EXHIBITORLIVE! NEW PRODUCT PREVIEW
November/December 2021 • VOL. 27 • ISSUE 6
AN INDUSTRY UNITED IN HELPING OTHERS
CSR & SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY INDUSTRY ADVOCACY UPDATES FOCUS CITY: PHILADELPHIA DAILY UPDATES AT EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM
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TABLE OF CONTENTS On our cover: The annual group shot from this year’s 27th Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic at the Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth, Ga.
EXHIBITORLIVE! NEW PRODUCT PREVIEW
16
November/December 2021 • VOL. 27 • ISSUE 6
AN INDUSTRY UNITED IN HELPING OTHERS
30
EXHIBITORLIVE New Products Exhibitors and attendees are looking forward to debuting their new products
37
Shop to Showfloor Section I&D and Event Labor
38-40
15 Industry Leaders on Why Tradeshows Work
CSR & SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY INDUSTRY ADVOCACY UPDATES FOCUS CITY: PHILADELPHIA DAILY UPDATES AT EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM
Bob McGlincy talks to industry leaders on the state of the industry
Feature Story
42
Q&A Spotlight with IATSE 835’s Ricky & Ana Staley
26-29 Corporate Sustainability: An Investment in the Future
46
Impressions from the 27th Randy
Columns
Jim Obermeyer reflects on its meaning
10-11
48
Convention Center Snapshot
National TradeShow Alliance Updates on Workforce Advocacy
Pennylvania CC, Philadelphia
12
Up next is their Dec. 2-31 Virtual Job Fair
As the Saws Turn
50
Lessons and Observations
Update: What Does Advocacy Look Like Today?
The Biggest I&D Project in the History of the World
16
Ask an Expert
26
Tailgating in Las Vegas Just Got an Upgrade
18 The Global View
Are Live Events a Good Career?
20 International Focus: AIPC
52
After a Brush with a Brain Tumor, Scott Sokol Regains His Balance David Barten Shares Scott’s Journey
53
Tom Beard is Retiring
Tom Plans to Hit the Golf Course
54
People on the Move
55-61
Re-creating Organized Events
In Memoriam
22
B.G. Brekken, Co-Founder of Skyline Displays, Pasadena, CA
The Don & Mike Show The Don & Mike Show is Back on the Road
24 Airport Snapshot
Philadelphia International Airport
Departments 8 44 44 62 66 73 81
Rob Cohen, Chris Griffin & Tim Heffernan report on the latest advocacy news
Editor’s Corner Eat, Sleep & Play CC Spotlight The D.E.A.L. Regional Show Calendar Industry Service Guide Advertiser Index
6 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
Ed Holba, Freeman Director of Safety, Chicago, IL Bill Nicholson, Fern Expo Nashville, TN Marty Usher, Fern Expo San Antonio, TX David Trammell, Czarnowski MetalWorks, Atlanta, GA Brad Gardner, Carpenters Local #272, Chicago Heights, IL Mark Serpas, I&D New Orleans, LA Terry Lennon, Teamsters Local 25, Boston, MA Hery Delgado TRU Service Group, Las Vegas, NV
Raiders photo courtesy of MGM Resorts International
14 The Tradeshow Times
EDITOR'S CORNER
Greetings to our readers!
T
here is nothing permanent except change,” said Greek philosopher Heraclitus and change is coming to Exhibit City News in 2022 as I leave my post as editor-in-chief. After four amazing years, 26 issues, a 25th Anniversary 244-page keepsake book, producing the inaugural ACE Awards, contributing weekly to the Don & Mike Show podcast, creating our weekly e-newsblast, incorporating two website redesigns and navigating the last year's lockdowns of our industry and our world, it's definitely been quite a ride. Exhibit City News has big plans for the future—including having the print issues go quarterly in 2022 and focusing even more on our online magazine and website. We're also completely renovating our offices and we're so grateful to all our industry partners who have stepped up and helped us—from all new flooring (thanks Brumark!), furniture (thanks CORT!), workstations (thanks Circle!) painting, lighting and installation (thanks Lighting Display & Supply and Edlen!), lightboxes, computers and installation (thanks Willwork! thanks SEG Warehouse!) and thanks to Exposures for the photography. A special thanks to the designer and project manager of the renovation project: Clemente Guillen (Clementine Design) who brought Don's desire to have the office be like a tradeshow exhibit/museum—to showcase the industry's past, present and the future. This issue's cover of a unified industry coming together to help others at the Randy is a big part of CSR, sustainability and giving back, which writer H.K. Wilson features beginning on page 26.
CSAL
CONVENTION SERVICES ASSOCIATION
AS VEGAS
8 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
PUBLISHER Donald V. Svehla Jr. (702) 309-8023 ext. 102 DonS@exhibitcitynews.com
In our quest to support the industry through these difficult times, there's advocacy updates from Rob Cohen, Chris Griffen and Tim Heffernan (p. 50), and a workplace advocacy update from National Tradeshow Alliance's Laura Palker (p. 48). Our EXHIBITORLIVE New Products preview story is on p. 30 as we prepare for our industry's "Super Bowl." And ECN Digital Editor Emily Olson interviewed IATSE Local 835 members and spouses Ricky and Ana Staley (p. 42). For our columnists, Jim Obermeyer shares reflections on the Randy, Bob McGlincy dives into history and speaks with 15 industry leaders, Calanit Atia promotes Las Vegas' upgraded tailgates, Paco Collazo discusses the pros and cons of live events as a career, and Mike Morrison talks to the experts weekly to keep the industry informed. ECN sends our deepest condolences to the families of Skyline Exhibit's B.G. Brekken, Freeman's Ed Holba, Fern Expo Nashville's Bill Nicholson, Fern Expo San Antonio's Marty Usher, Czarnowski Atlanta's David Trammell, Chicago Heights Carpenters Local 272's Brad Gardner, New Orleans I&D Specialist Mark Serpas, Boston Teamsters Local 25 Terry Lennon and Carpenters Local 12977 and Tru Service Group's Hery Delgado (pgs 55-60). Philadelphia is our focus city in honor of IAEE's Expo Expo conference there in December. As Jim Obermeyer always says, “See you on the show floor!” Stay healthy and hope to see you at EXHIBITORLIVE!
Senior Editor
MANAGING EDITOR Lisa Abrams (702) 309-8023 LisaA@exhibitcitynews.com SENIOR EDITOR Jeanne Brei (702) 309-8023 JeanneB@exhibitcitynews.com DIGITAL EDITOR Emily Olson EmilyO@exhibitcitynews.com ART DIRECTOR Thomas Speak Tom@Speak-Design.com COLUMNISTS / WRITERS Calanit Atia Sven Bossu Paco Collazo Bob McGlincy Mike Morrison Jim Obermeyer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS David Barten Vince Battaglia Tom Beard Rob Cohen Chris Griffin Tim Heffernan Patrick Hoffnung Laura Palker H.K. Wilson PROOFREADER Emily Olson NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Christy Giambattista ChristyD@exhibitcitynews.com CIRCULATION Manny Chico Mike Morrison Vol. 27, issue 6, copyright 2021 by EXHIBIT CITY NEWS, published six times a year by Mr. Tradeshow Communications, LLC, 1675 E. Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89169. Editorial views presented within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher and no liability is inherent. To subscribe, go to ExhibitCityNews.com or call (702) 309-8023. Reproduction/reuse of this material may only be permitted with expressed permission of Exhibit City News. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to location listed above.
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CONVENTION CENTER SNAPSHOT
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia Location: 1101 Arch St., Philadelphia Year Opened: 1993, after renovating the Reading Terminal (built in 1893) Square Footage: After a 2011 expansion, it has 2 million sq.ft. with 679,000+sq.ft. of exhibit hall space, 7 halls and 82 meeting rooms across 4 levels, & the largest ballroom in the Northeast. Parking: The PCC garage has 540 spaces with street and lot parking nearby. Wi-Fi: The PCC uses Xirrus Arrays and XMS with a 10 GB Backbone for optimum speed and scalable delivery. Hotels: There are 13,500+ hotel rooms in walking distance of the PCC, with two attached—the Marriott PhilPLUS! adelphia Downtown with 1,400 Where to eat, rooms and the Aloft Hotel. sleep and play near PCC p. 44 Airport Info: It’s about 10 miles from PHL airport and a 27- minute SEPTA train ride for $8. Fun Fact #1: ASM Global has privately managed and operated the PCC since Dec. 1, 2013. Fun Fact #2: The “L”-shaped complex occupies four city blocks and includes the former headhouse, a 9-story office building that contained the passenger station and RR offices; the trainshed, north of the headhouse and 20 feet above street level with a single-span arched roof structure (the world’s oldest surviving); and Reading Terminal Market below. Website: www.paconvention.com ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 11
COLUMN As the Saws Turn
Lessons and Observations
A
s much of a glass-half-full guy as I am, a year ago I had significant concerns for our industry and my continued participation in it. But here I am at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) show at the LVCC, exactly 40 Our companies may be competitors years after I did my very first show—Comin the industry, but on the show floor we puter Aided Manufacturing International are all comrades. We all strive to create (CAM-I) in Fort Worth in October 1981. success for our clients, and we help each Yes, 40 years of working with clients at other when we can. tradeshows in 26 different countries, 47 The show is a great place to build different states, 81 different cities and strong relationships with your clients 168 different venues. Who would and enjoy their company. I’ve had have thought that 40 years ago? opportunities to do wine tastings, Certainly not me. I was working in meet sports and music stars, a large marketing department at a have private tours of the San huge defense contractor. I always Diego Zoo, NASA Kennedy Space wondered why there were these Center and Chicago’s Natural By Jim Obermeyer two guys who were never around. History Museum with clients. Finally, I asked them what they did. Oh, the places you’ll go … taking my “Tradeshows,” they said. And my reI&D supervisor to see the Grand Canyon sponse? “What’s a tradeshow?” That’s on a day off during a long show in Las where it all started. Vegas. Seeing Elton John, Sting, John I know I have a lot of colleagues in this Mellencamp and Tim McGraw play priindustry who have logged more than 40 vate concerts at client events. Watching years and are still going strong, and that is planes race at the Reno Air Races. Going encouraging. What has 40 years of work in to the Barrett-Jackson auto auction in this industry brought me—other than the Scottsdale and watching the sun set over opportunity to work with some of the best the Pacific Ocean from our client’s rental people I know and the ability to provide house in Mission Beach. for my family? Here are just a few lessons Everyone has a story. Take the time to and observations that come to mind: listen to them. Sit around the hotel pool or go hang out around a bonfire at the PiYou’ll never truly know this business oneer Saloon in Goodsprings, Nev., with until you work on the show floor. Picyour team after a long day of set-up or tures don’t tell the whole story. Everyone tear-down and just have beer and pizza in this industry should see at least one and conversation. large show from bare concrete to bare I think we in this industry have a tenconcrete, and everything in between. dency to not value the expertise that we Bring the right team with you to the have. A good friend of mine from outside show—they will save you time and money our industry said to me, “Jim, you could and make the results even better. And walk into any corporate board room in you’ll have more fun. America and be the smartest guy in there One good service desk person can on the topic of face-to-face marketing. change the outcome of the entire show. You need to place more value on what you 12 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
know.” He’s right. Every one of us who has spent our careers in this industry has developed a level of expertise unmatched by those outside our business. We need to place more value on that expertise, and frankly, we need to stop giving it away. At some point you will want to give back to the industry that has given you so much. Get involved in EDPA, EACA or whatever industry association works for you. And go to the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic, our industry’s way of helping our people get through some of the absolute toughest times of their lives. It will change you forever. I am nowhere near Clint Eastwood’s age, but whenever I’m feeling tired, I read about him still actively pursuing his work at age 88 and telling Toby Keith he doesn’t “let the old man in.” And the leading auto racing teams with guys like Roger Penske, Joe Gibbs and Richard Petty in their late 70s and early 80s, and all still actively involved. Interviews show a common denominator: a continued passion for what they are doing. It’s not a job or even a career. For them, it’s a passion that drives their energy; it motivates them to continue doing what they are doing. And they still enjoy it immensely. And that is how I feel right now about what I am doing. The old man has definitely not gotten in here. See you on the show floor … still! Jim Obermeyer has been in the exhibits and events industry 40 years, both as a corporate tradeshow manager and exhibit house owner. He can be reached at jobermeyer903@gmail.com.
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COLUMN The Tradeshow Times
The Biggest I&D Project in the History of the World
I
magine having less than a year to produce the world’s largest tradeshow—but first, you have to build the convention center. London’s Crystal Palace was a unique iron-and-glass structure. Four times larger than anything in the world at the time, it covered 19 acres of land, provided 900,000 sq.ft. for exhibits, and enclosed 33,000,000 cubic ft. of space. Despite its massive size, the construction was an “I&D” project: it was designed as a temporary structure; it was partially pre-fabricated; it was built on site; it had tight time constraints; it had to be completed before show opening; it was dismantled after the show, shipped to a new location, and then rebuilt in a different configuration. This huge structure was specifically planned and constructed to house “The Great Exhibition of 1851.” As the world’s first international exposition, the show hosted 14,000 exhibitors from 44 countries, and attracted more than 6 million paid attendees in five and a half months. Designed to showcase technology and establish Great Britain as an industrial leader, the exhibition is considered “the first modern tradeshow.” In hindsight, the success of the show seems almost inevitable. It was not. At one year prior to show opening—despite the exposition having been announced, and invitations sent—there was no design, no land and only
limited funding for the event. The Executive Building Committee tentatively approved Paxton’s innovative design on July 15, and a verbal contract for construction was agreed to on Friday, July 26, 1850. The following Tuesday—nine months and two days prior to show opening—30 workers entered Hyde Park to lay out the project. The size, number and type of materials needed for this herculean build was staggering. A partial list includes:
» More than 10 million pounds of iron » 1 million square feet of glass » » » » »
(293,653 individual panes) 202 miles of sash bar 30 miles of gutters 60,000 square feet of lumber 3,230 iron columns 2,224 trellis girders
Materials had to be transported by train to London, loaded onto horse-drawn wagons, hauled to the construction site
14 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
By Bob McGlincy
at Hyde Park, and unloaded. The perimeter of the building was 1,848’ x 408’. The highest interior section would be 128’, tall enough so existing trees within the layout would not have to be cut or removed. For the next nine months, crews worked every day, Mon.-Sat., until the show opened on May 1, 1851. Laborers, iron workers, glaziers, carpenters and painters were all needed at different times. Strictly controlling tasks and labor numbers was critical to reining in the cost of the build. The daily labor call fluctuated, based on the amount of work possible in a given week. The crew size steadily increased from 30 that first day to more than 2,000 men a day in November. Not all shows in the 19th century opened on time or on budget, but this one did; and it made a substantial profit. After the show closed in Octo-
ber, the two individuals most responsible for designing and building the Crystal Palace, Joseph Paxton and Charles Fox, received knighthoods. Paxton also collected a bonus equivalent to almost a million dollars in today’s money ($969,848). The Crystal Palace is the biggest I&D project in history for several reasons: it was big in terms of size (33 million cubic feet); it was big in terms of time (it took seven months, working six days a week); it was the big in terms of labor (2,000+ temporary workers every day for months); but most importantly, it was huge in terms of significance—the show was a defining moment in the Industrial Revolution, and the structure inspired hundreds of future venues. In time, other projects would be larger. And some would be temporary—but none others were dismantled and re-installed in a different location. And none would be as historically significant. Bob McGlincy is director, business management at Willwork Global Event Services. Contact him at Bob. McGlincy@willwork.com. London’s Crystal Palace in 1851
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ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 15
COLUMN Ask an Expert
M
GM Resorts has football challenges, BetMGM launched The sports-betting suites, live enterUltimate Vegas tainment, and appearances Football Tailgate With by special guests. Bud Light Beer GarMarshawn Lynch, den—a 130,000-sq. former NFL legend ft. tailgating paradise and Super Bowl set in front of the champion, made a iconic Luxor pyramid. special appearance to By Calanit Atia Located at the corner kick off the festivities of Las Vegas Boulevard and and debut the new game day Hacienda Avenue, the venue ritual ahead of the Raiders’ is within walking distance pre-season opener on Aug. 14. of Allegiant Stadium, opens “The city’s first football seafour hours before each event son with fans in the stands is and remains open until the a monumental moment,” says event’s conclusion. Chuck Bowling, president Entertainment and sports and COO of Mandalay Bay industry leaders MGM Resorts and Luxor. “We’ve created a and Bud Light have joined game-day event that embodforces to introduce the Bud ies the spirit and excitement Light Beer Garden to the Las of Las Vegas and offers fans Vegas Strip, the ultimate, imunique pre-game experiences. mersive, only-in-Vegas tailgate We look forward to creating experience. Nonstop outdoor new traditions at this venue action awaits football fans for this season and beyond.” before and after all Raiders and Offering complimentary adUNLV home games as well as mission to the public, the Bud select sports and entertainment Light Beer Garden immerses events at Allegiant Stadium. fans in ultimate game-day New Las Vegas Strip gamefestivities on a Las Vegas day events feature interactive scale, including interactive
16 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
football challenges, BetMGM sports betting kiosks, live DJs, food and beverage favorites from MGM Resorts restaurants, and JumboTrons broadcasting all of the games from around the league. Fans attending the Bud Light Beer Garden will enjoy interactive football challenges and life-sized Jenga and chess; live DJ entertainment; sports betting suites from MGM Resorts’ leading sports betting company, BetMGM; food and beverage favorites from MGM Resorts’ restaurants, including International Smoke by Chef Michael Mina and Ayesha Curry and Diablo’s Cantina, Public House and Beerhaus. A $99 VIP ticket includes an All You Can Eat & Drink package featuring buffet access to stadium favorites from MGM Resorts’ restaurants and unlimited drinks. MLife cardholders can also enjoy the VIP private clubhouses and two-level suites. Frostee Rucker, the 20182019 Oakland Raiders
captain, attended the debut event and said, “The MGM Beer Garden is the true tailgate of Las Vegas. The music and activities provide an unmatched experience.” Excitement was in the air and the crowd’s energy was electrifying. Las Vegas knows how to take tailgating to the next level. Fans can stay close to the action by reserving a parking spot at Mandalay Bay, Delano, Luxor and Excalibur for fast and easy access to Allegiant Stadium. After the events, MGM Resorts encourages all tailgate fans to keep the party going at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and Luxor Hotel and Casino. For more info, visit www. mgmresorts.com. Calanit Atia is an award-winning event planner and entrepreneur, Air Force veteran, founder and president of A to Z Events, Las Vegas DMC and entertainment agency, 2021 MPI advisory board member and speaker. She can be contacted at (702) 2122500 or Info@AtoZevents.com.
Photo courtesy of MGM Resorts International
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www.BusinessWise365.com ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 17
COLUMN The Global View
Are Live Events a Good Career?
T
he live events industry Many friends ask me what either adopts you or I do for a living when they spits you out in three see all those cool Instagram weeks. That is what they pics; when I tell them say, and I totally agree. that we design and This line of work is produce live events not for everyone, but around the world, the ones who stay, they say, “Wow, that stay. I am sure many is cool,” but sadly I By Paco Collazo of us haven’t ever left don’t think many of it and are not planning to. them would make it in this Of course, this (insert your world, because it just isn’t favorite swear word here) for everybody. Here’s a list pandemic shattered our of pros and cons so anyone industry into pieces, forcing thinking about getting into many of us to look for opthis business has an idea of portunity elsewhere or to do what to expect: jobs outside of our expertise. It also proved a couple of Cons: things to me: how much I » Stressful work (sometimes too much) love my job, how many skills » Tiring work and long hours our day-to-day tasks made on the rush us master, and how resilient » Time away from your loved we are. I don’t think many ones (a lot) professionals get to say that » You deal with difficult people about their line of work—they » Thoughts of killing your coworkers/ simply can’t imagine doing boss (JK!) something else. » Tiring work—sometimes there is no 18 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
sleep for what seems like weeks.
» Recession-affected job
Pros: » Experience the word: TEAMWORK » Daily variety becaise no two days are alike » Own business potential » Get to travel to cool places all over the world » Meet interesting people every day » Great like-minded peers who become like family » Pretty good income » No formal education required, just one thing: ATTITUDE » Knowing that someone has your back every day all day » Colleagues and clients become lifelong friends » Last but not least, the sentiment of finishing a project after many challenges, hours and hours, stress … that rewarding feeling when the client is smiling. Makes you feel part of something bigger, that you can conquer anything .. and you get to experience it every week!
Despite all the cons, it’s still a really fun and satisfying profession to work in. I want to give a shoutout to all of us in the industry. After 18 months of uncertainty, we made it. Here we are, busy as hell, stressed and with our agendas full to capacity, day in and day out for the remainder of the year and more. But this is what we wanted and what we missed. Am I right? Paco Collazo is the owner & CEO of Atlanta-based Happy Projects, where their passion is “to collaborate with the planet’s top standbuilders, event production companies, agencies and brands to solve all your face-to-face marketing needs from concept to seamless execution.” He worked 13 years in the family business, ending as a sales and project director at SISTEXPO (Sistemas de Exposicion), a full-exhibit/event house based in Mexico. Contact him at paco@ happyprojects.us.
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Representing buyers and sellers in the trade show and event markets Contact Dan Greene at (708) 650-3343 | dgreene@nolanadvisory.com
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ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 19
COLUMN International Focus: AIPC
Re-creating Organized Events By Patrick Hoffnung, CEO European Convention Center Luxembourg & Sven Bossu, CEO AIPC
L
et us start with the good news: Organized events are taking place again throughout Europe and the smiles on the faces of the participants are a clear indicator that the need for meeting face to face is very high. At the same time, both organizers and convention centers need to work harder to convince participants to join the events physically. One way of doing so is by offering a new type of experience by making full use of all the assets of a destination. After 18 months of digital interaction, organized events are back, albeit very often smaller in size. There are several reasons for this decrease in participation: there are still travel restrictions in place (both on country and company level), budgets have suffered and—most importantly—people must be offered compelling and convincing reasons to make the journey, as most events now offer the possibility to join digitally. Why would you take the trouble of going to a venue if you can attend in the comfort of your home office? The key reasons for doing so are, of course, always linked with the content of the conference, the business benefits, the opportunities for sharing knowledge and networking, etc. All these elements are under the control of the event organizer. However, we do believe the convention centers can make a (big) difference when it comes to making the case for the participants to join physically: by offering experiences that complement or re-enforce the core value proposal of the organizer. To do so successfully, there must be a thorough and joint understanding of the profile and the needs of the participants. A radiotherapist going to a medical conference is likely to have different needs and expectations than a senior banker attending a fintech exhibition or a young entrepreneur involved in a hackathon during an event for start-ups. The better the understanding by the convention 20 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
Patrick Hoffnung
center, the more tailormade solutions can be defined. At the European Convention Center Luxembourg (ECCL), the leadership fully understood this need and developed with its local partners a full suite of offers for event organizers and participants. The location of the convention center gave it a clear advantage to do so: close to the heart of the historical city, surrounded by a concert hall, a museum for modern art, a shopping center and a wide range of hotels, bars and restaurants. All these stakeholders were convinced that by working together, a win-win situation could be created for both the individual companies and Luxembourg as a destination. As a result, the ECCL and its partners can offer both organizers and participants unique experiences, from combining the participation to a conference with attending a classical concert, upgrades in hotels, stunning social events in the modern art museum, discounts in restaurants, etc. And all of this within walking distance of the convention center, turning the entire area into an event plaza. It is also important to note that the offer will be in “continuous con-
struction.” By closely monitoring and sharing the results, for example: the percentage of the participants taking up one or more elements of the offer—the ECCL and its partners can fine tune and improve the offer, based on datapoints collected (while, of course, respecting all privacy rules). With this offer, the ECCL wants to provide organizers the opportunity to offer something unique to their communities and make the case for making the journey even more compelling. Other convention centers and destinations worldwide are taking similar steps, and we truly believe that these efforts will make a difference in bringing back conference and exhibition participants, to the benefit of all involved. Holding a degree in Tourism Economy and having 35 years of experience in the MICE business, Patrick Hoffnung’s career started in France, followed by positions in Polynesia and Italy. Since December 2013, he’s CEO at Luxembourg Congrès and manages the European Convention Center Luxembourg (ECCL). Till 2019, he combined this role with the presidency of Cluster MICE Luxembourg, promoting the country. Contact him at contact@eccl.lu. Sven Bossu was appointed as AIPC’s first CEO in May last year. Prior, he was the managing director for innovation at ESTRO, the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, and spent eight years at SWIFT, organizing the world-renowned SIBOS conference. Contact him at sven.bossu@aipc.org. AIPC represents a global network of more than 190 leading centers in 64 countries with the active involvement of more than 1,000 management-level professionals worldwide. It is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention center management, based on the diverse experience and expertise of its international representation, and maintains a variety of educational, research, networking and standards programs. For more info, visit aipc.org.
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ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 21
INDUSTRY PODCAST
The Don & Mike Show is Back on the Road ECN Office Renovations Include State-of-the-Art Studio
A
s we drive the industry vehicle into the end of 2021, the road is full of seemingly smooth paths while, at the same time, the road appears to be rocky, bumpy and extremely challenging. In other words, not much different than 2020! But good things can be highlighted for the end of 2021 from a tradeshow and event industry perspective. First, the revamping and remodeling of the Exhibit City News offices in Las Vegas to include a state-of-the-art recording studio for videos and podcast recording. ECN is grateful to all their renovation partners,
including Clementine Design, Brumark, Circle, CORT, Display Supply & Lighting, Edlen, SEG Warehouse/Design To Print, Willwork and Exposures. We look forward to doing our post-EXHIBITORLIVE show recording in the new ECN studio. For the fifth year in a row, The Don and Mike Show conducted several interviews with industry and event professionals at the 27th Annual Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic in Atlanta on Sept. 27. Also, Don and I will be alive and well for the Exhibitor show coming up on Nov. 1-2 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Afterward,
by Mike Morrison
the show will make its way to Hollywood, Fla., for the annual EDPA Access meeting. So, as The Don and Mike Show enters 2022, we are all hoping the predictions are solid for a huge return for shows and events. A return to normal is not only needed, but truly required for our world to get back on the road to recovery ... a road less rocky and bumpy and more like a smooth, newly paved asphalt surface that makes our industry truly recoverable and has no physical and mental impacts on our worlds! Mike Morrison is the national sales director for WS Displays as well as co-host and producer of “The Don & Mike Show” podcast, Contact him at thedonandmikeshow@gmail.com or mike@wsdisplay. com. For more info, visit TheDonAndMikeShow.net The Don & Mike Show can be heard on Fridays at TheDonAndMikeShow.net; ExhibitCityNews.com; Facebook (www.facebook.com/DandMshow); LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/groups/12096643/); Twitter (twitter.com/DonAndMikeShow1) and most all podcast platforms including iTunes, Google, Spotify and more.
Photo by Exposures Ltd.
22 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
The Omnichannel Guest Experience Agency
THE DON & MÌKE SHOW
Hosted at Circle Las Vegas Broadcast Studio
E1
Maÿ 14
Omnichannel vs Hybrid
E2
June 18
Branding via broadcast
E3
Julÿ 16
Introducing ESG (Environmental and Social Governance) Measuring sustainability, societal impact and corporate governance
E4
August 13
How to grow revenue in the retail experiential sector
E5
September 10
How technology, engagement and measurement are redefining live events
E6
Octòber 15
Redefining the architecture of large scale events
The Don & Mike Show can be heard on Fridays at: TheDonAndMikeShow.net; ExhibitCityNews.com; and most podcast platforms including iTunes, Google, Spotify and many others. E @DandMshow C groups/12096643 D @DonAndMikeShow1 MINNEAPOLIS, LAS VEGAS, SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, MIAMI, BOSTON, NEW YORK
@EXHIBITCITYNEWS
WEARECIRCLE.COM
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 23
AIRPORT SNAPSHOT
Philadelphia International Airport IATA Airport Code: PHL Location: 8000 Essington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19153 (10 miles southwest of downtown Philly, next to Delaware River) Date Opened: June 20, 1940. The site (known as Hog Island) was used as a training airfield beginning in 1925. Size: The airport covers 2,302 acres, four runways, six terminals and 126 gates. It’s the largest airport in the state; the fifth-largest hub for American Airlines, a regional cargo hub for UPS Airlines and a focus city for Frontier Airlines. Transportation: SEPTA Regional Rail’s Airport Line serves stations at Terminals A, B, C, D, and E, connecting to Center City Philadelphia (25 mins), other SEPTA, Amtrak and NJ Transit trains. Buses, taxis, rideshares and limos are available. On-Site Facilities: The airport has restaurants, cafes, free wi-fi, ATMs, currency exchange, duty free, nursing suites, carts, charging stations & art exhibitions. Fun Facts: Charles Lindbergh dubbed it “Philadelphia Municipal Airport” in 1927, but the Depression delayed its terminal building for a decade. The airport serves 31.7 million passengers annually, making it the 21st busiest airport in the U.S. Enjoy PHL showcases entertainers onstage in the B/C and F food courts as well as strolling thru the terminals. Just Plane Fun features appearances by Philadelphia’s Mummers string bands, beauty care demos, artist demonstrations, historical impersonators, caricaturists, etc. Websites: www.phl.org and www.philadelphia-airport.com ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 25
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY / SUSTAINABILITY
Corporate Sustainability — An Investment in Everyone’s Future BY H. K. WILSON
CSR vs. ESG — What is the Difference? While the two models are very similar, there are some nuances that distinguish them from each other. First, while CSR tends to look backward to consider how a company has contributed to society, ESG looks forward and thinks about sustainable strategies for the future. And while CSR initiatives are often aimed at media and politicians with a goal of strengthening or protecting a company’s reputation, ESG looks at everyone from consumers to stakeholders to create greater opportunities for emerging markets. The Three Pillars of ESG 1. The Environmental Pillar We hear a lot about the environmental pillar in the events industry, since it
26 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
includes the actions companies are taking to reduce their environmental impact and carbon footprint. Strategies include using green energy; reusing or recycling materials; managing waste; and reducing their carbon footprint throughout the value chain. 2. The Social Pillar The social pillar focuses on practices that promote the health, safety and well-being of employees, consumers and communities. This includes policies like offering maternity and paternity leave to employees; establishing proactive safety procedures in the workplace; giving to philanthropic causes; and protecting access to basic resources. 3. The Economic Pillar The economic pillar is about implementing sustainable business practices to promote long-term profitability. In this way, the business is sure to make a lasting, positive impact—doing good while doing well. Compliance and good corporate governance
are elements of this pillar. A company will take the long view when making decisions about how to spend or invest resources. For instance, it may create more green jobs or reduce product packaging. ESG in Action Shawn Garrity is the CEO of Circle, a purveyor of extraordinary experiences across multiple channels. Garrity has been both a successful entrepreneur in the marketing and events industry as well as a thought leader for Fortune 100 brands including Fujifilm, Warner Bros, Turner Broadcasting, MGM and Sharp Electronics over his career. He provides further leadership through his service on various advisory boards, among them, the Falk College of Sport & Human Dynamics at Syracuse University. According to Garrity, Circle sees “the approach and follow-through for ESG to be blended and holistic. It is essential to audit and adjust ESG platforms to meet the needs of any given client need or initiative.”
Photo courtesy of beMatrix
Recently, the concept of CSR has morphed into something new: Corporate Sustainability, also known as “Environmental Social Governance” (ESG).
Photo courtesy of beMatrix
In the early 2000s, Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, was an often-heard term in the business world. The events industry was no exception, as companies drafted policies and procedures aimed at pursuing social and environmental gains alongside financial ones. The idea of CSR, however, is not all that modern. It goes all the way back to the Industrial Revolution of the mid-to-late 1800s, when new business and regulatory standards emerged to protect the welfare of workers. Industrialists like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller went on to establish large philanthropic trusts, contributing hundreds of millions to education and scientific research. The term “Corporate Social Responsibility” didn’t appear until 1953, when it was coined by American economist Howard Bowen. In 1971, the Committee for Economic Development asserted that a “social contract” existed between businesses and society, suggesting that companies have an obligation to contribute to the needs of society.
Sébastien Eeckhout and Edwin Van der Vennet
beMatrix installing solar panels to offset energy consumption at their headquarters in Roeselare, Belgium
Photo courtesy of beMatrix
Photo courtesy of beMatrix
beMatrix got the international 'Sustainable Resource for Events' certificate from Eventsost, which certifies that beMatrix products are sustainable resources for the event industry.
Circle’s guiding principles as they relate to ESG are twofold. Garrity explains, “To function optimally as a business, we need to be authentically committed to shaping our company in the proper manner to improve our ESG score while guiding our clients through the same.” Currently, Circle is “very focused on ESG as a single movement, with a heavy focus on diversity hiring within our organization and with outside initiatives both for-profit and non-profit … We have invested substantial resources, both financially and via staffing, to reduce material waste via reusable assets, including our STIX SEG system. We have a sizable inventory of reusable STIX aluminum beams that have SEG adaptability to accommodate large format graphics. We also incorporate existing Circle-owned rental assets, including registration counters, workstations and a wide variety of assets including AV, demo stations, theatrical equipment, furniture, etc.” @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
The pandemic has increased the need for business strategies founded on ESG principles. Garrity explained, “Directly and/or indirectly, everything has changed for our company as a result of the COVID effect. We are utilizing 60 percent less square footage based on our clients acceptance of reusable rental assets. Not long ago, our warehouse would be full of client materials that will ultimately end up in landfills after three to five years. The utilization of automated CAD manufacturing technology has also vastly reduced our production square footage requirements. Companies still relying on traditional manufacturing methodology require a substantial footprint for housing crated materials post show. “Given the industry's demand for a more multimedia-based approach, we have repositioned the company as an Omnichannel Guest Experience Agency, requiring us to hire people [with] different skill sets, requiring a more global perspective as it relates to talent,” Garrity adds. beMatrix is well-known throughout the exhibition industry for its invention of the “frame with big holes.” The company strives for ongoing innovation, with respect for people and the planet always at the forefront.
Owner and Chief Innovation Officer Edwin Van der Vennet says, “beMatrix is committed to both corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability. We have a responsibility to our partners, our families and children to steward our resources and the earth responsibly. As part of our commitment, we have just launched Project C™, which will focus on raising awareness about creative ways to grow
our business while shrinking our environmental footprint. This is our biggest attempt yet at taking care of the earth for future generations.” The TCF Center in Detroit is the 17th largest convention center in the U.S. Managed by ASM Global, TCF is a bestin-class center, offering more than 700,000 square feet of contiguous exhibition space. With a mission to be the best convention destination in the world, TCF follows the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) format that includes both CSR and ESG. According to Karen Totaro, general manager at TCF Center/ASM Global, “It makes
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 27
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY / SUSTAINABILITY
Cambri KBIS 2020, Circle STIX Solution
sense to follow the template that the rest of the world is following, and try to contribute as much as possible to each goal.” The TCF Center’s Green Committee has refocused its program to support the U.N.’s SDGs. Its program now aligns with 14 of the 17 goals outlined by the U.N. in 2017. “The new focus included a redesigned marketing program, green event guidelines that shifts focus from waste diversion to material life cycles, and a new Human Trafficking Policy that trains all stakeholders and outlines reporting procedures,” Totaro says. The Green Committee is busy with numerous initiatives targeted at ESG goals.
» Periodic Green Tours of the venue to teach about operations in the engineering department, docks,
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kitchens, exhibit halls, and the Living Green Roof. Hosting of free health and fitness sessions such as yoga, Zumba and full-body workouts. These can be integrated into events in the facility at no charge. Local non-profits are on site to give information to visitors. Meetings with other local facility managers such as the Detroit Institute of Arts, Ford Motor Company and the City of Detroit to exchange best practices in sustainability. Sustainability presentations at industry events such as IAVM Connect, CESSE, MSAE, USGBC Greenbuild and others to encourage event industry sustainable practices.
During the pandemic, TCF Center shifted from an event center to a community center, providing numerous resources and services to the community.
28 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
» Converted to a COVID-19 field »
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hospital for the State of Michigan in just nine days. Distributed 10 million pounds of food to local agencies for foodinsecure residents in Southeast Michigan in partnership with Food Rescue U.S. Meals, showers and other services were extended to the homeless of Detroit in partnership with the Pope Francis Center and the City of Detroit. Became the largest Detroit COVID-19 vaccination site as a drive-through facility in its Atwater Garage. Partnered with the City of Detroit, Cranbrook Art Museum and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to sponsor a large-scale, handson public art installation that recognizes the depth of loss over the past year, such as lost loved ones, lost homes, lost jobs and lost hope. The installation in TCF
Center was presented to the public on August 31 and will remain in the center for one year. When asked what is the “why” that drives the TCF Center’s CSR/ESG agenda, Totaro says, “Working together in cooperation with our regional partners, we are committed to providing outstanding experiences for our guests and sustainable operations for our citizenry.” Bottom line, corporate sustainability is good for business. According to a report by professional services firm Marsh & McLennan entitled “ESG as a Workforce Strategy,” ESG performance can have a positive impact on employee satisfaction and workforce retention, providing a major competitive advantage for companies.
Keeping the bee hives on the green roof at the TCF Center in Detroit
Similarly, a report by the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business and Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) revealed that investors and other stakeholders look for ESG initiatives in the companies they consider investment-worthy and expect ESG reporting in their communications. The recent impact of COVID-19 on the meetings and events industry—and society at large—underscored how corporate sustainability measures can help minimize the effects of big social problems. We are now living in an era when people expect businesses to engage in practices that promote economic
growth, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. With an eye toward continuous improvement, corporate sustainability helps companies to build brand reputation, increase revenue
and attract investment while also protecting the planet and optimizing opportunities for others. H.K. Wilson is a writer, former ECN columnist (The Green Piece) and
a passionate advocate for the environment. She resides in Orange County, Calif., where she drinks lots of organic coffee, is neighbor to a famous mouse and counts her riches in sand dollars. Connect with her at WordsWithInk.com.
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EXHIBITORLIVE 2021 PREVIEW
Highlights of EXHIBITORLIVE’s New Product Showcase At ECN’s press time, 36 companies were listed on ExhibitorLive’s website as introducing new products at ExhibitorLive 2021. Here are some highlights. Virtual Advances Exhibitry (Booth #1232) is introducing AI-Driven Holographic Avatars, HoloTables and ProductMappers. HoloTube AI features a life-sized animated spokesperson who converses with viewers in plain language to inform customers, present products and explain information. The avatars use the most advanced artificial-intelligence systems available to create a “Siri-like” conversational experience. HoloTable, scalable to showcase products and processes of any size, takes holograms “beyond the box” into an open-air environment and eliminates the bulky cabinets typically associated with holographic projection technology. ProductMapper (pictured below) combines reflective holographic technology, projection mapping, computer-controlled lighting, and multitouch interactivity to put your product
samples, scale models, or any object in the middle of the magic by surrounding them with holographic imagery. Exhibitry’s experts create the hardware, software and animated storytelling content, resulting in a near turnkey activation. For more info, visit www.exhibitry.com. PeopleVisionFX is debuting AnimatedReality (Booth #1347) a new technology that allows for holographic elements to be fully integrated within real physical environments. Utilizing the unique PhotonOpticon system for image projection, images can be produced in virtually any size to communicate any story—without needing any special headgear. For more info, visit www.peoplevisionfx.com.
The Magic Window 360 Viewer (Booth #1166) from Fast Effect enables attendees to explore an oversized product, a company’s factory and offices, or a stunning natural vista from a small footprint within an exhibit. Users can navigate 3-D objects, photographic panoramas and virtual environments by rotating an interactive touchscreen. An optional augmented-reality function enables virtual content (e.g., textbased product specs) to be displayed over a real-time view of the exhibit. This patent-pending device is available as a complete Exhibitry ProductMappers
30 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
turnkey solution, from ideation and content development to hardware. For more info, visit www.fasteffect.com. The BeyondLive virtual-experience platform (Booth #1327) provides virtual attendees richly detailed 3-D environments, an intuitive user interface that fosters discovery, and myriad opportunities to incorporate gamification, demos, chats and more. Marketers can request fully custom experiences or choose from a menu of brandable event templates set in a five-star hotel, a tropical island, a luxe convention center or an expo hall. For more info, visit www.beyondlivex.com. Inhance Digital’s Virtual Exhibit & Event Platform (VEEP) at Booth #1303 creates immersive, 3-D renderings of exhibits and corporate events that are refreshingly realistic with no downloads or plugins necessary. As visitors navigate virtual worlds using just a web browser on any device, they see interactive demonstrations, live and prerecorded video content, collaboration spaces in which to video conference with subject-matter experts and sales reps and more. Meanwhile, marketers benefit from detailed analytics that trace visitors’ journeys, integration with numerous customer-relationship management systems, and the ability to incorporate gamification, polling and surveys. For more info, visit www.inhance.com. Visual Plan from EXPOCAD by ACT Inc. (Booth #1448) takes the same premise as Google Street View and applies it to tradeshow floors. Remotely piloted
rovers equipped with 360-degree cameras scour a booth or entire exhibit hall and capture hyper-realistic 3-D images that can be stitched together into an immersive environment. Marketers receive comprehensive virtual walkthroughs of their booths for remote visitors, and show organizers can help prospective attendees and exhibitors get a better understanding of a venue. Visual Plan can also be used to extend the life of an event online. For more info, visit www.expocad.com.
Zuant 3D
Zuant 3D (Booth #639) delivers a highly immersive, visual experience, and is the collaborative result of Zuant’s partnership with leading 3D scanning company Matterport. The new app features the ability to host unlimited 3D spaces with full visitor tracking, content sharing and a stylish navigation feature called Zuant Black Box. Applications for Zuant 3D are virtually endless, including the ability to extend the time visitors can visit tradeshow booths and have sales discussions remotely. It features real 3D photography that draws you in versus graphically created faux 3D virtual environments. And, like a real exhibition booth, it can be entirely exclusive for individual visits or, alternatively, a guided tour with dual controls for sales and marketing to use with an whole array of videos, 3D models and limitless support content. Linking in to Zuant Cloud provides provides users with full analytics about 3D space performance, and allows intelligent instant follow-up of sales leads generated via integrations with CRM and marketing automation systems. Each lead can provide a wealth of information beyond @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
that of a live show: what’s being looked at, dwell time and even details of conversations; all packaged up in an enhanced sales lead format. For more info, visit www.zuant.com. TrackRhino (Booth #1140) makes it easy to share your digital content on show floors, at corporate events or anywhere a rep may meet a prospect. The fully brandable, credit-card-shaped TrackRhino cards are embedded with USB and Near-Field Communication chips. Once recipients connect the cards to their laptops or tap them against their NFC-enabled smartphones, they’re automatically brought to a company’s customized file portal, where they can access PDFs, videos, lead forms and more. Marketers can add or delete files even after cards have been distributed, and a detailed analytics dashboard tracks such metrics as downloads, file views and geographic reach. For more info, visit www.trackrhino.com. ExhibitForce’s custom METRICS feature within Event Suite (Booth #1007) gives exhibit and event marketers metrics to make informed decisions. Create templates for live events to measure total number of overall leads versus qualified leads and expected value per lead against total spend. Virtual engagements can be measured by click-thru rates, registrations, associated costs for sponsorships, brand awareness and total spend. For hybrid events, bring in data sets from both live events and virtual engagements to obtain the total view. For more info, visit www.exhibitforce.com.
Oh, The Things You Can Do With Your Phone & Devices ... Biamp’s Crowd Mic system (Booth #1442) turns attendees’ smartphones into wireless microphones for audience questions at large presentations. With separate apps for participants and moderators and a two-pound
Atom device that connects to a venue’s AV system, this system handles up to 1,000 attendees. Audience members can text questions to the presenter or have their spoken questions broadcast on the room’s speakers by talking into their smartphones. The administrative app alerts moderators when audience members have questions, allows them to choose the next person to speak, and enables them to turn off an attendee mic. For more info, visit www.biamp.com. ExhibitForce is featuring both Production Queues and AssetTracker by ef Enterprise in Booth #1007. AssetTracker is a cloud-based inventory-management tool that integrates directly with ef Enterprise to give users real-time data on their assets, containers and shipments regardless of whether the exhibitor uses a barcode system at all or even partially. Production Queues give exhibit houses, agencies and other industry suppliers the ability to customize their processes and forecast their labor and machinery requirements. Shop personnel may be given access to a Production Queue Dashboard where they can filter orders by status, date and more, plus access files, notes and all project details. For more info, visit www.exhibitforce.com. iCapture’s latest lead-retrieval app, Athena 2020 (Booth #822), offers multiple levels of customization. Using a custom-built questionnaire with predefined answers and values, staffers can quickly and easily qualify prospects in the booth. Athena 2020 scores leads on a five-point star system that updates in real time as the questionnaire is being completed, and immediately routes five-star leads to sales reps. Compatible with most iOS and Android devices, the app also offers a robust administrative dashboard for in-depth reports. For more info, visit www.icapture.com. Captello Lead Capture & Engagement software (Booths #942, 544) gives exhibitors full control over prosExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 31
EXHIBITORLIVE 2021 PREVIEW
pect engagement, gathering, qualifying, distributing and tracking tradeshow leads. The intuitive self-service platform, which is compatible with iOS, Android, Windows devices and web browsers, supports all methods of lead capture (e.g., NFC, barcodes, Quick-Response codes, business-card scans, manual entry, etc.). Quickly build custom lead-capture, lead-qualifying forms with instant export to virtually any third-party marketing platform. Captello has a suite of 50+ user-customizable game templates, and a flexible builder enables rapid customization of interactive games, QR codes and lead capture forms. There’s an integrated e-Gift Card Rewards Center featuring over 250 brands, too. For more info, visit www.captello.com. Instead of following up on leads “later,” Pixel Light Digital Media’s DeliverMany (Booth #520), is an iPad- and cloud-based service that enables attendees to receive marketing and product info while still in the exhibit. Suitable for both self-service kiosks and as a staffer tool, DeliverMany allows users to select documents, videos, website links and other content and have it sent immediately to their mobile devices. DeliverMany also tracks which materials attendees actually view. For more info, visit www.delivermany.com. Inventorypro (Booth #1263) is a cloud-based inventory-management system that provides simplified visibility, management, reservation and tracking of event items. This tool allows an exhibit company to enter critical information and details to manage reservations and logistics, and it also grants clients access to view and reserve their inventory. The software is fully customizable and enables admins to create custom fields and tags, as well as hide fields from the client view. In addition, the reservation tool lets users see when items are scheduled to be at events and when they will be available again. For more info, visit www.inventorypro.com. 32 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
The tablet-based digi(tale) app from Live Marketing (Booth #312) is a turnkey platform for telling your brand story and demoing your products. Capable of being fully customized, digi(tale) is available in three tiers, each with unique features. Attendees can scan their badge or input their contact info and then explore “chapters” of content, which can include still graphics, text and images, videos, augmented-reality engagements, voiceover narrations and more. The ability to send instant follow-up e-mails and track usage metrics is included in every service package, while the app’s top-tier service allows exhibitors to integrate attendee surveys. For more info, visit www.livemarketing.com. Circa’s Meeting Scheduler (Booth #1208) is the latest tool in their marketing-orchestration platform and streamlines the scheduling of in-person meetings. The fully automated system integrates with Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar to provide real-time updates, and event managers have the option of sending email or text reminders. Meeting Scheduler also has ROI reporting and two-way customer-relationship management integrations. For more info, visit www.circa.co. Portfolio from F2B Services (Booth #723) is a cloud-based storytelling platform that allows marketers to deliver memorable content from any device, e.g.,
beMatrix USA b310 beTruss System
smartphones, tablets, kiosks, touchscreen monitors, etc. Admins can create media-rich experiences that tell their brands’ stories through text, video, photo galleries, virtual tours and more. The platform even tracks which content generates the most views and traffic for real-time insights into prospects’ interests. For more info, visit www.beportfolio.com.
Back to Real World Booths Classic Exhibits’ Symphony Portable Displays (Booth #324) blends tool-free assembly, lightweight aluminum construction and press-fit silicone-edge graphics, and offers distinctive mix-andmatch frames and accessories that allow exhibitors to create countless in-line designs. Back-wall options include convex, concave, arch, half-arch and rectangular shapes that can be repositioned for superior flexibility. Accessories range from display counters and monitor mounts to iPad clamshells and wired/wireless charging stations. All components are numbered and correspond to detailed assembly instructions and displays arrive packed in die-cut foam sheets and wheeled roto-molded cases. For more info, visit www.classicexhibits.com. CGS Premier’s Architect Series Drop Trailer (Booth #759) is the only customizable outdoor structure of its kind, thanks to pre-engineered aluminum extrusions possibilities. Ideal for outdoor tradeshows, sponsorship events, pop-up activations and more, the structures can be assembled in one day, and floors can be leveled within 20 minutes. Custom and standard (20x20, 30x30 and 50x50-ft.) sizes are available; options include open-air or enclosed designs, full temperature controls, rooftop decks, glass or 3-D exterior panels, custom marquees and porch/deck extensions. For more info, visit www.cgspremier.com. beMatrix USA’s b310 beTruss System (Booth #901) combines the
popularity of the company’s b62 frame with the strength of a truss made from welded diagonal bracing. Fully compatible with existing b62 systems and capable of accepting silicone-edge graphic and hard-panel infills, b310 components support impressive weight. A 13-foot span can carry 177 pounds per foot, and a 39-foot length can handle 59 pounds per foot. For more info, visit www.bematrix.us
Brumark Dynamic Backing
Dynamic Backing from Brumark (Booth #1013) is a urethane-based carpet backing, designed specifically for the tradeshow industry, that’s 20 percent lighter than conventional latex backing to reduce shipping and drayage costs. The backing is flexible even in cold weather; requires less water and energy to manufacture; won’t scratch baseboards, furniture and other interior finishes; and features antimicrobial properties that fight odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew. Currently available on Brumark’s 10-ft. Advantage XL carpet, Dynamic Backing will soon be added to additional product lines. For more info, visit www.brumark.com. ARES-X Raised Floor System from Toronto-based Exhibit Raised Floor Inc./Iana Creative Engineering (Booth #555) conveys permanence, professionalism and European flair. Wood tiles (available in 2-ft.-square, 2x4-ft., 4-ft.-square, and 1-meter-square dimensions) and plastic blocks act as both supporting feet and connecting nodes, and require no tools, hardware or skilled labor @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
to install. The plastic nodes contain an innovative magnetic-locking system that secures the wood panels for installation and allows for self-leveling. Meanwhile, the plywood surface can be finished with carpeting, tile, veneer flooring and more. Accessories include perimeter transition thresholds for edging and ramps, as well as LED edge lighting systems. For more info, visit www.ares-3.com. Trussworks’ EZ Table collection (Booth #741) is for F2F marketers whose furnishings must exude a highend aesthetic yet remain tradeshow friendly. From petite side tables to large conference room tables and everything in between, the line allows exhibitors to choose their own powder-coated frame and laminate tabletop colors at no added cost. A custom look at a stock price, sleek and sturdy EZ Tables can be quickly broken down to fit into standard rolling cases for easy shipping. For more info, visit www.trussworks.com. CORT Events’ Beverly Oasis Groupings (Booth #401) are modular ottoman seating systems that can be arranged to suit a wide spectrum of spaces and uses. Available in small, medium and large configurations, groupings comprise 18-inch-tall seats and taller backrest units, all of which can be finished in any of 11 colors of fabric and vinyl channel-stitched slipcovers. Exhibitors also have the freedom to personalize their slipcovers with custom graphics, logos and more. Pieces
are joined together with hidden strips of hook-and-loop fastener, and arrangements can easily be disassembled to create multiple seating solutions. For more info, visit www.cortevents.com. Combining strength, style and easy setup, the Rally Counter from Skyline Exhibits (Booths #1033, 1133) stands 38 inches tall and occupies a roughly 32.5-by-17.5-inch footprint. Wraparound graphics facilitate branding, and two internal shelves, which can support up to 50 pounds each, are secured behind locking doors. Perfect for a demo station, product-display stand or reception desk, the unit can be assembled without tools in less than one minute, and at 45 pounds, shipping and drayage costs are minimized. For more info, visit www.skyline.com. The Nash Imaging Events’ Shirt Lab (Booth #1043) is a turnkey giveaway service that allows attendees to design custom T-shirts and exhibitors to collect valuable lead info. After watching a video at a touchscreen station, attendees use a drag-and-drop design app to create their one-off garb using a preselected library of branded graphics. Once they enter their contact info, attendees receive video clips of their creations coming to life via SMS messages, and the designs are sent to a print station. An on-site rep supervises the direct-to-garment printing process, and attendees get their customized giveaways within a few minutes. For more info, visit www.nashimaging.com.
CORT Events Beverly Oasis Groupings
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 33
EXHIBITORLIVE 2021 PREVIEW
Aluvision Hi-LED R5’
Let There Be Light! Aluvision Inc. (Booth #923) is debuting several new products including the Omni-55 LEDline, an illuminated decorative cover that fits on their original Omni-55 wall frames via mounting clips for tool-free assembly. Designed to add a touch of light to the side of any structure built with Omni-55 frames, LEDlines are available in warm white, cool white and RGB models, meaning marketers can match the lit edges of their structures to the color of their graphics. The covers can also be mounted on the interior to create an eye-catching illuminated “window.” Aluvision’s Poly-124 Bright+ and Fab-186 Bright+ lightbox profiles are capable of forming single- and double-sided backlit structures limited to 16 feet in only one direction—meaning marketers can build lightboxes of whatever height or width they want. No other product on the market allows for edge-lit lightboxes without seams or shadows and 34 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
with these size capabilities. Profiles can be assembled without tools, there’s no need for complicated and cumbersome LED ladders inside the structure, and LEDs can be easily added to the profiles. Aluvision’s new Puck XL has a modern aesthetic and sleekness to spare. Measuring just over 2 ft. long and 3 in. wide, Puck XLs connect to Aluvision’s Omni-55 frames without tools and boast an output of 4,000 lumens. (Units are compatible with other frame systems as well.) The lights can be daisy-chained, include a switch to alternate between emitting warm and cool illumination, and feature an integrated dimmer. Aluvision Inc.’s Hi-LED 55+ LED tiles have convertible aluminum cabinets, which make it possible to link tiles in multiple configurations to create 2-D and 3-D corners, cubes, and concave and convex walls. Magnetic connector pieces allow for tool-free assembly and seamless corners, while a pixel pitch of 2.5 or 2.8 mm ensures vivid image quality. Hi-LED 55+ tiles are compatible with
myriad modular frame systems and feature a built-in slot for silicone-edge fabric to cover the back side. Hi-LED R5’ system-integrable LED tiles connect seamlessly to the original Aluvision Omni-55 frame system and feature a radius of 5 feet, which allows marketers to create immersive walkthrough tunnels or hanging signs with a 10-foot diameter. After all, curved is truly captivating. For more info, visit www.aluvision.com. Prism Lighting Group’s Luxor120 LED Light Bars (Booth #845) enable exhibitors to backlight their single- or double-sided graphics with ease. Available in two sizes featuring six and three LEDs, respectively, Luxor120 Light Bars can illuminate lightboxes ranging from 3x3’ to 12x12’. The units’ LEDs are so efficient that only two sides of a lightbox need to be illuminated. Up to 55 running feet of Luxor120s can be quickly and easily daisy-chained via Fast Connect linking cables that eliminate the need for wired connections. Durable white plastic housing maximizes reflectivity while minimizing the risk of electrical shocks, and units are powered through a 120-volt electrical cord, so there’s no need for internal or external power supplies. For more info, visit www.prismlightinggroup.com. The Vector Frame Dynamic Light Box (Booth #1027) from Orbus Exhibit & Display Group has an LED light curtain, which can be programmed to complement any single-sided fabric graphic and make it come to life via flashes, fades and more. Exhibitors can choose one of Orbus’ stock animations or opt for a custom light show. Orbus is also showing the Hype Digital Banner for exhibitors who have ever-changing promotional and messaging needs. Standing roughly 5 ft. tall and 2 ft. wide, the Hype banner features an LCD display and a sleek white exterior. An easy-to-use DIY software interface allows users to upload new content at a moment’s notice. After updating their messaging, users simply store their files on a thumb drive, which
is then inserted into the display. For more info, visit www.orbus.com. Skyline Exhibits’ Hardboard Backlighting Panels (Booth #1033) make it possible to erect brightly and uniformly lit structures up to 24 ft. tall and of unlimited length with ease. These reflective rigid panels, which snap into standard modular frames, feature arrays of premounted LEDs with integrated wiring and power supplies for fast setups. Even illumination is maintained around large monitor mounts, floating shelves and cabinets, and other accessories to accomplish any design without compromising functionality. For more info, visit www.skyline.com. Makitso USA’s Infinity DNA Pro Lightbox Displays (Booth #1313) provide the ultimate in high-def illuminated graphics. Patented Extended Silicone-Edge Graphic (eSEG) frame and fabric technology—coupled with ultra-bright LED components—result in consistent color and lighting that extend beyond the lightbox frame. This edgeto-edge illumination allows exhibitors to create continuous images spanning multiple frames with no unsightly dark spots. Available in three standard widths (37.4, 54, and 116 in.) and an upcoming range of counters and hanging signs. For more info, visit www.makitsodisplays.com. Lightweight and easy to assemble thanks to tool-free setup, integrated wiring and preinstalled LEDs, the Lucid Shell Lightbox System (Booth #327) from Birttani Display is a first-of-its-kind curved frame made from ABS and synthetic structured PVC plastics. Available in 3-, 5-, 8-, and 10-ft. widths (custom sizes are also an option), Lucid Shell frames accept single- and double-sided silicone-edge graphics and can be used as freestanding elements or connected to other Lucid lightbox components at multiple angles. Accessories include literature bins, shelving and monitor-mounting @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
Step1 Dezigns LED COB Flexible Tape Lights
kits, and packaging options are a secure padded bag or a premium hard case. For more info, visit www.birttani.com. TigerBrite, a portable lightbox from Tiger Presentations (Booth #725), features two patent-pending technologies: an innovative frame system with magnetic connectors and ladder-style LED lighting that boasts twice as many lights as similar displays. Available in sizes ranging from roughly 3x3 to 9.75x9.75 ft, TigerBrite units are remarkably lightweight. A 91x92-in. frame fits into a 35-x12x4in. carrying bag and weighs only 35 pounds. Monitor mounts and shelving can be incorporated with ease, and the counter model can support weights of up to 250 pounds. For more info, visit www.tigerpresentations.com. Optima’s Illuminate Backlit Fabric (Booth #433) offers a new level of wrinkle resistance, so much so that it doesn’t need to be rolled on a core for shipping and will quickly smooth itself out upon install. The durable Illuminate fabric also boasts the vivid colors of Optima’s 4K print technology, is flame
retardant and is soft to the touch. For more info, visit www.optimagfx.com. Step 1 Dezigns’ (Booth #638) LED COB Flexible Tape Lights adds even, dot-free illumination to confined areas with a brightness of 500 lumens per linear foot. Powered by a 24-volt direct-current LED driver and available in 16-ft. reels, LED COB Flexible Tape Lights can be cut at every 45 mm to fit myriad exhibit elements. Exhibitors have their choice of 2,700, 3,000, 4,000, or 6000K color temperatures, and 3M-brand adhesive backing makes installation a breeze. The tape is also fully dimmable when used with a dimmable LED driver. And let Step 1 Dezigns light up your exhibit, corporate event or pop-up marketing endeavor with its Custom LED Neon Signs. Each order is individually crafted with high-quality LED Flex Neon strips that are safe, energy efficient and rated for indoor and outdoor applications. Marketers have 22 LED shades to choose from, and all production is handled by Step 1 Dezigns’ expert craftspeople. For more info, visit www.step1dezigns.com. ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 35
Here. ready. stronger than ever.
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SHOP TO SHOWFLOOR An In-Depth Look into Today’s World of I&D and Event Labor
Photo by Corey Johnson
15 Industry Leaders on Why Tradeshows Work Pg. 38-40
Q&A with IATSE Local #835’s Ricky & Ana Staley Pg. 42
This section is dedicated to all exhibit house professionals, as well as all exhibit managers and tradeshow coordinators worldwide. For advertising information and rates, please call our offices at 702-309-8023 and ask for sales. @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 37
SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor
Industry Leaders on Why Tradeshows Work By Bob McGlincy
T
radeshows are a unique three-dimensional environment, combining elements of marketing, advertising and sales. They stimulate the senses, engage audiences and energize the economy. Tradeshows bring targeted buyers and sellers together in one place, at one time, and magically transform an empty convention center into a magnificent, marketing extravaganza—a business carnival pulsating with energy and excitement. Below 15 experienced industry professionals share their thoughts on how and why tradeshows work.
Donna M Shultz
Founder & CEO, MSM Inc.
I believe this pandemic “ has actually helped us all to understand what we miss most about tradeshows and face-to-face communications. One of my friends, a dentist, told me, ‘I “ just can’t buy the products I need to move my practice forward without tradeshows. Pre-COVID when I attended my annual show, I would be able to see everything live and compare all of the manufacturers’ products in one place and leave ready to buy. Virtual sales are just not the same.’ Exhibitors attend tradeshows for “ the some of the following reasons:
» Brand awareness and ability to represent your culture 38 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
» Introduction of new products and services » Ability to have 1:1 meetings with new and » »
existing customers Competitive research Develop real relationships in this face-toface environment
There is no comparison to selling and “ further developing relationships live at a tradeshow, versus virtually. Face to face builds loyalty and trust. Emotional relationships are built when in person and affect another person’s decision making. Although virtual may be more convenient, I believe ‘in person’ moves relationships forward.”
Kai Hattendorf
Managing Director/CEO, UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibit Industry
“
Tradeshows work … because they are the campfires for industries and industry communities—they are the place where people go to meet, to catch up, to do business, to learn and many other reasons … because especially for small and medium enterprises they are the ‘one stop shop’ for success. Here they fill their order books, and that’s why this is where they invest their marketing dollars.”
David Doft
CFO, Emerald
“
Tradeshows are a crucial place for small businesses to gain new customers. Ultimately, we are a lead-generation business. People come to tradeshows to find new customers and buyers come to discover new products. In fact, 80 percent of the 1.7 million businesses that exhibit at tradeshows during the year are small businesses. And of those, over 40 percent find tradeshows to be their number one provider of leads in terms of the return on investment of their marketing expense.”
Randy Pekowski
President and COO, The Expo Group
“
The industry interruption increased the relevance of delivering content, connections and commerce together through in-person events channels. Without executing all three, the effectiveness of a company’s marketing strategy declines. As events have restarted, we have been focused on helping our clients re-engage and reconnect with their communities and customers safely to leverage the power of personal interaction that has been temporarily absent from the market. In-person events that are designed and executed on content, connections and commerce offer the most valuable live brand experiences for participants that simply cannot be replicated online.”
Brian Yost
Chief Operating Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
“
As the meetings and convention industry continues to recover, the importance of meaningful, in-person connections is more apparent than ever. The exchange of information and ideas that comes with networking at tradeshows is invaluable. At the Las Vegas Convention Center and throughout the destination, we are following the most stringent health and safety precautions to ensure the success of conventions while offering our meeting organizers, exhibitors and attendees the world-class resorts, culinary experiences and entertainment that can only be found in Las Vegas.”
Scott Rudel
President, Sho-Link, Inc.
“
As an EAC company working with exhibit houses and clients directly on the show floor, I have a pretty clear understanding of why tradeshows and conventions work. I have watched the industry go through some significant changes, but
the one constant has always been that the tradeshow allows for all our senses to be active. There is nothing stronger in marketing than being able to physically touch, visualize, hear and even smell a product. The opportunity to share in a live face-to-face, uninterrupted conversation with a potential new client cannot be equaled with a virtual experience. Competition also plays a significant “ role in the success of tradeshows. Exhibiting companies understand the value of having their competitors close in proximity. It gives them a great opportunity to showcase to potential clients what differentiates them from the others.”
David Gibbons
Executive Director, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
“
When attending a tradeshow at one of our facilities, visitors not only spend time and money in our buildings, but also throughout the region—including on hotels, restaurants and local attractions. Tradeshows are an incredibly important catalyst for economic activity for both our industry and host communities.”
Amy Sondrup
President, EDPA & President, Access TCA
“
When live tradeshows were canceled and the only forum available to connect with our markets was virtual, we quickly noticed that nothing works like in-person experiences. Ours is a face-to-face industry, and in the past yearplus, we had to try to replicate that in-person experience for an online audience. The results were spotty: our concerns went from technical challenges—the right platform, security issues, bandwidth—to the questions of engagement and measurement. Those last two topics, try as we might “ to resolve them, demonstrate two of the key reasons tradeshows work and work in a way that virtual exhibitions can never approach. First, engagement takes on many forms at tradeshows—from interac@EXHIBITCITYNEWS
tive technology and theater presentations to one-on-one conversations and product presentations—and is almost impossible to achieve at the same level virtually. At the same time, measurement is an even greater challenge: just because people register for an online event, there is no guarantee that they will attend. And how do you track interested attendees so that you can follow up as part of the sales continuum? The biggest gap our clients experienced “ was the lag in developing new business. Because of the spotty nature of both online engagement and measurement, following up with virtual attendees who had a real interest in products and services was tough. We’re welcoming the return of tradeshows on the supplier side because jobs are coming back, and we are starting to generate revenue. But our clients are welcoming tradeshows because there is no better or more cost-effective way to identify new customers, cement relationships with existing customers, and engage a targeted audience with the brand messages. So, yes, tradeshows work!”
Carrie Johnson
Vice President Strategic Accounts, Sparks
“
Tradeshows work when the world isn’t in the grips of a global pandemic. Tradeshows and events are incredibly effective in bringing thousands of like-minded people together to meet up with industry peers to exchange ideas, network and learn.”
Jim Kelley
Vice President, Marketing & Industry Relations, Fern
At their core, tradeshows “ work due to the successful merging of commerce, community and the creation of connections. They forge and facilitate an environment where buyers and sellers who have a shared interest can come together in a way that cannot be replicated in any other medium. This environment drives commerce, which creates jobs, which helps the economy.
Face to face builds loyalty and trust. Emotional relationships are built when in person... The principle of shared interest is also “ a building block of the communities that exist at tradeshows. The community of attendees is there with a desire to grow their business and themselves. The tradeshow environment provides learning opportunities and education that occurs both formally and informally. This learning and education lead to “ meaningful connections that continue to grow beyond the three to four days of an event, which often leads to increased commerce opportunities and strengthens the community that tradeshows create. There is not another professional means of doing so much to grow one’s business and own self that can compete with a tradeshow.”
Mark Yuska
President, Alliance Nationwide Exposition
“
Tradeshows embody the human experience. To live life to the fullest we must explore our world and connect with others. Tradeshows provide us the opportunity to do both, while advancing common goals and the greater economy.”
Mark Tester
Executive Director, Orange County Convention Center
“
The Orange County Convention Center has hosted over 100 events since the beginning of the pandemic. During this time, event organizers have indicated the extremely positive return on investment from their exhibiting community. Attendees at conventions and tradeshows have come to see new products, have face-to-face ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 39
SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor
interactions with exhibitors and most importantly, they are there to buy.”
David Audrain
CEO, SISO (Society of Independent Show Organizers) & CEO, ExpoDevCo
“
Tradeshows work very simply because 80+ percent of the exhibitors in most shows are small businesses, and that is also the case for the majority of buyer attendees. For small businesses, tradeshows are the number one most effective way for them to reach a wide audience of potential buyers, especially new prospects. Tradeshows are also the only way many products can be effectively showcased, because you won’t find garment producers picking fabrics from photos, they need to touch them and feel the quality, and you can’t taste a product online, or have a salesman drag around a huge piece of equipment from office to office, but shows enable all of these aspects of the buying circle to be served, as well, of course, as the human connection—that means a lot to most buyers, as they buy from people more than they do from companies.”
Larry Kulchawik
International Tradeshow Consultant, Past President EDPA and IFES
“
I recently wrote an article on the evolution of tradeshow marketing in the U.S. for the past 50 years. There were major industry changes each decade that served to change our American methods and trends at tradeshows. From the growth of convention facil“ ities nationwide, the application of the American model for show management, the establishment of exhibit site design rule/regulations, and exhibit fabrication methods to smartphone/digital applications, lead management and an experiential/theatrical approach to engagement. Then came COVID mania. Stay tuned for new ways of doing things going forward. 40 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
What did not change over 50 years was “ the belief in the power of face-to-face engagement. The one thing that our new world digitalization does not do as well is to capture the power of emotion when communicating. There is no substitute for human encounters to generate emotion when communicating. For the future, tradeshow marketing “ will be done a bit differently. Visitor numbers may be less, but the impact and results will be greater than ever before. Industry associations and planners will be more keenly aware of the power of emotion to effectively connect their members at a live event. How we manage to allow for face-to-face engagements to happen at any event will be key to continued success.”
William Nixon
President and CEO, Willwork Global Event Services
“
Tradeshows create opportunities. They are an entertaining and engaging environment where buyers and sellers meet and connect. Buyers want to see, touch and compare merchandise; sellers want to display new product, promote their brand, view competitors and network face-to-face with clients and prospects. They all want to connect and create opportunities for sales, learning, partnerships, employment and more. Tradeshows generate business … “ business on the show floor, and business off of it. Business for exhibiting companies, business for attendees, and business for companies servicing the industry. Willwork and the company’s growth over the past 35 years is a clear example of how well tradeshows work for companies servicing the industry. The company incorporated in 1986 with two goals in mind: creating work for individuals and improving the quality of the tradeshow labor force in Boston. With a commitment and focus on service excellence, the company ex-
Tradeshows create opportunities. They are an entertaining and engaging environment where buyers & sellers meet & connect ... panded I&D services nationwide, and then developed product lines for private corporate events, general contracting, audio-visual and retail. Tradeshows create amazing opportuni“ ties—both for businesses and for individuals—and tradeshows do it in a safe setting. That’s why crowds have gathered in the past; and that’s why we are seeing crowds back at events today.”
CEIR (Center for Exhibitions Industry Research). This year’s top predictions (from CEIR Predict): Economic recovery looks bright, and “ the current situation is not like the financial crisis of 2008. There is some economic slowing toward the end of this year and an uptick starting in early 2022. During the pandemic, people bought “ goods, but not experiences. Expect this to shift back to the previous pattern—with consumers spending more on services and less on goods. “Downward falling cases and higher vaccination rates will be the main factor moving forward for recovery.” It’s unanimous: Tradeshows work and they work very well. They generate billions of dollars in business and create millions of jobs.
@EXHIBITCITYNEWS
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 41
SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor
Q&A with Ricky and Ana Staley By Emily Olson
H
usband and wife Ricky and Ana Staley are members of IATSE Local 835 in Orlando, and they know what it’s like when business and relationships are wed. Ricky began working in the industry in 1995 after watching his roommate’s experience with Local 631 in Orlando. “Setting up conventions and the conversations he had about the convention business sounded to me like every day was different and was an exciting adventure to experience,” he says. His wife Ana had a similar impression
of the industry and started her career in January 2005. ECN: What’s it like working together? Ricky and Ana: Working with each other is awesome. We work in a warehouse for a convention decorating company and have been working together since September 2005. We love spending time together and with the same schedule, we get to enjoy our weekends together having breakfast, going to craft fairs, farmers markets, taking bike rides and going to the casino.
ECN: Do you leave work at work, or does shop talk make its way home? Ricky and Ana: We normally spend a few minutes discussing the events that accrued that day, and what we would like to accomplish at work tomorrow as we sit down and start to enjoy our dinner. ECN: What has your experience with the pandemic been? Ricky and Ana: Our work came to a screeching halt in March 2020. At first we were told by our supervisor that the layoff would probably last about a month or so. Ana and I never thought it would take 14 months to get back to doing what we love to do for a living. Local 835 in Orlando was one of the first unions in the country to have
conventions return in early summer 2021, thanks to the COVID-19 safety procedures at the OCCC. As we waited for the industry to start up again, we tried to learn new languages, exercise more than ever, we each started an online business and we even worked a part-time job together during the summer of 2020. ECN: What are your hopes for the future of the industry? Ricky and Ana: We hope associations are so ready to get back on the show floor and meet their clients in person that the convention industry grows so huge and quickly across the country that we can continue to work together, and that everyone can get back to work and be able to look forward to the future!
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CONVENTION CENTER SPOTLIGHT
EAT
Pennsylvania CC, Philadelphia By Jeanne Brei
F
ew cities have as much historical significance in the U.S. as Philadelphia and kudos to them for renovating a 100-year-old train station located in the heart of downtown to create the stunning Pennsylvania CC as well as incorporating one of the country’s oldest farmers markets (which actually predated the train station and moved indoors when the terminal opened in 1893) into the design. The previous Convention Hall, built in 1930, had been an Art Deco landmark but became obsolete, and civic leaders decided in the 1980s that the former train shed of the Reading Terminal should be the site of a new convention center. After renovations were finished by Wilson Brothers & Company, it opened in 1993. In December 2006, a $700 million plan was approved to expand the PCC west to Broad Street. The expansion, completed in March 2011, made the convention center more than 2 million square feet, with seven exhibit halls totaling 679,000 sq.ft. of exhibit space— and 528,000 sq.ft. of it is contiguous exhibit space. The PCC’s expansion and renovation achieved a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification. The expansion received a GOLD certification level under the LEED for new construction rating system. In 2014, Philadelphia and the PCC ranked in the top ten U.S. cities for
44 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
Green Meetings by GreenBiz. Greenbiz. com cited a number of factors at the PCC that led to its high ranking, including its LEED Gold certification; its use of 100 percent decomposable and biodegradable food and beverage products and Green Seal-certified cleaning products; its use of renewable energy; and energy-efficient lighting and other energy-saving initiatives. The PCC also received the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accreditation on outbreak prevention, response and recovery. Recognized as the gold standard of safe venues, the PCC is one of the largest venues in the northeast to receive the GBAC STAR™. The PCC boasts more than 82 meeting rooms that can be set in banquet, classroom or theater seating and also has the largest ballroom in the Northeast, equivalent to the size of a football field. It also provides complimentary wireless internet access on all concourses, Grand Hall and in the Overlook Cafe. Under the management of facility operator ASM Global, the PCC hosts nearly 250 events a year, including the Fancy Brigade Finale (part of the Mummers Parade) on January 1, the Philadelphia Auto Show in early February and the Philadelphia Flower Show—the “largest indoor flower show in the world”—attracting more than 250,000 people annually in early March.
Inside the PCC is one of the country’s oldest markets—the Reading Terminal Market opened its doors in 1893 and today, 80+ merchants still offer fresh produce, meats, fish, groceries, flowers, baked goods, crafts, books, clothing, as well as 30+ ethnic and specialty restaurants ranging from Cajun and Middle Eastern to oysters, hoagies and more. A short walk on Arch Street leads to Chinatown and across the street on Market Street is the Bank & Bourbon with its house-aged liquors (in barrels) on the ground floor of the iconic 1932 Philadelphia Savings Fund Society (now Loews Philadelphia Hotel) 36-story, 491-foot skyscraper built with marble and granite from 32 countries.
SLEEP Nestled in the heart of downtown Philadelphia, the PCC is surrounded by 13,500+ hotel rooms at every price point. Two hotels are connected via skywalks to the PCC—The Aloft Hotel and the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown—which was built in 1995 in the old office spaces of Reading Railroad and is now Philly’s largest hotel boasting 1,408 rooms (including 76 suites). The Four Points Hotel, Home2 Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn are across the street.
PLAY The first World Heritage City in the U.S., Philadelphia has 67 National Historical Landmarks in what’s called the nation’s “most historic square mile.” Tour Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution were debated and adopted. See the Liberty Bell, the symbol of American independence that was once located in the steeple of Independence Hall. Stroll Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in America. And, of course, the statue from the film, “Rocky,” and the Rocky Steps, which are outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, are not to be missed.
A new story is being written about Detroit and the meeting industry we all care deeply about. As we dedicate ourselves to the new realities of meetings, our customers’ safety has become The Center of it All. Now, we look to what is important beyond our 723,000 square feet of exhibit space and being the 17th largest convention center in the country. The new story being written is one about the character of our community and the places we gather. We look forward to meeting again.
tcfcenterdetroit.com | 313.877.8214
CONCERTS CONVENTIONS DINING ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SHOPPING SPORTING EVENTS
Our Industry May Be Battered, But Our Foundation Is Strong. Thanks to the stewardship and hard work of our 51 Founding Grantors and Grantor companies, individuals, and charitable events the EDPA Foundation Endowment is solid, well managed, and our policy that 95% of money raised goes to recipients and causes allows us to continue to: Support two college design programs to help nurture talent for the future. Continue to fund our industry scholarship program, needed now more than ever. Make a generous donation to the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic to allow them to continue their good works. When the storm passes, and things improve for our industry, we will have a strong foundation to rebuild on.
ROSEMONT’S IMPACT FIELD
Together, We Are Making a Difference.
Be Part of the Story. Visit www.edpa.com/edpafoundation to see how.
@EXHIBITCITYNEWS
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 45
FROM OUR COVER: CSR & GIVING BACK
Impressions from the 27th Randy by Jim Obermeyer
I
t’s 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday and I can’t sleep. I’ve been rolling around in bed for a few hours already. I am still running on the adrenaline from spending the day with 130 of our industry’s finest— those who attended the 27th Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic on Sept. 27 in Atlanta. As a member of the board of directors for this event, I have been involved in weekly planning meetings for the last six months. I arrived at noon on Sunday to meet the rest of my esteemed colleagues to get everything set up and ready at Berkeley Hills Country Club, host for this year’s event. While this team may have had everything prepared and all the details handled by the morning of the event, nothing ever really prepares us for what happens on this
day. Sure, the group of 30 volunteers is here and ready to handle registration, manage the putting contest, run the beverage carts, man the tents throughout the course, officiate the longest drive and closest-to-the-pin drives, host the evening banquet and generally make sure the day comes off without a hitch. But what we are never ready for is the level of energy and passion—and compassion—that this event brings out. I think this year some of it has to do with the fact that our industry has been pretty much shut down for the last 18 months. An industry that thrives on hard work, long hours and being together in one place has been severely cut off from what makes us who we are. And I think all that pent-up energy showed
46 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
up in Atlanta this week. Almost everyone I spoke with had the same sense— that we all needed to be here to be with our people again. You could feel the energy and sense the strong need to be together. It was evident in the conversations between old friends. It was demonstrated in the big smiles and bear hugs. And it played out on the golf course—a round of golf that started at noon, that the course superintendent said should take three hours to play. On this day, it took almost twice that to complete. I saw it first hand. I grabbed one of the other volunteers and took a ride out on the course around 5:00 p.m., while most of the golfers were still out. What we saw was a lot of parked golf carts, people just hanging out and talking,
telling stories, sharing memories and generally just catching up with folks they hadn’t seen in a very long time. That energy continued into the clubhouse for the evening for cocktails and dinner. We just couldn’t get enough of it. When Robert Laarhoven stepped up to the mic to open the evening presentation it took a minute to get everyone’s attention. Robert thanked the volunteers who make this event happen, Dave Walens spoke on behalf of the EDPA Foundation, and then the awards were presented for longest drive, closest to the pin and top scores. And then Rich Johnson, one of the event’s founders, and by far one of its most passionate supporters, stepped up to introduce this year’s recipients.
As each of their stories were told by close friends and coworkers, it focused this audience on the real reason we were here today. Stories of battles with disease, of fatal car accidents. The tale of one young man taken by cancer, leaving his wife and two young sons. A story familiar to anyone who knows the history of Randy Smith, another young man whose life ended way too soon in a car crash, and who left a wife and two young sons. Those two young sons—Austin and Justin—are now young adults with families of their own, and along with their mother, Jenny, attend this event every year to thank this audience for their compassion for their fellow workers. Sure, we’re all anxious to get back on the show floor and get back to what we all do best—taking care of our clients at their exhibitions and live events. But from what I saw that magical Monday in Atlanta, we’re all just as anxious to get back to being together and supporting our industry’s families in need. @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
Pictured: Coastal International’s Mike Boone joined Don Svehla and Mike Morrison on The Don & Mike Show podcast (above) as The Randy golfers and volunteers enjoyed posing for pictures with the photographer’s extensive bag of light-hearted and fun props, sunglasses, moustaches, feathers, balloons and hashtags.
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 47
INDUSTRY ADVOCACY
NTSA Updates on Workforce Advocacy By Laura Palker, NTSA President & CEO
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ast year, as an alumna of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative, I joined with others to help small businesses speak with our elected officials on Capitol Hill. We talked about what we needed to survive this global pandemic that was crippling small businesses. The GS10KSB Voices Campaign was highly effective with more than 2,000 alumni joining zoom calls nationwide to speak out about what we needed to recover. Making my living over the past 30 years in the tradeshow industry has been a journey beyond compare. Who would have ever thought this thing that shut us down would last so long? I am still finding emails that say, “Hang tight, we will figure this out in a few weeks ...” As weeks turned to months, I remember being touched in a profound way by the change.org petition launched by the Live Events Coalition. All of us knew our workforce was being decimated and, through no fault of our own, our voices were not being heard. I spoke with Congressman Tom Suozzi who said he knew the owners of Gilbert Displays in Long Island, N.Y., and could see the devastation our industry was experiencing. He told me to follow up with his Legislative Director Conor Walsh and in our first call I had to explain, “No, the convention center does not
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove)
hire the contractors to build out the shows.” After a few minutes, I was making headway. ”Yes, many small businesses with specialized skills come together to build an environment for businesses to grow and we contribute $396 billion in direct spending to our economy.” In another follow-up call with Bob Watson of Skyline Displays and Steve Griffin from Nationwide Displays, Bob pointed out, “Actually, the convention center is a building, the show organizer rents the space, then there is a general contractor and subcontractors, designers, logistics and more. By the way, did you know 6.6 million people make up our workforce, we are essential to our economic recovery, and we are bigger than the automotive industry—we impact tax reve-
48 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
Laura Palker
nue, jobs in cities all over the country from the bellman to the forklift driver and we need help.” I would email and call Conor monthly to keep him informed of our progress, wherever our industry leaders were able to make headway. I would share news from EDPA, the Live Events Coalition, ESCA, IAEE, EAC, EACA, SISO and more. This is the type of conversation we all need to have with our local, state, regional and federal elected officials’ offices every month. If you need help finding an office or a person to call, we will help you make a call, write a letter or email. If you feel uncomfortable reaching out, join the NTSA and help us build our numbers so we can present a stronger voice. The IAEE has worked with us, helping us learn how to work with the Dept. of Labor, and Conor introduced us to Rep. Suozzi’s Senior Legislative Assistant Steven Peterson who wrote a letter of support to the Dept. of Labor to help us get funding for workforce development. We connected with the Workforce Development Board in our area and are extremely grateful to Chair Sammy Chu for his letter of support and his commitment to our industry’s displaced workers. We are pleased to partner with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative to help our small business owners develop a strong
way forward. The program is a boot camp for business and all business owners can apply at no cost to you. You can meet Paisley Demby at our Virtual Conference and Sponsor Showcase or visit our website to submit an application. Training is provided by renowned business schools Babson and Wharton. Your work product is a five-year growth plan that will help you set a plan for the way forward. We are ready to come back, refresh skills and to learn new skills to create safer spaces and healthy environments to work. We have been called the Invisible Industry, but with your involvement as an NTSA member we can work to shine the light on our industry and its workforce, associations, alliances and organizations. The time has come for us to be seen, we need your help to return stronger than ever. Without our workforce our ecosystem is not sustainable. We are all interdependent and stronger together. Join us at www.nationaltradeshowalliance.org. Together, Let’s Be the Voice. Laura Palker is founder/president of the nonprofit National TradeShow Alliance; founder/CEO of Trade Show Solutions Center, a provider of exhibit planning, design, production and marketing services; president of the Solution Center Network, partnering graphic designers and marketing professionals; and a partner in NewNormalSupplies. com and EventShipping.com.
Virtual Conference and Sponsor Showcase December 16, 2021, 9AM – 5PM
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CALL FOR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS Do you have more than 10 years’ experience in the industry? Are you interested in helping to share your knowledge and teach others? Call Us: 888.713.2083
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INDUSTRY EXPERTS PANEL Contact Laura Palker at Laura@nationaltradeshowalliance.org to learn how you can help our industry workforce grow. Kevin Carty EVP, Classic Exhibits
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INDUSTRY ADVOCACY
Update: What Does Advocacy Look Like Today? by Rob Cohen, Chris Griffin and Tim Heffernan
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dvocacy work is much like the behind-thescenes work that occurs in our industry to open a major show. To an attendee, they don’t see the countless hours of effort that go into the planning, the site visits and all the production that happens before “a big event” can open. While the show doors haven’t opened yet for our own “Save Our Industry” show, the final work and pre-show activity are still being performed to ensure our industry’s success on Capitol Hill. Currently, the U.S. government is very focused on infrastructure and budget reconciliation. As we write this update, final pieces of legislation are still being crafted by all parties. To say the least, the process is a slow one. The House reviews a bill (tick-tock). They solicit input and make changes to it (tick-tock). They vote on it and hopefully, eventually it passes (tick-tock). Then it moves to the Senate for further review, input and approval (tick-tock tick-tock). The reality is that it is extremely unlikely that any relief for small business in general will be included in these two major pieces of federal infrastructure legislation. There is a process, however, whereby small business and industry can speak up to our elected representatives and be heard. Through our informed and committed associations and their leadership teams, we have done, and continue to do, just that.
Prior to the pandemic, our industry didn’t have a defined or consistent playbook for engaging with our elected officials. There was no regular cadence of meetings or dialogue between us and legislative staff. Now there is. In the past, our elected officials were uneducated about the importance of our industry and the impact it has on the greater U.S. economy. “If you are not at the table, you are on the table” is the old saying in Washington, D.C. Well, after the efforts of so many in our industry these past 18 months, we are happy to report that “tradeshows and business events” now have a seat at the table in Washington. Our elected officials and their staffs now know who we are and what our value is to the American economy. Those having advocated for federal assistance for the event industry during these times have learned much too. We’ve learned how busy our elected representatives and their staffs really are (there are literally thousands of meetings held every day on Capitol Hill; about an enormous range of important topics). The sobering fact for our cause today is this: There is not a lot of immediate support we can expect from Capitol Hill right now. We’re competing with a looming debt ceiling deadline, a border crisis, pressures from global competition, inflation concerns, national security
50 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
threats and more. Congress’ immediate attention isn’t just elsewhere— it is everywhere. Rest assured, however, the efforts of the EDPA and ECA advocacy teams continue, with an emphasis on future relief for small businesses in the hardest hit industry. This does not mean that there is no hope for additional relief for our industry or that significant progress is not being made. We remain very hopeful that there will be assistance to help our industry recover. Here is a recap of where we are at today: Fresh voices in Congress are speaking up for us: Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) said that he has spoken with House and Senate leadership for additional targeted relief for our industry after the infrastructure bill goes through. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) continues to actively push for economic relief programs for all stakeholders in the tradeshow and convention industry. PPP 2 loan forgiveness: Gaining forgiveness of your PPP2 loans is critical. If you have not done so already, be in touch with the institution that provided you with your PPP2 loan and make sure you are in line for filing for forgiveness of that loan. This is another essential step in cleaning up your balance sheet and restoring your company’s enterprise value.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans: The EIDL loan program has removed all previous caps. Loans are now available for those who qualify for up to $2,000,000. Currently loan applications for requests of $500,000 or less are being processed. All EIDL loans carry an interest rate of under 4 percent with a 30-year payback period. If you are interested in learning more about this program, visit, https://www.sba.gov/ funding-programs/disaster-assistance/economic-injury-disaster-loans Employee Retention Tax Credits: For 2021, the ERC is a quarterly tax credit against the employer’s share of certain payroll taxes. The tax credit is 70 percent of the first $10,000 in wages per employee in each quarter from March 13, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2021. That means this credit is worth up to $7,000 per quarter and up to $28,000 per year, for each employee you had on your payroll for 2020 and 2021. If the amount of the tax credit for an employer is more than the amount of the employer’s share of those payroll taxes owed for a given quarter, the excess is refunded—paid— directly to them. For more info on this under-utilized economic assistance program you are urged to go to www. treasury.gov/coronavirus, Google “employee retention tax credit” or speak with your tax professional. There is sig-
of good, current information. While our industry is broad, the EDPA will continue to advocate for all of the small businesses in our industry. The support that the members of the tradeshow community have shown when asked to engage with their elected officials about a particular message has been inspirational! We are all in this together and the light continues to get brighter. If you would like to be more involved, or have any questions, please reach out to us.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.)
nificant information online to assist you with accessing these tax credit dollars. What advocacy efforts is the EDPA currently working on next? While CEIR Predict reported that the U.S. economy will back into full swing by Q2 of ’22, our industry recovery looks to be running deeper than that as we typically lag two fiscal quarters behind the general recovery. That is not to say that things won’t improve between now and then—but a full recovery is not likely to be realized until that time frame. Factors like COVID variants, corporate travel restrictions and other business travel-related issues can certainly have an impact on recovery timing. The EDPA will continue to lead the charge for additional financial relief programs for our industry. Recognizing the power of collaboration we will also continue to work with the ECA to achieve our mutual goals. Two members of the @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
House Small Business Committee are leading advocates for our industry. The hope is to see additional legislation put forward in Q4 of 2021 or early 2022. The EDPA continues to work closely with the EAC on language for another piece of legislation that will likely be introduced in the Senate in the near future drafted to specifically assist members of our industry. It is encouraging that while some shows have cancelled, the majority of shows continue to push forward. Conversely, decisions by some brands not to participate in shows has slowed the recovery for our industry. Our expectation is that this behavior will dissipate as travel restrictions lift and virus variant cases decline. A positive note has emerged as we write this update. On Sept. 20, White House coordinator Jeff Zients announced that current inbound entry restrictions into the U.S. would be lifted for fully vaccinated in-
ternational travelers beginning in early November. Proof of vaccination and other requirements will be in place, but this is a very positive sign for our industry. This announcement will open the door for international travelers to attend U.S.-based tradeshows and should have a positive impact on decisions relating to shows taking place live and decisions to participate in them as well. Advocacy, just like economic recovery, is constantly changing. The waters often get muddied and change with the tides. It often feels like we are riding a rollercoaster—getting excited about the ups and holding on for the downhill portions of the ride. Staying up on the current events of committee work within the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives has proven to be critical and time consuming. Determining who your friends and supporters are remains important to making sure you have a flow
The Experiential Designers and Producers Association is the network for leaders in the customer experience industry. EDPA members combine marketing, design and production leadership to help organizations create effective face-to face customer experiences and environments for tradeshows, events, corporate environments, museums, retailers, education and entertainment. For more info, visit www.edpa.com. The Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance represents the common interests of the U.S. exhibitions and conferences industry to legislators. A coalition of eight industry associations, ECA promotes the impact of the sector, drives general industry awareness, initiates legislation on behalf of business events, advocates for the industry’s common interests, and works with partners globally as needed, in order to maintain a favorable operating environment within the U.S. For more info, visit www. exhibitionsconferencesalliance.org Rob Cohen is vice president of Display Supply & Lighting, Chris Griffin is CEO of Crew XP and represents the EDPA on the ECA board, and Tim Heffernan is chief growth officer/chief development officer at T3 Expo.
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 51
INDUSTRY PEOPLE
After a Brush with a Brain Tumor, Scott Sokol Regains His Balance By David Barten
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hen faith, perseverance and the first degree of separation come together, futures and conversations for that matter, become the very weave of our cloth. I finally let go from my greeting embrace with Scott Sokol and was filled with a joy that seems to follow Scott wherever he goes—from this Dana Point harborside cafe to the halls of Javits Convention Center. This laid-back SoCal surfer come family man and mainstay to the tradeshow industry has a story that is like no other. Like any wonderful reunion, five hours flashed by before we could complete a sentence, which points to his jovial, kind and considerate nature … and a great friendship. We caught up and shared stories; it was evident Scott’s success and journey are guided by his unwavering faith. Scott cut his teeth in the business right out of college in a client-side position as tech industry tradeshow manager. We shared aisles on the same floors of many shows back in the day. Lots of us in the tradeshow industry made relationships on airplanes while commuting to work. The same was true for Scott. He was once on a flight sitting next to the now retired, pre-Color and Design Marty McGreevy, who recruited Scott for a stint at Exhibition Contractors. Soon
after, Rich Rebecky contacted Scott to come on board with Bruce Green, one of the most amiable and well-regarded businessmen in the industry, opening an office in Southern California and installing Scott in a position he holds to this day. Scott works with Coastal International I&D as vice president business development. All of us have suffered through the COVID shutdowns. For Scott, however, this involved far more than wearing a mask, upping his Netflix and ordering groceries for his family off Instacart. If not for his passion for “kind waves,” he may have had a much different story to tell. This one starts with a couple off-balance early morning “seshs” (surfing sessions) somewhere between Trestles and the Wedge, two of SoCal’s storied surf breaks. Vertigo was foreign to Scott. He thought it was an inner ear issue but came to find out it wasn’t. Scott learned he had a growing tumor in the right side of his cranial lobe. This news was devastating enough, but then he was confronted by doctors who barraged him with treatments and schedules that seemed more designed to suit their wallets and tee times than his personal needs. Here’s where his faith and perseverance parted the clouds and cleared the fog. Scott was conversing with a
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family member who suggested he consult his cousin, head of neurology at a prominent midwestern hospital. Had it been me praying and asking a higher source for answers, I would have had no question my prayers were well heard and answered. Neither did Scott, a few hours and trip to Chicago later. Neither did Scott, one successful operation later. Neither did Scott, sitting across from me with an ear-to-ear grin, sun reflecting off his blue eyes and well-aged surfer’s hair. We order another beer. Scott’s operation was performed by his cousin Dr. Douglas Anderson, a pre-eminent neurosurgeon at Loyola Hospital. In the caring hands of family, Scott’s concerns about his surgery waned completely when the entire surgical team of 10 gathered close in prayer just prior to the eight-hour process. Before I left our reunion, I learned a little more about the human experience through mind, body and science. “Scott, you and your wife got to take a train from Chicago to San Juan Capistrano?? How cool was that?!” Any of us who travel at one time or another harken back to the romance of rail travel. How the little things in life we take for granted become appreciated. Scott is the son of an Air Force dental officer, and his earliest
memories are of moving to Vandenberg Air Force Base as a toddler before relocating to the beach community he lives in to this day. Growing up, like most SoCal surfer kids, we found a way to squeeze in just enough high school around his heavy schedule of surfing, skating and going to concerts. Graduating the warm waves of his hometown break Capistrano High, Scott made his way to the colder waves at the University of Santa Barbara settling after graduation in the thundering shadow of the “Wedge” and its monster break well known for washing through Newport Beach. Scott lives with his wife and two children in a hillside suburb where family and faith will always come first. Balancing our industry’s needs with a happy home is important to Scott. What’s next for him? Once travel opens up it’s going to include the family, an airplane and definitely a Pin Tail Gun, his first surfboard. And another first degree of separation as it, too, was mine. “Waiter, can we get two more of the Big Wave Dark, please?” A 31-year tradeshow industry veteran specializing in theatrical lighting, Dave Barten is currently handling Global Parternships at Las Vegas-based Show and Design Group. Contact him at DavidB@sdg.vegas.
INDUSTRY PEOPLE
Tom Beard is Retiring—Say it isn’t So! By Jeanne Brei
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lassic Exhibits’ Mel White posted on Linkedin in late August that “If you haven’t heard, Tom Beard is officially retiring after 143 years in the exhibit industry. Over the years, he’s been much more than a colleague. He’s been a friend to me and to the Classic Distributor Network. Thankfully Tom has a son who lives in Portland so we will see him from time to time. Please wish him well and a bon voyage!” Tom’s Farewell Letter As many of you have heard, I’m retiring and calling it a career. It’s been a fantastic 27-year run working in the tradeshow and events industry for some great companies including Eco-Systems Sustainable and Classic Exhibits. I’m leaving with many great memories and with more friendships than I can count. Our industry has some of the hardest working, creative and caring people I’ve encountered in my 45-year working career, and I feel blessed to have stumbled into this crazy industry! The past 18 months have been difficult for all of us, but it has brought to light the true collaboration and culture of Classic and Classic Distributor Partners. It was pretty amazing to witness! Having traveled extensively over the years, I’ve seen the United States through the lens of airports, hotels, convention centers and businesses, and it’s time to hit the road and see what the country looks like outside of these areas. You never know… I might stop by and regale you with stories about a giant ball of twine or other amazing sights in the U.S. Your friendship and support over the years made my decision to retire very difficult, but I will stay involved with the @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
Midwest EDPA Chapter and hopefully attend future EXHIBITORLIVE shows, so I look forward to connecting down the road. I’ll say goodbye for now and leave you in the capable hands of Jen, Harold and Mel. Feel free to contact me at tombeard345@gmail.com. — Tom Beard This Linkedin post garnered nearly 50 colleagues congratulating Tom on his retirement as well as calling into question the hyperbole of 143 years of Tom’s exhibit industry involvement. Mel’s reply to those doubters, “It’s actually more than that, but I didn’t want anyone to think I was exaggerating. It’s even more amazing when you consider the guy’s running marathons and half-marathons at that age.” Those who wished him well in his retirement on Linkedin read like a Who’s Who of the tradeshow industry, including
congratulations from Gwen Hill (ExhibitForce), Julie McKernin (Stevens Exhibits), Norm Friedrich (Octanorm), David Holladay (ExpoDisplays), Chris Dunn (BlueHive Exhibits), Jeannine K. Swan, Moshe Kaufman (Purple Exhibits), Rob Majerowski (Exhibitus), Lou Crescenti (Exhibits 2.0 Inc.), Jamie Zavoral-Brown (Bray Leino Events), Max Maxwell (EDE Corp.), Jill Kinduell (Total Graphic Source), Alex Tucker (LAB Exhibits), Sharon Kendrew (High Road Inc.), Brennan W. Curtis (Mostre Exhibits), Lisa Barshay (BRANDTastik Promotional Marketing), Alex Tucker (LAB Exhibits), Rachel Skweres (Moderna Products), Lori Magnacca (Your Event Manager.Net), John DeNobile (DisplayEZ Trade Show Event Marketing Solutions) and colleagues Kevin Carty and Jim Shelman (Classic Rental Solutions) and more. To sum it all up, Tom, best wishes in your retirement, from everyone at Exhibit City News and the rest of the tradeshow industry! ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 53
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
People on the Move
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n I&D news, Eagle Management Group has named Scott Roemer (pictured right) their new Philadelphia/ Atlantic City co-city manager. With more than 13 years of industry experience, he was most recently the general manager for Renaissance in the Philadelphia area. Momentum Management welcomes Kylee Menjivar to their expanding account coordinating team in Las Vegas. Fern, a leading national provider of exhibition and event services, named Angi Van Berg, CEM, a senior national sales manager. She joins Fern after a successful career at Louisville Tourism. Lime I&D’s leadership team has added Rachel Purgiel, who will be their director of labor operations. She will direct the operations of this BlueHive Group affiliate brand for both its Worcester headquarters and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, satellite office. BlueHive has promoted Caitlyn Correia (pictured right) to president of BlueHive Group and BlueHive Exhibits. The third generation of a professional tradeshow family, she graduated from Endicott College with a BS in sports management and an MBA and joined BlueHive Exhibits in 2013. Finn Yonkers has also joined BlueHive as executive VP of creative. He brings more than 30 years of award-winning design and industry innovations to BlueHive’s growing team. Exhibit Concepts, Inc., has promoted Jeff Hannah to VP of strategy after five years as ECI’s VP of international, interiors and creative. Condit Exhibits, a worldwide tradeshow exhibit house with offices in Denver and just outside of Chicago, has hired Kayla Spaar as an account manager at their Denver location, Tisha Dojcsak as a senior account manager, Terriah “T” Lucero as an account 54 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
by Exhibit City News
manager and Chris Kitzman, formerly of Czarnowski, as a project manager. They also promoted Alyssa Menten from account manager to account director. Menden worked as a tradeshow manager on the client side at Wowza Media Systems and Webroot, and she also worked the agency side as an account manager at Czarnowski. Eleven Fifty Seven, a strategy + design + build firm headquartered in Sidney, Ohio, welcomes Theresa Hirt as VP of exhibit environments. Hirt has a diverse background in marketing, business development, sales and managing immersive environment projects. CNTV, a full-service production company and leader for producing high-quality, engaging content, has named Jeff Davis as chief sales officer. Davis brings more than 20 years of experience in the media and events industries. Darryl Peterson joined Sky Expo Rentals as CEO, after serving its parent company, Blue Sky Exhibits, as a senior account executive. Oscar Reig-Plaza was named CEO of High Point, N.C.-based American Silk in early August. He is the former VP of sales at Covington Fabrics and owner of Barcelona Sales. Backal Hospitality Group named Executive Chef German Villatoro as VP of culinary, overseeing NY F&B operations that BHG operates and/or owns. In CC and venue news, Louisville Tourism has appointed Sonia Fong (pictured right) as senior VP of convention development. She has worked in the hospitality industry for 24 years and was most recently VP of convention sales & services for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.
VisitPITTSBURGH President & CEO named Andrew Ortale as chief sales officer following a nationwide search that began in May. Ortale previously served as the national sales director for VisitPITTSBURGH from 2000-03 before taking on a senior sales position with Visit Orlando. Cassie Jones, (pictured left) CVP, senior event manager at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, was awarded the Certified Venue Professional designation after completing a rigorous program conducted by the Int'l. Association of Venue Managers. Jones is the first among the events management staff at the MCCNO to receive this certification. In international news, SISTEXPO Mexico former Production Manager Vanessa Aguilar has joined Paco Collazo's Happy Projects team in the U.S. as a project manager, U.S. market. Toronto-based Julie Holmen has joined Destinations International to lead membership engagement. And Juiceworks Exhibits, a custom-design exhibit and event experience provider based in Toronto, welcomed senior designer Adrien Cooper and new business development account exec Gina Bubenheimer to their team servicing clientele throughout North America. Geneva, Switzerland-based MCI, a global engagement and marketing agency, appointed Oscar Cerezales as chief strategy officer. Jochen Fuchs, group general counsel of Germany-based Arvato Systems Group, global IT specialists, has added the role of chief human resources manager at Arvato Systems as of August 1, succeeding Siegfried Bloch, who is retiring. And in Australia, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre has appointed Melissa Sweetland to the newly created role of chief commercial officer.
IN MEMORIAM
Burdette Gordon Brekken CO-FOUNDER OF SKYLINE DISPLAYS
May 5, 1924 – Sept. 14, 2021
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.G. (Brek) Brekken, co-founder of Skyline Displays, passed away peacefully at home at the age of 97. Brek was one of the three founders of Skyline Displays and started his own business, Professional Displays. He inspired many in the tradeshow industry and positively influenced thousands of people’s lives. Burdette and his twin brother, Burdell, were born to John and Christine (Dyvig) Brekken, the youngest of five children. He grew up in Randall, Iowa, and enlisted in the Army Signal Corps after Pearl Harbor. He was trained for a mission to Norway, but was sent to India in the China Burma India theater. After the war, he graduated from St. Olaf College and married Ethelyn (Lynn)
Engebretson in 1948. Together they raised two daughters, Linda and Jill, and moved to San Marino in 1960. He retired in 1994 and his wife Lynn passed away in 1995. Brek married Barbara Cole in 1999 and enjoyed 22 years in a loving, caring relationship. Brek and Barbara traveled extensively and loved to spend time with their friends and family. Brek was passionate about golf and played all over the world. Not only was he a passionate golfer, but he was a passionate and influential salesman and manager. After he served in WWII, he started traveling in his car selling aluminum pots and pans. With his passion and leveraging his sales skills, he co-founded Skyline Displays and started his own business, Professional
Ed Holba
FREEMAN CHICAGO DIRECTOR OF SAFETY
Dec. 7, 1944 — Sept. 22, 2021
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d Holba, 76, of Joliet and formerly Oak Forest, Ill., passed away Sept. 22 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He worked as police officer for Oak Forest Police Dept., Oak Forest Park District, and for Willow Springs Police Dept. He was also director of security for Grabill and director of safety for Freeman Corp. Born in Chicago, Ed was raised in Evergreen Park, Ill., and was a graduate @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
Displays. His daughter Jill was a Skyline distributor in Santa Clara, Calif. In all of his interactions, Brek developed wonderful friendships. He was the ultimate host and enjoyed entertaining. He always maintained a positive attitude and had a smile and a joke for everyone. Despite many health challenges in his later years, he was grateful for the love and care provided by his wife, Barbara, and his caregiver, Orrie, and for the support of hospice staff. He was a member of the San Gabriel Country Club and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Dick Wheeler, president of ProExhibits and one of the original distributors for the Professional Displays product line, says, “Brek was an inspiring individual with a kind heart.
of Brother Rice High School. He served in the U.S. Army and, after being honorably discharged, continued his education at the University of Illinois-Chicago, obtaining a bachelors degree there and then a masters degree from Chicago State University. Always willing to serve, Ed was a member of the NRA, Safari Club International, American Legion, the Scottish Rite, Special Agents Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He was a competitive marksman and an NRA instructor. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to go fishing and hunting. He enjoyed jewelry making that incorporated genuine gemstones and pearls and he
He is such an inspiration to so many of us who got started in the business because of the opportunities he created for our industry. Back in 1987, I started working for Jill, Brek’s daughter, who owned a Skyline distributorship, and shortly thereafter we purchased a Professional Displays distributorship. The rest is history. Brek will be greatly missed and his legacy will live on for generations to come.” Burdette is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughters, Linda Brekken (Tom Bakke) and Jill Montanari (George); three grandchildren (Alex Brekken Boswell, Kristin and Massimo Montanari), and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of his life was held on October 1 in Pasadena, Calif. To send condolences or to share a memory, visit www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/pasadenastarnews/name/ burdette-brekken-obituary
cherished the time he spent with his grandchildren. He is the beloved husband of JoAnn (nee Evans) Holba; loving father of Peg (Jeff) Herald and Jeanne (Christopher) Puacz; adoring grandpa “Dzia Dzia” of Megan and Jillian Herald and Zoey, Declan, and Phoebe Puacz; and dear brother of Peg (Dick) Achter. He was preceded in death by his parents Frances (nee Robak) and John Holba. Services were held Oct. 4 in Elwood, Ill. For those who prefer, memorials in his name can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. To send condolences or share a memory, visit his Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com/tribute/details/7113/Edward-Holba/obituary.html ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 55
IN MEMORIAM
William L. Nicholson FERN EXPO NASHVILLE TRUCK DRIVER
March 26, 1957 - Sept. 27, 2021
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illiam Nicholson, 64, of Springfield, Tenn., began working for Moore Displays until George Fern bought the company. Co-worker Rick Neff says, “Bill and I worked together at Fern in the Nashville office together. He was probably the most capable truck driver I have ever known in my 38 years of working in the tradeshow business. There was no dock or
loading area that he couldn't easily get a trailer into. He was a kind soul, would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need," adding, "The tradeshow family has lost another to COVID. RIP my brother Bill Nicholson. Godspeed. We will have a beer together in heaven.” Other colleagues leaving their condolences included Penni Brockett, Mystii Payne, Darrell Nichols, Judy Het-
tesheimer Gann, Duncan Wiley, Todd Dalmado, Mike Stempa and Scott Thames. “A kind soul and great friend! So sad !”— Jeannie Curran “Don't know anybody that didn't like him.” —Andrew Conley “Prayers to Twila and the family.”— Doug Briscoe He was preceded in death by his parents, Grundy and Gertrude; and his brothers, Robert, Ronnie and David. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Twila, and children,
Martin Frederick Usher FERN EXPO SAN ANTONIO ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Dec. 20, 1952 – Sept. 23, 2021
M
artin Frederick Usher, 68, passed away on Sept. 23 in San Antonio, Texas. Marty was a graduate of Trinity High School and Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky. For more than 40 years, Marty had been an account executive (most notably with Fern Expositions, since 1993) planning, producing and executing thousands of tradeshows and conferences around the country. Marty was a huge car enthusiast and enjoyed driving across the country with his beloved wife, Rebecca, by his side any chance he had. His passion for cars started at a young age and led to owning and customizing more than 40 vehicles, with his favorites being the Prowlers, Corvettes and a Viper. Marty was especially involved in the Prowler car club, attending and organizing many Prowler events throughout the years and enjoying the friendship and camaraderie of his many car club friends. In addition to his love of cars, some of his favorite things to do included
56 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
spending days with Rebecca and their best friends at Barren River Lake, daily walks with his wife, and perfecting his at home bourbon blend recipe. “My heart is broken for Marty's entire family but especially for Rebecca, Lindsay and Ryan. His loving and kind presence will be greatly missed by all who knew him and worked with him. I had the pleasure of knowing Marty for over 40 years and working with him at the Jos. T. Griffin Company 20 years. I will be at the memorial service to celebrate a beautiful life. God Bless. —Cathi Long “RIP Marty Usher. The tradeshow family lost another good one. Godspeed my friend."—Rick Neff “Very sad to see you go way too soon my good friend. We are all devastated and will miss you deeply.” — Larry Schur
Ricke (Angela) Nicholson, Heather Anderson, Tiffany (Josh) Brown; and grandchildren, Brianna and Chloe Anderson, Davyd and Arianna Nicholson, William and Castiel Brown; sisters, Kim Moon, Linda Johnson, Patricia Anderson, Jeanette Adams and Carol Robertson; brothers, Charles (Mary) and Ray (Linda). A memorial service will be held at a later date. To send condolences or share a memory, visit www. springfieldfh.com/obituary/ William-Nicholson
“One of the best!!! Gonna miss him dearly.”—Diana Warren Gonzalez “Sorry to hear this news. Marty was always a pleasure to work with.”—Rick Tyner “Marty was a good man. RIP” —Mike Panuska Along with his wife of 26 years, Rebecca Raines Usher, Marty leaves behind his mother, Jeanne Usher, and two children Ryan Usher (Amy) and Lindsay Usher; stepson Eric Murray (Maggie); four grandchildren: Eleanor Usher, Calla Usher, Austin Murray and Carter Murray; siblings John Usher (Lynn) and Carol Dearing (Ted). Marty was preceded in death by his father, Fred Usher. A memorial service was held Oct. 1 in Louisville. The family recommends charitable donations in Marty's name to GO Ministries at gomin.org/donate. Published by the Courier-Journal. To send condolences or share a memory, visit www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/louisville/name/martin-usher-obituary?pid=200229835
IN MEMORIAM
David Frank Trammell CZARNOWSKI ATLANTA METAL WORKS
April 3, 1956 - September 19, 2021
D
avid Frank Trammell, 65, of Griffin, Ga., was a metal mechanic at Czarnowski Atlanta for more than 20 years. His supervisor, Frank Greenway, shared that he and David had started on the same day 22 years ago and that for a while David had been the only one working in the metal shop. He is grateful that David started taking the “young kids” under his wing and mentoring them on welding because they’ve picked up the baton upon his passing. Herb Davies shared, “I just want to say thank you David. I enjoyed working with you. You will be truly missed, one of the best metal mechanics I had the privilege to work with at Czar Atlanta. RIP my friend!” Another co-worker, Jennifer Mullis Snead, wrote, “Dave was hired right after me at Czar, I was 23. When Covid hit and I was furloughed, I was 45. He was like a dad to me. This hit me hard. RIP, Dave, you will be missed.” Other colleagues shared their memories: “I worked with David for almost 10 years. He was always so sweet and went above and beyond to help. His skill set at work was top notch ... I swear there wasn't anything that man couldn't do! He was the only one I would let call me Sammy! He will definitely be missed! Prayers to his family!!” — Samantha Gibson “David was a straight shooting, hard-working, all-American kind of fella. I had the pleasure of working with David. He will be deeply missed. It was a pleasure to have known him. My condolences to his family and prayers for God’s comfort for their loss.” — Mark Dalrymple “David, you were always square with me. And I always loved working with you in the metal shop. You always judged me on my merits, not me from being from NYC. I shall never forget you, David.” — Lincoln Bilancia @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
“I worked with David for about 15 years as one of his suppliers at work. Had many great conversations with him about his grandkids and fishing and where to catch them. He would sometimes call me just to chat and catch up with each other and life. I was fortunate enough to have met him several times and we had become close friends and I will greatly miss him. Sending love and prayers to his family he loved so dearly." — Chris Fortner, EMS-NC
“David was a great guy to work with. Gutted to hear of his passing.” — Lance Sligar Jr. “Sad news! David always made a point to help me out! Great guy and many prayers for Trammel family!” — Josh Stone “Was saddened to hear of David's passing, he was a fine, generous man who helped me numerous times. It was a pleasure to get to know him. My condolences to his family.” — Sidney Smith, Jr. “Oh, no, I hate to hear this! He was a nice guy. RIP David. Prayers for his family.” — Tammy Jackson Sotelo “Sad news. He was a one of the good ones!” — Sherri Gothorp Rivers Other colleagues leaving their condolences included Michael Anthony Moore (“Dave was absolutely one of the good guys!”), Steve Clarke (“Wow, I loved David. RIP”), Keith Davis (“Sad to hear! He was always great to work with”), Craig Buck (“Sad news! He was a good guy”), Shon Welsh (“RIP I always enjoyed working with David!”), Daniel Conroy, Chris Hurt, Darrell Nichols, Anthony Pittro and Bernie Brady. He was preceded in death by his son: David Frank Trammell, Jr., and his parents: Roger and Jane Trammell, Jr. He is survived by his children, Autumn Trammell of Barnesville, Cody (Morgan) Trammell of Griffin; siblings, Roger Lee (Sandy) Trammell, III, of NC, Ricky Trammell of Hampton, Robert Wright Trammell of Zebulon; grandchildren: Dakota Trammell, Danny Jackson, Jr., Kaiden Carden, Brianna Trammell and Brayden Trammell; nieces and nephews: Lee Trammell, IV, Kayla Trammell, Daniel Trammell and extended family. A memorial service was held on Oct. 2. To send condolences or to share a memory, visit www.fordstewartfuneralhome. com/obituary/david-trammell ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 57
IN MEMORIAM
Bradley Charles Gardner CHICAGO HEIGHTS CARPENTERS LOCAL 272
March 5, 1960 - September 12, 2021
B
radley Charles Gardner of Chicago Heights, Ill., 61, was a member of the Chicago Heights Carpenters Local 272 for many years. He loved setting up for the tradeshows at McCormick Place and the E3 tradeshow in LA. His co-worker Eugene Tedeschi shared, “Today we lost Brad Gardner. Chicago carpenter who was in business about 20 years—worked with RMI and 3D—one of the hardest working guys I ever had the pleasure to work with. Some guys in L.A. might know Brad from E3. Brad suffered a debilitating stroke last year in March and his family had to make the difficult choice last week. He succumbed early this morning.” Other colleagues leaving their condolences included Scott Macdonald (“You will be missed buddy”), Darrell Nichols (“RIP brother”), Maggie Mcgrath, Mike Stakas, Melanie Seghers, Michael Black-
ler, Karen KT Taylor, Mike Stempa, Dave Beemsterboer, John Kuznarik, Sandi Hauger, Charles Nelson, Mike Costello, Rick Neff, Jeannie Curran, Jeff Magney, Sharon Bonfiglio, Wendy Gardner, Anthony Weeks, Richard Perry, Eddie Scott, Mark Stuart, Michael Anthony Moore, Joey Esposito, Cleather Roberson, Frank Potter and Jim Schwichtenberg. His brother, Perry Gardner, shared, “My brother stood tall and strong like the mighty oak! It took a lot to bring him down! Fear not for him he has been taken to a far better place where once again he will stand tall and strong!! He will be missed and always loved.” He was born in Ridgway (Elk County), Penn., his family moved to Lansing in
M
Mark A. Serpas NEW ORLEANS I&D SPECIALIST
Aug 7, 1962 - Aug 28, 2021 58 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
October of 1962. He was the beloved father of two children, John (Amy) Gardner and Lela Gardner, beloved grandfather of three grandchildren, Lillian, Andrew and Riley; the beloved brother of 11 siblings; Keith (late Wanda) Gardner; Vance (Yvonne) Gardner; Barbara Burgess; Brenda (Harry) Dohman; Perry Gardner; George (Wanda) Gardner; Marie (Bill) Wasyliw; Nancy (Dan) Brunetti; Annette (Jeff) Ayers; and Ami (Brian) Wilhite and loving uncle to many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents: Keith Elvyn (Susan) Gardner Sr; Shirley "Elaine" Marie Straessley Gardner (Earl) Smith; and brother Mark Gardner. Services were held Sept. 20 in Lansing, Ill. To send condolences or to share a memory, visit www.schroederlauer. com/obituary/bradley-gardner.
ark A. Serpas, Sr., 59, was born in New Orleans and worked as an I&D specialist in New Orleans. Colleagues leaving their condolences included Joe Buras (“Will miss you brother”), Penni Brockett (“I am heart broken, and at the moment, at a loss for words!”), Melanie Seghers (“My sweet friend”), Mike Bella (“OMG, I am sad—just saw this. RIP Buddy”), Eric Skoloda (“Rest easy Mark!”), Michael Muir, Rick Belcher, Orlando Dorantes, Jeannie Curran, Marjorie Graves and Mike Bonadonna. “I will forever remember Mark as a free spirit, loving person who did things his
way! I am so happy I was able to visit with him and Judy at Laurie and Jimmy’s wedding vow renewal ceremony last year. Although I had not seen him for years, it was just like yesterday! His hair may have been gray, but he still had that bebop in his step and those twinkling eyes full of mischief and a huge gregarious smile not only on his face but in his voice! My heart is breaking for you Laurie because I know he was your “baby.” Praying that ALL of his loved ones find comfort and peace in the many memories shared and in knowing that he is with loved ones and his Lord and Savior in Heaven.” —Sharon Dixon Lemieux
IN MEMORIAM “I will forever remember Uncle Mark as this largerthan-life man who always looked out for others. If he was buying the fireworks, you knew you were in for a show. If you dropped by for a visit, he would make sure you got something to eat. If you needed anything, and he had it to give, it was yours—no hesitation. I can still hear him saying, 'I love you, baby' to Aunt Judy—a phrase frequently heard around the home he built for his family. I don’t know that I will ever be able to wrap my head around such a force of nature no longer being here on Earth, but he will be missed more than he could ever have imagined.” —Brittany Bennett Hyatt He is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Judy Bennett Serpas; children, Adam Dupuy (Kim), Amber Serpas Johnson (David), Mark Serpas, Jr. and Samantha Serpas; grandchildren, Hartley Dupuy and Baylor Johnson; siblings, Laurie Serpas Greer (Jimmy), Ed “Bubbie” Serpas and Tammy Ruh (Russell); multiple nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Lorraine Serpas. Pallbearers were David Ridgel, Timmy Ridgel, Johnny Pravata, MJ Serpas, Ryan Serpas, and Kenny Thorske. He will be remembered for graciously taking care of his family and friends. Services were held on Sept. 6 in Loranger, La., and were conducted by Bro. Dale Ziebarth. To send condolences or share a memory, visit his online guestbook, at www. mckneelys.com or shorturl.at/kyNOR @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
Terry Ivan Lennon BOSTON TEAMSTERS LOCAL 25
May 7, 1961 - March 10, 2021
T
erry Ivan Lennon, 59, was born in Perth, New Brunswick, Canada, and died in his Framingham, Mass., home. Terry was a member of the Boston Teamsters Local 25 union for many years, setting up and taking down tradeshows in Boston. He worked hard, long hours on the tradeshow floors, but when he was off he was the life of the party. Terry was a social guy, who would make friends everywhere he went and became a legend after any gathering. Never afraid of anything or anyone, he lived life to the fullest. He was an avid motorcycle rider and often took to the road. One of his favorite travel destinations was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he would meet up with friends and relax beach side. The best part about Terry is that no matter who he was with, or where he was, he was the life of the party. The party was where he was standing, and if you weren’t having a good time it was your fault, he would tell you this. He was a kindhearted soul who cared about the people around him. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it and would do so with a smile. He has left the biggest hole in those who knew him. We take comfort in his memories and through his stories his legacy will be carried on. So to T, we miss you more than you could probably know, but look forward to hearing all about your next adventure when we see you again. “Farewell for now My Brother. Your spirit lives on in our Horsemen Family. A good soul and Friend who was always there to lend a hand and to make you laugh. Till Valhalla, Ride Free.” — Doug Francey VP THMA 10E “So sorry for the loss of Terry. He was so full of life and love. His imitation of John Wayne was the best. Terry always brought a smile to my face. He will be missed by so many. He and Dale are riding their Harleys with Barney in tow.” — Kathee Galvin “T - how much I miss your voice saying hello. How much I miss your bone crushing hugs. Too soon buddy. But even if it was forever, it would be too soon.” — Rocky (Roxanne Evans) “A good guy to all, truly just one of the best. God Bless.” — Al J Janiak
“Rest easy Terry you will be missed by all who knew you I was glad to have known you rest easy my friend.” — Darren Durfee “It was an absolute honor and privilege to call Terry my friend. He will be greatly missed. His incredible smile and bigger-than-life personality will be missed greatly by all. Love you brother, Rest in Peace.”— Jim Williams Other colleagues leaving their condolences included John Seamans (“RIP brother Teamster”), Roland (“Terry I am sure going to miss you always in my heart”), Doc (“RIP Brother, We’ll ride again!!!”) and Henry Miller (“Ride on my friend, ride on”). He is survived by his mother Martha Lennon, brothers Guy Lennon, and Ray Lennon, his daughters Heather Lucas and Amanda Lucas, and grandson Larry Brown. He was also survived by his nephews, Robert Lennon, Jack Lennon and Shane Lennon, and niece, Roxanne Evans. He was preceded in death by his father, Byron Lennon, and his brother, Dale Lennon. Teamster Horsemen 10 East held a memorial party to celebrate Terry's love of life on August 15 at Randolph Amvets Post 51 in Randolph, Mass. To send condolences or share a memory, visit https://www.quealyandson. com/obituary/Terry-Lennon ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 59
IN MEMORIAM
Heriberto Delgado
CARPENTERS LOCAL 1977 & TRU SERVICE GROUP, LAS VEGAS, NV
March 16, 1964 - August 25, 2021
H
eriberto Delgado, 57, was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. He moved to California at the age of 24 and moved to Las Vegas 30 years ago. He worked for TRU Service Group in Las Vegas for more than five years and was a member of Carpenters Local 1977. His co-workers shared online: “We lost a great man, Hery Delgado. He was a proud union member of the local 1977 here in Las Vegas and worked for TRU Service Group along with many other companies in the Las Vegas area.” — Louis Rossi “This morning I woke up to some terrible news. I lost a co-worker from Tru Service Group, Hery Delgado. This one is hard because I would never think I would be typing this. He was one of the hardest working people on the convention show floor as a carpenter and I learned so many things from him. I think the biggest thing I learned from him, without him telling me but by showing example, was that family is most important. RIP my brotha Hery.” — Earnest King “Rest In Peace my brother. You were one of the best humans I’ve ever met. It sucks that you were taken away from all of your family and friends, but God must have had bigger plans for you with him. See you on the other side brother.” —David Brueck
“He was a great man who always had a smile on his face. We worked together at Tru." — Angela Brueck “He was such a good guy. I loved being on jobs with him always. He was the first person I went up on a ladder with, since then he’s been a great friend and great co-worker. He will be missed a ton.” —Dan Sicc Little “Hery Delgado will greatly be missed. A man with a huge heart. We love you! Rest in peace.” — Jonathan Liliana Tuitele “What a great guy. He will be truly missed. That happy
60 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
smile and always there.” — Mike Roback “My condolences to his family. I'm glad I had the pleasure of meeting him. Great man, may he rest in paradise.” — Julio Rivera Sr. “Damn man, this sucks. Great dude. But he's in a better place.” —James Patrick “I wish we could have worked another 10 years before this happened. God works in mysterious ways.” — Eddie Delgado Other colleagues leaving their condolences included Mysheka Tyme, Jamilla Gray, Betty Jo Brooks, Takeyla Cal-
houn, Cheryl Wilson, Sanah Barragan, Marc Hannah and Pamela Glower. He is survived by his mom, his daughters, Ariana and Erika, and his sons Hery Jr. and Bryan; 11 grandchildren; two brothers, Alex and Roberto, one sister, Magie, and numerous nieces, nephews and people who loved him. To send condolences or share a memory, visit www.facebook.com/hery.delgado.9
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THE D.E.A.L.
Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging
Pat’s King of Steaks
DINING
From Philly Cheesesteaks & Hoagies to McGillin’s & Zahav By Jeanne Brei Philadelphia began as “Quaker City,” which quickly became the “City of Brotherly Love,” which became the “City of Murals” in 1984, and, in 2015, the first U.S. “UNESCO World Heritage City.” It is most famous for the Liberty Bell, Rocky, Philly cheesesteaks, hoagies, pretzels, franks, Revolutionary War history, sports and the Mummers. But let’s start with the food. The Philly cheesesteak debuted in 1930 when a South Philly hot dog vendor, Pat Olivieri, started grilling steak sandwiches that became so popular he opened up Pat’s King of Steaks on Ninth
Street. In 1966, Joe Vento opened rival shop Geno’s across the street and claimed it was he who first added cheese to the Philly cheesesteak. Both shops are open 24/7 except holidays, and their rivalry over the title of best cheesesteak in town has made them a top tourist attraction. They’re very similar but Pat’s chops its steak, while Geno’s serves it sliced—and many tourists get one of each. Another famous sandwich with Philly origins, the hoagie, has several theories to how it got its name. One is that Italians working on Hog Island in the old Navy Yard introduced the sandwich by putting various meats, cheese and lettuce between two slices of bread. This became known as the “Hog Island” or “hoagie” sandwich. Another theory is that Italian immigrants mispronounced the sandwich made of scraps of cheeses and meats in an Italian bread-roll known as a “hokie” that deli owners would give away to
62 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
folks “on the hoke” (i.e., on the dole) during the Depression. One of the advantages of a city with as much history as Philly is that some of the restaurants have become legendary. Philadelphia’s oldest and most famous Irish pub, McGillin’s Olde Ale House, opened in 1860 on a narrow alleyway between Sansom and Chestnut streets, and features a roaring fireplace, high-beamed ceilings and an antique mahogany bar. It has a family vibe and serves fresh regional cuisine (including shepherd's pie) and 22 draft beers. Speaking of a family vibe, Italian immigrants opened the iconic Ralph’s in 1900 and pride themselves as being the oldest family-owned restaurant in the country. The Italian-American “red-gravy” recipes have been passed down through four generations and feature giambotte (an omelet stuffed with many Italian ingredients making an entrance) to classic pasta dishes and sandwiches.
Reading Terminal Market’s DiNic’s food stall was hailed by Travel Channel’s Grub Street as having “this country’s greatest sandwich”—a roast pork with broccoli rabe and sharp provolone served on a seeded roll. Now being operated by its fourth generation, the three-day process that goes into making the pork begins with a day of seasoning, a slow roast and rest, and then the meat is thinly sliced and soaked in stock. The Olde Bar is a contemporary oyster bar and cocktail lounge housed in a landmark building that was once home to Old Original Bookbinders. The nostalgic atmosphere enhances the classic cocktails and raw bar. OpenTable rated French cafe Parc one of the most scenic restaurants in the U.S. Located right on Rittenhouse Square, you might think you are in Paris if you sit at a sidewalk table. The baguettes are made in-house and the menu is filled with classics like onion soup, escargots and towering plateaus de fruits de mer. And reservations are needed months in advance for the James Beard Award-winning Zahav restaurant, which serves Israeli and Turkish dishes of hummus, luffa bread and small plates of grilled vegetables and meats. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my favorite Philly restaurant—Nifty Fifites authentic 1950s soda shop in Newtown Square—down to the décor, handmade food and syrups to make thousands of soda flavors. The original location opened in 1987 and they now have six locations for diners who like to time travel back to the Fifties.
ENTERTAINMENT
Philly Nightlife Shines on Waterfronts & Rooftops by Jeanne Brei Nightlife in Philly is a vibrant scene that seems to be in every neighborhood (but especially Center City’s walkable downtown and The Avenue of the Arts, aka, Broad Street); the riverfront (and on the scenic Delaware River aboard the Spirit of Philadelphia or on the permanently docked, historic Tall Ship Moshulu at Penn’s Landing); the Philadelphia’s Historic District and the parks (including Spruce Street Harbor Park and Franklin Square). Rooftop bars (like the Historic District’s Stratus Rooftop Lounge) and outdoor beer gardens (like Independence Beer Garden) abound and fellow time travelers might enjoy the Tippler’s Tour: Colonial Pub Crawl. Led by a knowledgeable guide outfitted in period costume, the weekly tour lets you sing along to 18th-century drinking songs and enjoy stories of the drinking traditions of Colonial times as it visits modern-day watering holes and a colonial tavern. Just below the Ben Franklin Bridge, Morgan’s Pier is a seasonal beer garden with its leafy trees and gourmet picnic menu. Throughout the @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
Stratus Rooftop Lounge
summer it offers live music or DJs with a waterfront view. Another seasonal waterfront park is Spruce Street Harbor Park, described by JetSetter magazine as “a summer-festival-meets-urban-beachmash-up that brings together pop-up restaurants, a sand pit strung with hammocks and a small beach with loungers and cozy fire pits.” The magazine included it as one of the best urban beaches in America, adding, “The highlight is a traditional wooden boardwalk lined with street food stalls and arcade games in old shipping containers.” At Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest/Winterfest, guests can enjoy Philadelphia’s first outdoor roller rink or ice skating rink depending on the season. Located at Penn’s Landing on the banks of the Delaware River, it also features Philly’s celebrated
eatery Chickie’s and Pete’s “crab shack.” Renowned for its live music scene, Philadelphia has many vibrant rock, rap, jazz and pop venues located in neighborhoods all across the city. Not to mention the city’s renowned classical groups, which includes the highly respected Philadelphia Orchestra. For dancers, Cuba Libre and Brasil’s are two of the hottest salsa spots in the Historic District. Other celebrity hangouts include Vesper Dayclub, Hop Sing Laundromat, Raven Lounge, Harper’s Garden, The Barbary, Stratus and Harp & Crown. Off the beaten path, The Tavern on Camac is one of the oldest piano bars in the city, and features a restaurant and dance club, too. Open since at least 1935 (under a different name), their top floor club, Ascend, is for dancing, with
nights for karaoke, show tunes and DJs. The piano bar is open every night from 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Time whisky bar and restaurant has jazz on tap nightly, and there is plenty of room for dancing. Time has more than one floor, with multiple events from swing dancing to hip hop going on at the same time. For fellow swing dancers, Lindy & Blues hosts Rittenhop every Sunday in October from 4-6 p.m., which is a free, outdoor swing dance fest in Rittenhouse Square. The Philadelphia Swing Society meets twice a month and there are typically about 100-200 people who attend the Cricket Club or the Commodore Barry Club-Irish Center. And for kids of all ages, Franklin Square offers a Phillythemed miniature golf course, the historic Parx Liberty Carousel and burgers and milkshakes at SquareBurger.
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 63
THE D.E.A.L.
Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging
Area 15
ATTRACTIONS
Exploring America’s First World Heritage City By Jeanne Brei Philadelphia brings history to life. From the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the founding of the country’s first hospital, botanical garden, lending library and more, it’s a treasure trove for history buffs, art and architecture lovers, nature lovers and so much more. Art and architecture lovers will enjoy the outdoor art, including murals and sculptures, and for those who want to dive deeper into the country’s largest public art program, the Mural Arts Philadelphia tours are offered by foot, trolley, train and Segway. It could take weeks to visit all the cultural masterpieces along
Philadelphia’s Ben Franklin Parkway, which include:
» » » » » » »
»
The Philadelphia Museum of Art The Rodin Museum The Barnes Foundation Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Franklin Institute (founded in 1824) Moore College of Art and Design Free Library of Philadelphia (a grand Beaux-Arts building that opened in 1927 and resembles buildings on the Place de la Concorde in Paris) Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul (built from 1846-1864 and modeled after the Lombard Church of St. Charles in Rome)
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, a Victorian Gothic building from 1805, is the first and oldest art museum and art school in the U.S. Nature lovers will love the trails in the city’s expansive Fairmount Park (the country’s largest urban park) and exploring the beautiful
64 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
waterfronts along the Delaware River—including Penn’s Landing, Spruce Street Harbor Park and Franklin Square. The Philadelphia region also has more gardens in close proximity than anywhere else on the continent, with 36 public gardens, arboreta, and historic landscapes all located within 30 miles of Philadelphia. For history buffs, Independence National Historical Park is America’s “most historic square mile” with 67 National Historical Landmarks featuring such essential spots as Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted, and the Liberty Bell, the iconic symbol of freedom. Some more must-sees for those who love history: The Betsy Ross House, the birthplace of the American flag, is alive with the sights and sounds of the 18th century.
Carpenters’ Hall, the location of the First Continental Congress in 1774, is a rare surviving example of the Georgian architecture of early America. Declaration House is where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Elfreth’s Alley is the oldest residential street in the U.S. and has a guided tour and gift shop. First Bank of the United States, created by Alexander Hamilton in order to regulate a national monetary system. The Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks features four 18th century historic house museums: Powel House, Hill-Physick House, Grumblethorpe and Historic Waynesborough. The monumental “Rocky” Statue, created by A. Thomas Schomberg for Sylvester Stallone’s movie Rocky III. The “Rocky” Steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art where Sylvestor Stallone’s character Rocky trained for his fights. And if you find yourself in town during the winter holidays, Philly has one of the largest Christmas markets in the country plus historic holiday house tours, amazing onstage productions, light shows, New Year’s Eve fireworks and the iconic Mummers Parade on New Year’s Day. And even if it isn’t New Year's Day, the Mummers opened a museum in South Philly that’s not only open all year with the fabulous costumes on display—they also have Mummer String Band Concerts in the parking lot weekly.
LODGING
Historic Hotels Abound in the Birthplace of America By Jeanne Brei There is an abundance of historical hotels in the "Birthplace of America;" and several are on the National Register of Historic Places, whether they were built as hotels or took over historic buildings. The diverse selection of hotels in Philadelphia’s Historic District (which spans from the Delaware River to 7th Street and from Vine to Lombard Street) includes boutique inns as well as big-brand chains. The Bellevue Hotel is known as the Grande Dame of Broad Street for its French Renaissance architecture and sophisticated interior. Constructed in 1904 by distinguished hotelier George Boldt, who ordered “the most magnificent ballroom in the world, no matter what it cost,” it soon became one of the top luxury accommodations in the U.S. The hotel offers 30,000 sq.ft. of lavish event space, including a recently renovated, 11,616-sq.ft. ballroom with two tiers, parquet flooring, wrought-iron accents and ornate light fixtures designed by Thomas Edison. Also on the National Registry of Historic Places, The Warwick Hotel opened in 1928 with classical and Renaissance features designed by Frank Hahn. The limestone and brick building has welcomed Presidents and celebrities over the years @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
Bellevue Hotel
and it’s also the home of The Prime Rib, an acclaimed Philly steakhouse with décor inspired by the 1940s. The Morris House Hotel was home to the Morris family for more than 120 years, and now invites guests to experience its 17 guest rooms—each with different designs and decor and their original heart pine floors. Just steps from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, this National Historic Landmark built in 1787, with a colonial-style façade and charming outdoor garden, immerses you in America’s history. Another former private residence, the historic Thomas Bond House in Independence National Historical Park, is a restored 1769 bed and breakfast with 12 unique guest rooms. Built by Dr. Bond, a surgeon and a co-founder of the American Philosophical Society and Pennsylvania Hospital, the house was a private residence until 1810. Since then it’s held a stocking factory, leather tannery, rag supplier, customs broker and retail shop until its conversion to a B&B in 1988 by the National Park Service.
The landmark Loews Philadelphia was the first international-style skyscraper in the U.S. At 33 stories, the former Philadelphia Savings Fund Society building is a stunning Art Deco structure. The renovation even kept the Cartier clocks, marble finishes and the three-story banking room—transforming the latter into an event space with the original bank safe. Just steps from City Hall, The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, is situated in the former Girard Trust Bank and Girard Trust Building. Modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, the bank building was designed by architect Frank Furness and completed in 1907. The Le Méridien transformed a former YMCA and district attorney’s office renowned for its Georgian Revival architectural details—think ornate woodwork and striking black-and white décor—by blending contemporary furniture with historical details. Guests can enjoy an elegant and historic yet contemporary atmosphere with some of the best views of the city skyline. As for boutique hotels, the
Aloft Philadelphia Downtown took over the 21-story 1925 Liberty Title building next to the Pennsylvania CC and perfectly blends old-time elegance (impressive ceiling design, monumental windows, detailed crown molding and marble flooring) with modern facilities. The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection occupies the historic 18-story City Hall Annex where residents would go to get documents notarized. Designed by Philip Johnson and built in 1926, the building was designed in the Classical Revival style and has large stone archways on the first floor and columns on the exterior of the building. Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, many of the original details of the building have been preserved inside as well. Lastly, The Canopy by Hilton Philadelphia Center City offers a boutique lifestyle hotel experience in the historic Stephen Girard building. The 236-room property is located in the heart of Philadelphia’s downtown and has been revived with its architectural legacy preserved.
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 65
*Disclaimer: All shows are subject to cancellation, check the official event website on the ECN Tradeshow Calendar for the latest information.
Tradeshow Calendar
Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center/Centre | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet
CANADA Show SecTor Security Conference ISA Calgary - Instrumentation, Systems & Automation Advanced Design & Manufacturing - ADM Expo Toronto Electricity Transformation Canada Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo
All Information Is Subject to Change*
Start 11/03 11/09 11/09 11/17 11/18
End 11/04 11/10 11/11 11/19 11/21
Venue Metro Toronto CC Telus CC Toronto Congress Ctr Metro Toronto CC Metro Toronto CC
City Toronto Calgary Toronto Toronto Toronto
St ON AB ON ON ON
Att
Start 10/29 10/31 10/31 11/01 11/15 11/16
End 11/01 11/03 11/02 11/03 11/18 11/18
Venue Henry B. Gonzalez CC Colorado CC Fort Worth CC Gaylord Texan America’s Center Kay Bailey Hutchinson CC
City San Antonio Denver Ft. Worth Dallas St. Louis Dallas
St TX CO TX TX MO TX
Att 3000 3200 2330 750 13K
Exh
Nsf
5000 200
Industry Manufacturing Mat. Handl., Pkg & Logistics
3000 200 18K 250
Energy
U.S. CENTRAL Show U.S. Psychiatric & Mental Health Congress Entomological Society of America Association of Air Medical Services - AMTC American Ambulance Association - AAA Supercomputing - SC International Pool and Spa
66 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
10K
Exh 200 70 120 75 371
Nsf
Industry Healthcare 7500 Science 60000 Healthcare 10000 Healthcare 149K Computers & Apps 155K Building & Construction
*Disclaimer: All shows are subject to cancellation, check the official event website on the ECN Tradeshow Calendar for the latest information.
Tradeshow Calendar Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet
MIDWEST Show Process Expo - FPSA Sur/Fin - NASF Midwest Design-2-Part Show Compounding World Expo USA Midwest Healthcare Engineering Conf. & Trade Show - MWHCEC American Contract Manufacturers Association - AmCon American Academy of Implant Dentistry - AAID Society for Neuroscience - SfN National Tour Association - NTA Travel Exchange Radiological Society of North America - RSNA Dental Implant Conference - AAOMS Illinois Cannabis Convention - NECANN Performance Racing Industry Show - PRI Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo - C2E2 American Baseball Coaches Association - ABCA
All Information Is Subject to Change*
Start 11/02 11/02 11/03 11/03 11/08 11/09 11/10 11/13 11/14 11/28 12/02 12/04 12/09 12/10 01/06
End 11/05 11/04 11/04 11/04 11/10 11/10 11/13 11/16 11/17 12/02 12/04 12/05 12/11 12/12 01/09
Venue McCormick Place TCF Center Indiana CC Huntington CC Indiana CC Suburban Collection Showplace Hyatt Regency Chicago McCormick Place Huntington CC McCormick Place Sheraton Grand Chicago Chicago Hilton Indiana CC McCormick Place McCormick Place
City Chicago Detroit Indianapolis Cleveland Indianapolis Novi Chicago Chicago Cleveland Chicago Chicago Chicago Indianapolis Chicago Chicago
St IL MI IN OH IN MI IL IL OH IL IL IL IN IL IL
Att 20K 1200 750
Exh 3.3K 180 110
Nsf 100K 17K 11500
Industry Food & Beverage Building & Construction Manufacturing
104
53K 1500
Healthcare Manufacturing 125 14880 Healthcare 573 102K Healthcare Travel Industry 692 422K Healthcare 90 11000 Healthcare
45K 34K 3350
1.2K 273K Automotive & Trucking 453 40000 Toys and Hobbies 325 43538 Sporting Goods & Rec.
1500 30K
SCAN ME!
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ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 67
*Disclaimer: All shows are subject to cancellation, check the official event website on the ECN Tradeshow Calendar for the latest information.
Tradeshow Calendar
Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet
U.S. NORTHEAST Show International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering - ISPE American Academy of Optometry - AAOPT Association for Financial Professionals - AFP American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual - AIChE Society for Immunotherapy Of Cancer - SITC National Science Teachers Association - NSTA American Anthropological Assoc. - AAA Annual Meeting ISC East - Security Solutions Greater New York Dental Meeting - GNYDM Medical Design & Manufacturing - MD&M East Expo!Expo! - International Assoc. of Exhibitions & Events - IAEE LBM Expo - NRLA LumberNation
All Information Is Subject to Change*
Start 10/31 11/03 11/07 11/07 11/10 11/11 11/17 11/17 11/28 12/07 12/07 12/08
End 11/03 11/06 11/10 11/11 11/14 11/13 11/21 11/18 12/01 12/09 12/09 12/09
Venue Hynes CC Boston Conv. & Exhibition Ctr. Walter E. Washington CC Hynes CC Walter E. Washington CC Gaylord National Harbor Baltimore CC Javits Center Javits Center Javits Center Pennsylvania CC Rhode Island CC
City Boston Boston Washington Boston Washington Washington Baltimore New York New York New York Philadelphia Providence
St MA MA DC MA DC DC MD NY NY NY PA RI
Att 2500 5600 6500 4000 2700 3000
Exh 280 168 250 100
10K 53K 33K 2300 7000
225 704 1.1K 270 300
Start 11/05 11/05 11/09 11/11 11/18 11/18 12/02 12/05 12/07 12/08 12/15 01/05
End 11/07 11/06 11/10 11/13 11/20 11/21 12/02 12/09 12/09 12/09 12/17 01/08
Venue Monterey CC Oregon CC San Jose CC Washington State CC Hilton SF Union Square Washington State CC Sonoma County Fairgrounds Moscone Center Moscone Center San Jose McEnery CC Moscone Center
City Monterey Portland San Jose Seattle San Francisco Seattle Santa Rosa San Francisco San Francisco San Jose San Francisco Hilton Union Square San Francisco
St CA OR CA WA CA WA CA CA CA CA CA CA
Att
Exh 75
9000 1100 5000 3300 6519 29K 3014 7500 2700
150 80000 Healthcare 40 5100 Healthcare 50 10000 Communications
150
Nsf Industry 13000 Healthcare 29500 Healthcare Financial & Legal 10000 Chemical Healthcare 30000 Education Science 72000 Security 141K Healthcare 201K Healthcare 41700 Exhibition & Meeting Ind. Building & Construction
U.S. NORTHWEST Show California Optometric Assoc. - COA Monterey Symposium Coffee Fest Open Compute Project - OCP Global Summit Pacific Northwest Dental Conference - WSDA American Soc. of Reg. Anesthesia & Pain Medicine - ASRA Ann. Pain Med. Meeting National Communications Association - NCA North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WINexpo) Design Automation Conference - DAC SEMICON West BIOMED Device San Jose - MDM NCIA Cannabis Business Summit Archaeological Institute of America - AIA
Nsf
Industry Healthcare Food & Beverage
193 85340 Electrical & Electronics 690 131K Manufacturing 406 48993 Healthcare 100 7000 Science
VISIT US AT EXHIBITORLIVE
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INSTALLATION & DISMANTLE LABOR
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205 FLANDERS ROAD WESTBOROUGH, MA 01581 | INFO@CORPEVENTSNE.COM (508)3668594 | WWW.CORPEVENTSNE.COM 68 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
*Disclaimer: All shows are subject to cancellation, check the official event website on the ECN Tradeshow Calendar for the latest information.
Tradeshow Calendar Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet
U.S. SOUTHEAST
All Information Is Subject to Change*
Show Plastic Surgery - American Society of Plastic Surgeons - ASPS American Academy of Periodontology - AAP TCT - Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics Symposium International Jewelry Fair/General Merchandise Show The National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show
Start 10/29 11/04 11/04 11/04 11/05 11/05 Florida School Nutrition - NFSA International Congress of Esthetics & Spa 11/07 American Public Transportation Assoc. - APTA TRANSform Conf. 11/08 American Academy of Ophthalmology - AAO 11/12 International Association of Amusement Parks - IAAPA 11/16 Global Business Travel Association - GBTA 11/17 Total Tech Summit 11/17 Southeast Design-2-Part Show 11/17 I/ITSEC 11/29 Experiential Designers and Producers Assoc. - EDPA Access 11/30 Cervical Spine Research Society - CSRS 12/01 International Work Boat Show 12/01 Association for Career & Technical Education - ACTE 12/01 12/03 Central Florida International Auto Show American Association of Equine Practitioners - AAEP 12/04 National Agricultural Aviation Association - NAAA 12/06 American Society of Hematology - ASH 12/11 Workers’ Compensation Institute 12/12 IAUG Engage - International Avaya Users Group 12/12
End 11/01 11/07 11/06 11/07 11/06 11/06 11/08 11/10 11/15 11/19 11/19 11/19 11/18 12/03 12/02 12/04 12/03 12/04 12/05 12/08 12/09 12/14 12/15 12/15
Venue Georgia World Congress Miami Beach CC Orange County CC Morial CC Cobb Galleria Hilton Daytona Beach Palm Beach County CC Orange County CC Morial CC Orange County CC Orange County CC Orange County CC Raleigh CC Orange County CC Diplomat Beach Resort Marriott Marquis Morial CC Morial CC Orange County CC Music City Center Savannah International CC Georgia World Congress Orlando World Ctr Marriott Disney World Dolphin Resort
City Atlanta Miami Orlando New Orleans Atlanta Daytona Beach Miami Orlando New Orleans Orlando Orlando Orlando Raleigh Orlando Hollywood Atlanta New Orleans New Orleans Orlando Nashville Savannah Atlanta Orlando Orlando
St GA FL FL LA GA FL FL FL LA FL FL FL NC FL FL GA LA LA FL TN GA GA FL FL
ABS EAST - Information Management Network American Geophysical Union - AGU Ground Water Expo - NGWA Small Business Expo
12/15 12/17 12/16 12/16
Fontainebleau Miami Beach Morial CC Music City Center Hilton Miami Downtown
Miami New Orleans Nashville Miami
FL LA 24K TN 5000 FL
@EXHIBITCITYNEWS
12/13 12/13 12/14 12/16
Att 3711 2500 12K 19K 2000 1800 16K 24K 35K 6450 800 16K 400
Exh 270 150 149 442 80 205
Nsf 120K 35000 69K 101K
573 232K 1K 560K 475 118K
Industry Healthcare Healthcare Healthcare Jewelry Business Beauty & Healthcare Transportation Healthcare Gaming & Entertainment Travel Industry
15K 5000
175 18000 Manufacturing 485 186K Military Exhibition & Meeting Ind. 90 Healthcare 1K 218K Boats 300 40000 Education
7394 1200 21K
155 272 116K
3000
142 28400
Healthcare Agriculture & Farming Healthcare
187 31600 Science 325 69000 Water Business
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 69
*Disclaimer: All shows are subject to cancellation, check the official event website on the ECN Tradeshow Calendar for the latest information.
Tradeshow Calendar
Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet
U.S. SOUTHWEST
All Information Is Subject to Change*
Show National Hardware Show Money2020
Start End Venue 10/21 10/23 Las Vegas CC 10/24 10/27 Venetian
EXHIBITORLIVE! Channel Partners Evolution Affiliate Summit West AAPEX - Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo SEMA Show Pestworld NPMA Imaging Technology Education & Exhibition - ITEX IMEX America REALTORS Conference & Expo The Car Wash Show ISSA/Interclean - North America Westec - SME Diving Equipment & Marketing Association - DEMA AutoMobility LA Los Angeles Auto Show - LA Auto Show LDI - The Entertainment Technology Show AWS re:Invent - Amazon Web Services Airline Passenger Experience Association - APEX Expo National Association for Interpretation - NAI Fetch, a dvm360 conference Recon International Council of Air Shows Annual Conv - ICAS World Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine SSPC - The Society for Protective Coatings Customer Contact Week - CCW Consumer Electronics Show CES
11/01 11/01 11/02 11/02 11/02 11/02 11/09 11/09 11/12 11/15 11/15 11/16 11/16 11/17 11/19 11/19 11/29 11/30 11/30 12/02 12/05 12/06 12/09 12/13 12/13 01/05
11/03 11/04 11/04 11/04 11/05 11/05 11/10 11/11 11/15 11/17 11/18 11/18 11/19 11/18 11/28 11/21 12/03 12/02 12/04 12/05 12/07 12/09 12/12 12/16 12/16 01/08
City Las Vegas Las Vegas
Mandalay Bay Mandalay Bay Caesars Palace Sands Expo Las Vegas CC
Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas MGM Resort Flamingo Hotel Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Petco Park San Diego Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Long Beach CC Long Beach Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Los Angeles CC Los Angeles Los Angeles CC Los Angeles Las Vegas CC Las Vegas The Venetian Las Vegas Long Beach CC Long Beach Westin Rancho Mirage Palm Springs San Diego CC San Diego Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Paris Las Vegas Las Vegas The Venetian Las Vegas Phoenix CC Phoenix Caesars Palace Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Las Vegas
St Att NV 19K
Exh Nsf 2.6K 559K
Industry Building & Construction
250 100 200 2.3K 2.5K
Exhibition & Meeting Ind. Communications Advertising & Marketing Automotive & Trucking Automotive & Trucking
NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV CA NV NV CA NV CA CA NV NV CA CA CA NV NV NV AZ NV NV
5000 2500 3000 175K 175K 3500 3000 4500 20K 8700 16K 7466 9815 26K
60000 15000 20000 501K 1.2M 140k 106K 140K 97394 160K 263K 98350 146K 1M 1M 125K
240 1.8K 393 400 623 412 644 175 150 16K 350 112 3000 150 600 75 4000 75 23000
Computers & Apps
Real Estate Automotive & Trucking Laundry & Dry Cleaning Manufacturing Sporting Goods & Rec. Automotive & Trucking Automotive & Trucking Lighting Computers & Apps Audio Visual Associations Healthcare Real Estate 1500 325 26000 Aerospace & Aviation 6000 250 Healthcare Building & Construction 3100 152 2000 200 Electrical & Electronics 180K 4.5K
• Delivery in Las Vegas, FedEx/UPS to all cities • Be a HERO use Horizon Print Solutions and make it EZ • Everything for your show or event from a top quality 25 year supplier!
Color Printing • Rack cards • Brochures • Booklets • Everything else 70 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
Meeting & Event Supplies • Lanyards & Credentials • Binders, Tabs and inserts • Tote Bags & Inserts • Tickets & Programs
Promotional Products • Giveaways • Table Drapes & Signage • Branded Apparel • Gifts & Awards
IN THE EVENTS INDUSTRY, ALMOST ANYTHING CAN GO WRONG. WE MAKE SURE EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT.
Based in Las Vegas, Total Show Technology (TST) is the total show production solution for anyone who hosts, plans, manages, or produces events, meetings, live event experiences, and trade shows. We own the Pacific Southwest market and travel with our clients nationwide. Our services include total show production, video, audio, lighting, rigging, AV equipment rental and sales, trade show exhibitor support, LED/pixel repair, and AV/event staffing.
beMatrix LEDskin® is the technology of tomorrow for the exhibition stand of today, and Total Show
Technology (TST) has it for use at your next show. Learn more about how TST can make your next show stand out. Together, let’s make your next meeting, event, or trade show booth a showstopper!
LET’S BUILD AN EXPERIENCE
Total Show Technology Las Vegas, NV | 702-897-8508 sales@totalshowtech.com | totalshowtech.com
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Secure Your Placement In These Future Editions
PM
Transportation Issue / Year in Review / TCF Center 8-Page Insert
First Quarter Issue (Jan.-Mar.) Focus City: Detroit, MI
The 2022 ECN ACE Awards / Exhibit Building & Design / Vendors
Second Quarter Issue (Apr.-June) Focus City: Charlotte, NC
Women in the Industry / Best Places to Work / Giveaways & Incentives
Third Quarter Issue (July-Sept.) Focus City: Atlantic City, NJ
CALL SALES TODAY! 702-309-8023 or at newsdesk@exhibitcitynews.com
INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE Where to Find Professional Services, Products and Supplies—a Companion Directory to Our Online Guide: www.ExhibitCityNews.com/Service-Guide
Aadvantaged Displays 77 A Harmony Nail Spa 77 AllSpace Group 75 BWC Visual Technologies 74 CDS (Corporate Display Specialties) 78 CEP (Chicago Exhibit Productions, Inc.) 76 Champion Logistics 77 Character Talent 75 Clementine Creative Services 74 Condit 76
CorpCom CorpEvents Equip, Inc. Exhibitrac Direct Marketing Horizon Print Solutions LaborSource Las Vegas Power Professionals Lip Smacking Foodie Tours My 50 Years in the Tradeshow Industry OnPoint Presenters
75 76 79 79 78 78 77 77 75 79
Preferred Network Providers Prism Lighting Quality EFX Massage SISTEXPO (in Mexico) SmartSource TWI Group We Are Conventions YOR Design YOR Swag Your Event Audio
76 78 75 76 74 78 76 74 79 74
For Service Guide information and rates, call sales at (782) 309-8023. Inclusive categories are available for all your company advertising needs. @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 73
INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE
SmartSource As one of the largest technology solutions providers in North America, SmartSource® has been an industry leader for more than 35 years. Offering a full range of AV, IT and business technology solutions through our large national footprint, we are an extension of our clients’ teams. Our experienced solutions architects, project managers and certified technicians provide the highest level of customer service to exceed expectations for every event or project, whether in-person, hybrid or virtual. With a deep inventory of rental equipment and the most attentive team, SmartSource can help you create flawless events, meetings, trainings, product launches & more. www.TheSmartSource.com
Audio Visual Technology
Audio Visual Technology
Creative Design Services
Creative Design Services
74 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE
AllSpace Group / Synapse Exhibits AllSpace Group specializes in consulting, design and production of booths for tradeshow, events and retail environments. With more than 15 years’ experience in the event and retail industry we believe the best, long-lasting business happens together with the human touch. Our work can be summarized with “Built for Business.” With offices and in-house production in Las Vegas, Canada and Europe, we study your brand, values and goals to design, create and build a custom tradeshow exhibit that enables your business partnership. AllSpace Group offers in-house design, production and installation of booths, events and retail environments. For more info, visit allspacegroup.com.
Creative Entertainment Services
Creative Entertainment Services NVMT 4993
Chair Massage Foot Massage Stress Release Massage and More...
Convention Chair Massage Services
Entertainment Co. www.CharacterTalent.com
Event Management
We use massage techniques & tools that surpass services provided by the competition. Massage services range from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. Advanced massage services that engage the highest level of convention services.
www.QualityEFX.com
Call or Text (702) 336-9362
Exhibitor Education / Book
Exhibit / Trade Show Displays | Event Planning | Sporting Event Décor
@EXHIBITCITYNEWS
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 75
INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE
Preferred Network Provider / We Are Conventions Preferred Network Provider offers a more cost effective and reliable internet service for conventions and events. Ask about the monthly service plan. Setup the plug-and-play Multi-Carrier Hotspot Routers when and where you need it. We offer coverage for large indoor/ outdoor events nationwide. Tell us what you need—we provide commercial multi-carrier hotspots, access points, network switches, prepaid SIM cards, pay-as-you-go SIM cards and onsite or remote support . For more info, visit www.preferrednetworkprovider.com or call (782) 945-7776. For any other of your booth or event needs, visit www.WeAreConventions.com or (782) 800-9087.
Exhibit Production
Exhibits
Upstate NY
Montpelier, VT
Concord, NH
Boston, MA Worcester, MA
6 30.378.4 8 4 8 w w w.cepexhibits.com
Springfield, MA
(508) 366-8594 info@corp-eventsne.com Providence, RI Hartford, CT
Exhibits
76 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
Exhibits
INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE
Champion Logistics Group has a transportation division specializing in the coordination of trade shows and special events. Champion provides the most reliable and flexible trade show transportation in the industry.
Champion Logistics Unique in the industry, Champion has a transportation division specializing in the coordination of tradeshows and special events. Founded in 1980, with the commitment to exceptional service, Champion Logistics Group has grown to become a logistics leader. By using the Champion fleet and network of specialized trade show carriers, we provide the most reliable trade show transportation services in the industry. For more info, visit www.champlog.com. Chicago | Atlanta | Boston | Dallas | Las Vegas | Los Angeles | New Jersey
800.323.5401 | info@champlog.com | www.champlog.com
Exhibit Services
Facial / Massage / Wellness Spa
Food Tours
Graphics
The Attention You Deserve Displays Starting at $69.95
941-758-8444 866-239-8056
Visit us online for more of our products & services
AadvantageDisplays.com @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 77
INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE
Horizon Print Solutions Horizon Print Solutions brings decades of experience in all types of printed products with forms, tags, labels, promotional products and corporate attire. They work together with extraordinary manufacturing and decorating partners, mostly from the wholesale only marketplace, to bring the very best solutions to clients—every project and every transaction! For more info, visit https://printefficiency.com.
r e v l i S Color Printing • Rack cards • Brochures • Booklets • Everything else
• Delivery in Las Vegas, FedEx/UPS to all cities • Be a HERO use Horizon Print Solutions and make it EZ • Everything for your show or event from a top quality 25 year supplier!
Meeting & Event Supplies • Lanyards & Credentials • Binders, Tabs and inserts • Tote Bags & Inserts • Tickets & Programs
Labor
Promotional Products • Giveaways • Table Drapes & Signage • Branded Apparel • Gifts & Awards
Lighting
EYE-CATCHING LIGHTING SOLUTIONS •Perfect Lighting for Exhibits, Retail Environments & Special Projects •Full Line of Innovative LED Products; Flexible Strip Lighting, Recessed Lights, Arm Lights, LED DMX and so much more! •Fast Connect Cable System Saving Time and Labor •Eco-Friendly Battery Solutions •Easy to Install, Plug And Play Lighting Solutions
PRISM – INNOVATION LIVES HERE!
630.914.5281
www.laborsourcegroup.com
WWW.PRISMLIGHTINGGROUP.COM | 1.866.620.1380 | SALESUSA@PRISMLIGHTINGGROUP.COM
Logistics
Printing
Attention Exhibit and Event Companies Local Service for Trade Shows and Events In: Washington D.C. - Baltimore - Atlantic City Philly - NYC - Hartford - Boston All in same-day driving distance from us.
WHOLESALE Warehousing, Storage, Prep, Delivery Graphics, Supervision, & Rentals 800-367-2531
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We Can Provide You A Local Presence 78 November/December 2021 Exhibit City News
INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE
YOR Swag Ltd. We have taken over 25 years of marketing experience and client service and created YOR SWAG LTD with Carrie’s insight and vision into various industries and her direction as president of the company = YORSWAG.com. We carry all the great swag you have wanted and more. Online shopping, searching and ordering with the same great design and customer service you have come to know and love. We are YORSWAG.com
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Tradeshow Lists
ADVERTISE IN THE SERVICE GUIDE •Added value with your ad in print and on our website. •Engage a captive audience with 38,000 readers every month! •Increase revenue and gain marketshare! Print and Digital Distribution (Ads in print issues will run concurrently online.)
1 Issue: $500 per month 3 Issues: $400 per month 6 Issues: $300 per month 12 Issues: $200 per month Contact sales for details: 782-309-8023 or sales@exhibitcitynews.com @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 79
2022 EDITORIAL CALENDAR* *Content is subject to change
QUARTER 1 (JANUARY-MARCH)
QUARTER 2 (APRIL-JUNE) Print & Digital
Print & Digital • Transportation Issue • Year in Review • 8-Page Insert from TCF Center • Wow Booth Feature • Shop to Showfloor Features • Associations & Advocacy Features • Tradeshow Calendar & Service Guide
• The 2022 ECN ACE Awards for I&D • Exhibit Building & Design • Vendors • Wow Booth Feature • Shop to Showfloor Features • Associations & Advocacy Features • Tradeshow Calendar & Service Guide
Regional Focus: Midwest U.S. (Focus City: Detroit, MI )
Regional Focus: Southeast U.S. (Focus City: Charlotte, NC)
Digital only
Digital only • Technology / New Products • AV/Lighting/Graphics/Photography • Lead Retrieval v. Data Matching/CRM • Advocacy Updates
• Mobile Exhibits • Warehousing/Material Handling • Extrusions • Show Management/Kits
International Focus: Germany
International Focus: Mexico
QUARTER 3 (JULY-SEPTEMBER) Print & Digital
QUARTER 4 (OCTOBER-DECEMBER) Print & Digital
• Women in the Industry • Best Places to Work in the Industry • Giveaways/Incentives • Wow Booth Feature • Shop to Showfloor Features • Associations & Advocacy Features • Tradeshow Calendar & Service Guide
• Corporate Social Responsibility • Nifty 50 Over 50 • Industry Salespeople • Wow Booth Feature • Shop to Showfloor Features • Associations & Advocacy Features • Tradeshow Calendar & Service Guide
Regional Focus: Central U.S. (Focus City: Atlantic City, NJ )
Regional Focus: Northwest U.S. (Focus City: Salt Lake City, UT)
Digital only
Digital only • General Contractors • Insurance/Legal/Contracts • Floor Coverings/Flooring • Tension Fabric
• Healthcare • Tradeshow Marketing / Traffic • Security / Safety • Advocacy Updates
International Focus: U.K.
International Focus: China
Deadline / Space reservation: 8th day, or closest business day, of month prior to print issue. We would love to hear from you! Share the coverage you would like to see in future issues at newsdesk@exhibitcitynews.com
Advertiser Index 4 Productions
4
4Productions.com
5
Connect.beMatrix.com/pop
67
BreatheSummit.com
17
Brumark.com
17
BusinessWise365.com
13
ChampLog.com
2, 23
WeAreCircle.com
69
ClementineCS.com
15 82 7
19
IUPAT - (International Union of Painters & Allied Trades)
Back Cover
Momentum Management
3
National TradeShow Alliance/Together Again Job Fair & Expo 49 Nolan Advisory Services (NAS)
19
Rosemont – RES
45
Rosemont.com
29,68
Corp-eventsid.com
SEG Warehouse / Design to Print
19
WhySEG.com, DesignToPrint.com & Pillows4Show.com
83
CORTevents.com
Sho-Link Inc.
41
Sho-link.com
41
DSLgroup.com
SMT Expo
23
SmtExpo.com
42
Edlen.com
Superior Logistics
21
ShipSuperior.com
45
EDPA.com/edpafoundation
TCF Center (formerly Cobo)
45
TCFCenterDetroit.com
9
Employco.com ExposuresLtd.com
Las Vegas Mannequins/Las Vegas Store Supply
NolanAdvisory.com
Corpcom-Events.com
Exposures Ltd. Photography
43
NationalTradeShowAlliance.org
CRVegas.com
Employco USA
Labor Inc.
MomentumMgt.com
Coastalintl.com
EDPA Foundation
61
IUPATTradeshow.com
Clementine Creative Services
Edlen, The Power People
iLuminate
LVMannequins.com & LVStoreSupply.com
Circle
Display Supply & Lighting
70
LaborInc.ca
ChampionLogistics
CORT Events
Horizon Print Solution
iLuminate.com
BusinessWise 365
CorpEvents - New England
21
PrintEfficiency.com
Brumark
CorpCom
Hill & Partners HillPartners.com
Breathe Health & Wellness Summit
Color Reflections
27
FCELV.com
beMatrix
Coastal International
Full Circle Events
Total Show Technology (TST)
71
TotalShowTech.com
15
Willwork
36
Willwork.com
FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES Contact sales: 702-309-8023 ext. 105, sales@exhibitcitynews.com @EXHIBITCITYNEWS
ExhibitCityNews.com November/December 2021 81
THIS IS MORE THAN A BOOTH. © 2021 CORT. A Berkshire Hathaway Company.
It’s your space to inspire, connect and educate. We know you and your clients are anxious to get back on the trade show floor, and we’ll be there with you whenever you’re ready. At CORT Events, we know it’s never “just” an exhibit, it’s your opportunity to create meaningful connections. We’re here to make sure you leave a lasting impression. Visit us at cortevents.com or contact us to learn more. Style & Service Delivered.
THE IUPAT WELCOMES BACK OUR MEMBERS AND CONTRACTORS TO ALL TRADE SHOWS!
IUPATtradeshow.com