,
in each case as constituted from time to time (the "GROUP"), and shall have the
normal duties, responsibilities and authority of an executive serving in such
position, subject to the power of the Board of Directors of the Company (the
"BOARD") or the President of the Company to expand or limit such duties,
responsibilities and authority, either generally or in specific instances.
Executive shall have the title _____________ of the Group, subject to the power
of the Board to change such title from time to time. During the Employment
Period, Executive shall also serve as a director of the Company for so long as
the Board nominates him to that position and he is elected to it, and as a
___________ of the Company for so long as the Board elects or appoints him to
that position and as a director of any affiliate of the Company designated by
the Board for so long as the Board causes him to be elected to such position.

                  (b) Executive shall report to the President of the Company.

                  (c) During the Employment Period, Executive shall devote his
best efforts and his full business time and attention (except for permitted
vacation periods, reasonable periods of illness or other incapacity, and,
provided such activities do not exceed those in which Executive has engaged in
the past, participation in charitable and civic endeavors and management of
Executive's personal investments and business interests) to the business and
affairs of the Company, or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company. Executive
shall perform his duties and responsibilities to the best of his abilities in a
diligent, trustworthy, businesslike and efficient manner.

                  (d) Executive shall perform his duties and responsibilities
principally in the _________ area, and shall not be required to travel outside
that area any more extensively than he has done in the past in the ordinary
course of the business of the Company.





<PAGE>   9



                  3.       SALARY AND BENEFITS.

                  (a) SALARY. The Company agrees to pay Executive a salary
during the Employment Period in monthly installments.

                  (b) Executive's initial salary shall be $_______ per annum.

                  (c) Executive's salary may be increased by the Board from time
to time.

                  (d) The Board may, in its sole discretion, award a bonus to
Executive for any calendar year during the Employment Period.

                  (e) The Company shall reimburse Executive for all reasonable
expenses incurred by him in the course of performing his duties under this
Agreement which are consistent with the Company's policies in effect from time
to time with respect to travel, entertainment and other business expenses,
subject to the Company's requirements with respect to reporting and
documentation of such expenses.

                  (f) In addition to the salary, and any bonus(es) payable to
Executive pursuant to this paragraph 2, Executive shall be entitled during the
Employment Period to participate, on the same basis as other executives of the
Company (but subject to variations among executives resulting from differences
in the levels of benefits made available to employees at particular business
units under the Company's 401(k) plan or any other plan of the Company), in the
Company's Standard Executive Benefits Package. The Company's "STANDARD EXECUTIVE
BENEFITS PACKAGE" means those benefits (including insurance, vacation, company
car or car allowance and/or other benefits) for which substantially all of the
executives of the Company are from time to time generally eligible, as
determined from time to time by the Board.

                  (g) In addition to participation in the Company's Standard
Executive Benefits Package pursuant to this paragraph 2, Executive shall be
entitled during the Employment Period to:

                  (i)      additional term life insurance coverage in an amount
                           equal to Executive's salary; but only if and so long
                           as such additional coverage is available at standard
                           rates from the insurer providing term life insurance
                           coverage under the Standard Executive Benefits
                           Package or from a comparable insurer acceptable to
                           the Company;

                  (ii)     supplementary long-term disability coverage in an
                           amount which will increase maximum covered annual
                           compensation to $330,000 and the maximum monthly
                           payments to $18,333; but only if and so long as such
                           supplementary coverage is available at standard rates
                           from the insurer providing long-term disability
                           coverage under the Standard Executive Benefits
                           Package or a comparable insurer acceptable to the
                           Company; and



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<PAGE>   10



                  (iii)    participation in the Penton Media, Inc. Supplemental
                           Executive Retirement Plan (the "SERP"), a copy of
                           which, as currently in effect, is attached hereto as
                           Exhibit A.

                  4. ADJUSTMENTS. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, it is expressly understood and agreed that if there is a significant
reduction in the level of the business to which Executive's duties under this
Agreement relate, or if all or any significant part of such business is disposed
of by the Company and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates during the Employment
Period but Executive thereafter remains an employee of the Company, the Board
may make adjustments in Executive's duties, responsibility and authority, and in
Executive's compensation, as the Board deems appropriate to reflect such
reduction or disposition.

                  5.       EMPLOYMENT PERIOD.

                  (a) Except as hereinafter provided, the Employment Period
shall continue until, and shall end upon, the third anniversary of the date
hereof.

                  (b) On each anniversary of the date hereof which precedes
Executive's sixty-fifth birthday by more than two years, unless the Employment
Period shall have ended early pursuant to (c) below or either party shall have
given the other party written notice that the extension provision in this
sentence shall no longer apply, the Employment Period shall be extended for an
additional calendar year (unless Executive's sixty-fifth birthday occurs during
such additional calendar year, in which event the Employment Period shall be
extended only until such birthday). In no event shall the Employment Period be
extended beyond the Executive's sixty-fifth birthday except by mutual written
agreement of the Company and Executive.

                  (c) Notwithstanding (a) and (b) above, the Employment Period
shall end early upon the first to occur of any of the following events:

                  (i)      Executive's death;

                  (ii)     Executive's retirement upon or after reaching age 65
                           ("RETIREMENT");

                  (iii)    the Company's termination of Executive's employment
                           on account of Executive's having become unable (as
                           determined by the Board in good faith) to regularly
                           perform his duties hereunder by reason of illness or
                           incapacity for a period of more than six (6)
                           consecutive months ("TERMINATION FOR DISABILITY");

                  (iv)     the Company's termination of Executive's employment
                           for Cause ("TERMINATION FOR CAUSE");

                  (v)      the Company's termination of Executive's employment
                           other than a Termination for Disability or a
                           Termination for Cause ("TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE");



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                  (vi)     Executive's termination of Executive's employment for
                           Good Reason by means of advance written notice to the
                           Company at least thirty (30) days prior to the
                           effective date of such termination identifying such
                           termination as a Termination by Executive for Good
                           Reason and identifying the Good Reason ("TERMINATION
                           BY EXECUTIVE FOR GOOD REASON") (it being expressly
                           understood that Executive's giving notice that the
                           extension provision in the first sentence of
                           paragraph 5(b) hereof shall no longer apply shall not
                           constitute a "TERMINATION BY EXECUTIVE FOR GOOD
                           REASON"); or

                  (vii)    Executive's termination of Executive's employment for
                           any reason other than Good Reason, by means of
                           advance written notice to the Company at least one
                           hundred eighty (180) days prior to the effective date
                           of such termination identifying such termination as a
                           Termination by Executive with Advance Notice
                           ("TERMINATION BY EXECUTIVE WITH ADVANCE NOTICE") (it
                           being expressly understood that Executive's giving
                           notice that the extension provision in the first
                           sentence of paragraph 5(b) hereof shall no longer
                           apply shall not constitute a "TERMINATION BY
                           EXECUTIVE WITH ADVANCE NOTICE").

                  (d)      For purposes of this Agreement, "CAUSE" shall mean:

                  (i)      the commission by Executive of a felony or a crime
                           involving moral turpitude;

                  (ii)     the commission by Executive of a fraud;

                  (iii)    the commission by Executive of any act involving
                           dishonesty or disloyalty with respect to the Company
                           or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates;

                  (iv)     conduct by Executive tending to bring the Company or
                           any of its subsidiaries or affiliates into
                           substantial public disgrace or disrepute;

                  (v)      gross negligence or willful misconduct by Executive
                           with respect to the Company or any of its
                           subsidiaries or affiliates;

                  (vi)     repudiation of this Agreement by Executive or
                           Executive's abandonment of his employment with the
                           Company (it being expressly understood that a
                           Termination by Executive for Good Reason or a
                           Termination by Executive with Advance Notice shall
                           not constitute such a repudiation or abandonment);

                  (vii)    breach by Executive of any of the agreements in
                           paragraph 10 hereof; or

                  (viii)   any other breach by Executive of this Agreement which
                           is material and which is not cured within thirty (30)
                           days after written notice thereof to Executive from
                           the Company.

                  (e)      For purposes of this Agreement, "GOOD REASON" shall
                           mean:

                                      -4-
<PAGE>   12


                  (i)      a reduction by the Company in Executive's salary to
                           an amount less than "EXECUTIVE'S REFERENCE SALARY"
                           (i.e., Executive's initial salary or, in the event
                           the Employment Period has been extended pursuant to
                           paragraph 5(b) hereof, Executive's salary on the date
                           on which the most recent such extension occurred); or

                  (ii)     any breach by the Company of this Agreement which is
                           material and which is not cured within thirty (30)
                           days after written notice thereof to the Company from
                           Executive.

                  6.       POST-EMPLOYMENT PERIOD PAYMENTS.

                  (a) If the Employment Period ends on the date on which
(without any extension thereof) it is then scheduled to end pursuant to
paragraph 5 hereof, or if the Employment Period ends early pursuant to paragraph
5 hereof for any reason, Executive shall cease to have any rights to salary,
bonus (if any), or benefits other than: (i) any salary which has accrued but is
unpaid, any reimbursable expenses which have been incurred but are unpaid, and
any unexpired vacation days which have accrued under the Company's vacation
policy but are unused, as of the end of the Employment Period, (ii) (but only to
the extent provided in any option theretofore granted to Executive or in the
SERP or any other benefit plan in which Executive has participated as an
employee of the Company) any option rights or plan benefits which by their terms
extend beyond termination of Executive's employment, (iii) any benefits to which
Executive is entitled under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1985, as amended ("COBRA"), and (iv) any other amounts(s) payable pursuant to
the succeeding provisions of this paragraph 6.

                  (b) If the Employment Period ends pursuant to paragraph 5
hereof on Executive's sixty-fifth birthday, or if the Employment Period ends
early pursuant to paragraph 5 hereof on account of Executive's death, Retirement
or Termination for Disability, the Company shall make no further payments to
Executive except as contemplated in (a) (i), (ii) and (iii) above.

                  (c) If the Employment Period ends early pursuant to paragraph
5 hereof on account of Termination for Cause, the Company shall pay Executive an
amount equal to that Executive would have received as salary (based on
Executive's salary then in effect) had the Employment Period remained in effect
until the later of the effective date of the Company's termination of
Executive's employment or the date thirty days after the Company's notice to
Executive of such termination.

                  (d) If the Employment Period ends early pursuant to paragraph
5 hereof on account of a Termination without Cause or a Termination by Executive
for Good Reason, the Company shall pay to Executive amounts equal to the amounts
Executive would have received as salary (based on Executive's salary then in
effect or, if greater, Executive's Reference Salary) had the Employment Period
remained in effect until the date on which (without any extension thereof) it
was then scheduled to end, at the times such amounts would have been paid (in
the event Executive is entitled during the payment period to any payments under
any disability benefit plan or the like in which Executive has participated as
an employee of the Company, less such payments); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the
event of Executive's death during the payment period, the Company shall pay


                                      -5-
<PAGE>   13



any subsequent such amounts to Executive's estate (or such person or persons as
Executive may designate in a written instrument signed by him and delivered to
the Company prior to his death) either (i) amounts during the remainder of the
payment period equal to one-half of the of the amounts which would have been
paid to Executive but for his death or (ii) if so elected by the payee(s) by
written notice to the Company within the period of sixty (60) days after the
date of Executive's death, a lump sum amount equivalent to the discounted
present value of such reduced amounts, discounted at the publicly announced
reference rate for commercial lending of the Company's principal lending bank in
effect from time to time, in effect at the date of notice to the Company of such
election, with said amount to be paid on a date no later than thirty (30) days
following the date of notice to the Company of such election. In addition, the
Company shall reimburse Executive (net after taxes on the receipt of such
reimbursement) for any premiums paid by Executive for health insurance provided
to Executive (for Executive and his dependents) by the Company subsequent to the
end of the Employment Period pursuant to the requirements of COBRA as in effect
on the date of this Agreement. It is expressly understood that the Company's
payment obligations under this (d) shall cease in the event Executive breaches
any of his agreements in paragraph 7, 9 or 10 hereof.

                  (e) If the Employment Period ends early pursuant to paragraph
5 hereof on account of a Termination by Executive with Advance Notice, the
Company shall make no further payments to Executive except as contemplated in
(a) (i), (ii) and (iii) above.

                  7. INVENTIONS AND OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. Executive
agrees that all inventions, innovations, improvements, developments, methods,
designs, analyses, drawings, reports, trademarks, slogans, product or other
designs, advertising or marketing programs, and all similar or related
information which relate to the Company's or any of its subsidiaries' or
affiliates' actual or anticipated business, research and development or existing
or future products or services and which are (or were prior to the date of this
Agreement) conceived, developed or made by Executive, whether alone or jointly
with others, while employed by the Company or any such subsidiary or affiliate
or any predecessor thereof ("WORK PRODUCT") belong to the Company or such
subsidiary or affiliate. Executive will promptly disclose such Work Product to
the President of the Company and perform all actions reasonably requested by the
President of the Company (whether during or after the Employment Period) to
establish and confirm such ownership (including, without limitation,
assignments, consents, powers of attorney and other instruments).

                  8. LIMITATION/ILLINOIS DISCLOSURE. Paragraph 7 of this
Agreement regarding the ownership of inventions and other intellectual property
does not apply to the extent application thereof is prohibited by any law the
benefits of which cannot be waived by Executive. Executive hereby waives the
benefits of any such law to the maximum extent permitted by law. In accordance
with Section 2872 of the Illinois Employee Patent Act, Ill. Rev. Stat. Chap.
140, ss. 301 ET. SEQ. (1983), Executive is hereby advised that in the event and
to the extent such Act is applicable to Executive, paragraph 7 of this Agreement
regarding the ownership of inventions and other intellectual property does not
apply to any invention for which no equipment, supplies, facilities or trade
secret information of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates was
used and which was developed entirely on Executive's own time, unless (i) the
invention relates to the business of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates or to the Company's or any of its subsidiaries' or affiliates' actual
or demonstrably anticipated research or development or (ii) the invention
results from any work performed by Executive for the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates.

                                      -6-
<PAGE>   14

                  9. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. Executive acknowledges that the
information, observations and data obtained by him while employed by the Company
pursuant to this Agreement concerning the business or affairs of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or any predecessor thereof (unless and
except to the extent the foregoing become generally known to and available for
use by the public other than as a result of Executive's acts or omissions to
act, "CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION") are the property of the Company or such
subsidiary or affiliate. Therefore, Executive agrees that he shall not disclose
any Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the President
of the Company unless and except to the extent that such disclosure is (i) made
in the ordinary course of Executive's performance of his duties under this
Agreement or (ii) required by any subpoena or other legal process (in which
event Executive will give the Company prompt notice of such subpoena or other
legal process in order to permit the Company to seek appropriate protective
orders), and that he shall not use any Confidential Information for his own
account without the prior written consent of the President of the Company.
Executive shall deliver to the Company at the termination of the Employment
Period, or at any other time the Company may request, all memoranda, notes,
plans, records, reports, computer tapes and software and other documents and
data (and copies thereof) relating to the Confidential Information, Work Product
or the business of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates which he
may then possess or have under his control.

                  10.      NON-COMPETE, NON-SOLICITATION.

                  (a) Executive acknowledges that in the course of his
employment with the Company pursuant to this Agreement he will become familiar
with trade secrets and customer lists of and other confidential information
concerning the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates and predecessors
thereof and that his services will be of special, unique and extraordinary value
to the Company.

                  (b) Executive agrees (i) that during the Employment Period he
shall not in any manner, directly or indirectly, through any person, firm or
corporation, alone or as a member of a partnership or as an officer, director,
stockholder, investor or employee of or in any other corporation or enterprise
or otherwise, engage or be engaged in, or assist any other person, firm,
corporation or enterprise in engaging or being engaged in, any business then
actively being conducted by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates, and (ii) that for two years after the Employment Period he shall not
in any manner, directly or indirectly, through any person, firm or corporation,
alone or as a member of a partnership or as an officer, director, stockholder,
investor or employee of or in any other corporation or enterprise or otherwise,
assist _______________ or any subsidiary or affiliate of _____________, or any
successor or assign of ____________, in engaging or being engaged in the
business activity of publishing a magazine or electronic media product that
directly competes with any magazine or electronic media product then being
published by, conducting a trade show that directly competes with any trade show
then being conducted by, or creating or disseminating any other product that
competes directly with any product then being created or disseminated by, the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

                  (c) Executive further agrees that during the Employment Period
and for two years thereafter he shall not in any manner, directly or indirectly,
induce or attempt to induce any employee of the Company or of any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates to quit or abandon his employ.

                                      -7-
<PAGE>   15


                  (d) Nothing in this paragraph 10 shall prohibit Executive from
being: (i) a stockholder in a mutual fund or a diversified investment company or
(ii) a passive owner of not more than 2% of the outstanding stock of any class
of a corporation which is publicly traded, so long as Executive has no active
participation in the business of such corporation.

                  (e) If, at the time of enforcement of this paragraph, a court
holds that the restrictions stated herein are unreasonable under circumstances
then existing, the parties hereto agree that the maximum period, scope or
geographical area reasonable under such circumstances shall be substituted for
the stated period, scope or area and that the court shall be allowed to revise
the restrictions contained herein to cover the maximum period, scope and area
permitted by law.

                  11. ENFORCEMENT. Because Executive's services are unique and
because Executive has access to Confidential Information and Work Product, the
parties hereto agree that the Company would be damaged irreparably in the event
any of the provisions of paragraph 7, 9 or 10 hereof were not performed in
accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached and that money
damages would be an inadequate remedy for any such non-performance or breach.
Therefore, the Company or its successors or assigns shall be entitled, in
addition to other rights and remedies existing in their favor, to an injunction
or injunctions to prevent any breach or threatened breach of any of such
provisions and to enforce such provisions specifically (without posting a bond
or other security).

                  12. EXECUTIVE REPRESENTATIONS. Executive represents and
warrants to the Company that (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by Executive does not and will not conflict with, breach, violate or
cause a default under any contract, agreement, instrument, order, judgment or
decree to which Executive is a party or by which he is bound, (ii) Executive is
not a party to or bound by any employment agreement, noncompete agreement or
confidentiality agreement with any other person or entity, and (iii) upon the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, this Agreement shall be
the valid and binding obligation of Executive, enforceable in accordance with
its terms.

                  13. SURVIVAL. Paragraphs 7, 9 and 10 hereof shall survive and
continue in full force in accordance with their terms notwithstanding any
termination of the Employment Period.

                  14. NOTICES. Any notice provided for in this Agreement shall
be in writing and shall be either personally delivered, or mailed by first class
mail, return receipt requested, to the recipient at the address below indicated:

                  NOTICES TO EXECUTIVE:
                  ---------------------
                  ---------------------
                  ---------------------


                                      -8-
<PAGE>   16

                  NOTICES TO THE COMPANY:

                  Mr. Thomas L. Kemp
                  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
                  Penton Media, Inc.
                  1100 Superior Avenue
                  Cleveland, Ohio  44114

or such other address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient
party shall have specified by prior written notice to the sending party. Any
notice under this Agreement will be deemed to have been given when so delivered
or mailed.

                  15. SEVERABILITY. Whenever possible, each provision of this
Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under
applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any
jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect
any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement shall be
reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid,
illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

                  16. PAYMENT OF CERTAIN COSTS AND EXPENSES. In the event that
there is a Change of Control of the Company, if the Company thereafter
wrongfully withholds from Executive any amount payable to Executive pursuant to
this Agreement or the SERP and Executive obtains a final judgment against the
Company for such amount, the Company shall reimburse Executive for any costs and
expenses (including without limitation attorneys' fees) reasonably incurred by
Executive in obtaining such judgment and shall pay Executive interest on the
amount of each such cost or expense from the date of payment thereof by
Executive to the date of reimbursement by the Company at a floating rate per
annum equal to the publicly announced reference rate for commercial lending, in
effect from time to time, of the Company's principal lending bank in effect from
time to time. For purposes of the foregoing, a "CHANGE OF CONTROL OF THE
COMPANY" will be deemed to have occurred if but only if, for purposes of Section
13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, a person or group
other than (i) Pittway or (ii) one or more members of the Harris Group becomes
the beneficial owner of stock of the Company possessing a majority of the voting
power under ordinary circumstances with respect to the election of directors.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, the "Harris Group" shall mean Messrs.
Irving B. Harris, Neison Harris, King Harris, William W. Harris and Sidney
Barrows, and their respective spouses, descendants and spouses of descendants,
trustees of trusts established for the benefit of such persons (acting in their
capacity as trustees of such trusts), and executors of estates of such persons
(acting in their capacity as executors of such estates), and each person of
which any of the foregoing owns (i) more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting
stock or other voting interests and (ii) stock or other interests
representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total value of the stock or
other interests of such person.

                  17. COMPLETE AGREEMENT. This Agreement embodies the complete
agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject
matter hereof and effective as of its date supersedes and preempts any prior
understandings, agreements or representations by or between the parties, written
or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.

                                      -9-
<PAGE>   17


                  18. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in separate
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and both of which
taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

                  19. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall bind and
inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive, the Company and their
respective heirs, executors, personal representatives, successors and assigns,
except that neither party may assign any of his or its rights or delegate any of
his or its obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other
party. Executive hereby consents to the assignment by the Company of all of its
rights and obligations hereunder to: (i) Pittway or any subsidiary or affiliate
thereof in the event all or any substantial part of the business to which
Executive's duties under this Agreement relate are transferred thereto and (ii)
any successor to the Company by merger or consolidation or purchase of all or
substantially all of the Company's assets; in each case provided such transferee
or successor assumes the liabilities of the Company hereunder.

                  20. CHOICE OF LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by the
internal law, and not the laws of conflicts, of the State of Ohio.

                  21. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. The provisions of this Agreement may
be amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and
Executive, and no course of conduct or failure or delay in enforcing the
provisions of this Agreement shall affect the validity, binding effect or
enforceability of this Agreement.


                                     * * * *


                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this
Agreement as of the date first written above.


                                    PENTON MEDIA, INC.



                                    By
                                      -----------------------------------
                                    Its
                                      -----------------------------------

                                    -------------------------------------
                                    EXECUTIVE




                                      -10-