Exhibit City News - Apr/May/Jun 2022

PROGRESS! IS THE INDUSTRY AS DIVERSE AS IT COULD BE?

Apr/May/June 2022 • VOL. 28 • ISSUE 2

MEET THE SUPERHEROES OF I&D!

STATE OF LABOR’S RECOVERY EXHIBITORLIVE PREVIEW A BLAST FROM THE TRADESHOW PAST DAILY UPDATES AT EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PROGRESS! IS THE INDUSTRY AS DIVERSE AS IT COULD BE?

Apr/May/June 2022 • VOL. 28 • ISSUE 2

On our cover: During HIMSS, which took place in Orlando, Florida, in mid-March, we invited nearly 30 city managers to gather for a photo. Turn to page 26 for a Q&A in which they share their advice, memories, history and all the things that make them cherished members of our industry.

Cover photo by Johnny Cooker, Cooker Photography

MEET THE SUPERHEROES OF I&D!

24

36

EXHIBITORLIVE Preview PLUS!: EDPA ENGAGE and NTSA’s Head to Head

40

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Tradeshow Industry

43

STATE OF LABOR’S RECOVERY

A Seat at the Table

EXHIBITORLIVE PREVIEW A BLAST FROM THE TRADESHOW PAST

Julie Pazina Runs for Nevada State Senate

DAILY UPDATES AT EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM

Feature Story

45 Product Presentation and Expertise

32 The State of the Labor Industry Post-Lockdown

Trussworks has a Winning Combination

Columns

ConventionSuite Celebrates New Accounts

46

10

48

Convention Center Snapshot

A Tradeshow for the Ages

Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte

12

53-69

As the Saws Turn

Shop to Showfloor Section

Handshakes and Payphones

I&D and Event Labor

14 The Tradeshow Times

54

Fans Are Electric for Electrify Expo

16 Ask an Expert

Aquarius Casino Resort Shines in Laughlin

18 The Global View

A Display of Confidence and Optimism

20 International Focus: AIPC

What COP26 Can Teach Event Planners

22

The Don & Mike Show

Despite Trouble on the Global Stage, Tradeshows Move Ahead

24 Airport Snapshot

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Departments 8 76 76 78 84 88 95 103

Publisher’s Corner Eat, Sleep & Play CC Spotlight The D.E.A.L. People on the Move Regional Show Calendar Industry Service Guide Advertiser Index

6 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

IUPAT

68

Coming Back Strong

56 Tradeshow Etiquette The March Toward Superior Service

60

Studio Displays Thinks Outside the Box

64

RISE Puts Their Talent on Full Display

68

Alliance Nationwide Exposition’s Bright Future

72 Making the Invisible Visible NTSA Goes on Tour

74

National TradeShow Alliance Meeting Industry Demands

85

In Memoriam

DISCOVER MORE THAN A SEAT. DISCOVER A MEETING OF THE MINDS.

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PUBLISHER’S CORNER

Greetings to tradeshow people everywhere!

A

pril is Tradeshow & Event Labor month here at ECN, and our Q2 book is chock full of great information on this important industry segment.

What are the new concerns in the How can exhibitors and exhibit house managers/coordinators cope with changes and properly partner with this

We were thrilled to have ECN’s Christy D. set up this quarter’s cover shot with nearly 30 event labor professionals at the HIMSS show in Orlando. See pages 26-34 for their names, home towns, how long they’ve been in the industry, their companies and more. In this issue, we have a few discussing how they got into the industry, and their answers to other questions will be online on our website in the coming weeks.

The issue of the industry’s aging workforce is being tackled daily by many companies and organizations. The National Trade Show Alliance (p. 72-74) is ramping up to do an Invisible Industry Tour with a mobile exhibit that will go nationwide to introduce our industry to high school and community college students who may want to try their hand at one of the most challenging and rewarding careers I know.

When it comes to quality workers, we look to the unions and the EAC workforce partnership to train them and represent their interests (see pages 54-55).

And then there’s the things that I&D wishes the exhibitor and the builders knew to make the setup and teardowns smoother. After all, a better educated

CSAL

CONVENTION SERVICES ASSOCIATION

AS VEGAS

8 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

customer is a happier customer.

Our industry, if everything were in one place, under one roof, would be the bees humming about, busily doing the work at hand. It’s been so gratifying to see the industry back to work at almost full strength after nearly two years of lockdowns. People are so happy to be back to work doing what they love—surmounting every impossible barrier with experience and ingenuity to have the booths ready when the doors open. Many of our cover superheroes say that the word “can’t” isn’t even in their vocabulary.

Besides the situational updates from where the rubber hits the road (aka as a tribute to what often can be a thankless job. The cold, the heat, the often not-so-sweet air of the move-in and move-out process, the weekends, the evenings, even the endless walking!

ECN is determined to end the “thankless” aspect of I&D with our second annual ECN ACE Awards: Watch for upcoming information on the awards program.

We will be looking for nominations in every category and we have a backlog of Lifetime Achievement and other awards that we can’t wait to start presenting to some very well-deserved I&D ACES. Current plans are to have a quarterly lunch award show in Chicago, Orlando, Las Vegas and more. Be sure to check our website often—it’s updated daily with the industry news that only ECN covers.

Welcome back to work I&D Superheroes and ACES! See you on the showfloor! – Don Svehla

PUBLISHER Donald V. Svehla Jr. (702) 272-0182 ext. 102 DonS@exhibitcitynews.com MANAGING EDITOR Lisa Abrams (702) 272-0182 LisaA@exhibitcitynews.com 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 Vince Battaglia Jeanne Brei Amadeus Finlay DJ Heckes Roman Moszkowicz Laura Palker Kerstan Szczepanski Ray Smith H.K. Wilson PROOFREADERS Candy Adams Jeanne Brei Milt Collins NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Christy Giambattista ChristyD@exhibitcitynews.com CIRCULATION Manny Chico Mike Morrison

Vol. 28, issue 2, copyright 2022 by EXHIBIT CITY NEWS, published four 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) 272-0182. 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

Charlotte Convention Center Location: 501 S College Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 Date Opened: 1995 Square Footage: The 600,000-squarefoot Charlotte Convention Center has 280,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space with a 35,000-square-foot ballroom.

Parking: Parking for the Charlotte Convention Center can be found at the NASCAR Hall of Fame parking deck for a daily max rate of $20.

Hotels: Directly across the street from the convention center is the Westin center, a bar, a cafe and a restaurant with indoor and patio seating. The hotel also boasts rooftop beekeeping!

PLUS!

Where to eat, sleep & play near Charlotte Convention Center

p. 76

Airport Info: The Charlotte Convention Center is located only 7 miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Taxis passengers from the airport to the convention center.

WiFi: The Charlotte Convention Center provides visitors with high-speed internet through its partnership with Smart City. Complimentary access is available in all public areas, and wireless connectivity is available to exhibitors and planners in all meeting rooms and in the ballroom for a fee.

Transportation: The Charlotte Convention Center is connected to nearby neighborhoods by a light rail line, called Lynx.

The 3rd Street/Convention Center station is located adjacent to the convention center.

Website: charlotteconventionctr.com ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 11

COLUMN As the Saws Turn

during the morning and afternoon labor breaks. A few years after I started we were issued pagers. When the pager went

Handshakes and Payphones

E

arlier this week, I drove six hours to join a trusted industry partner and meet a prospective client at their largest show of the year. We spent about an hour talking with their marketing executive and his team about their program and what they would like to accomplish going forward. They walked us through their exhibit and explained their strategies, objectives and the full scale of their live events program. Then I drove six hours back home.

This was a referral from an industry friend, and we could have easily arranged a virtual call to present capabilities for our companies. But I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to see their current exhibit live on the

After a lengthy discussion about the merits of electronic communication, the youngest asked a question of those of us at the other end of the age scale: How did you survive in the tradeshow business without this technology? How did you resulting conversation led to wonderment for the younger and fond memories for the older. there was no social media and there were no cell phones. I didn’t even have a computer on my desk. To communicate, we must have walked into other peoon the telephone.

out by hand on forms taken them in person and shake their from the three-ring binder we

By Jim Obermeyer received in the mail from the hands and be face-to-face. My wife thought I was nuts. show management company.

Maybe I am. Or maybe I’m tired of virOnce completed, we took the forms down tual meetings. Maybe I’m tired of seeing the hall to the copier, then mailed them people just from the shoulder up. Maybe in. Later we used a facsimile machine to I needed something more real and less submit them. high-tech.

Describing this whole process had On the drive home I started thinking those younger rolling with laughter. about what it was like before—before “How far in advance did you have to COVID, before virtual everything, before start planning?” they asked. We certaintechnology drove everything we do. And ly didn’t get to wait until the last minute then I remembered a dinner conversato email forms. tion from a few years ago.

Traveling to the show was also very I was sitting at dinner with a group gate from our cars—no security stops, no late 20s to early 60s (I’m afraid I was probing questions from TSA agents and, closer to the upper end of the specwell, no probing at all. trum). At some point, the discussion turned to technology.

12 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

we could break from what we were doing, that is.

I remember standing in line to use a payphone. The banks of payphones at McCormick Place, when it was only what is now called Lakeside Center, were stacked eight deep with people waiting you went to the 7-Level, the basement of the hall, there was a pocket of payphones most people did not know about.

And at the end of a show day, you took your clients or your crew to dinner and spent the evening socializing in person rather than going back to the hotel room to read and catch up on emails.

Back then we focused on what was in front of us: working with our clients and crews to build their exhibits on the show check an email or update a LinkedIn page or tweet about the weather in the hall.

I don’t want this piece to sound like an old fart reminiscing about the “good ol’ days,” but I do think our current fascination with technology has taken some of the face-to-face nature out of our business. I miss spending more time with my clients on show site; now, we all run back to our hotels to check email or we wander our social media on our smart phones.

I sometimes fear we are losing perspective. We are not living in the moment, in the here-and-now, being present with the people near us, whether that’s in the create memories with the people I am standing next to, not those somewhere And that’s why I drove six hours to meet a prospective client in person.

Jim Obermeyer has been in the exhibits and events industry for 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

If electric vehicles are the wave of the future, then Electrify Expo might be the must-see event of 2022.

Fans Are Electric for Electrify Expo

T

he award-winning Electrify Expo returns in

try. Billed as “North America’s

tradeshow and fan fest. Each show will comprise approximately half a million square feet of fun and excitement—a one-stopshop for those looking to experience and learn By Bob McGlincy

The show occurred three times last year and drew more than

was presented with the prestigious “Expo of the

and related products. Attend-

and demo all types of electric There will be opportunities for closed course perfortrify Expo’s purpose is to

with as much instant torque of the electric brands dis-

14 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

expects to have 15 EVs by 2030.

» Hertz has ordered 100,000 Teslas for 2022 delivery.

» GM has promised 20 new EVs by »

other electric mobility products riences to consumers that allow them to make an informed purchase decision on-site in

» Nissan is investing $17 billion and

VW. Additional brands in-

»

Electric cars are nothing new. There were more electric

»

internal combustion engines.

the end of 2023.

Atlas, Bollinger, Ford, Lordstown, Rivian, Tesla and possibly GMC expect to have electric trucks on the market in 2022.

British Petroleum (BP) has stated that EV charging stations will prove more profitable than their current gas stations.

Hyundai and Kia are all in for electric. They “have halted any further development of the internal combustion engine.”

But that is about to change. and fun facts: » VW is investing $86 billion.

Solely in terms of electric vehicles, VW expects to outsell Tesla in Europe by 2023. » Toyota is investing $70 billion and expects to have 30 all-electric vehicles by 2030. » Ford is investing $30 billion over five years and expects 40% of all new production models to be electric by 2030. (Ford has more than 200,000 preorders for the F-150 Lightning.)

should be racing to attend.

-

Bob McGlincy is director, business management at Willwork Global Event Services. Willwork creates engaging, energized, and exceptional event experiences. He can be contacted at Bob.McGlincy@willwork.com.

COLUMN Ask an Expert

Aquarius Casino Resort Shines in Laughlin

I

f you miss the Las Vegas of the past, & Wine, Café Aquarivisit Laughlin, us, River’s Edge and Nevada, to recapture more (the resort has the feeling, service chosen not to reand style of Vegas’

By Calanit Atia golden era. Laughlin, present time). Nothabout 100 miles south of Las ing is better than to order a Vegas, is known for its beauti- cocktail and appetizer at The ful Colorado River with hotels along its riverwalk. non-smoking bar in Aquarius.

Aquarius Casino Resort Guests can enjoy the beautiful originally opened in August Colorado River and its sur1990 as Flamingo Hilton rounding mountain ranges, Laughlin before being rebranded in 2006 as Aquarand beautiful pink ius Casino Resort. It is the and purple hues of largest 24-hour gaming the area’s sunset. resort in Laughlin, providing Aquarius also 1,906 rooms and suites and a 57,000-square-foot casino convention space with more than 1,200 statein Laughlin, with of-the-art slot machines, the more than 30,000 widest variety of favorite table square feet of space to games in town, and a nonfacilitate gatherings of all smoking race and sportsbook. sizes. Aquarius also owns the The Aquarius Casino Resort Laughlin Event center, which has an outdoor amphitheater with seating for up to 12,000 options, including River Rock for concerts and other special Pizza & Pasta, The Cove Bar events. Laughlin has become 16 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

the stomping ground for big names in entertainment, such as Pitbull and Clint Black.

Sean L. Hammond, Sr., vice president and general manager for Aquarius, has been with the property since May 2006 and was promoted to general manager in January 2011. “My leadership is very hands-on, open dialogue and support of all departments that operate the resort,” he says.

As I walked around the hotel with Sean, his hands-on leadership was on Sean L. full display. He Hammond, picked up trash, Sr. taking pride in his hotel, and as we went up to the rooms, he knew the cleaning crew manager, and the cleaning crew knew him. What was amazing was that they apologized for their mess in the hall. I was amazed by his response, “No need to apologize. We are grateful for

you since, without you, there would be no hotel.” So many hotels around the country could not open up their entire room inventory due to lack of cleaning crews are crucial to the hospitality industry.

“I believe people love our property because of the team members, cleanliness and overall enjoyment of going to the river in Laughlin and staying with the top resort in town,” explains Sean.

For more info, visit AquariusCasinoResort.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 702-212-2500, Info@ AtoZevents.com, www.AtoZevents. com, www.twitter.com/CalanitAtia www.facebook.com/calanit, www. linkedin.com/in/calanit, www. instagram.com/calanitatia

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ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 17

COLUMN Paco’s Global View

A Display of Confidence and Optimism

Europe has experienced more changes than most over the last year. Some countries remain closed and others have a few restrictions. Because of this, it is essential to have well-informed partners that will aid us in our mission to bring back exhibitions in a safe manner.

After months of being at a standstill, the recovery is certainly underway. We have fter what has felt like an eterclients reaching out again, itching to get nity in our industry, we finally back to business and searching for see a beam of light at the their next event abroad to showend of the tunnel—perhaps from case their products and services. those bright lights that illuRohit Saraogi, co-founder at minate our booths in venues Design Desk India, perceives a around the world. lot of energy in his country. “ExThis challenging time has proBy Paco Collazo hibitions are looking at a strong, vided us with a new perspective V-shaped recovery. Exhibitors on the importance of hosting events in large and small are eagerly waiting to get person and the real value of interacting back at domestic and international tradewith others. And being able to shake a shows. The absence of exhibitions during hand has never been more meaningful. the pandemic has, in fact, increased the I spoke with our partners around the world, and they shared their experiences and expectations for this year. Here are some of their thoughts: Martijn Besaris, head of international sales and design at The Inside, says, “Europe is opening step by step. After a very long period of canceled and postponed shows, we see a really busy spring, summer and fall in front of us. Clients can’t wait to start exhibiting again, and we can’t wait to build beautiful booths in fantastic locations all over Europe.”

A

Being able to shake a hand has never been more meaningful.

18 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

value of this face-to-face marketplace.”

Although the Asian region presents understandable hesitation, Christopher Dorn, managing director at Idea International, says, “Exhibitions are taking place throughout Japan and in most of the APAC region. Despite travel restrictions preventing attendees from other countries [from attending], the show numbers have been high. Japanese businesses depend on tradeshows to make personal connections, which is culturally important to doing business. We see signs of hope that travel will resume this year, and we’ll be welcoming global attendees. In the meantime, we are handling programs throughout Asia for companies that need market exposure, but are prevented from having their employees attend shows.”

Even after seeing successful virtual tradeshows, the face-to-face element of traditional events can’t be superseded. in person, a very noticeable standard in countries like Japan, prevails in most countries no matter the region in which they are located. The feeling of a real interaction and the ability to read a person’s body language have yet to be achieved in the digital world, and I am hopeful that exhibitions and events are not going anywhere, at least not anytime soon.

From our trenches, we hope our trend we’ll keep for the rest of the year.

Events that had to be postponed multiupcoming months. I am looking forward reconnect and to build back a stronger industry together.

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.

Representing buyers and sellers in the trade show and event markets Contact Dan Greene at (708) 650-3343 | dgreene@nolanadvisory.com

@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 19

COLUMN International Focus: AIPC

What the Successes of COP26 Can Teach Event Planners

by Sven Bossu, CEO AIPC

E

vent planners have made it through two years of uncertainty, and many event organizers chose to invest in digitization strategies to make virtual events not only possible, but just as enriching as attending a conference in-person. turning point in the exhibition industry’s response to the global pandemic. As a hybrid in-person and virtual event that ran for two weeks from the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, COP26’s positive impact rippled to all corners of the globe.

Its leading cause—to further worldenvironmentally sustainable future— captured the imaginations of millions.

Despite public health concerns, COP26 was deemed too vital to be sidelined.

For convention planners, COP26 sets a fantastic example of what conventions can look and function like in a post-pandemic world.

In a recent AIPC interview with Kathleen Warden, director of conference sales at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, Warden discussed the lessons event planners can learn from COP26.

Build strong relationships with stakeholders and event organizers Rescheduling conferences poses logistical challenges for event organizers. between key stakeholders, clients and

20 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

teams ensured that everyone could come together to move ahead with the event.

Walden notes, “In this industry, we do nothing in isolation. It is an industry of teamwork, and we were consistently met with a supportive and collaborative attitude across everyone involved.”

In the years to come, maintaining the same level of commitment to maintaining open communication channels will help teams ensure Sven Bossu they have all of the resources they need to overcome challenges and bring their team together.

Place visitors at the center of your conference planning tendees’ needs was another area where COP26 triumphed. It was possible that some people couldn’t attend, so it was important to provide ticketholders with all of the technologies they needed to maximize their conference experience.

Organizers created parallel online resources for all 2,500 meetings held over COP26’s two-week timetable. The future of conference planning is about providing a great visitor experience–both

Plan for the long-term sustainability of your event COP26 planners looked beyond the scope of their two-week event and ensured that every piece of equipment used for the Summit was sustainably sourced and would have a use long after COP26 concluded.

For instance, gray was the carpet color throughout the Scottish Event Campus (rather than the UN’s primary shade of blue). COP26 organizers planned to donate the conference carpet tiles to Glasgow’s Social Housing Project after the Summit ended, and knew gray would be Glasgow residents’ more popular color choice.

Thinking of the long-term sustainability goals of your event can help you plan charitable outreach schemes that equally inspire wider audiences to become aware of your event and its underlying positive messages.

Expand your event beyond the scope of your exhibition plan Networking with local councils is another way organizers can promote their cause and gain support from the wider community. For this event, local volunteers helped out with stewarding and awareness campaigns.

Events and conferences bring people world together. Creating an environment where actions can match mission statements will emphasize your event’s message and inspire attendees long after the last person has left the convention site.

COP26 set high standards for event planners in the years to come. Although the industry may be catching up after two years of setbacks, digitization, personalization and a keen eye for sustainability initiatives can help the sector thrive once more.

Sven Bossu, AIPC’s first CEO, was previously 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 to achieve this. For more info, visit aipc.org.

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www.BusinessWise365.com ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 21

INDUSTRY PODCAST

Mike Morrison interviews Sonny Goyal at the 2019 ESCA Conference

Despite Trouble on the Global Stage, Tradeshows Move Full Steam Ahead

by Mike Morrison

W

ith two months in the books for 2022, I think it is safe to say that our industry is in much better shape than what we witnessed during the last two calendar years.

That was proven by our interview with Gary Shapiro from CES, which experienced a successful calendar. We also spoke with Eric Udler from SuperPetExpo.com about their successful pet show, which happened in New Jersey in January. Most recently, as this issue goes to press, we spoke with John McGeary from the Home Builders Show and the Kitchen and Bath Show, which took place in Orlando in early February and saw more than 70,000 in attendance.

Early indications are that when numcompiled, they’ll be strong, despite some COVID-19 scene. When you add to that the challenges of labor shortages, logistics, inventory shortages and all-time22 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

that the beginning of 2022 moved forward in a positive manner.

A new issue has surfaced, however, that throws another monkey wrench into the game: the Russia-Ukraine ness have escalated over the past two years, but when crude oil prices shot past $100 per barrel from Russia, prices at the pump skyrocketed immediately. This had another debilitatJohn McGeary

with many companies demanding their interesting to see how labor reacts to these challenges facing the live event comeback.

March saw a few large shows, including the largest F&B show in Las Vegas and HIMMS in Orlando. The Dental Show in Atlanta also happened in March and other shows are making a comeback. At has a strong resemblance to 2019 show schedules. It’s a welcome return.

We look forward to bringing on guests throughout the upcoming weeks to mon-

itor and watch how 2022 makes its way forward. We’re all trying to bring back some sense of normal Gary after a not-so-normal couple of Shapiro years. We are hoping the ride through the rest of 2022 is less bumpy and lumpy than we’ve experienced in recent months.

To get in touch with The Don and Mike Show, participate or comment, feel free to reach out to the show at TheDonAndMikeShow@gmail.com, or hit the show up on ExhibitCityNews.com or TheDonAndMikeShow.net.

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.

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@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 23

AIRPORT SNAPSHOT

Charlotte Douglas International Airport Airport Code: CLT Location: 5501 Josh Birmingham Parkway, Charlotte, North Carolina 28208 Date Opened: When Charlotte Douglas opened in 1935, it was called Charlotte Municipal Airport. In 1982, it was renamed after Ben Elbert Douglas Sr., who was Charlotte’s mayor when the airport began operating.

Size: Charlotte Douglas covers 5,558 acres of land. It has four runways and its 115 gates are in just one terminal that has

Transportation: The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) has two bus routes that serve the airport terminal: Route 5 and Route 60. The Lynx Silver Line is currently in development and slated for completion in 2030. This route will serve the airport.

Fun Facts: Charlotte Douglas has Carolinas Aviation Museum holds 50 aircraft, 9,000 books, a photography collection and the plane that Chesley Sullenberger ditched in the Hudson River in January 2009.

Charlotte Douglas’ single terminal has more gates in it than any other airport terminal in the US. Website: www.cltairport.com ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 25

COVER STORY

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ECN Celebrates Labor in April Our cover this quarter features nearly 30 I&D city managers/supervisors as ECN gears up to name and honor the 2022 I&D ACE Award winners in our next issue.

Meet the men and women who are I&D superheroes!

1. Eddie Kisosondi III: Assistant Business Rep. for IATSE Local 835/ Union Steward, www.iatse835.org Years in Industry: 29 (27 with IATSE) Fav Quote: “Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. As for Orlando, I love the people, the weather, and our union for being number one in the convention business.”

2. Tom Howcroft: Union Steward, IATSE Local 835, www.iatse835.org Years in Industry: 7 26 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

Fav Quote: “Always stay busy.”

3. Russ Markusic: City Manager Orlando/Tampa, Eagle Management Group, Inc., www.eaglemg.com Years in Industry: 34 (32 with Eagle) Fav Quote: “What I love about Central Florida: Beautiful weather all year long, wild nature, beautiful beaches and no snow!”

4. Mark Johnson: IATSE Local 835 EAC Coordinator, www.iatse835.org Years in Industry: 26 Fav Quote: “Make good decisions.”

5. Eric Michelis: Fla. Operations Mgr., Coastal International, Inc. Years in Industry: 21 Fav Quote: “ I love the draw Orlando has for travelers from all over the world, it provides an exciting and eclectic cultural environment.”

BY JEANNE BREI

6. Dierk Kratzmeier: Orlando Asst. mgr., Nth Degree, www.nthdegree.com Years in Industry: 25 7. Chris Griffin: CEO, Crew XP, www.

CrewXP.com Years in Industry: 32 Fav Quote: “This is what recovery looks like today. Great spirit of co-opetition in the Orlando labor business!”

8. Robin Elkins: Field Services Mgr., Czarnowski, www.czarnowski.com Years in Industry: 35 Fav Quote: “I absolutely love what I do!!! Glad to see the work back.”

9. Branden Underwood: Field Manager, Czarnowski, www. czarnowski.com Years in Industry: 10 Fav Quote: “No matter what, we got this!”

10. Angel Garcia: City Manager, Orlando, Octane Group Inc. www. experienceoctane.com Years in Industry: 22 Fav Quote: “Great to be back and proud to service the best convention city in America!”

11. David Youmans: Owner/ Supervisor, Laser Exhibitor Services, www.laserexhibitor.com Years in Industry: 23 Fav Quote: “Love what you do and do what you love!!”

12. Michael Youmans: Owner/ Supervisor, Laser Exhibitor Services, www.laserexhibitor.com Years in Industry: 19 Fav Quote: “Some of my favorite things about this job are the people who we work with. The thank you letters we get are the best.”

Photo by Johnny Cooker, Cooker Photography

INTRODUCING THE I&D CITY MANAGERS AT HIMSS ORLANDO 2022

Photo by Johnny Cooker, Cooker Photography

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Fav Quote: “Psalms 121: 1-2: I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker of Heaven and Earth.”

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23. Brent Driskel: Orlando Operations Mgr., Momentum Management, momentummgmt.com Years in Industry: 16 Fav Quote: “We’re the center of hospitality and we show it with Orlando being #1 in customer service!”

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24. Doug Savini: Baltimore/D.C City Manager, Momentum Management, www.momentummgmt.com Years in Industry: 11 Fav Quote: “Make it happen.”

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13. Greg Matthews: Orlando City Manager, Sho-Link, Inc., sho-link.com Years in Industry: 35 Fav Quote: “If you give your best each and every day, you will make a fulltime career out of a part-time job!”

14. Jim Moore: Asst. City Manager, Nth Degree, www.nthdegree.com Years in Industry: 32 Fav Quote: “Don’t wait until tomorrow if you can do it today!”

15. Adam James: Orlando City Manager, Elite TradeShow Services, Inc., www.elitetradeshow.com Years in Industry: 20+ Fav Quote: “The future depends on what you do today.”

16. Dan Griffin: VP Partner Development, Crew XP, CrewXP.com Years in Industry: 17+ Fav Quote: “This is the business we’ve @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

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chosen. And in Orlando, I never have to shovel snow again as long as I live!”

17. Mike Vega: Director of Operations, Willwork Global Event Services, www.willwork.com Years in Industry: 15 Fav Quote: “When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”

18. Steve Santos: General Manager, Willwork Global Event Services, www. willwork.com Years in Industry: 30 Fav Quote: “Best thing about living in Orlando is the warm weather year round (no snow) and beaches an hour to the east and the gulf an hour and a half to the west.”

19. Steve Edwards: Florida Area Manager, Nuvista, www.Nuvista.com

25. Walt McCreary: Director of Field Operations, Momentum Management, www.momentummgt.com Years in Industry: 32 Fav Quote: “Best thing about Orlando and tradeshows, it’s a great place to free your mind under a palm tree.”

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26. Ty Macaulay: National Operations Manager, ON Location, www.ONLocationind.com Years in Industry: 19 Fav Quote: “We will get it done, whatever it takes.”

Years in Industry: 26 Fav Quote: “Trust that our amazing Nuvista team that we have built here in Orlando will get the job done well and step back and let it happen.”

27. Cisco Mancera: SE Regional Mgr. ON Location, ONLocationind.com Years in Industry: 20 Fav Quote: “I love the diversity in the industry, especially here in Orlando.

It beats a desk job! If it was easy everyone would be doing it!”

20. Rich Heagy: Florida General Manager, Nth Degree, www. nthdegree.com Years in Industry: 30 21. Pamela Mena: City Operations Specialist, Nth Degree, www. nthdegree.com Years in Industry: 25 Fav Quote: “Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you’re willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.”

22. Frank Bernstein: Division Manager MC-2 Orlando, MC-2 Experience www.MC-2.com Years in Industry: 26 (25 with MC-2)

28. Sean Learned: Orlando Ops. Mgr., CEP/Chicago Exhibit Productions, Inc., cepexhibits.com Years in Industry: 23 Fav Quote: “There are no problems, only solutions.”

29. Tom Jazwiecki: Orlando City Manager, Lancaster Management Services, www.LancasterMgmt.com Years in Industry: 35 Fav Quote: “There are never any problems—only solutions.”

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 27

COVER STORY

Robin Elkins and family

Labor of Love A Q&A WITH SOME OF THE SUPERHEROES ON THE ECN COVER

BY JEANNE BREI

How did you get into doing I&D? What was your career path like to becoming a city manager?

Did you have a mentor in the industry?

Tom Jazwiecki, Lancaster Management’s Orlando City Manager, says, “I started doing I&D in Reno as a part-time job to get out of the cold Wisconsin winters. I worked my way to management positions by creating relationships while working labor companies, which led to management opportunities.”

He adds, “I had many mentors and took something away from all of those relationships.”

Greg Matthews, Sho-Link’s Orlando city manager, says, “I started in 1987 with a couple of friends who I was visiting in Miami. What started out to be 28 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

a weekend getaway ended up being the very beginning of a career in the tradeshow industry. I started as a freight laborer at the NMMA boat show in Miami Beach. Then I joined local 1175 Sign and Display. I worked for Gelco Inc. as assistant warehouse manager, then in 1991. I quickly saw that the teachings of my father gave me the edge to excel in this industry. After a few years working the freight department, I began working as I&D labor. About a year later, I became a lead man, and a few more years later I began to travel as a supervisor in 1995. In 2017 I was at the right place in my career and with the right company. I became city manager with Sho-Link,

Inc. in the Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville areas.” Matthews adds, “My mentor has been Rob West, a city manager in Orlando. He opened the door for me to join a wonderful group.”

Walt McCreary, Momentum Management’s regional director everyone else, a friend [got me involved]. I was traveling with bands as a roadie, and one day one of the guys says, ‘Want to work a tradeshow?’ Not knowing what he was talking about I went to work. From that point on, I’ve never left and that was over 30 years ago.” McCreary adds, “A mentor, Frank Lasley, who recently passed, decided to start up an I&D company, Delta Management Group. I was with Frank in New York at the time, and he asked, ‘How would you like to be my manager in the mid-Atlantic?’ That’s how it started; I had been in the industry for only four years at that da, I’ve worked as Momentum’s

it has been my passion and career!” Elkins adds, “Originally, I started out as a union employee through IATSE locals 631 & 835 here in Orlando for many years, and I worked in every not only to get the job done, but I was intrigued to learn and master each task so I can understand how all the moving components came together to make a successful event. When I was ready to move up in this industry, I was picked up by Will Cottrell, my mentor, who has since passed away, and we went where we excelled in the I&D world, which led us to working for Czarnowski. I became a lead I&D man for Czar for many years, traveling the country and clients. A position eventually opened up at Czar looking for a city manager and I was chosen to run all of Florida. I could not be happier in this position, working for a wonderful and welcoming company.”

Robin Elkins, Czarnowski’s “Straight out of high school I started working in the rockn-roll industry. I traveled the world not only catering to rock stars, but I also set up the stage at each venue and ran a stellar light show for each performance. After doing that for a few years with the extensive traveling, I wanted to be home more, and a rigging buddy of mine told me I would do well in the tradeshow industry. Well, long story short, I worked

Greg Matthews

in I&D and was instantly hooked, and for the last 35 years

What do you wish exhibitors and exhibit builders knew that would make your job a lot easier?

“Communication is the key to mutual success,” Jazwiecki says. “When you become aware that you are going to have a job that requires labor, it’s critical that you notify the labor company. The labor business is tough these days, and the longer a manager has to assemble a labor force for a show or event gives them the edge in securing a good crew.”

Do you have any advice for people wanting to enter the industry? Any

advice for the industry to get more people involved to end the labor shortage?

“The best advice I can give someone just starting out is to always show up on time and pay attention to your lead person and how they handle themselves around a customer,” says Jazwiecki.

“My advice is to start at a young age, develop your skills and be eager to learn,” says Matthews. “We are just now starting to develop a younger group of workers that will be the backbone of this industry as we slowly retire and move on in our lives.”

the industry is word of mouth.

We invite people with any construction or assembly background to try their skills at I&D work. Sharing your knowledge with a young person is very valuable to our industry to teach the correct way to do things.”

McCreary says, “My oldest son, Walter McCreary, 34, has been in the industry since he was 17 years old. Walt currently works as a project manager at Kubik Exhibits. I would say to everyone, ‘Learn something out what you’re good at to succeed.’ It’s a great industry, the industry is one big family.”

He adds,“Here in Orlando, we started searching for guys during the pandemic—that’s what it takes—most don’t know anything about tradeshows, so everyone keeps pulling them in we’ll all be in good shape, and we’ll get back to where we were before the shutdown.” @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

“I have always stated that the tradeshow industry is not only an exciting one, but also an untapped industry where you can really make a name for yourself and become successful,” says Elkins. “I always advise the new people

As a city manager, do you think you have an

in the business who they feel comfortable picking their brain about how to do things properly and learn everything Tom they can, but I Jazwiecki also cannot stress enough to newbies that the success they acquire will come from coming to work on time and truly giving an honest day’s work. This is not your normal 9 to 5 job. It is hard work, long

in managing a company,” explains Jazwiecki. “When needed, a good manager has to take charge of the crew and lead by example. When unfortunate situations fall upon a worker, it’s always best to listen and evaluate the situation. I’ve found that if it’s possible to help someone in

venues and cities. But it is the best part-time job where you can always pick shifts up. Anyone can be successful in this industry if they work hard.”

He adds,“Being a football coach for many years, I would tell my boys all about my job these years later I have actually recruited a handful of my old players. I know their abilities and their strengths, so when it came time to add labor, I knew what each one would bring to the table in order for our shows and clients to be successful. Sometimes we just have to think outside the box right people to recruit. These newbies know I am not just gonna hand them a job. All my new recruits take college classes to gain the knowledge on the business side of our industry. Today’s laborers are tomorrow’s industry leaders!”

are skilled, diverse, excited to work and mostly reliable, and they have good skills. When I have crew members who have

ear or both? How do you handle your crew’s mediif they have tragedies in their lives?

help, it’s best to help them out.

The employee will gain respect for you on both a professional and personal level if you show your human side.” Regarding his techniques for supervising, he adds, “Involving the leads from the beginning of a project is critical to success on the trust your leads in their decision-making and give them all the tools they need to succeed.

Micromanaging a project is not a good way to operate. Always remember that you appointed the lead Walt to a job because McCreary they’ve earned their position through years of experience and knowledge. I always like to say that I’m running the city, but the leads and key workers are who make it successful.”

“I believe I come across as both,” says Matthews. “I can be very stern and understanding, I explain my expectations to my crew. I have been blessed to have people who

do get involved to see if and how I can assist; even listening sometimes helps. We are a company made up of people.

Not just tools and equipment.

We all need each other at some point.” He adds, “Everyone develops their own technique and style of managing others. I always use the truthful and straightforward approach. Having respect, discipline and the desire to help others is what it takes.

And if you have great skills, that’s the best package you could ask for.”

McCreary keeps his advice short, saying, “Stay engaged with your team; everyone on the team is a very important piece to making it work once you’re at show site.” Elkins explains, “One of my biggest philosophies of managing massive amounts of employees in the tradeshow industry is to never ask anyone on my crew to do anything that I wouldn’t be willing to do myself. You have to be the manager the crew trusts and looks up to, but you also have to have a system in place where your crew not only believes in you, but buys into your system. At the end of the day, the job has to get done and if you work to keep your crew in a good place, whether it be with the right communication or giving kudos where deserved, morale will stay high and each job will end in success.”

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 29

Dear Exhibit City News Followers,

Join ECN as we give a big

THANK YOU To The Entire Showfloor Workforce

... Forget about the essential worker classification, each one of you is a superhero in your own way!

The few, the proud ... the Showfloor Professional!

Without you ... the show would not go on!

Without you ... the economic vitality of event destinations nationwide diminishes!

On the behalf of the hotel and lodging industry...

WE THANK YOU!

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WE THANK YOU!

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WE THANK YOU!

NOTE: The above companies helped make possible the content of this publication. They understand the importance of continually educating both their exhibit house customers as well as the exhibit and event managers they serve. Check out their offerings ... give them a shot at your business. And all you showfloor professionals ... consider working for these companies that support communications and the advancement of our industry!

FEATURE

The State of the Labor Industry Post-Lockdown

BY JEANNE BREI

32 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

It’s been a long two years, but the light at the end of the tunnel is beginning to look more like daylight than an oncoming train for the tradeshow/conventions and live meetings industry.

According to Jim Wurm, executive director of the Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Association, “Like all other segments of our industry, the I&D labor contractors faced

challenges during the worst of the pandemic. Those challenges persist on some levels now that the industry is opening back up. Many contractors experienced retirements or when the industry was shut down. Filling those vacancies is challenging, particularly when special skill sets or experience is needed. Having said that, the I&D labor contractors are outstanding problem-solvers. They make their living by handling the unexpected and the unintended issues they are presented day. And that is exactly how they have responded to the greatest challenge our industry has ever seen.”

Kevin McLaughlin, United Brotherhood of Carpenters National Trade Show Representative, agrees, saying, “It may take some time before people feel comfortable and safe in larger gatherings, but I believe the exhibition and event industry will eventually make a strong comeback.

Everyone has missed meeting face-to-face.” He adds that “before the pandemic, our industry started working on the fact that we have an aging workforce. Everyone in the tradeshow industry knows that most people have no idea what the industry involves. We have always been a behind-the-scenes type of industry. Every aspect of the industry needs to recruit new. We all need to educate younger people on what wonderful career opportunities the industry provides.

We also need to educate our politicians on the positive @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

The average age of a worker has on every city and state we work in.”

Many have been working on bringing industry awareness to both high schoolers and politicians, including the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA), National Trade Show Alliance (NTSA), Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA), Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Association (EACA), Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA), Teamsters, Carpenters and more. is on the board for EDPA and the ECA; he’s a past president of the EACA and served on the Advocacy committee for IAEE. He is currently EDPA’s chairperson for Industry Advocacy and Government the U.S. tradeshow industry upswing in business event activity in Q1 2022. It’s been a welcome change for exhibit houses and I&D labor providers. Frankly, it feels a bit like labor companies try and meet this quarter’s strong demand while navigating the challenges of a disrupted labor market. that the positive moments we’ve experienced this year turn into lasting momentum on our road to recovery.”

Handling Labor Shortages Future Workforce Committee in 2018 and says, “Our industry had reason for workforce before COVID-19.

the upper 50s. U.S. workers under 25 years old never even heard of the tradeshow industry. With the arrival of the pandemic, we still have these challenges—plus the loss of many experienced trade professionals who have either retired early or found employment in other industries. I think repopulating our current and future workforce is the biggest priority facing the tradeshow and exhibitions industry.”

According to Wurm, “The EACA had begun an initiative prior to the pandemic to build relations with Skills USA, an organization that informs students in technical and trade schools of career opportunities that don’t necessitate a college degree. The ultimate solution to the labor issue is to build this pipeline so we can collectively recruit and develop the next generation of industry workers. Labor shortages have hit every segment of the industry. Venues, show management, hotels, general contractors and labor unions, to name a few, have the same issue.”

The National Trade Show Apprenticeship Connections & Consulting Corp., whose mission is to promote apprenticeship programs and build awareness for the growing demand for a skilled workforce through DOL Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

The NTSA is also planning an “Invisible Industry Tour (see page 72)” that Laura Palker, founder of the NTSA, says, “is a bold, innovative plan that

The I&D labor contractors are outstanding problemsolvers. will help us build awareness, build a body of knowledge to help educate and build our workforce, create business opportunities and more.” any initiative(s) that drive education and awareness about the opportunities of live, in-person events industry.

I think the NTSA mobile tour initiative is so creative; it’s so important that our existing industry stakeholders get out there and speak up about the career opportunities that exist in our world. Let’s make the invisible visible!”

Contract Negotations skilled labor positions, the unions are having to renegotiate contracts that are coming up for renewal—the Carpenters union has contracts expiring in Minneapolis and Seattle/Portland on May 31 as well as in Houston and New Orleans on August 31. McLaughlin says, “The contractors and the unions will get through this together. We have all experienced and are enduring hardships

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 33

FEATURE

because of the pandemic.

to get us all through the next few years of recovery.”

enough hours to reactivate their medical insurance.”

EACA’s Wurm adds, “There are upward of 60 labor locals that will have their CBAs renewed this year. During the pandemic, those contracts that were up for renewal got kicked down the road for a year and are up for renewal this year.” Also, Wurm adds, “One of the issues every I&D labor contractor has faced is the process of managing cash

Mask Mandates & Vaccine Requirements Another pressing labor issue according to social media is when or whether the mask mandates and vaccine requirements will end. In response to pressure from social media, a Freeman spokesperson said, “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, low CDC and local authority health and safety guidance as closely as possible. In continuing with this approach and in line with the continued nationwide decrease in COVID-19 infections, we updated our masking policy. Beginning on March 15, all U.S. Freeman employees should follow mask guidelines based on the C.D.C.’s community level risk rating. As of March

EACA has recently pledged to our members that we will update our Best Practices Recommendation on Billing & Collections to help them navigate this vital issue.” next round of union contract renewals are particularly important to our industry’s economic recovery. On the one hand, labor companies and exhibit houses are still deeply have taken on enormous debt business, two years after the pandemic hit. That cost will be in their lives for years to come; it will put pressure on controlling spending (personnel, overhead, expansion, etc.). On the other side, our nation is currently at a 7.5 workforce needs their pay‘even-steven’ with their own monthly bills. This cannot be ignored.” He adds, “It will take real leadership and empathy by both the employers and our union leadership to create win-win contracts 34 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

U.S. was in the low and medium categories. However, masks are only required to be worn if the risk rating is high.

Freeman will continue to follow any explicit client, venue, city or state requirement to wear masks regardless of the risk rating.”

McLaughlin says, “Masks and mandates may still be with us for a while. Some show organizers may still require them. If that’s what is needed to make exhibitors and the attendees feel comfortable and safe, then I know everyone will do what it takes to make that happen without curs, stating, “Mask mandates are being relaxed in many states and venues, but

vaccine requirements, and/or proof of negative test persist in many, but not all events.

The vaccine and test requirements are tracked as early as possible so I&D companies can plan accordingly.” guess as to how long mask and vaccine protocols will be around. I think we’ve made tremendous progress on this in the past year. Recent news reports out of China and parts of Europe about a sharp increase in the new Omicron variant have our industry still playing defense. But I do think the days of staying home and hiding from any form of COVID are over. As an industry we need to continue to do everything we can to help get business travelers back on planes. And if the continuation of COVID safety protocols help do that, then I’m all for it. I think our labor workforce values paychecks above all else.”

Forecasting a Better Future?

Fortunately, the future is looking a lot more rosy as shows continue to open.

Many are now running at nearly full capacity. about the future of in-person, face-to-face events. As we enter 2022, we continue to shed yesterday’s self—as new realities sink in and new relationships unfold, and circumstances change (and disintegrate) and all of these impact on our ever-evolving paths. I believe there will be opportunity everywhere ... I remain hopeful that all con-

It will take real leadership ... to create win-win contracts.

‘unique value proposition’ in this recovery—because every city in America is unique and each one is capable of attracting meetings and conferences that drive economic activity to their own local markets.” what Roger Dow, president of U.S. Travel Association, said recently in an interview.

A complete recovery of the U.S. economy is dependent on a full—and even—recovery to America’s travel and hospitality industry. Until business travel, meetings and events are fully restored, the pace of the nation’s recovery is impeded.”

McLaughlin also believes that things are looking up.“I future of our industry. Tradeshows are where exhibitors meet with their longtime customers, but more importantly, it’s where they get the opportunity to meet new customers. To build companies and long-lasting client/customer relationships, in-person meetings will always have the advantage.”

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EXHIBITORLIVE PREVIEW

EXHIBITORLIVE 2022 at Mandalay Bay COUNTDOWN ON FOR JUNE

BY DJ HECKES

36 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

EXHIBITORLIVE has been an ongoing industry tradeshow for decades. It’s considered one of the biggest shows of the year among those in the industry, and it continues to thrive. Its 2022 launch announcement provides many reasons for industry professionals to be optimistic, but also raises a lot of questions due to its out-of-rotation dates. EXHIBITORLIVE takes place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las

tradeshow date patterns are companies that traditionally would exhibit at this event, and many people who traditionally attend this event, may pass this year. Their own customers might have shorter turn-around times as they prepare for a busy show season, and many companies are struggling with depleted and Nonetheless, EXHIBITORLIVE 2022 pushes forward and will give companies opportunities to do business and reunite with vendors and attendees. We will see a host of new companies exhibiting as new suppliers, and attendees will be privy to innovative ideas and trends.

Attending EXHIBITORLIVE 2022 will allow you to connect with potential clients and/or customers, industry partners and influencers in the industry. Like any other event or networking opportunity, people want to see exhibiting companies showing state-of-the-art innovation, emerging technology, experiential exhibits and creative solutions that invite customer engagement.

John Pavek, chief marketVegas, June 20-23, which is a change from its traditional date. And many companies are asking themselves: To exhibit or not to exhibit? That’s the real question.

Many people are uneasy about the show dates changing, particularly since they’re so close to family vacation time. Pandemic-related postponements and cancellations forced many tradeshows and events to move to late spring and summer. Traditional @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

Group, is optimistic about the upcoming event. “We’re excited to bring the industry together again and celebrate and facilitate the return of live events,” he says. “This year’s event will again present the largest exhibition of tradeshow and event products and services in North America with three full days of exclusive exhibit hall hours that feature no overlap with educational sessions.”

Will we see lower attendance or are people ready to get out there and connect and look for solutions to their business needs? While most businesses measure tradeshow success by the number of leads gathered, opportunities found and the return on investment (ROI), they sometimes discount the return on relationships that can come out of an event.

HEAD TO HEAD

By Ray Smith

into building those relationships determines its success rate. Tradeshows are a huge investment for a company, and metrics are important because they justify a return the following year. Attendees should capitalize on these events by following up with everyone they meet. Doing so allows the development of strong professional relationships that could potentially turn into increased sales for a company’s product or service. brought about business opportunities in our industry, up fast. This proves that our industry is recovering from the pandemic, but this style of fast onboarding can cause some problems. We are seeing many companies struggle less industry knowledge. This is particularly true when they start their new job only to turn-around-time needs, which is causing quite a bit of stress with manufacturers and distributors who are aligning products with timelines for deliverables.

The biggest challenges in our industry are bringing back employees, the continued

The National Trade Show Alliance (NTSA) is promoting the Match of Road Warriors as a social networking event to augment EXHIBITORLIVE. Match of Road Warriors is an amateur boxing bout open to anyone who works in the tradeshow industry, matched by experience and weight. Boxers will wear heavier cushioned gloves and face gear, going three rounds of two minutes each.

The event will be managed

by Sonya “The Scholar” Lamonakis, formerly the world’s No. 1 female heavyweight champion. She takes off her gloves to teach elementary school children in Harlem.

“We’re launching a call for contestants to get in the ring and compete for bragging rights,” says Laura Palker, NTSA founder.

“This is a fun event. It’s not meant to be a professional fight. These events are designed to bring us together in a fun, social setting.”

Anyone willing to train for 20 hours can apply to fight.

Applications will be available on the NTSA website (www.nationaltradeshowalliance.org) in April. Mark Yuska, chairman of the board for NTSA, is among those who have begun training.

The boxing match will allow the tradeshow industry to “reconnect as people,” Palker says. “We were working so hard that we became our job title and lost connection to reality.”

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 37

EXHIBITORLIVE PREVIEW

ENGAGING ENGAGE

By Kerstan Szczepanski

brain drain, and the reality of not being able to predict sales revenue six weeks in the future. Challenges that are fast approaching are not only supply chain concerns, but The stage is set for a federal interest rate hike when U.S. And we are seeing our own industry shifting to price updates due to supply chain issues, higher costs to run employees at much higher pay rates. What will be next?

My organization, EXHIB-IT! Visual Concepts, is a small business exhibit distributor that sold a double deck display on December 30, 2021. A mere 25 hours transpired from lead call to closure! Building a double deck display in four weeks and shipping to the Champs 38 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

Show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center February 1 - 4 was a challenge, but it delivered, and the show was a huge success for the customer. Pre-pandemic, this would have been unlikely for our industry, but is this the new norm? Let’s hope not, even though we’ve proved we can do it! The pandemic compelled companies to embrace unprecedented challenges.

And the challenges linger.

Most companies are struggling with employees who want to continue working from home rather than re-

impacted the work culture and production timelines.

Despite the challenging business environment, concept pushes companies to work faster for higher

demands for peak performance for customers so that they stand out. The second quarter of 2022 will see business picking up even more as face-to-face events make a comeback. So, put on your seatbelts because tradeshows are making a come back and more is to come.

We hope to see you at EXHIBITORLIVE 2022 from June 20-23, 2022, at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

DJ Heckes is the CEO/owner of EXHIB-IT!, a GSA Certified, woman-owned small business headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. EXHIB-IT! was founded and organized by DJ Heckes to provide quality products with exhibit marketing and design services to federal agencies and commercial enterprises. She also practices the philosophy: Priorities are what we do. Everything else is just talk!

On June 19, the day before EXHIBITORLIVE opens in Las Vegas, the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) midyear event, ENGAGE2022, is scheduled at AREA15.

Experiential is the keyword for ENGAGE2022, and attendees can expect quite the experience.

Michael Beneville, chief creative officer of AREA15, will be keynote speaker for ENGAGE2022. Beneville is behind AREA15’s eclectic integration of art, entertainment, culture and retail, and will share his valuable experience in experiential design.

Attendees will also get to experience WINK WORLD, the creation of Blue Man Group chief creative officer and co-founder Chris Wink.

“The tours of WINK WORLD are meant to spark deeper conversations [of experiential design],” says EDPA associate Pat Friedlander. “It is entirely a departure from the usual format [for EDPA events].” Incorporating Beneville’s keynote with exploration of AREA15 and a closing networking event will make ENGAGE2022 “…much more immersive and experiential.”

Registration is open now.

Discounts for groups of three or more people from a single company are offered and sponsorships at all levels are available. Contact Dasher Lowe or call 1-866806-3372 for information.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Tradeshow Industry ARE WE WHO WE SAY WE ARE?

BY AMADEUS FINLAY

By its very nature, the tradeshow, convention and exhibit industry is international and cutting-edge. It’s led to the forefront by the clients it serves and by the purpose to show the world what’s coming next. To remain effective and truly representative of its global influence, therefore, the industry also needs to support, and be supported by, diverse ideas formed from broad cultural and demographic spectra.

In short, it needs to be itself … in order to be itself.

But with that comes a longstanding history of a white-dominated workforce, a demographic that today still accounts for 65.4 percent of all tradeshow industry personnel. Of the rest, 16.4 percent are Latinx, 9.4 percent are Black and just 0.3 percent are Indigenous. While women outnumber their male counpercent of the workforce, their presence at the top is limited at best. And if you are a nonwhite woman, that margin becomes even slimmer.

Rhiannon Andersen is the owner and CMO of Steelhead Productions in Las Vegas, Nevada. Andersen celebrates 40 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

a rich multicultural heritage, coming from a Puerto Rican, Black and European family.

But that diverse set of valuable perspectives sometimes faces a challenge to be heard.

“Any environment where ed poses insecurity,” explains Andersen. “I think that tran-

scends from the professional personal life. Certainly, I am seen as an anomaly among my peers doing what I do as a female and a minority. I am cal tradeshow company owner.

“I truly never felt discrimination intentionally,” An-

dersen continues, “but when people see me, they might not be used to how I look.

At our industry conference, a gentleman came into the environment and asked me if he could speak with the owner. When I told him he was speaking with the owner, the gentleman seemed unable to process this. And it’s not being looked down upon, it’s been a transition for some to get used to, especially when we are in C-Suite.”

But for Andersen, the good more than certainly outweighs the bad. And with the development of focus groups and networking opportunities for minority players in the industry, Andersen points to a strong foundation that will lead to an even stronger future.

“In particular, Women in Exhibitions has put an emphasis on women who want the support of other women in working to evolve the tradeshow industry. They do some incredible work,” she explains.

Women in Exhibitions is no stranger to the international tradeshow and convention scene. Launched in

Rhiannon Andersen

professional development and

Melvin Alston

mentoring network has since spread to Germany, the UK and Dubai, to name but a few, bringing a diverse international perspective into one central thinktank.

Stephanie Selesnick is the secretary and international liaison for the North America chapter of Women in Exhibitions. A second-generation daughter of the tradeshow industry, the younger Selesnick followed in the trailblazing footsteps of her mother, Denyse, and today is an industry heavyweight in her own right. She runs operations as president of International Trade Information, Inc. in Las Vegas.

“The reason we started the North American chapter,” ex@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

plains Selesnick, “was to uplift and empower women. We are now at 115 members, including four corporates, but we are doing a major drive over the next couple of months.”

“This year marks the first time that the board of the Society of Independent Show Organizers is made up of a majority of women,” she continues, “and that’s certainly encouraging. It’s an industry in transition, and I think it also is due to change in the world.”

The data is with Selesnick.

Informa, the largest tradeshow company on the planet, has women at the highest levels, and two of their largest divisions are female-operated: Asia, by Margaret Ma Con-

are increasingly occupying positions of power. But what of non-white males and their journey to the top? Melvin Alston is the Las Vegas Market City Manager at Nth Degree, and is one of the few out

Any environment where you don’t see yourself reflected, poses insecurity... nolly, and North America, by Nancy Walsh.

Women are in the representative ascendancy, and they

A family-man body builder, this larger-than-life character has become one of the legends of the national circuit. However, Alston’s rise to the top was not as smooth and equitable as it could have been.

“I am patently aware that I am a Black man,” Alston explains. “It is always in my mind in everything I do. Not that I want to have to think that way, but it is the truth.

“The industry has largely been supportive of me,” he

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 41

INDUSTRY NEWS

continues, “but I am also one of maybe only a few Black people in a management position in the business.

“There was one occasion when I was working a job, over a couple of days, when on the second day the manager took me aside and said he was done a bad job, but because the client had used the N-word and it was thought best to take me out of the picture.”

“Has it changed?” echoes Alston to the question posed.

“Certainly the industry has, representation in management aside, but living in this country is another thing. It is much worse now than it was grown Black children, I have

dustry, and the impact of the

Stephanie Selesnick

Black friends, I have a Black family. The misconceptions and prejudices that are being stoked make me fearful for their safety.”

As Alston pointedly highlights, society bleeds into in-

CONCERTS CONVENTIONS DINING ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SHOPPING SPORTING EVENTS

in. With that in mind, analysis of representation, in any context, must also go to the roots of the subject to present a truly accurate picture.

In North America, Indigenous peoples gather for their own social and political conferences all across Turtle Island, the name Indigenous people use for North America, but their presence is also felt in the Western event and tradeshow industry.

Danielle Her Many Horses, Oglala Lakota, is the deputy executive director of the National Indian Gaming Association. Among her responsibilities is direction of the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention, an annual gathering of Indigenous gaming owners and associated non-tribal partners, which is entering its 35th year.

Given its uniqueness in the industry, the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention has established itself not only as the premier event for the Indian gaming industry but, in the words of Her Many Horses, Native American success.”

“It is the largest gathering of tribal leaders and casino executives in the country,” continues Her Many Horses, “and the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention is both the meeting place where the community gathers to learn, network and exchange

ROSEMONT’S IMPACT FIELD

cultural celebration of success, strength and self-reliance. attendees this year. Attendance has steadily grown in

42 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

There is every chance that we will see our mission truly reflected in our work. both attendees and vendors.

This tradeshow is unique in toward the tribal gaming industry as both buyers and sellers in the market. The growth of Indian gaming as an industry and market increased Indigenous representation in the world of tradeshows, as well.”

The industry may be slightly in the shadows of where it needs to be, but with individuals such as Andersen, Alston, Her Many Horses and Selesnick leading the way and showing the potential for the next generation, there is every chance that we will see our work that we perform.

As Andersen so beautifully put it: “Own your authenticity. I have been on both sides of the fence, trying to mold the status quo. But as I grew professionally, I began showing up as myself, and it was then that my career trajectory really began to shift. Embrace that you are actually bringing something to the table.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

industry needs representation at the table.”

Nevada has a citizen legislature that meets for four months every other year, and for the rest of their term, members of the legislature attend to their careers. “I think this makeup allows for legislators who represent and tries,” Pazina says. She says she believes, however, that the industries represented by legislators should be those that meet the needs of Nevada’s populace. “It’s important that the legislature be representative of the community that elects them.”

Earning a Seat at the Table JULIE PAZINA RUNS FOR NEVADA STATE SENATE

BY EMILY OLSON

Julie Pazina (D) prepared to give a speech in her living room, surrounded by friends, family and supporters. And in that pause and quick conversation and the start of her formal speech, she had an epiphany.

“I looked over the room and saw friends, family and colleagues; politicians and people not even interested in politics; Democrats, Republicans and Independents. And I realized that despite their diverse backgrounds and interests, they all came together to support me and get involved in the democratic process. It was a wonderful feeling to know that my campaign inspired their excitement.” @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

Pazina is a Democrat running for the open seat in Nevada State Senate District 12. It’s a hotly contested race—Pazina has a primary challenger, and two candidates are running on the Republican side, but Pazina brings something to the race the others don’t.

As a hospitality and tradeshow professional—she’s the

national director of sales at Edlen—she truly understands how devastating the pandemic was to the industry she loves and her state as a whole.

“Our industry really dominates the state,” she says, expressing frustration that there’s no one in the legislature who really understands the nuances of the industry.

“I decided to run because our

She truly understands how devastating the pandemic was to the industry she loves.

for this seat. She ran in 2018 and lost by a heartbreaking margin. “In a district that has never elected a woman or a Democrat, I lost by half a point,” she says. That translates to a mere 24 votes out of 55,000 cast, proving that every vote does indeed matter.

But after that loss, Pazina didn’t simply return to her day job and leave politics behind. During her 2018 run, she made a promise to a dear friend whose son, Carson, died of undiagnosed childhood leukemia after a bout of what his family thought was strep throat. “I wanted to do something in Carson’s honor,” Pazina says, and she didn’t let a half-point loss stop her. Instead, she worked with Joyce Woodhouse (D), who served in the Nevada State Senate until 2019 when term limits prevented another run, to form a rare disease advisory council in the state.

They also designed a license plate to fund the council,

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 43

INDUSTRY NEWS

developed signage for display in local schools on the importance of annual physicals, and worked to give medical professionals additional education on diagnosing and treating childhood cancers.

“It’s one of the things I’m most proud of,” Pazina says.

In preparation for her current run, Pazina added another layer to her deep understanding of the state’s number one industry by getting involved in industries she doesn’t interact with on a daily basis. She serves on multiple boards, and she just graduated from Leadership Las Vegas. “I wanted to learn about the community through the Chamber of Commerce,” she said of her experience with Leadership,

and delights in the friendships she made during the experience. “I spent a year learning from others about and organizations.”

Pazina is heading to her in her abilities to support the people of Nevada.

“I’ve worked hard to be well-rounded so that I’ll be able to serve Nevada well, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to run.”

Full disclosure: Exhibit City News is a publication free of political affiliations, but in Julie Pazina’s case, we’re making an exception and supporting a candidate who supports our industry. For more info about Julie Pazina’s campaign, visit www. juliepazina4nv.com.

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44 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

INDUSTRY NEWS

Product Presentation and Product Expertise, a Winning Combination

By Roman Moszkowicz

via phone calls, email and virtual meetings, but nothing replaces stepping into your customer's building and being there. With conference calls or virtual meetings, I don’t get the chance to walk around, bers, see projects and iden@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

right answer. Try doing that with Amazon orders. With me, there’s no chat room, no app. Just send a request, ask a question, seek advice and get an answer.

And it’s almost inevitable when rescheduling the second appointment, our customers will ask, “Can you bring all those products again? I want to show more people.” Music to a salesperson’s ears.

Roman Moszkowicz is the lighting sales manager at Trussworks.

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tify applications. Nor, if the opportunity is there, can I get a walking tour of the facility allowing me to gather valuable intel from the department that handles our lighting products the most: production/ installation departments. It is there where I can put my guard down, ask questions and listen. We all boast about our products, as we should, but it’s often more important to take opportunities to listen.

I think it’s important to try to understand how Trussworks’ lighting products can make their job easier, and if the situation calls for it, bring out those lighting products again.

Presenting my business card and simply letting a customer know the email address and phone number on the card is the only contact information entiator. How refreshing it is for customers to know they only have to make one phone call or send one email to get

LA

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s I travel throughout the country presenting LED lighting products to customers, something magical happens almost every time, sparked by having actual product samples to present to our customers. Interacting with a product is quite powerful. Once I put the product in a customer’s hands, they can feel the quality and see it perform. Instant credibility is established because the proof is in front of the customer, and I don’t have to resort to saying, “Trust me,” while pointing at the product on a screen.

Many chuckle when they see how many things I pack for my dealer trips, but almost every product packed for my voyages manages to get in front of customers. And it results in rewarding comments, such as, “I didn’t know that,” or “That is exactly what we need.” Then comes the best part—when the person you’re meeting with asks colleagues to stop by and take a look at the products. This is the moment when the value and importance of face-to-face meetings really starts to glow.

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ADVERTORIAL

ConventionSuite Celebrates New Key Accounts and Innovative New Feature Set

By Adam Kostopoulos

N

ewGen Business Solutions, the software and consulting company behind ConventionSuite, a single-source ERP solution for the events space, has partnered with Pinnacle Live, a major start-up in the events and hospitality business. Pinnacle Live has chosen the ConventionSuite ERP platform and NewGen as a key partner to help them build out a suite of technology so they can reimagine traditional audio-visual services across

major hotel chains and venues across North America.

Of the company’s recent success and wins, NewGen’s founder and CEO, Richard Kostopoulos, says, “Our product direction and key partnerships with organizations like Pinnacle Live have been monumental in shaping our post-COVID boom. We’re seeing enormous interest and movement in the events space across all of our event industry verticals—show service contracting, exhibit house

management and venue management. It’s clear to us that companies in this space are seeing demand coming back in a big way. We have put our heads down to build software that enables decision-makers in the events space to do more work with fewer resources.

It’s clear to us and much of the market that these types critical for those that wish to be leaders. As a software organization, we couldn’t be more

align with the events industry and our choice to double down on product and R&D investment during COVID.” Natalie DeFazio, executive vice president of Pinnacle Live, adds, “Pinnacle Live’s customized and hands-on approach enables us to readily respond to the unique and rapidly evolving requirements of every hotel and every event. We are selectively implementing systems and technology that free up time and space for creativity.

Pinnacle is excited to partner with NewGen as we endeavor to leverage the right mix of the latest technology, sales strategy and design thinking to support a more personalized and modern approach to event execution.”

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TRADESHOW HISTORY

A Tradeshow for the Ages

BY BOB MCGLINCY

, which took place at Crystal Palace in London’s Hyde Park, opened to a soldout crowd of 25,000 people on May 1, 1851. Twenty-three weeks later, through word of mouth, single-day attendance reached 109,915 and total attendance for the show exceeded six million paid visitors. To put that number into perspective, it is double that of a typical year at McCormick Place, and just shy of all tradeshow visitors in all venues in Las Vegas for an entire year, pre-pandemic (6.04 half months in London in 1851 versus 6.6 million in Vegas in a full 12 months in 2019).

Appropriately named The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, the show celebrated the industrial 48 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

revolution and was one of only a few shows in the 19th cen-

topped $20,000,000!)

On visiting the show, the editor of The New York Tribune, Horace Greeley, said, “I was did not see it all.”

A number of factors made the show unique:

» It was specifically designed to » » »

showcase technology as the key to a better future.

It was the first international show and brought together people and businesses from 44 countries.

The exhibit floor space was four times larger than any existing hall at the time.

There were more than 14,000 exhibitors (more than 2.5 times the previous record).

» Crystal Palace was the largest

» »

»

building in the world at the time and the first iron and glass convention center; it covered 19 acres and enclosed 33 million cubic feet.

There were more than 100,000 exhibits on display.

It was the first to charge admission, the first to solicit sponsorships, and the first to make a profit.

It laid the foundation and unfurled a blue print for tradeshow success for the future.

After 1851, it made political and economic sense for other cities and countries to follow London’s lead. If a city could attract a million, or ten million visitors (or more), then it had millions of opportunities to sell ideas and promote products–in other words, millions

of opportunities to make money. After The Great Exhibition, tradeshows and expositions began to appear and multiply.

Tradeshows have proven to be a dynamic economic engine. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the tradeshow industry globally supported 26 million jobs and contributed $1.5 trillion to the GDP. Truly impressive numbers! And this was all a direct result of the The Great Exhibition was a seminal event of the Victorian tradeshow history. It was the foreshadowed things to come.

But was it the most important tradeshow of all time? I would say, no. The most important show is the next one. The one promoting the next new idea.

The one encouraging the next chance meeting or conversaone displaying the next new product. And the one closing the next sale.

Photography by Exposures Ltd.

Experience Excellence Let’s start a conversation today. sales@blueskyexp.com 678-331-3800

Here. ready. stronger than ever.

SHOP TO SHOWFLOOR An In-Depth Look into Today’s World of I&D and Event Labor

RISE’s Murphy Door Display at IBS

Photo by Gary Prochorchik / Exposures LTD

Coming Back Strong

IUPAT

The March Toward Superior Service

WOW Booth: Studio Displays for KURZ

WOW Booth: RISE for Murphy Door

Pg. 54

Pg. 56

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Alliance Nationwide Exposition Heads into a Bright Future Pg. 68

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) 272-0182 and ask for sales. @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 53

SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

IUPAT — Coming Back Strong

By H. K. Wilson

T

eresa Ellis, business representative for Local 880, IUPAT District Council 82, has a message for the meetings and events community: “We’re coming back strong and able to provide the quality, highly skilled workforce that event planners count on.”

IUPAT is the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. It represents US and Canadian workers in the -

dustrial and commercial painting, ishing, glazing and glass work, sign and display, installation. It is hard to imagine any show coming together without the talents of the men and women of IUPAT. The Local 880 is made up of trade and convention show workers, sign manufacturing and installa-tion workers,

54 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

and embroidery and graphics workers. It serves the seven-county metro area of the Twin Cities, which boasts the second largest economy in the Midwest. The Minneapolis– Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is a Delta hub and conveniently located within from most US destinations.

Downtown is connected by light rail and enclosed skyways that make it easy for visitors to enjoy the exciting dining and entertainment on Teresa Ellis

This is also a market where state-of-the-art sporting and event facilities abound.

neapolis Convention Center feet of sustain-able exhibit It is the largest convention center in the Upper Midwest and is connected to the Minneapolis Skyway System, allowing guests to walk between the MCC, restaurants, hotels and other downtown venues while remaining indoors.

The $1.1 billion US Bank Stadium, completed in 2016, is home to the Minnesota Vikings. This striking facility seats more than 60,000 people and is versatile enough to host a variety of events.

Xceel Energy Center, located in downtown Saint Paul, is multi-purpose arenas in the

world and hosts nearly 2 million visitors each year.

Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, Target Center houses both the Minnesota Timber-wolves and Minnesota Lynx. It recently ovation and has one of only

Ellis’ own career with the ago when her brother-in-law asked her to help set up an event in the sheep barn at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.

Ellis laughed as she recalled, “I wore not ideal clothing: a

members. “If someone was struggling and needed rent money or medical treatment, I went ahead and famil-iarized myself with unemployment

new tennis shoes. And the smell was so bad! But it gave me an opportunity to work when I wanted to work. I realized this is what I really wanted to do, so I joined the union, and they put me to work.”

Over the years, Ellis has taken on many roles, including booth installation, sign and display, and union steward. In 2018, she ran for and won her current position. Ellis is probably not the image you would conjure when thinking of a labor union representative, but when it comes to advocating for members of the Local 880, this smart, spunky, mother of four has everything it takes.

could get people to the right resources. When you belong to something, this is how it should be.”

During the pandemic pause, union members used the down time to get additional training that has prepared them to come back to the

her peers respect her because she has kicked carpet and hung drape with the best of them—and because she does her job with heart. “Everything I ask someone to do is something I still do to this day. I want to provide equal opportunities for everybody.”

ever. Education and career oppor-tunities are also attracting a new generation of workers. “College was not an opportunity for me growing up, but if you’re a union member, you or somebody in your household can go to school for free. You can do apprentice-

her organization, which she

the country.

Allianz Field is an ultramodSaint Paul that was completed in 2019. The open-air venue is designed with an underground heating system and partial roof canopy to protect spectators from the elements and minimize the facility’s energy footprint.

For the Local 880, it’s back to business after a lengthy interruption by the pandemic.

“Coming out of COVID, we’ve been struggling,” Ellis said.

“But we’re going into all these places again. A lot of people said there would be major shortages on labor, but our membership has found a way to get back and keep moving. booked and people joining the union. We still have people joining, and we’re still holding our number, which is amazing to me. Even though there were quite a few deaths or people moving on, they’re coming back, because this is where their heart is.”

IUPAT stood by its members through the COVID crisis, offering everything from food to emo-tional support. At a time when so many felt isolated, the men and women of IUPAT had union membership. “We had a thing called Working Partnerships,” Ellis ex-plained. “They @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

provided food and other help.

They even gave people who applied for it a couple of hundred dollars to help them get by. If you needed shoes, a jacket or a hat, all you had to do was ask.

‘A closed mouth never got fed,’ is one of my mom’s favorite sayings. If we couldn’t do some-thing, we directed you to the United Way or Salvation Army. One member, George Johnson, went all the way to South Dakota to help people.

All 262 of our Local members have gone out of their way to make sure their brothers and sisters were okay.” role in ensuring that her union brothers and sisters both weathered the pandemic and had a career to return to once in-person events resumed.

You have only to converse with her for a few minutes to hear the passion that drives her work on behalf of union

Education is another value we give to our members.”

one of unity. We’re deco, but we work with about 10 other unions and consider them part of our family, too. People don’t always understand the value behind a union until they’re in a union. We look out for each other and stick together. I’m staying with family—this is what I know.”

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 55

SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

Tradeshow Etiquette THE MARCH TOWARD SUPERIOR SERVICE

by The Carpenters Contractor Trust

T

radeshow season is upon us, and its exhibitors, attendees and staff will once again be relying on Union Carpenters to expertly build unique and professional tradeshow exhibits. Union Carpenters demonstrate a high level of skill and expertise and have a renewed energy in striving for greater overall customer service.

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA) have a 100plus year history of innovative training unmatched by any non-union entity. To continue to meet the standards in an ever-evolving tradeshow industry, the UBCJA has developed a Trade Show Customer Service Training that has been utilized in major markets, most recently in Philadelphia

56 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

for members of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. This training was imperative in Philadelphia as the world-famous Philadelphia Flower Show was ready convention. Union carpenters were hired to ensure a smooth transition for vendors to the outdoor venue.

“During the planning stages, construction, run of show

and through the dismantling of the 2021 Philadelphia Flower Show, the EAS Carpenters played an integral role. Leadership provided great customer service training, and a willingness to cooperate fully with all entities to ensure success in post COVID in the City of Philadelphia,” says Joseph R. Boyle, vice president of General Exposition Services and general contractor for the 2021 Philadelphia Flower Show. “During all functions on the show site, all members and leadership gave full

Carpenters don’t take the opportunity to work for granted.

adapted to constant changes and obstacles that arise in such a unique event, at a challenging and new location.

Full cooperation and positive energy are paramount to the success of such a large and proud event.”

The Training

The major approach for ensuring the highest standard of customer service from UBC carpenters is a day-long training curriculum. Classes are taught by a UBC-trained instructor from their International Training Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The curriculum touch points include:

» » » » » »

Safety Anticipate the customer’s needs Earn the respect of the customer Listen to the customer’s concerns Learn how to handle bad experiences Understand the power of customer service

carpenter team in the fundamentals of basic customer service. If there is a mantra for this behavior in the tradeshow @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

business, it mimics the golden rule: Treat customers as you want them to treat you. This may seem common sense, but Fortune 500 companies invest in this type of training year after year with great success.

“This training is helping us to understand that we need patience,” says Laura Palker, president of the National Trade Show Alliance.

“We need to be looking at ourselves and the brand we represent and how it impacts every single worker [from] the hotel worker, from the dishwasher, from the taxicab driver.” The carpenters display “brilliant work, the presentations are well done, the content is priceless.”

As tradeshows return full force, there are also new standards of safety in place that need to be adhered to. Union carpenters offer contractors and venue personnel assurances that union carpenters adhere to all COVID vaccine mandates.

For example, the Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF) and Robert Smith, supervisor of instruction for the Northeast Carpenters Apprentice Training Fund, launched an online training course in 2020 that met the safety demands created by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Stringent safety rules have always been a part of the union carpenters training curriculum,” says Smith. “This is an added layer of protection, given the unique circumstances in The COVID-19 Preparedness Qualifications program has become a nationally recognized virtual training that more than 6,000 construction workers from many different trades have completed. The success of this program is a proud accomplishment that provides carpenters, contractors and industry leaders with the confidence they need to return to business safely.

Tradeshow professionals will see challenges as the industry re-opens. To ensure success, the industry needs driven workers who truly care about customer service and safety.

Carpenters don’t take the opportunity to work for granted.

They earn trust and respect by committing every day to the highest standards of quality and professionalism that tradeshow experts and attendees expect. They operate under a simple premise: No one hands you anything. You must earn it.

“We’re excited to get back to work,” says Robert Tarby, director of tradeshows at the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. “With the new training implemented by our union, we are going to meet the needs of the tradeshow industry.”

For anyone interested in attending or with questions about these trainings, please contact Anthony Squilla at 267-995-0598 or by email at asquilla@eascarpenters.org.

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 57

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

By the Numbers:

Booth Footprint: 20’ x 40’ How many people installed it and how long did it take them? 6 people over 4 days Booth Height: 20’ Graphics Size: 20’ x 20’ Entrance Height: 19’

Thinking Outside of the Box

By Emily Olson; Photography by Exposures Ltd.

S

tudio Displays’ booth for KURZ rose from the

like an alien spaceship, a giant mirrored cube that beckoned tradeshow attendees to take a look inside.

Studio Displays serves as the exhibit house for Kurz, so

time the two organizations have worked together. According to Emily Malavolta, senior account executive at Studio Displays, however, this “KURZ is a German company,” Malavolta explains. “For

60 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

CES, their German agency designed the exhibit and we fabricated it.” Taking a design no easy task, however. “Things always look gorgeous in the rendering,” she says. “But engineering a design that we did not originate has its challenges. In the design world, for example. And to not only make it happen, but build it in a way that it can stand by itself, come apart and go together

takes a mad amount of skill on multiple levels.”

That mad amount of skill went into building a stopin-your-tracks kind of booth that perfectly illustrates who KURZ is. “KURZ makes intelligent technology for car elements are essential in auto manufacturing, but they’re a behind-the-scenes business in the automotive industry,” says Malavolta. “The idea behind the mirrored cube is around them. It’s not until

PROJECT CREDITS

you enter the space that you see who KURZ really is.”

The 20 by 20 by 20 cube is completely covered in mirrored plexiglass on the outside, and the inside walls were covered by light boxes that also were 20 by 20. The light boxes were Malavolta’s favorite part. “That application was “It was very futuristic.”

And what did show goers think of the display? “People were amazed by the sheer size of it,” Malavolta says. “We @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

Designer: Claudio Theim at Theim Germany Builder: Studio Displays Support Design: Dave Earp, Studio Displays Production Manager: Chris Dagley, Studio Displays Client Team: Allan Quimby from KURZ USA and Katrin Riethus, Iris Brackemeier and Anja Sander from KURZ Account/Project Management: Dave Earp, Studio Displays Exhibit Construction: Studio Displays Graphics Production: Studio Displays Photography: Exposures Ltd. Exhibit I&D: Tru Service Group

mirrored Plexiglas until the last day of set-up. When the it was very awe-inspiring.”

Malavolta says that taking a design from rendering to planning to executing was an incredibly rewarding experience. “The fact that our team of engineers and fabricators do it quickly, speaks to the quality of the people we have here at Studio Displays.”

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 61

SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

RISE Put Their Talent on Full Display at IBS

By Emily Olson; Photography by Exposures Ltd.

M

urphy Door Hidden Door Solutions wanted to make a big splash at this year’s International Builder’s Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, so they turned to RISE Exhibits & Environments to help them design a showstopper of a booth. And RISE delivered. “People were waiting in line to get through the booth,” says Mark Ahrens, RISE CEO. But a whole lot had to happen behind the scenes to get to that point.

“Murphy Door had never had a booth to this scale before,” says Ahrens. “They 64 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

really wanted to come up with something impactful that would elevate the image and the look of their doors and brand.” So the creative team at RISE got together with Murphy Door to start the design process. This, according to Ahrens, is where the RISE creative team really shines.

In any booth design process, the chalthe client’s needs, but that will be unlike To meet this challenge, the RISE team

looks at a client’s website and products to get a feel for the client’s vibe. Then they look at the nuts and bolts of the client’s booth criteria. Next they sit down with the client and listen to them as they articulate their vision. “Our team is really good at extracting actionable information from a description that can sometimes be ambiguous,” Ahrens says.

The result of all this work? “Something spectacular!” Ahrens enthuses. “One of the most exciting things we do is partner with our clients on something they’re passionate about as we share what we’re passionate about.”

The display that was at IBS beckons tradeshow attendees through a contemporary booth that perfectly showcases the modern, unique and custom design of Murphy Door’s products, from pantry doors to beds. The booth had an open

By the Numbers:

Booth Footprint: 40 feet by 50 feet How many people installed it and how long did it take them? Eight people (six labor, two supervisors) over two days.

Booth Height: 16 feet

PROJECT CREDITS

design, highlighted by a spectacular pop of blue in lit-up beams that drew the eye up. Ahrens admits that was his favorite part of the booth. “Those elements were such a show stopper,” he says. But he materials his team used to create one cohesive look. “We used all kinds of materials—aluminum, black laminate,” he says.

“Sometimes you wonder how it’s all going to look when it comes together. But in the end, it looked sensational.”

Designing this booth was not without its challenges. The Murphy Door products on display weren’t just in the booth. They were part of the booth. And ensuring the display came together on

And everything did align, both in the booth and in the shared vision of RISE and Murphy Doors. “We believe we’re a leader in the innovative design department and are capable of making a master-

Lead Designer: Jeff Vavrek Builder: RISE Exhibits and Environments Production Manager: Lonnie Bassett Client Team: Jay Stevens Account/Project Management: Andrew Erickson Production/Engineering: Gordon Ashliman Exhibit Construction: RISE Exhibits and Environments Graphics Production: RISE Exhibits and Environments Photography: Exposures Ltd. Exhibit I&D: Jason Russell, Brett Meli (RISE Supervisors) & Lancaster Mgmt.

tricks of engineering. “Their products says Ahrens. “We knew where the products would go, but we didn’t have all of the doors when we were designing the booth. Our engineering team and their team had to work closely to make sure that we had all the right dimensions so that everything was aligned.” @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 65

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

eTail Palm Springs 2022

Alliance Nationwide Exposition Heads into a Bright Future

By Kerstan Szczepanski

Bank Insurance & Securities Association Annual 2022, Miami Beach, FL

The Start Alliance Nationwide Exposition advertises as The Hotel Show Pros for a reason.

Small- and mid-sized hotel events using traditional expo services face the same fees and charges large convention events incur.

Those traditional services were designed for large events and large costs; it doesn’t pay for them to charge less for smaller events.

And those small- and mid-sized events can’t

customer and they’d have an event in the to Texas. And the next year they’d go to

The Expansion “So we started cultivating relationships with customers that hold events through-

industry professionals formed Alliance Exposition Services to cater to those smaller -

Exposition Services was doing business as Alliance Nationwide Exposition.

The Game Changer “[The] industry was in essence shut down

their clients wherever they were in the United States. Their clients wouldn’t have

thought possibly permanently. People

another vendor in another city; they’d Nationwide Exposition. “Everything you

trusted—already there. Alliance became a -

within a reasonable range for their clients.

68 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

choose a path and we decided to double

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Alliance is focused on the future. And the future is bright!

Retail Packaging Association Conference, Orlando, FL

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sition held the Together Again Expo in down on live events … this industry is face-to-face would survive the pandemic.

hosted thousands of attendees in person Alliance became a vendor for the retail entire logistics program and now has

The company updated their systems to prepare for the customer growth they anticipated. They’ve increased their operational bandwidth to accommodate more customers in more locations. They’ve maintained themselves right into the

a Florida First Responders Appreciation

Alliance bought many up and started renting cars. Using their event set-up

The Future -

Now Alliance Nationwide Exposition is

tual is the new normal (Alliance itself is 90

ture and set up model home displays. to maintain the company during the

contributed to 95 percent of the client base

Alliance for the coming return of the what we were [in clients] before [the pan-

only endure but become bigger than ever. “I’ve never been more excited for past is behind us. Alliance is focused on

@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 69

KEEP CALM AND

TWEET ON Join the conversation

@ExhibitCityNews

SCAN ME!

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&'()*+,-..+*/026,,6"%789%:2 ,-./(01/2345

!!!"!"#$%&#'())*+"#$% @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 71

ASSOCIATION NEWS

72 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

Hitting the Road to Make the Invisible Visible

By Ray Smith

A

fter nearly two years of witnessing the dev-

ployed in the tradeshow indus-

-

a plan to reinvigorate what on one another to sustain our-

-

-

itors, the tradeshow industry

show industry, engaging in a -

-

rants and retail, and $29

and time-lapse videos showing ing a tradeshow, from setup to

“Everyone’s trying to deliver the message on a federal lev-

tions are lifted, the industry

-

meeting planners, material suppliers and trade unions,

tion Day, June 1, from Washing-

“You have an industry that

the Small Business Admin-

ensure that we are training “If we lose our artisans and lose that opportunity for

-

and other groups to drill home -

-

@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 73

ASSOCIATION NEWS

National Trade Show Alliance Continues to Meet the Demands of Our Industry

By Laura Palker, president & CEO, National Trade Show Alliance

N

TSA’s mission of with DOL Registered building industry Apprenticeship Programs. awareness, along with The Standing Strong Virconnecting, supporting and tual Conference and Sponsor developing our workforce, is Showcase in February was an being taken to the next level in Laura Palker the next few months. In addition to Todisco and the August tion to creating 20- to 30-minute conference speakers, Marlys Arvideos to build a library of knowledge to nold and Jim Cermak hosted a workshop help train the next generation of tradeon “Myths & Opportunities for Virtual & show workers, we have announced our Hybrid Events” and Marco Barozzi spoke intention to create an “Invisible Industry on “Insights From Around the Globe.”

Tour”—designed to end the industry’s anonymity (see page 72 for the full story). If your company, association, venue, union We have upgraded our website’s calendar or tradeshow would like to be a part of so you can easily access what is available this groundbreaking tour, please contact at any time. Join members once a month laura@nationaltradeshowalliance.org.

NTSA is also joining forces with Apprenticeship Connections & Consulting Corp., whose mission is to promote apprenticeon what’s up in the industry) and Thirsty ship programs and build awareness for the Thursday Zoom meetings (fourth Thursgrowing demand for a skilled workforce. day). By registering on the website, you’ll Founder and president Michael Todisco, receive the Zoom details for joining. a keynote speaker at our Standing Strong Our online membership directory, a virtual conference, works password-protected area that is only accessible to members, has already yielded work and provided skilled workforce resources to members. Also, members now have access to Teledoc services and

Membership is free for Individual members. If you are a business, we invite you to become a supporting member. We and there is more to help you grow your business. We need your feedback and your support to move forward. If we all do a little, stand shoulder-to-shoulder to rebuild, we can grow, we can improve 74 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON MARK AMBROSE Mark has been a 2D and 3D design professional in events and exhibits for more than 30 years. Over the past decade, his main focus was on managing design teams and design projects, a focus he’s now working toward transitioning over to hybrid live engagement/virtual experience design. He says, “My key strength is in my ability to combine creative collaboration and functional management skills to produce optimal outcomes for innovative organizations and their key stakeholders in any industry.”

Currently based in the L.A. metro area, he got his BFA in graphic design with honors at Corcoran School of the Arts & Design, Washington, D.C., and spent 10 years working on the East Coast—including Explus, Inc., Design & Production, Inc., and MFMDesign, Inc. In 1996, he moved to California to work at G&G Design Associates and designed live events projects, including National Presidential Gala, Promise Keepers, Forever Living Products and the Yanni World TV Tour. In 2000, he began a 20-year career with Freeman, starting as a senior designer in Anaheim, then a design manager in Washington, D.C., San Diego and Anaheim. His last position there was as executive regional design director, West Coast until June 2020, where he was responsible for a department of 15 employees representing creative design, floor planning and detailing, including equipment procurement and studio budget among other duties.

He’s currently working as a freelance graphic production artist and is open to full-time, part time and project-based work. His portfolio is at https:// ambrosem90.wixsite.com/artropolisdesigns, and he can be contacted at ambrosem@live.com.

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CONVENTION CENTER SPOTLIGHT

Bernardins

EAT

The Charlotte Convention Center

T

he Charlotte Convention Center is located along College Street, with the bustling city of Charlotte at its doorstep. It’s the anchor point of the city’s compact convention district, which is easy to navigate and packed with plenty of hotels and 200 restaurants within walking distance.

The convention center has a total of 600,000 square feet. Its contiguous exhibit space is 280,000 square feet, and its ballroom has 35,000 square feet with room for 1,800 guests. The convention center also has 46 small meeting rooms that have a total of 90,000 square feet of space.

More than half a million people a year walk through the convention centers doors, which opened to the facility just completed a $126.9 million expansion project. The project began in fall 2019 and was completed in October 2021. During the two year expansion, 50,000 square feet of leasable space was added. Included in that increased space is 14 new meeting rooms and 76 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

If after walking the tradeshow floor your feet have one more block in them, Bernardins (435 South Tryon) is a five-star restaurant well worth the extra steps. The restaurant boasts seasonal menus created with local ingredients, and there are plenty of gluten-free options available. Make reservations online for a sophisticated business meeting with clients you met on the show floor.

by Emily Olson

two 10,000-square-foot spaces, each of which can be transformed into 19 In addition to meeting space, the facility added new conveniences for visitors. An over street pedestrian bridge fo the Westin was added, as was a light rail station stop. The light rail provides convenient access to Whole Foods market, nightlife spots in other Charlotte neighborhoods, and 200 restaurants and 5,600 hotel rooms in the convention district.

An exciting piece of public art was installed in the new pedestrian bridge.

The piece is titled “SKYLINE,” and is by the Los Angeles-based artist Susan Narduli. Narduli designed a programmable light system inside the bridge. The bridge’s walls and ceiling are lined with nearly 1,000,000 pixels that change color and design to delight visitors with abstract animation. This centerpiece of the convention center’s expansion shows the facility’s commitment to providing not only function, but beautiful meeting space.

SLEEP Directly across the street from the Charlotte Convention Center is The Westin Charlotte. This convenient hotel has a pool, bar and full-service restaurant offering southern cuisine.

If The Westin doesn’t strike your fancy, there are more than a dozen hotels within a four block radius of the convention center.

PLAY Even if you’re in Charlotte for business, there are enough attractions within walking distance that you can squeeze a little fun out of your trip. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is attached to the Charlotte Convention Center by a bridge that runs over the street. This interactive museum is designed to celebrate NASCAR and educate those with a new interest in the sport. Its hands-on exhibits include artifacts, exhibits and a state-of-the-art theater.

Open up to the possibilities We are thrilled to introduce Detroit’s new convention center, Huntington Place. New name. Same place.

Same spectacular view. A place to connect, to see what’s next, for open air and opening minds. A place to meet in a place that moves. We invite you to see the possibilities for yourself. HuntingtonPlaceDetroit.com

Meet you in Detroit

Photo by

TM

@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 77

THE D.E.A.L. By Emily Olson

Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging

DINING

Charlotte Kitchens Are Cooking The pandemic has been hard on Charlotte restaurants, but it also inspired creativity and even helped create a whole new category of restaurant: ghost kitchens. Startups sometimes rent part of an established restaurant’s kitchen to create their food or they might rent part of an industrial kitchen that serves as a sort of incubator for baby food businesses.

A lot of chains operate delivery businesses this way, but there also are several locally established restaurants operating out of ghost kitchens that provide a delicious takeout meal. Patty & the Dogs, Soul Miner’s Garden and The Alternative Chef operate out of

ENTERTAINMENT

Queen City Is King of Entertainment Charlotte’s welcoming community and southern hospitality entice a lot of people to move to the area. And when people move in, entertainment venues spring up!

For lovers of the stage, Blumenthal Performing Arts is the name to know. The organization operates six theaters on three locations in uptown Charlotte.

Those theaters are Belk Theater, Booth Playhouse, Stage Door Theater, Knight Theater, McGlohon Theatre, Duke Energy Theater and Ovens Auditorium.

Belk Theater is the largest in the performing arts center and 78 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

Carolina Commercial Kitchen (3500 Labrobe Dr, STE 300).

Honeybear Bake Shop, Best of Both Souls and Meals by Mariah operate out of The City Kitch (9545 Pinnacle Dr, Charlotte).

If traditional dining is more your speed, Charlotte is no slouch. McNinch House Restaurant (511 North Church St, Charlotte), which is voted a city favorite year after year, is in the Uptown neighborhood spot provides incredible ambiance because it’s located in a Victorian home built in 1892. from steak to scallops, and its desserts can’t be beat.

And as the weather warms up in the spring, Charlotte opens its rooftops for dining.

Aura Rooftop (600 S College St), located Uptown at the JW Marriott, is a perfect after work spot for small bites, and the

Cloud Bar

bar’s botanical craft cocktails are a crowd favorite. Cloud Bar (555 S McDowell St), located on the roof of Le Méridien ible, 360-degree view of the Charlotte skyline. Chef David Burke, who calls himself not only a chef, but also an artist and inventor, came up with an incredible menu of small bites for this rooftop-with-a-view.

The latest spot to join the Charlotte scene is Fidel’s

Kitchen, which is opening inside a ghost kitchen just outside of Charlotte’s Uptown neighborhood as we go to press. The sure-to-be hot spot is owned by Jamaican-born Fidel Clarke, and he’s bringing the cuisine of his home country to Charlotte. Dishes like oxtails and rice and peas, which he learned to cook at his mothspot in the kitchen.

can seat more than 2,000 audience members. Stage Door Theater is the newest of the six, and many Charlotte locals consider it a hot spot on the entertainment scene. Duke Energy Theater is the perfect attraction for those who love theater. The theater regularly hosts interesting performances in a venue graced with stained glass windows and For those who prefer to be entertained outdoors, The Green, located uptown, is a natural Charlotte attraction.

This one-and-a-half-acre park is located right across the street from the Charlotte Convention Center, which is just one of the reasons why it’s

The Green

popular among conventioneers who need a break from the hustle and bustle of the

free plays. In the summer, the Charlotte Shakespeare Festival regularly performs.

When warm weather arrives, The Green regularly is host to many public events, such as movie screenings and

Shakespeare performances because the public sculpture located in the park has a literature theme.

ATTRACTIONS

Attractions in the Convention Center’s Backyard It isn’t easy to get away during a busy business to trip to Charlotte, but lucky, there are a couple of can’t-miss attractions just steps away from the Charlotte Convention Center.

NASCAR racing comes alive as the NASCAR Hall of Fame (400 East MLK Jr Boulevard), which is attached to the Charlotte Convention Center by a bridge. The facility planners selected Charlotte for its home because of the wealth of famous NASCAR drivers who

NASCAR Hall of Fame

came from the city. At the Hall of Fame, visitors can explore seven decades of NASCAR history and information about Hall of Fame honorees can be found on the building’s third terpiece of the attraction.

Across the street from the

Charlotte Convention Center and through The Green, visium Uptown (500 South Tryon Street). The Mint Museum actually has two facilities. Mint Museum Uptown is the newer of the two, and the original is on Randolph Road.

The uptown museum that incredible collection of glass, ceramics and wood from the Mint Museum of Craft and Design. Also in the facility are contemporary, American and European art collections from the Randolph Road facility.

LODGING

Sleep in Style in Charlotte The most convenient spot for a tired conventioneer to rest their head is at the 700-room Westin, which is attached to the Charlotte Convention Center by a bridge. The hotel has all the amenities you’d need, including a fitness center and meeting space. It also has a cozy bar that’s flooded with natural light and an indoor/ outdoor restaurant that offers southern cuisine.

For a boutique hotel experience, The Ivey’s (127 North Tryon Street) is located mere blocks from the Charlotte Convention Center. The hotel’s 47 rooms were designed @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

The ivey's

by famous interior decorator Nick Alain, and the building is proud of its 400-year-old

nities also can’t be beat. The ties, such as a complimentary

daily wine social and a private lounge that doesn’t allow public access. This hotel is truly Charlotte’s “it” spot.

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 79

ADVERTORIAL

Renting a Booth

EB:

All of the Fun, None of the Fuss

By Emily Olson

A

pple Rock is an event marketing company and custom fabricator, headquartered in Greensboro, and facilities in Charlotte and Morrisville, North Carolina; Wayne, New Jersey; and Las Vegas, Nevada. The company specializes in environmental and dimensional design, strategy, engineering and fabrication of innovative display solutions, environmental design, and corporate live and virtual event execution.

One of the services that Ap-

rentals, and when Exhibit City News sat down with Apple Rock’s CEO Eric Burg, it was this aspect of the business we focused on.

Exhibit City News: What advice do you give to companies displaying at a tradeshow Eric Burg: I always suggest they rent a booth their can test drive the concept, see what others are doing and adjust for the next show.

ECN: Does renting elements instead of doing a custom build

we custom make items and rent them to our clients. That way, the entire booth looks more on-brand.

ECN: I imagine cost is a major concern when it comes to choosing between renting a display and building one.

EB: Absolutely. Renting a display costs one-third the price of building your own.

And people often forget the additional cost associated with storing booth materials after the show. Companies also have to deal with repairs after the inevitable wear and tear on a booth after a busy tradeshow.

When you rent a display, all that wear and tear and those

storage costs become Apple Rock’s responsibility.

ECN: You have several show cities. What are the advantages of renting a display in the city where the tradeshow is happening instead of EB: Shipping is the most uncontrollable cost for a business. Plus, being close helps if you need an additional element for the booth.

And some of our clients just feel more comfortable knowing that supplies are close in case of unforeseen circumstances.

ECN: EB: We want every customer to feel like family. So when you work with us, you are treated with respect and honesty.

Custom Displays Portable Displays Branded Environments Show Rentals

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80 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

PEOPLE

People on the Move

I

-

by Emily Olson

Chad Helmer Jared Pollacco Denece Laborde

Steve Neil

Larsen (right) McMullin

-

Chris Meecha -

Noelle Webster Sebastien Thevenin

Robin Mullins Elizabeth Goldenstein Maria Zanfardino Jim Kulp Sue Ramsey -

-

Donna Rogers

Susan Valen Brent Driskel

Ben Stone Alan

Thomas Cantu Sean Puckett

Grottle (right) -

(above right)

Susan Klein -

Cara Roach -

Becky Bixby

Jason Megson

Ben Zarhoud

Oddmund Braaten

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David A. Nasatir Malik Staten

John Malozzi

Anthony Molino Christine Carchia Karen Romano

Peter Moll, (right)

Claire Spencer

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John RoTim Collett

84 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

zum

IN MEMORIAM

James Aloysius Bracken FORMER SISO CHAIR October 29, 1934 - January 18, 2022

F

ormer SISO chair and retired industry icon Jim Bracken passed away on January 18. He was 87.

Jim served for 26 years in the Marine Corps before joining the tradeshow industry in 1983. The retired colonel rose from director of the Modern Day Marine Military Exposition to leading VNU Expositions into the global arena, eventually becoming chairman of the company in 2002. Jim served as SISO chair in 2004.

He retired in 2013, but he would still make appearances at SISO CEO Summits from time to time. Jim was also active in IAEE, Major American Trade Show Organizers (MATSO) and the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).

“I was lucky enough to get to know Jim he really epitomized the entrepreneurial spirit of SISO,” says SISO CEO David Audrain. “Jim was a highly respected industry leader and a pleasure to talk with. His contributions to SISO and the he will be missed by the large number of people who had the opportunity to get to know him.”

Portions of this obituary originally appeared at www.siso.org/press-releases/ remembering-siso-chair-and-retired-industry-icon-james-bracken and in The Washington Post on Jan. 23, 2022. @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

Don Sealy Vaughn FREEMAN EVP, ESCA PAST PRESIDENT, EDPA’S HAZEL HAYES WINNER, IAEE PINNACLE AWARD WINNER & EVENT INDUSTRY HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE September 15, 1935 - January 20, 2022

I

ndustry legend Don Vaughn grew up in Texas and married his high school sweetheart, Barbara, while attending Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He received his BBA, Business and Human Resources in 1958 and received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1987.

His passion for getting involved and making things better continued throughout his career. He was executive vice president, corporate event sales management with Freeman from 1974-2005. He retired after 31 years, but continued to work by joining the meeting and convention industry’s biggest shuttle bus company (CMAC) and then spending 16 years with The Augusta Group. He also held executive roles with the National Association of Home Builders, the Astrodome Astrohall Stadium Corporation, the Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Billcom Exhibitions and Vaughn, Ducate & Associates.

Doug Ducate, former CEIR CEO, says, “Don Vaughn had a unique career in the an executive with the largest general service contractor in the industry. That combisolutions to industry issues. He was a great friend, and I will miss him.”

CEIR CEO Cathy Breden says, “Anything Don said he was going to do, he did. He threw himself in 100 percent. He was an industry legend, an icon of integrity, a servant leader and an all-around good person. While you may not realize it, his work in the exhibitions industry leaves a legacy that touches us all.”

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 85

IN MEMORIAM

Amanda Kate (Arentsen) Peters LVCVA COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER & KTNV CHANNEL 13 “MORNING BLEND” PRODUCER May 27, 1987 - February 22, 2022

B

orn in Red Bank, New Jersey, Amanda was a lifelong resident of Henderson, Nevada. She

as the communications manager for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) until lockdowns saw her position eliminated.

She went on to become a producer for KTNV Channel 13’s “Morning Blend” show in June 2021. Previously she worked as a producer

for KVVU Fox5’s Morning News (2009-2012) and spent three years with MassMedia Corporate Communications (2012-2015). who covers travel, leisure, lifestyle and the global meetings and events industry, wrote on Facebook, “From gas in 2016, to her NYC visit in 2017, to our tour of under-construction AREA15 in 2019, Amanda Kate Peters lit

up the world around her. Her passion for her work and Las Vegas became my own. Even after leaving the LVCVA, she helped with connections and story ideas. You made a big sweet angel. We will never forget you.”

Tracey Lynn Ward

Wallace Nathanael Youmans

TRADESHOW EXPO DECORATOR AT IUPAT DISTRICT COUNCIL 88, HOUSTON

OWNER OF LASER EXHIBITOR SERVICE

January 8, 1960 - January 3, 2022

March 8, 1945 - February 18, 2022

B

orn in Alta Dena, California, to Wallace and Natalie Youmans, “Uncle Nate” learned carpentry from his dad and remained in the trades for his entire life. He owned the largest door manufacturer in Southern California for many years before migrating to the tradeshow industry. In 1999,

86 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

he moved to Orlando to own and operate Laser Exhibitor Service of Central Florida.

Les Bunge, CEO at Laser Exhibitor Service, shares that “he was a shrewd businessman and a kind soul. An unusual combination to say the least. Loved and respected throughout the industry he loved, he will be missed.”

T

racey Lynn Ward was a passionate member of the Local 550 in Houston, where she served on the board of committee.

Tracey was born in South Bend, Indiana, the oldest of four children of Ronald Joyal and the late Joan Joyal. She was known for her loving heart and never turning anyone away; therefore, she had many “adopt-

ed” children along the way whom she loved just like her own. Friends and co-workers, including Union Steward Donna Woodard Smith, Rhiannon DeBlanc, Susan Walker, Gloria Fuentes, Terry Spears, Cindy Mcelvaney and Cody Cloninger posted on social media to share their grief over losing “Mama Tracey.”

IN MEMORIAM

Kurt G. Jaeger CARPENTER, HADLEY EXHIBITS, BUFFALO, NY June 5, 1951 - March 1, 2022

K Robert Wayne Talley SHOW FOREMAN FOR TEAMSTERS LOCAL 631, LAS VEGAS June 8, 1968 - January 13, 2022

R

obert Talley, 53, was a member of Teamsters Local 631 for 27 years where he was a show foreman, led teams, and taught and mentored apprentices.

He was also an avid sports fan and golfer. In his down time, he loved creating beautiful pieces of woodwork in his shop. He was Southern Baptist and, in his younger years, he felt the call to preach.

Robert was a loving husband, father, son and papa. @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

Frank Lasley Sr. DELTA MANAGEMENT GROUP FOUNDER Nov. 15, 1947 - March 6, 2022

F

rank Lasley Sr., 74, passed away after a lifetime in the I&D industry. He began with I&D, Inc. (now Nth Degree) in

moved to Florida in 1990 to open the Florida he founded his own Delta Management Group Show Services (DMG) company in 1993. He sold his company to MICE and he joined the MICE board of directors and was the presiopened American Trade Show Inc., dba Exhibit Design & Production, and retired in 2015.

Momentum Management’s Walt McCreary, who worked with Frank at DMG, wrote on LinkedIn, “I owe so much to the man who took a chance on me to succeed in this industry. He allowed me to follow my dream.”

To read these obituaries in their entirety and find more, visit exhibitcitynews.com

urt Jaeger, a carpenter with Hadley

away at the age of 70 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was an avid reader and stock car racing fan.

He was the beloved husband of Melissa (Winkelmann) Stange-Jaeger; stepfather to twin daughters Marilou (Chad Homan) and Melanie (Mark Warren); son of Marion Jaeger and the late Carl Jaeger; brother of Eric (Jean) Jaeger, Cindy Jaeger and Jan Ingerson; and uncle to many nieces, nephews and their children.

Donald B. Schulte, Sr. CHICAGO CARPENTERS’ UNION LOCAL 10 September 29, 1933 - February 6, 2022

A

longstanding member of the Chicago Carpenters’ Union Local 10, Donald was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, Garcia Moreno Council in Harvey, and the American Legion in Roseland, Illinois. He was hockey, basketball, football, bowling and golf. He played baseball with Bauer Buick, the Harvey Cab and the Midlothian White Sox. Most notably, he was a player with the 1968 Midlothian White Sox when they won the Illinois State Championship.

Born in Chicago, he graduated from Chicago Vocational School and proudly served in the Army during the Korean War. ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 87

Tradeshow Calendar

*Disclaimer: All shows are subject to cancellation, check the official event website on the ECN Tradeshow Calendar for the latest information.

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center/Centre | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet

CANADA Show Global Business Travel Association Canada - GBTA Ontario Dental Association - Annual Spring Meeting RC Show - Restaurants Canada ISA Calgary Show - Instrumentation, Systems & Automation Pri-Med Canada Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo DigiMarCon Toronto - Digital Marketing Conference & Exhibition Abilities Expo - Toronto The National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show Project World & Business Analyst World

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 05/02 05/05 05/09 05/11 05/11 05/12 05/12 05/13 05/14 05/16

End 05/03 05/07 05/11 05/12 05/13 05/15 05/13 05/14 05/15 05/19

Venue Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel Metro Toronto CC Enercare Centre Telus CC

City Toronto Toronto Toronto Calgary Toronto Toronto Marriott Downtown Toronto International Centre Toronto Winnipeg Metro Toronto Congress Centre Toronto

St ON ON ON AB ON ON ON ON MB ON

Att 800 10K 18.6K 5000 3400 18K

Start 05/01 05/01 05/01 05/02 05/02 05/02 05/02 05/08 05/09 05/09 05/10 05/12 05/13

End 05/04 05/04 05/04 05/05 05/05 05/04 05/05 05/10 05/13 05/12 05/12 05/14 05/15

Venue

St TX CO UT TX TX MO MN TX TX SC TX SD TX

Att 2000 11.7K 1500 945 119K 3000 13K 500 2500 1500 1200 900 650

Exh Nsf 80 300 58000 1K 200 200 22000 250

Industry Healthcare Food & Beverage Manufacturing Healthcare

Healthcare Business Business

3500 70

U.S. CENTRAL Show American Case Management Association - ACMA Association For Research In Vision & Ophthalmology - ARVO American College Of Occupational Environmental Medicine - ACOEM Sports ETA Symposium OTC - The Offshore Technology Conference Petfood Forum Craft Brewers & BrewExpo America Southern Association of College & University Business Officers - SACUBO Safety In Action Conference Techno Security & Forensics Investigations Conference American Helicopter Society International - AHS South Dakota Dental Association American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine

88 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

City Dallas Colorado CC Denver Salt Lake City Ft. Worth NRG Park Houston KCCC Kansas City Minn. CC Minneapolis San Antonio Dallas Marriott Resort at Grande Dunes Myrtle Beach Ft. Worth The Monument Rapid City Dallas

Exh

Nsf

Industry

Healthcare Healthcare 138 22400 Sporting Goods & Rec. 2.5K 641K Energy 150 18000 800 Food & Beverage 70 6400 Education 80 Safety 100 10000 Security Aerospace & Aviation 50 60 6000 Healthcare 28 Healthcare

*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

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Show American Association of Orthopaedic Exectutives - AAOE Food Safety Summit and Expo Retail Innovation Conference & Expo Technical Communication Summit Conf. & Expo - STC RAPID +TCT LeadingAge Illinois Anime Central National Restaurant Association - NRA Show American Academy of Physician Assistants - AAPA American College of Nurse-Midwives - ACNM Sweets & Snacks Expo Government Fleet Expo & Conference - GFX Society for Scholarly Publishing Annual Meeting - SSP American Society of Clinical Oncology - ASCO Automate - Robots. Vision. Motion. Solutions Sur/Fin - NASF American Society for Artificial Interal Organs - ASAIO Forge Fair - IFC - International Forging Congress NeoCon Association for Professionals in Infection Control - APIC KeHE Holiday Show Optometry’s Meeting - AOA SecureWorld Expo Drug Information Association Annual Meeting - DIA Society for Corporate Governance National Conference Silicone Expo USA AIA Conf. on Architecture - American Institute of Architects

The Annual Energy Fair

Start 04/29 05/09 05/10 05/15 05/17 05/17 05/20 05/21 05/21 05/22 05/23 05/23 06/01 06/03 06/06 06/07 06/08 06/11 06/13 06/13 06/15 06/15 06/15 06/19 06/21 06/21 06/22 06/24

End 05/02 05/12 05/12 05/18 05/19 05/18 05/22 05/24 05/25 05/26 05/26 05/26 06/03 06/07 06/09 06/09 06/11 06/13 06/15 06/15 06/16 06/18 06/15 06/23 06/24 06/23 06/25 06/26

Venue

City Chicago Donald E. Stephens CC Rosemont McCormick Place Chicago Rosemont Huntington Place Detroit Renaissance Schaumburg CC Schaumburg Donald E. Stephens CC Rosemont McCormick Place Chicago Indianapolis Chicago McCormick Place Chicago Detroit Chicago McCormick Place Chicago TCF Center Detroit David E Stephens CC Rosemont Chicago Chicago The Merchandise Mart Chicago Indianapolis Chicago McCormick Place Chicago Rosemont Chicago Chicago Huntington Place Detroit McCormick Place Chicago

Custer

St IL IL IL IL MI IL IL IL IN IL IL MI IL IL MI IL IL IL IL IN IL IL IL IL IL MI IL

Att 500 1400 12K 1300 1800 3000 31K 61.5K 8500 2000 16K 500 900 31.2K 18K 1200 715 1000 41K 2600 1008 3965 525 4325 850 3500 18K WI 15K

Exh

Nsf

152 760 85 100 250

21000 215K

2K 250 100 750 50

543K 50000

180 18 150 700 200 621 208 55 443

17000 2400

16000 25000

165K 6000 2600 500 217K

152K

Industry Healthcare Food & Beverage Stores & Store Fittings Communications Manufacturing Healthcare Art, Music & Culture Food & Beverage Healthcare Healthcare Food & Beverage Government Publishing Healthcare Manufacturing Building & Construction Healthcare Metalworking Home Furn. & Int. Design Healthcare

54360 37832 Healthcare 5500 Security 78900 Healthcare

180 750 170K

200

Electrical & Electronics Building & Construction Energy[Renewables]

PUT YOUR BUSINESS ON THE MAP! Showcase your regional services with a calendar sponsorship.

Contact Sales@ExhibitCityNews.com For Rates and Details. (Design Services Available) @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 89

*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 Abilities Expo - New York Metro American Association of Neurological Surgeons - AANS American Telemedicine Association - ATA The Makeup Show NYC REALTORS Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo National Head Start Association - NHSA Annual Conference & Expo International Association of Operative Millers - IAOM Bio-IT World Conference & Expo American Society of Pediatric Hemotology/Oncology - ASPHO Annual Meeting Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Exposition International Telecoms Week - ITW Modern Day Marine

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 04/29 04/29 05/01 05/01 05/01 05/02 05/02 05/03 05/04 05/06 05/09 05/10

End 05/01 05/02 05/03 05/02 05/06 05/06 05/06 05/05 05/07 05/07 05/12 05/12

Venue New Jersey CC PA. CC Boston CC

City Edison Philadelphia Boston New York Washington Baltimore Richmond Hynes CC Boston Pittsburgh Champlain Valley Expo. Essex Junction Gaylord National Washington Walter E. Washington CC Washington

St NJ PA MA NY DC MD VA MA PA ME DC DC

Att 6500 3300 6000 3000 9000 5000 1000 3400 1200 7159 7000 2470

Exh 159 221 188 80 100

Start 05/03 05/04 05/08 05/11 05/11 05/11 05/13 05/17 05/21 05/21 05/22 05/25

End 05/06 05/07 05/13 05/12 05/12 05/12 05/18 05/19 05/24 05/22 05/26 05/26

Venue

St CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA NV CA NV CA

Att

Exh

100 185 172 93 336

Nsf 35000 80000 56700

Industry Healthcare Healthcare Healthcare Beauty Real Estate Education Agriculture & Farming Healthcare Healthcare 271K Agriculture & Farming Telecommunications 69716 Military

U.S. NORTHWEST Show Association of California Water Agencies - ACWA Spring International Society for Cellular Therapy - ISCT Society for Information Display - SID Display Week Cyber Security & Cloud Congress Blockchain Expo North America IOT Tech Expo North America American Thoracic Society - ATS CLEO - Laser Science to Photonic Applications National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses - NAON Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show Aerospace Medical Association - AsMA Northern California Design-2-Part Show

90 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

San Jose McEnery CC

San. Fran Mascone San Jose CC

Santa Clara CC

City Sacramento San Francisco San Jose Santa Clara Santa Clara Santa Clara San Francisco San Jose Reno Santa Clara Reno Santa Clara

1252 7600

Nsf 8500

Industry Water Healthcare 43000 Electrical & Electronics Security

Computers & Apps 14K 239 77300 Healthcare 4400 200 59500 Electrical & Electronics 1400 Healthcare Travel Industry 1500 50 5000 Healthcare 1602 64 17400 Manufacturing

*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 American Resort Development Association - ARDA Smarter Faster Payments Conference American Roentgen Ray Society - ARRS International Sign Expo - ISA Governor’s Hurricane Conference Automotive Oil Change Association - iFlex - International Fast Lube Expo The Car Wash Show Community Transportation Association Expo - CTAA Build Expo Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Assoc. - TGCSA National Advanced Practice Neonatal Nurses Spring Conf.

International Jewelry Fair/General Merchandise Show American Geriatrics Society - AGS American Urological Association - AUA Investments & Wealth Institute Annual Conf. Experience American for Talent Development - ATD Texprocess Techtextil North America American Association of Orthodontists - AAO American Psychiatric Association - APA Institute for Supply Management Conference & Expo - ISM WorldatWork Total Rewards Association SAMPE Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition American Industrial Hygiene Association - AIHce EXP

Start 05/01 05/01 05/01 05/04 05/08 05/09 05/09 05/10 05/10 05/11 05/11 05/12 05/12 05/13 05/15 05/15 05/17 05/17 05/21 05/21 05/22 05/23 05/23 05/23

End 05/04 05/04 05/05 05/06 05/13 05/11 05/11 05/14 05/11 05/12 05/14 05/15 05/14 05/16 05/18 05/18 05/19 05/19 05/24 05/25 05/25 05/25 05/26 05/25

Association of Academic Physiatrists - AAP Physiatry Kentucky Pharmacists Association - KPhA Annual Association of Surgical Technologists - AST American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions - ADA

05/24 06/02 06/02 06/03

05/28 Hilon Riverside Hotel 06/05 06/04 New Orleans Marriott 06/07 Morial CC

@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

Venue

City Hollywood Nashville New Orleans Georgia World Congress Center Atlanta Palm Beach County CC Palm Beach Nashville Music City Nashville Louisville Tampa Murfreesboro Embassy Suites Orlando New Orleans Orlando New Orleans Morial CC Nashville Orlando Georgia World Congress Center Atlanta Atlanta Miami New Orleans Orlando Atlanta Charlotte CC Charlotte Nashville New Orleans Lexington New Orleans New Orleans

St FL TN LA GA FL TN TN KY FL TN FL LA FL LA TN FL GA GA FL LA FL GA NC TN

Att 3700 2400 2500 20K 4100 2300 8700 1500 2500 1500 2300 19K 2700 16K 4000 10.5K 3502 4790 13K 16K 2500 1100 1000 3996

LA KY LA LA

1300 200 2000 18K

Exh 260 120 44 589

Nsf

16000 3800 220K 32400 90 92000 400 160K 100 100 200 18000

442 101K 83 18000 385 122K 375 181 387 315 193 150 75 90 207

Industry Hotels & Resorts Accounting Healthcare Printing Government Automotive & Trucking Automotive & Trucking Transportation Building & Construction Food & Beverage Healthcare Jewelry Healthcare Healthcare Financial & Legal Associations

65000 68755 66807 Textiles Healthcare 59000 Healthcare 124K Manufacturing

4000 Manufacturing 34508 Manufacturing

60

Healthcare Healthcare 100 Healthcare 171 87400 Healthcare

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 91

*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 American Association of Endodontists - AAE Closets & Home Organization Conference & Expo

Start End Venue 04/27 04/30 04/27 04/29

City Phoenix San Diego

St Att Exh Nsf Industry AZ 3500 100 Healthcare CA 2000 127 20000 Building & Construction

American Planning Association - APA The Special Event & Catersource Association of Fundraising Professionals - AFPICON International Spa Association - ISPA Conference & Expo National Council for Perscription Drug Programs - NCPDP Del Mar Electronics Show - DEMS Pri-Med West Annual Conference Wall & Ceiling Conference & Tradeshow American College of OB & GYN Annual Meeting - ACOG Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit - MRS Realize LIVE - formerly Siemens PLM Connection ABC Kids Expo - All Baby & Child The Money Show Las Vegas WasteExpo Advanced Clean Transportation - ACT Expo American Payroll Association Electronic Distribution Show - EDS National Association of Healthcare Access Mgmt - NAHAM California Dental Association - Spring - CDA American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists - AACE Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Annual - SCA World Conference on Quality and Improvement - ASQ HDI Annual Conference & Expo Southern California Furniture & Accessory Market RFID Journal Live! (Radio Frequency Identification) Digestive Disease Week - DDW

04/30 05/02 05/02 05/02 05/02 05/04 05/05 05/05 05/06 05/08 05/09 05/09 05/09 05/09 05/09 05/10 05/10 05/10 05/12 05/12 05/14 05/15 05/15 05/15 05/17 05/21

San Diego Anaheim Las Vegas Las Vegas Phoenix San Diego Anaheim Phoenix San Diego Honolulu Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Long Beach Las Vegas Las Vegas San Diego Anaheim San Diego Palm Springs Anaheim Las Vegas Long Beach Las Vegas San Diego

CA CA NV NV AZ CA CA AZ CA HI NV NV NV NV CA NV NV CA CA CA CA CA NV CA NV CA

05/03 05/05 05/04 05/04 05/04 05/05 05/07 05/07 05/08 05/13 05/12 05/11 05/11 05/12 05/12 05/13 05/13 05/13 05/14 05/15 05/17 05/18 05/20 05/16 05/19 05/24

Anaheim CC MGM Grand Mandalay Bay Del Mar Fairgrounds Anaheim CC

Paris Las Vegas Bally’s Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Long Beach CC MGM Grand The Mirage Anaheim CC Palm Springs CC

Long Beach CC Mandalay Bay

5200 9000 360 160K 4000 250 30000 260 1000 55 6000 4000 400 7100 57 5700 5500 325 200K 5611 115 15000 2500 60 6000 700 200K 8000 85 12K 556 237K 4400 225 2000 100 50000 2700 255 180K 650 21K 590 130K 3394 104 1200 2500 100 30000 100 10K 200 150K 2500 200 14K 281 100K

Government Exhibition & Meeting Ind. Financial & Legal Beauty Healthcare Electrical & Electronics Healthcare Building & Construction Healthcare Chemical Computers & Apps Apparel Financial & Legal Waste Management Energy[Renewables] Business Electrical & Electronics Healthcare Healthcare Healthcare Healthcare Education Communications Stores & Store Fittings Healthcare

• 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 92 Apr/May/Jun 2022 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

n. 30 ine is Ja

20 ECN’s 20

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Secure Your Placement In These Future Editions

PM

The 2022 ECN ACE Awards / Women in the Industry / Best Places to Work / Giveaways & Incentives

Third Quarter Issue (July-Sept.) Focus City: Atlantic City, NJ

Corporate Social Responsibility / Nifty 50 Over 50 / Industry Salespeople

Fourth Quarter Issue (Oct.-Dec.) Focus City: Salt Lake City, UT

CALL SALES TODAY! (702) 272-0182 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 101 A Harmony Nail Spa 100 AllSpace Group 98 Avex 97 Balkan Bar and Grill 101 BWC Visual Technologies 96 CDS (Corporate Display Specialties) 100 CEP (Chicago Exhibit Productions, Inc.) 98 Champion Logistics 99 Character Talent 97

Classic Exhibits Charging Stations Classic Exhibits Display Design Clementine Creative Services CorpCom CorpEvents Exposures Photography Horizon Print Solutions King Size LED LaborSource, a div. of CEP Las Vegas Power Professionals

96 97 96 98 98 101 100 97 101 99

Lip Smacking Foodie Tours 100 My 50 Years in the Tradeshow Industry 99 Preferred Network Providers 98 Quality EFX Massage 96 SISTEXPO (in Mexico) 99 SmartSource 97 TWI Group 100 YOR Design 99 YOR Swag 101 Your Event Audio 96

For Service Guide information and rates, call sales at (702) 272-0182. Inclusive categories are available for all your company advertising needs. @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 95

INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Over 50 Wireless Charging Solutions

Classic Exhibits Charging Solutions are Rock Stars at tradeshows, drawing crowds and attracting fans. The charging stations from Classic Exhibits come in a variety of contemporary designs and shapes, including bistro, coffee, and end tables in round, square. Or choose a dynamic Power Tower or a custom counter with locking storage.

Your customers will appreciate the opportunity to charge their phone while learning more about your products and services.

For more info, visit www.classicexhibits.com.

Trade Shows, Events, Conferences, Lobbies, Retail eds.classicexhibits.com

Audio Visual Technology

Audio Visual Technology

Creative Design Services

Creative Entertainment Services NVMT 4993

Chair Massage Foot Massage Stress Release Massage and More...

Convention Chair Massage Services 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

96 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

Call or Text (702) 336-9362

INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

King Size LED King Size LED specializes in providing clients with all their LED screen needs for tradeshow events, concerts, outdoor festivals or permanent seamless LED wall installations. LED screen rentals can be client or agency managed, and King Size LED carries the latest technology panels that add a guaranteed “wow” factor to any event. Full HD, wrap around, seamless anything is possible.

For more info, visit kingsizeled.com

Creative Entertainment Services

Digital Signage, AV Production & IT

Entertainment Co. www.CharacterTalent.com

Display Design

Event Design and Production

Purchase or Rent

Events.

Production.

Service.

AND

EVENT DESIGN

AND PRODUCTION

CREATIVE LIGHTING IMMERSIVE

Blended Designs are Better Designs!

VIDEO SYSTEMS

Find Yours Today!

www.classicexhibits.com

@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

EXHIBIT BOOTH DESIGN AND BUILD 702.410.9448

WWW.GOAVEX.COM ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 97

INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

AllSpace Group AllSpace Group specializes in consulting, design and production of booths for tradeshow, events and retail environments. With more than 15 years of 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.

Event Management

Exhibit Production

Exhibit / Trade Show Displays | Event Planning | Sporting Event Décor Upstate NY

Montpelier, VT

Concord, NH

Boston, MA Worcester, MA Spring eld, MA

(508) 366-8594 info@corp-eventsne.com Providence, RI Hartford, CT

Exhibitor Services/WiFi

Exhibits

6 30.378.4 8 4 8 w w w.cepexhibits.com

98 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

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 Champion has a transportation division specializing in the coordination of tradeshows and live events. For more than 40 years, Champion has been a reliable source for all exhibit material delivery and coordination. By using the Champion fleet and a network of specialized tradeshow carriers, the company provides the most reliable and flexible tradeshow transportation services in the industry. For more info, visit champlog.com Chicago | Atlanta | Boston | Dallas | Las Vegas | Los Angeles | New Jersey

800.323.5401 | info@champlog.com | www.champlog.com

@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

Exhibit Services

Exhibitor Education/Book

Exhibits

Exhibits

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 99

INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Horizon Print Solutions Horizon Print Solutions, started in 1992, exists to make print buying and distribution as easy as it can become. Offering more than 30 different product lines, from forms, tags and labels to promotional products and corporate apparel in a supply chain management level discipline is what makes Horizon stand out in a very competitive marketplace. Friendly, intelligent solutions to every client’s need, time after time, is what keeps them successful. For more info, visit 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

Facial / Massage / Wellness Spa

Food Tours

Printing

Logistics

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

CDSpartner.com

We Can Provide You A Local Presence 100 Apr/May/Jun 2022 Exhibit City News

Promotional Products • Giveaways • Table Drapes & Signage • Branded Apparel • Gifts & Awards

INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Exposures LTD.

Because Your Image Means Business™

Great exhibits demand great photography…trust Exposures to capture yours in their best light. We’ve been photographing architecture and interiors since 1983, and draw upon this experience to create award-winning photographs for your visual marketing. Finally, there’s no need to settle for mediocre photography. We’ve got you covered for great imagery in every major convention city and in some smaller ones too, and we offer two service levels to fit your budgeting needs - Standard or Architectural.

Choose Exposures and let’s work together! For more info, please visit exposuresltd.com, send us an email to info@ exposuresltd.com or simply call us - Gary (781.715.1216 ) or Lisa (702.908.0642)

IMAGE IS EVERYTHING CALL TO IMPROVE IT (781) 715-1216 INFO @EXPO SU R ESLTD.C O M WWW.EXPO SU R ESLTD.C O M

Graphics

Labor

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 Promo Stuff

@EXHIBITCITYNEWS

630.914.5281

www.laborsourcegroup.com

Venues

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 101

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

4Productions.com

Apple Rock

AppleRock.com

3 80

beMatrix

105

Blue Sky

49

Breathe Health & Wellness Summit

71

beMatrix.us BlueSkyExhibits.com BreatheSummit.com

Brumark

Brumark.com

9

BusinessWise 365

21

Captello

31

CEP

46

ChampionLogistics

17

Clementine Creative Services

91

Coastal International

21

BusinessWise365.com Captello.com CEPExhibits.com ChampLog.com

ClementineCS.com CoastalIntl.com

Color Reflections CRVegas.com

CorpCom

Corpcom-Events.com

CorpEvents - New England Corp-eventsid.com

CORT Events

CORTevents.com

104 82 23, 90 7

Derse

77

EDPA

81

Edlen

44

Derse.com EDPA.com Edlen.com

Employco USA Employco.com

5

Epiq Creative Group

23

Exhibitus

83

EpiqCreativeGroup.com Exhibitus.com

Exposures Ltd. Photography ExposuresLtd.com

Hill & Partners HillPartners.com

4, 88 93

Horizon Print Solution

92

Huntington Place (formerly TCF Center/Cobo)

77

iLuminate

67

PrintEfficiency.com

HuntingtonPlaceDetroit.com

iLuminate.com IUPAT - (International Union of Painters & Allied Trades) IUPATTradeshow.com

Back Cover

Labor Inc.

62

Lancaster Management

50

Las Vegas Mannequins/Las Vegas Store Supply

19

McNabb Exhibit Flooring

15

National TradeShow Alliance

75

NewGen

47

Nolan Advisory Services (NAS)

19

LaborInc.ca

LancasterManagement.com

LVMannequins.com & LVStoreSupply.com McNabbExhibitFlooring.com

NationalTradeShowAlliance.org NewGenNow.com

NolanAdvisory.com

OnSite

4

Orbus

63

Oscar and Associates

66

OnSiteexhibitorservice.com Orbus.com

OscarandAssociates.com

Regional Council of Carpenters EAScarpenters.org

2

Rosemont – RES

42

SEG Warehouse

19

Sho-Link Inc.

17

Sunset Transportation

39

Superior Logistics

13

Total Show Technology (TST)

58

Trussworks

45

Von Hagen Design

66

Willwork

52

Rosemont.com WhySEG.com Sho-link.com

Sunset-LV.com

ShipSuperior.com

TotalShowTech.com Trussworks.com VonHagen.net Willwork.com

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES: Contact sales: (702) 272-0182, sales@exhibitcitynews.com @EXHIBITCITYNEWS

ExhibitCityNews.com Apr/May/Jun 2022 103

UnderCovr: We got you covered!

The world of live communication continues to evolve and so do we.

UnderCovr

UnderCovr lets you take your existing beMatrix stock outdoors with the addition of just a few new parts.

UnderCovr is able to: Withstand wind and rain Be covered with panels or SEG textile Integrate with all other beMatrix products Outdoor events are nothing new, but with UnderCovr you can take the ease of use the beMatrix system is known for, anywhere.

Ready to go UnderCovr?

Contact us for more information, Info@bematrix.us.

UnderCovr

THE IUPAT WELCOMES BACK OUR MEMBERS AND CONTRACTORS TO ALL TRADE SHOWS!

IUPATtradeshow.com

Exhibit City News

SPOTLIGHT ON LABOR / DIVERSITY IN THE INDUSTRY / EXHIBITORLIVE PREVIEW / FOCUS ON CHARLOTTE

Apr/May/Jun 2022 • Vol. 28 • Issue 2 US $12 CAN $18