Exhibit City News - Apr/May/June 2024

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Greetings to Readers Everywhere

Spring is the season of renewal, and the fowers are beginning to bloom.

It’s only ftting that our Q2 issue follows suit, ofering a vibrant array of new topics, talented writers, and dynamic advertisers. Our steadfast dedication to staying “True to the Trade” remains unwavering.

ever, with the plethora of new faces, now, more than ever, we as an industry need training.

PUBLISHER & FOUNDER

Donald V. Svehla Jr. (702) 272-0182 ext. 102 DonS@exhibitcitynews.com

DIGITAL EDITOR

Marlena Sullivan digitaleditor@exhibitcitynews.com

These pages contain insightful discussions on sustainability, showcasing how our industry embraces eco-friendly practices to pave the way for a greener future. For those new to the scene (and we welcome many of you), delve into our Show Floor Etiquette article which ofers invaluable training tips and tricks for navigating the bustling show foor with fnesse.

Our Business Beacon series, helmed by industry vetrans Jane Gentry and Pat Alacqua, ofers indispensable guidance for executives in live events. As fresh faces enter our industry, we also recognize the importance of supporting those seeking to transition their businesses. Our series will serve as a roadmap through this process, featuring illuminating articles and videos on our website.

Explore articles spotlighting Spiro’s transformative journey under the leadership of Global President Jef Stelmach, and insights into how leading industry designers are shifting to experiential design.

Whether you’re just starting out, switching career paths, or trying something new after retirement, tradeshows have something for everyone. From the day I started in the industry, I was reminded that it is our responsibility, as old souls, to enrich future generations and pass on our love for our craft. How-

From EDPA’s groundbreaking sustainability framework to ECA’s upcoming Legislative Action Day in Washington, DC, there’s no shortage of opportunities to engage and collaborate. ESCA’s summer Education Conference and IFES Educational Committee’s North American MasterClass ofer further avenues for growth and learning. Let’s not forget that SISO’s CEO Summit is just around the corner in April. Together, these eforts sustain and nurture our industry, fueled by the collective dedication of institutions, companies, associations, and unions.

To our loyal readers and advertisers, we thank you for your unwavering support over the past three decades. ECN is the industry’s premier print and digital platform, serving the diverse needs of the one million professionals who bring tradeshows and events to life year-round. We take pride in our legacy and the privilege of serving such a dynamic community.

As you immerse yourself in the pages of this issue, we invite you to share your feedback and insights online. Thank you for journeying with us.

Enjoy the issue, and happy reading!

Don Svehla, Publisher/Founder

Questions? Suggestions? Comments about our content? We love feedback and hearing from you! Send me an email at dons@exhibitcitynews.com

ART DIRECTOR

Thomas Speak

TomS@exhibitcitynews.com

STRATEGIC ADVISOR

Christopher "Chris" Kappes chrisk@exhibitcitynews.com

CONSULTANT

Lisa Abrams

LisaA@exhibitcitynews.com

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Christy Giambattista

ChristyD@exhibitcitynews.com

SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE

Ashley Sou AshleyS@exhibitcitynews.com

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Rochelle "Chelle" Robertson frontdesk@exhibitcitynews.com

COLUMNISTS

Pat Alacqua, Paco Collazo, Jane Gentry, Liz Lathan, Bob McGlincy, Jim Obermeyer

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jessica Bosewell, Danelle Dodds, Thea Engst, Pat Friedlander, Larry Kulchawik, Sam Ogren

STAFF WRITERS

Chris Kappes

Marlena Sullivan

Kerstan Szczepanski

PROOFREADERS

Thea Engst

Pat Friedlander

Kerstan Szczepanski

CIRCULATION

Manny Chico

Circulation@exhibitcitynews.com

We are in the business of cultivating experiences

When I frst started working at Exhibit City News, it was a whirlwind: the end of the year, all new terminology and lingo to memorize, a magazine to print, and new people to meet. I cannot say that things have gotten slower, but they certainly have become easier to navigate. The terminology once names thrown at me like words to a wall, hoping they’ll stick are now consistent in my vocabulary and staples in my conversations. Our advertisers I worried I would never know? I now look at them and think of them as dear friends. Three short months since the frst magazine, and we are here.

Our Quarter 2 print is about sustainability. For many this is going to mean big green banners, checkmarks in boxes about your carbon footprint, and all of the components that need to be recycled or reused. I think, it is more than that.

At EXHIBITORLIVE I wore a hat to the opening celebrations and many of our colleagues commented about it with much joy. When asked about it, I recounted that I have over 80 hats, most of which I have received second-hand. Each one has a story, that I can share with a special enthusiasm unique to each hat. To me, that is sustainability. It is recycling the old and reusing what we can, yet it is also about fostering and caring for that which we already have.

Sustainability is working together towards a better world, working with nature rather than against it. Sustainability is maintaining relationships between people and growing them in an organic way that

feels memorable and timeless. Sustainability is creating experiences that can be repeated without feeling old or overworn, both for our clients and ourselves. Sustainability is proving yourself as a part of the ecosystem of not only the planet but the tradeshow industry. Find your place, branch out to connect with others, and help others to grow.

I have a learned a lot with this issue, about sustainability in the industry and sustainability in growing a company. I have

learned about sustainable work and sustainable marketing. I have learned about creating and fostering that which you have created, in order to develop better experiences for everyone. And as I have been told time and time again by all those I’ve met and will continue to meet: we are in the business of cultivating experiences.

CENTER SNAPSHOT by Kerstan Szczepanski

New Orleans Earnest N. Morial Convention Center

Location: 900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, LA

Date Opened: January 28, 1985

Square Footage: With a front that is one kilometer long, the NOENMCC has 1.1 million square feet of exhibit space. There are 140 meeting rooms, the 4,000seat New Orleans Theater, two ballrooms—30,000 square feet and 60,000 square feet, and a 25,000 square foot pre-function area. It is the sixth largest convention facility in the U.S., and annually one of the top ten venues for conventions and tradeshows.

Parking: Lots F and G, across from the convention center, have thousands of spaces. Several other lots and garages are immediately nearby, providing ample parking.

Hotels: Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans Convention Center and the Omni Riverfront Hotel New Orleans are two of the hotels providing over 7,000 rooms within a fve minute walk of the convention center.

Airport Info and Transport: The Louis Armstrong International Airport is 25 minutes away by car. Bus, shuttles, taxis and rideshare all provide service to the convention center. The Transportation Center—the frst phase of a planned linear park along Convention Center Blvd.—is where all transport drop-ofs occur, eliminating most such trafc on the main road.

Website: https://mccno.com

PLUS! Where to eat, sleep & play in New Orleands p. 78

If You Build It, They May Not Come

Wouldn’t it be great if you could build a brand-new exhibit, show up at your largest annual tradeshow, and wait for the crowds to gather? If you listen to some exhibit salespeople, you would think it happens like that. Not quite.

Bottom line: Use the time on the show floor to build qualified business opportunities and create interest in your product.

By Jim Obermeyer

Especially now, when tradeshow industry experts tell us that attendance is down anywhere from 15 – 25 percent from pre-pandemic years, it is even more important to ensure that the audience knows about you and your latest oferings, long before they get to the show. It’s not so much about the exhibit property (as much as many would like it to be), as it is about how you market your presence at the show before, during, and after the event.

Pre-show marketing includes things like setting appointments with clients and prospects in advance and targeting key prospects with direct mail, e-blasts, and social media. This creates interest and a compelling ofer before the show.

Bottom line: Get on the attendee’s ‘must-see’ list before the show opens.

At-show marketing means using the exhibit property as a backdrop for promoting of your products through experiential demonstrations and presentations. Additionally, training your booth staf to actively pursue prospects on the foor and qualify them helps to generate legitimate leads for follow-up.

Post-show marketing involves implementing a dedicated process for tracking and following up all leads, surveying both booth staf and attendees, and generating reports that show a positive return on investment for the show.

Bottom line: Prove the value of exhibiting by measuring success in quantifable terms.

If you do all that, are you guaranteed success, especially now?

The Silver Lining in the Economic Cloud

With exhibitor and attendee numbers reportedly lower, believe it or not, there is real opportunity on the show foor. There are fewer of your competitors vying for attendee attention, and those attendees that do show up tend to be more serious buyers.

This all sounds good, but I think it requires a bit of a diferent strategy in your tradeshow marketing plan. I don’t have the data to back this up, but my guess is that if attendee numbers are down and audience quality is up, then that would indicate that this more qualifed audience is also more intent on seeking solutions to their challenges and getting answers to their questions.

What this means for exhibitors is that we need to review everything we are doing on the show foor. Are we directly presenting the correct message to answer this new audience’s questions efciently? Is our booth staf now trained to get straight to the issues with attendees rather than spend too much time on small talk? Are we wasting time and money on in-booth promotions that don’t get right to the heart of the issue for attendees?

Talk with your industry’s show organizers. Find out if they have new data on their attendees—what are the demographics and psychographics of this new audience? Go back through your preshow, at-show, and post-show plan and make sure it is dialed in to who is now in the audience at your tradeshows.

More than ever before, I think tradeshows now mean business. Those who do attend are there to do business. If exhibitors still think it’s an entertainment venue, I think they’ll be left in the dust as these new attendees streak through the show looking for answers.

You can take advantage of this new tradeshow paradigm by maximizing your marketing potential and paying attention to who is in the audience. And then they WILL come.

See you on the show foor.

Jim Obermeyer has been in the exhibits and events industry for over 40 years, both as a corporate trade show manager and exhibit house owner. He can be reached at jobermeyer903@gmail.com

An Invisible Industry

Tradeshows and business events are a trillion-dollar industry! Its impact on everyday life is truly amazing:

» It creates millions of jobs.

» It generates billions in tax revenues.

By Bob McGlincy

the totality of the industry— they might see some trees, but very few see the forest—and much of the public (including most legislators at all levels) are not even aware that the forest exists.

Business Sectors, Products, & Entrepreneurs

Tradeshows target diverse industries and impact every segment of the economy. Business sectors include: technology, healthcare, food, manufacturing, government, defense, construction, sporting goods, fnancial services, and more. There is a tradeshow wherever you look, in whatever industry or whatever niche you can think of.

» It produces hundreds of billions in business sales.

» It showcases new technologies and establishes brands.

Tradeshows and events are big business, no question about it. But most people are unaware of the industry’s size, extent, and impact—and that’s why it’s often referred to as “invisible.”

When exhibit industry professionals attend a family gathering, a party, or even a dinner, we are often asked, “So, what do you do for a living?” When the reply is “Tradeshows,” the person asking usually responds with a puzzled look. “You know, like an auto show or a boat show.” “Oh yeah,” they say, “now I understand!” Only they don’t; not really. Consumer shows are the visible tip of the iceberg, but there is much, much more that most people do not see.

Private tradeshows are closed events. With these Business-to-Business shows, there is no public advertising, and most people have no idea that the event is taking place. Even B2B invited attendees might know only a few specifc shows and not

Tradeshows Mean Business

The convention and business events industry is a powerful economic engine: it drives millions of jobs, delivers billions of dollars in sales, and propels the global economy with over a trillion-dollar contribution to the GDP. A “trillion” is sometimes heard on the news in terms of government spending, or in the valuation of a few, a very few, companies. But what does that number mean?

A “trillion” is a million times a million. To transport a trillion dollars (in one-hundred-dollar bills) would require 478 trailers (each one forty-eight feet long) full of double skids measuring at 48 inches x 40 inches x 40 inches. Once unloaded, the single skids would cover more than 130,000 square feet of exhibit space at a convention center— with no aisle space!

Prior to the pandemic, 1.7 million companies exhibited at U.S. tradeshows and 81.3 million people attended 11,400 events. Signifcantly, tradeshows generate $130 billion in U.S. tax revenues, including $79 billion at the state and local level.

Inventions displayed at tradeshows impact the way we live today. Some familiar products frst revealed at, or popularized at tradeshows include:

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$1.1

Tradeshows are a great way to display an invention or product—frst to individuals, and then to the world. A great idea or a new technology is meaningless if no-one knows about it … or if no-one buys it. A partial list of inventors, entrepreneurs, and businesspeople who have benefted from promoting products at tradeshows includes:

Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Alexander Graham Bell, Ruth Handler, Samuel Colt, Issac Singer, Henry John Heinz, Josephine Cochrane, Andy Grove, Alfred Krupp, Henry Steinway, Eliphalet

Remington, Elisha Otis, and George Westinghouse.

Tradeshows work—they work very well. However the impact and importance of this industry are mostly unknown outside the world of tradeshow professionals. If we want to be heard, we must speak up. If we want to be seen, we have to demonstrate our value.

Willwork creates labor and technology solutions for experiential marketing applications, including tradeshow exhibits, corporate events, brand activations, and themed retail environments. Bob McGlincy is director, business management.

Bob.McGlincy@willwork.com

TRANSFORM AN EXHIBIT INTO A PLACE TO ENGAGE AND DISCOVER.

At CORT Events, we believe exhibits can be more than just transactional experiences. We go beyond expectations to transform your space into an immersive place of discovery. With modern, stylish furnishings and essential design tools, we help enhance your aesthetics to bring your vision to life.

Image courtesy of Classic Exhibits

Why the F#©K is it so Expensive to Exhibit in the US?

Iget this is a question all the time from our partners or clients abroad. The answer relies on a series of factors, but one stands out more than the others. You guessed it: labor!

The initial encounter with how much it costs can be quite an eye-opener; you might even fnd yourself blinking twice at the budget your exhibit house communicates. Almost every time, it is more than you planned for. An important factor for you to consider is that the price is always passed.

But don’t worry, you’re not alone in this! We’re here to show you why exhibiting stateside can seem like a whole new ballgame.

The Setup Shufe

Everywhere but in the U.S., teams gear up for tradeshows by dotting their I’s and crossing their T’s way ahead of time. Most of the time, the same company takes care of 100 percent of the project. They design, make their production plans, produce and build on the show foor. This planning is key to building cool, sleek booths without breaking a sweat.

Now, pivot to the U.S., and you’ll fnd a diferent rhythm. Here, the crew often catches their frst glimpse of the game plan when they show up on-site. This scramble means clocking more hours to get your exhibit show-ready, and as we all know, time is money—especially in the U.S. It’s a dance

involving a diverse cast of specialized unions—not just one.

By Paco Collazo

Sometimes, four or more teams do mini things on the booth, one waiting for the other to fnish, each with their own moves (and speed) to contribute to the masterpiece. A worker’s hour can cost between $90.00 and $380.00 USD per person per hour.

Labor Challenges

Let’s talk about the talent on the ground. There’s a bit of a squeeze in the labor department. With more newbies joining the ranks, setups are taking longer than ever. This can mean that even the straightforward tasks might take a tad longer than usual, stretching out the setup times and, you guessed it, ramping up the bill. It’s all hands-on-deck, but sometimes those hands are still learning the ropes, leading to a tangle that we must work through together.

The Weekend Efect

It’s not uncommon for tradeshow setups in the U.S. to occur over weekends, which incurs overtime charges from various trade unions involved in the process. The Teamsters might manage freight movement, electricians lay out power lines, riggers set up signage, stagehands handle audiovisual requirements, and decorators or carpenters build the exhibit. Each union has its own fee

structure, contributing to the overall fnancial burden of the exhibitor.

The Union Maze

A signifcant contributor to the high costs is the intricate web of union jurisdictions and regulations that vary from state to state, and between venues in the same city. This complexity necessitates the involvement of numerous labor unions, each its own rates, minimum hour requirements, and other conditions—all of which can make planning and executing a tradeshow in the U.S. a fnancially challenging endeavor.

Beyond Labor

Additional Factors Impacting Cost

» 1. Shipping and Drayage: Transporting and handling exhibits on-site is a logistical challenge with a hefty price tag. Drayage fees, which encompass the movement of materials to and from the booth space, are notorious for being a significant financial strain.

» 2. Marketing and Promotional Materials: To stand out in the highly competitive environment of U.S. trade shows, exhibitors must invest in top-notch marketing and promotional materials, further inflating the budget.

» 3. Insurance: Exhibitors in the U.S. face higher liability insurance costs, which are essential to cover any potential damages or injuries within the exhibit space.

» 4. Regulatory Compliance: Navigating the myriad of local, state, and federal regulations

entails additional expenses related to taxes, permits, and adherence to safety standards.

» 5. Accommodation and Travel: The cost of accommodation, food, and travel in the U.S., especially in major cities where tradeshows are frequently held, can be significantly higher than in other countries.

» 6. Materials: In the last three years supply chain disruptions, increased demand, inflation, and the impact of global events such as COVID and geopolitical tensions, have caused many material costs to go through the roof. While some have somewhat leveled, most stayed at their new set prices.

» 7. Freights: Costs in the U.S. have surged in recent years because of a shortage of shipping containers, labor, rising fuel prices, and a significant uptick in consumer demand.

But here’s the thing: despite these costs, hitting the stage at a U.S. tradeshow can rock your company’s world. The U.S. is one of the world’s biggest markets for almost every industry, so participating in and urging your clients or C-suite to exhibit is always a good idea. When done correctly, it can pay of big. The exposure, networking opportunities, and potential deals can unlock substantial value for a business. So, plan like a pro, budget like a boss, and you’ll make sure that your tradeshow ends on a high note.

Please let us know if you liked this post and comment on it. I’m planning to do a size-bysize comparison of the same booth design in diferent countries of the world to help break this issue down further.

Paco can be reached at paco@happyprojects.us.

ASTOUND Group Exhibit House

By Calanit Atia

ASTOUND Group, with ofces in Toronto, Las Vegas, and Milwaukee, has been astounding customers since 2001. The company specializes in designing and creating immersive exhibits for tradeshows, events, and experiential marketing campaigns. They provide end-to-end solutions for businesses seeking to make a signifcant impact at tradeshows or other promotional events. ASTOUND Group focuses on creating memorable brand experiences through innovative design, technology integration, and strategic planning.

Their Las Vegas location is particularly impressive, boasting a 350,000 squarefoot state-of-the-art production facility. This facility includes a metalworking shop, a paint shop, cabinetry, laminate shops, and a LED department. It also houses graphics and fabric departments and has a massive large-scale sublimation fabric printer. Moreover, the site offers 100,000 square feet of full pre-assembly and staging areas, and over 400,000 cubic feet of storage space for custom and semi-custom exhibits.

Exhibit City News sat down with Dale Morgan, Founder, to discuss ASTOUND

Dale Morgan founded ASTOUND, an award-winning creative agency with state-ofthe-art fabrication capabilities across North America. A fnalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, Dale and the team at ASTOUND have brought projects to life for global brands such as Google, NIKE, Shopify, MasterCard, and Coca-Cola while expanding their services from tradeshows, events, and experiences into retail strategy, design, outftting, and architectural project development. Under his leadership,

ASTOUND has repeatedly been recognized as one of Canada’s top employers, a top 50 Best Managed Company by Deloitte, and has been among the 500 fastest-growing companies ranked annually by Proft Magazine.

Q: How did it all start?

A: At 16, while still in high school, I had friends who were a bit older than me. They would send me postcards from different locations around the world. They’d say things like, “Hey, I’m in Africa,” or “I’m in Asia,” and I thought that was very cool because I’d always wanted to travel.

I began working in tradeshows whenever I had the time—on weekends, during summers—I would eagerly go and ofer my help. Then, at 19, I started doing installations for Skyline Displays.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I’m the kind of guy who always had a side business, such as a foor cleaning business. I was drawn to the tradeshow industry because of my love for design and my passion for creating new ideas and bringing them to life. I’m the “let’s do it” kind of guy. It all started when I went to SEMICON Asia. I was sent there to set up a booth, and as I looked around, I noticed that

Allegiant Stadium’s Super Bowl Flame‘s

Close-up of Flame

while the exhibits were decent, they lacked a high standard of design and fabrication. That’s when I saw an opportunity— there was a hole to be flled.

In 2001, I started from my bedroom in Burlington Ontario. I worked with clients fguring out what are their functional requirements and some design ideas. The execution side was just about expecting a higher standard and making sure that we executed meticulously.

From there, the business grew very quickly, one client and another one, and then all of the shows around Asia and Europe. Next, I tried a diferent industry and that worked as well. The company has been growing ever since.

Q: How did you decide on the name ASTOUND?

A: Initially, I didn’t have this brand in mind. I simply enjoyed design, doing excellent work, and executing tasks efectively. I deliberated on

encapsulating all these passions into a business that truly mattered, something with signifcance. That’s when the idea for ASTOUND came to me, because that’s precisely what I want to do.

When you attend a show, it’s all about evoking emotions, right? I didn’t want the focus on me; I wanted it to be about the clients. I aimed to impress them thoroughly, to blow their socks of, and eventually, that became our standard.

I wanted to establish a benchmark. Our design, execution, and service had to be the absolute best. All of this ethos is embodied in the name. The expectations were set very high. One of my initial clients, who was with me even before ASTOUND, expressed some concerns, saying, “Whoa, I don’t know if you want to call it that because now everyone’s going to expect this.” My response was simple, “I chose the name because I want everyone to experience that same amazement and satisfaction.”

Q: What sets you apart?

A: Starting with our strategy, we will identify business objectives during a discovery phase with the involvement of our strategy team. Our digital fabrication guarantees high quality, which is equivalent to architectural-grade standards, as well as our process. We delve into business goals with the account manager leading the charge.

From there, our strategy and creative teams collaborate

to defne the desired experience and make it exceptional for your customers.

Design follows suit, focusing on translating these objectives into functional elements. While the in-person experience is vital, we also extend our reach digitally to align with broader objectives.

While some clients may seek booth design, we emphasize robust discovery to ensure we craft the best possible experience for them and their customers. Our philosophy revolves around setting and maintaining the highest standards. We diferentiate ourselves by handling everything in-house, striving to execute every aspect fawlessly.

Q: How do you like living in Las Vegas?

A: I absolutely adore Vegas. It’s like a perfect ft for a company such as ours. I genuinely believe there couldn’t be a better place to be, especially considering the city’s trajectory and its people. Everyone has preconceived notions about Vegas, but you can’t grasp its essence until you live here and truly understand it. For me, this is home, and I’m fully committed to Vegas.

We established our ofce in Las Vegas in 2005, intending it to be the headquarters for ASTOUND. It’s not just about tradeshows and events; that’s the core, but we’ve expanded into much more. We’ve been building numerous branded spaces, including designing the fan experience for all of the founding sponsors, Allegiant Stadium, and even crafted the iconic fame sculpture seen during Super Bowl 2024.

Q: Super Bowl 2024 in Las Vegas, the fame structure was prominently displayed: how did you conceive the idea?

A: They desired something beyond just a lighting efect; they sought an architectural element. The concept was to design and create a fame-like structure that would serve as a visually striking architectural feature and a functional element for displaying content. Given that a real fame was impractical and unsafe for the entire roof structure, we aimed to develop a captivating architectural look while being technologically advanced to integrate with the stadium’s media systems.

Our vision was to craft a sculpture that resembled a fame, incorporating LED technology to synchronize with the stadium’s other media displays. This concept encapsulated ASTOUND’s approach: not just to provide a solution but to innovate and elevate the stadium experience. We handled all aspects of the project, from technical design to fabrication and delivery. The fame stands as a testament to our expertise and craftsmanship. It is our creation, emblematic of ASTOUND’s commitment to excellence.

For more information visit www.astoundgroup.com

Calanit Atia, an award-winning event planner and entrepreneur, is an Air Force Veteran and the Founder and President of A to Z Events, a Las Vegas DMC Entertainment, and Booth Activity Agency. She can be contacted at 702-212-2500 or via email at Info@ AtoZevents.com. Connect with her on x.com/CalanitAtia, linkedin.com/in/ calanit, instagram.com/calanitatia

Dale Morgan

It’s the people that make the place.

When was the last time you received exceptional service? It probably stands out, because it is rare. That’s what makes it memorable. Our goal is simple, to be the best convention destination in the world. To do that, you need exceptional people delivering exceptional service in every facet of the organization. We invite you to see for yourself.

HuntingtonPlaceDetroit.com

Kyle

WE ENSURE YOUR TRADE SHOW SUCCESS!

IT’S THAT SIMPLE.

As a unique Las Vegas based carrier, we are dedicated to one thing - trade shows . With over 30 years of experience we are highly trained, skilled and focused on providing you with flawless service handling your exhibit materials in and out of Las Vegas convention venues.

What makes us so great?

› 24/7 nationwide service - year round

› Warehousing & exhibit crate repair

› Customized account management

› Show-to-show coordination

› On site show floor representation

› Over 100,000 sq. ft. of booth storage

› Certified weight tickets/on-site truck scale

› Pad wrapping & color-coded show labels

› More than 100 vans, tractors & trailers solely serving the Las Vegas market

3741 Civic Center Drive

North Las Vegas, NV 89130

Proud member of

From Sail Making to Precision Printing

Putting wind at the back of the event industry

by Chris Kappes

When Berend “Bernie” Beilken—a German sailor and entrepreneur—secured victory three times in the Admiral’s Cup, he didn’t realize that the lessons he learned as a sailmaker and regatta sailor would manifest into Procedes Group: a company he founded thirty years ago.

Today, Procedes Group is a leader in large format printing and textile architecture for exhibits, events, retail, point of sale, and interior design. Large format printing allows businesses of all kinds to present customized visuals and branding and the industry is expected to grow to $20.4B by 2028.

With six ofces, a staf of 240, and production sites throughout Europe, Procedes is a leading global resource for top brands, shows, and experiential activations. Led by Managing Director, Alexander Beilken, son of Berend and a world-renown sailor as well, Procedes business grew from word of mouth. “We hope to do the same in the U.S.,” shares Beilken.

In 2020, Procedes started this pursuit by launching its U.S. operation in Chicago. During COVID, planning and facility layout started. Equipment was spec’d, ordered, transported and installed later

that year. The Procedes U.S. playbook was in motion. “We implanted the same equipment, technology, exacting standards, experienced team, and 30-year market know-how into our US operation,” explains Maik Raute, Procedes LLC, CEO.

The “standards” Raute references are unique among large format printers in the U.S. market. “We produce and ft SEG fabric graphics from two-dimensional drawings; three-dimensional drawings are NOT required,” Raute explains.

“Another unique standard is that no test ftting is needed, we guarantee what we produce fts, period. For the client, this means there’s no need to set up and stage the graphics, saving time and expense. Our end-product is the highest quality and ready to install right out of the box.”

Tucker Ramsey, CEO-Americas for ET Global, shares his experience working

with Procedes. “Procedes has been a long-time strategic partner of ET GLOBAL in Germany and is now our goto fabric supplier in the U.S. Their combination of quality and price equates to a value proposition that’s tough to beat. Their technical profciency is impressive and whenever we have a challenging large format textile need, Procedes is our frst choice. We look forward to our continuing successful partnership.”

SHORTER LEADS TIMES NO PROBLEM

Shorter lead times represent a signifcant industry challenge as decisions are increasingly last minute. “Just in time” performance requires a supplier response that few large format companies are equipped to handle. “Our average turnaround time from quote receipt of art to

Procedes Sails

Photo by S. Jürgensen/Mittelmann’s Werft

production is 2.8 days,” shares Raute. “The customer gets the same project price whether the turnaround is 10 days or three days. In short, we don’t premium price based upon order timing.” Since opening its doors in Chicago, Procedes USA has produced over 1,000 projects.

This efciency is possible due to advanced software that runs through a custom-built digital workfow process and top of the line production equipment. “We’re producing 4,500 square meters (48,000 square feet) of fnished SEG Graphics each day for our European customers. The U.S. market is competitive, but we have aspirational goals to reach similar production numbers here as well.”

SUSTAINABILITY IS KEY

Procedes has established ambitious sustainability goals for all its business

operations. “We are replacing textiles containing PVC with more sustainable materials or green alternatives,” shares Raute. “We rely on recyclable polyester and avoid composite materials whenever possible. Currently, 82 percent of the textiles we use are recycled and we’re working with our customers to optimize the direct transfer of end-of-life materials to recyclers.”

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Robert Laarhoven, former CEO of beMatrix and Laarhoven Design, now Brand Ambassador for Procedes, was skeptical of Procedes production capabilities until he toured Procedes. “Having run a prominent digital printing company in the industry, I needed to see the operation for myself,” Laarhoven explained. “I was foored. Their

ability to translate two-dimensional designs into show ready SEG graphics in less than three days, and without any test-ftting, is unheard of. For most high-volume digital printers, a quote alone takes two or more days, test-ftting takes up additional precious time, and pricing may refect a premium based upon turnaround time. Procedes is a “game changer” and the reason I decided to be their Brand Ambassador.”

From sail-making to process printing, Procedes has been a textile artisan for over 100 years. With this rich legacy and workforce DNA, Procedes has the wind at its back and is ready to sail into the future.

Octanorm at EXHIBITORLIVE

Octanorm photo by Exposures LTD

Maik Raute, Robert Laarhoven, Alexander Beilken, and Berend “Bernie” Beilken

Procedes produced all SEGs, exterior fabric walls & headers for the ZF booth

Making Sustainability Cool from the Ground Up

Integrating technology with hospitality and its positive impact on sustainability

by Elaine Legault, Vice-President, Events and Client Experience, Palais de Congrès de Montréal and Sven Bossu, CEO AIPC

The commitment throughout the entire event value chain to become carbon zero is rapidly growing. Initiatives such as Net Zero Carbon Event (NZCE) not only create awareness but also provide tools and best practices, allowing the diferent stakeholders to embark on the journey towards a more sustainable future. In addition, it is important that participants to events are equally committed. That is why we want to make sustainability cool for delegates.

There is no doubt that sustainability is high on the agenda. Of the top 10 risks in the 2024 Global Risk Report of the World Economic Forum, seven are either societal or environmental. At the same time, global leaders are facing multiple challenges, impacting the focus required to deal with the biggest challenge humanity has faced so far.

The event industry is subject to exactly the same. While there is no doubt about the ambition to become carbon zero, we also need to deal with rising costs, changing customer behavior, fnding (and retaining) talent(s), and a market landscape which seems to be in a continuous fux. This being said: the event industry is doing very well and as the saying goes, “You need to fx the roof while the sun is shining.”

Over the last 12 months, many convention centers have

launched their plan to become carbon zero. From the Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Center to the Scottish Event Campus: all have moved from PowerPoint to practice, with some of them setting forward very ambitious timelines.

At the same time, we tend to forget a very important stakeholder: the delegate. She or he is choosing the mode of transport, the hotel and seemingly trivial—though important—details such as opting for public transport on site, all of which have an important impact on the footprint the delegate is leaving behind. The challenge is that the delegate often is not fully aware of the diference they can make and the impact their decisions can have. To be brutally honest: dry fact and fgures might not be sufcient to nudge behavior.

That is why we believe we need to support the delegate in

making conscious decisions on these important matters. As a lot of these choices are destination driven (Luxembourg is a very diferent animal than Beijing when it comes to moving around), we believe that venues and destinations should be at the helm of driving the change, while at the same time ofering a platform which is recognizable and consistent for the global citizens attending events worldwide.

This is where technology kicks in. The not-for-proft organization Cool The Globe has created a platform which motivates individuals to change their behavior and engage in easy-to-accomplish climate actions. It does so by setting up individual or group challenges, tracking the impact of the behavior of individuals, and by ofering dashboards to organizers to monitor and adapt when necessary.

It is our ambition to have an event focused, venue based version of this application

ready in 2024. The goal is to enable venues and destinations worldwide to ofer this application as a service to their customer and impact delegate behavior in a SMART way. The tangible outcomes can then be fed into reports toward industry initiative such as NZCE, demonstrating the progress made on diferent levels, including delegate behavior.

Most importantly: We believe that this application can make sustainable behavior cool. There are elements of gamifcation, group and individual challenges, and lots of fun, which are crucial to make this type of solution accepted by the global tribe of next-gen participants in events—whether it is the annual congress of a medical association or the jamboree of a youth movement.

That is why we have put in place a working group and secured the funding necessary to make this happen—because we can.

Future-Proofing

10 WAYS TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS TO SELL WITHOUT SELLING OUT

BY PAT ALACQUA AND JANE GENTRY

Building a business is an adventure flled with challenges and victories. A powerful yet often overlooked strategy seasoned entrepreneurs and business operators use is ‘Building to Sell’: enhancing value, scalability, and sustainability.

Why is adopting this mindset a game-changer, even if you have no plans to sell?

Because it shifts the focus to creating an intrinsically valuable business.

WHY BUILD TO SELL?

Building to sell is counterintuitive if you’re deeply invested in your business. Yet, it’s about crafting a company attractive to you and potential buyers—ensuring sustainability, scalability, and value.

VALUE DRIVERS: THE CORE OF YOUR BUSINESS

Value drivers are the components that substantially increase your company’s worth. They are the elements that, when managed well, bolster the business’s fnancial performance, growth potential, and sustainability. They’re what buyers scrutinize and can vary based on industry and market position.

see list to the right

Reflect on these. Which do you excel at, and what unique drivers does your business have?

THESE ARE TEN COMMON KEY VALUE DRIVERS:

Recurring Revenue:

Reliable and predictable income streams that assure future cash flows.

Customer Diversity: A broad customer base mitigates the risk of losing any single client.

Market Position: A robust and defensible position in the market.

Brand Equity: The value of the company’s brand and customer reputation.

Scalable Business Model: The ability of a business to grow without being hampered by its structure, systems or available resources.

Operational Efficiency: Streamlined and costeffective operations that maximize profits.

Innovative Capabilities: The ability to develop new products or services that meet evolving customer needs.

Strategic Partnerships: Alliances and partnerships that provide leverage in the market.

Intellectual Property: Patents, trademarks, and copyrights that protect products, services, and ideas from competition.

Strong Management Team: Leadership that can drive the company forward and manage operations effectively.

Optimizing these drivers is part of preparing your business for any transition, be it sale or succession to a family member or management team.

A business that optimizes its value drivers will likely thrive and command a higher market price. Here are some additional thoughts that take your business beyond income generation to real wealth creation:

BUILDING SYSTEMS FOR INDEPENDENCE

Can your business run without you?

Systems and processes that allow your company to operate independently of any one person, including the owner, increase its value and ofer personal freedom to pursue other ventures.

SUSTAINABILITY AND SCALABILITY

A business designed for succession or to sell is resilient and adaptable, not overly dependent on single clients or trends. It’s built to withstand market fuctuations and is poised for continuous growth.

FINANCIAL HEALTH: BEYOND SALES

Building with a sale in mind emphasizes not just sales but proft margins and efcient cash fow management, resulting in a stable and proftable operation.

QUANTIFYING VALUE DRIVER IMPROVEMENTS

Understanding the impact of your eforts means measuring key aspects:

» Recurring Revenue: Track annual growth in recurring revenue.

» Customer Diversity: Ensure no single client dominates your revenue streams.

» Operational Efficiency: Monitor operating margins and cost per unit for improvements.

RISK MANAGEMENT:

SECURING THE FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS

A key aspect of building to sell is minimizing risks. It’s not solely about safeguarding the day-to-day operations; it’s about future-proofing your business to make it appealing and ready for whatever transition lies ahead, be it a sale or a succession transition. This includes maintaining a solid cash reserve, diversifying income, and ensuring your business isn’t overly reliant on any individual.

ATTRACTING INVESTMENT

A business built to sell demonstrates growth potential and a clear exit strategy, making it more appealing to investors seeking proftable, long-term growth ventures.

PERSONAL FREEDOM

Building to sell grants you the freedom to live on your terms with a business that thrives independently of your daily involvement.

Consider the build-to-sell strategy as a guiding principle from the day you open the doors... It could transform your business and life in ways you never imagined.”

THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF BUILDING TO SELL

Building to sell is a strategy that transcends the act of selling itself. It’s about setting a foundation for growth, sustainability, and freedom in your business endeavors. By integrating this mindset into your business planning and operations, you create a venture that is more appealing to potential buyers and more robust, resilient, and capable of fourishing long into the future.

Even if you never sell, the principles of building to sell can lead to a more fulflling and successful business-building journey.

Consider the build-to-sell strategy as a guiding principle from the day you open the doors when you’re in the early stages of your startup, looking to scale, or have experienced solid growth and considering next level plans. It could transform your business and life in ways you never imagined.

As we wrap up our journey through the build-to-sell strategy, consider this an invitation to action. Evaluate your business, bolster your value drivers, and start building not just for today but for a prosperous tomorrow.

As featured contributors to the ECN Business Beacon Series, Pat Alacqua and Jane Gentry share their ‘Building to Sell’ strategy and tips which are a blueprint for fostering growth, sustainability, and self-reliance in your business. By adopting this approach, you evolve from merely generating income to building lasting

AIRPORT SNAPSHOT by Kerstan Szczepanski

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Airport Code: MSY

Location: 1 Terminal Drive, Kenner, LA

Date Opened: World War II as a government airbase, given to civilian control in 1946.

Size: Two and a third square miles. Single terminal with 35 gates. Two runways of 10,000 and 7,000 feet in length.

Transportation: The Loyola Dr. exits for the I-10 lead to Terminal Dr., the airport’s dedicated road. The Jeferson Transit Authority (JET) bus runs to downtown New Orleans in 50 minutes. The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) airport express runs to two stops in downtown New Orleans.

On-site Amenities: Pet relief areas, water bottle flling stations, free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal, nursing stations, charging stations, and military lounge.

Fun Fact 1: At an average of 4.5 feet above sea level, New Orleans airport is the third lowest airport in the world.

Fun Fact 2: The New Orleans airport saw nearly 13 million passengers in 2023.

Website: www.fymsy.com

Unapologetically You

BY MARLENA SULLIVAN

When your father comes home in the middle of July and says that the family company is moving warehouses, you may not know much about the business, but you help because you’re a family member. This once was the reality for Vanessa Panfl before she started at LV Exhibit Rentals late in the summer of 2023.

LV Exhibit Rentals is the family-owned business of Harry Panfl, Vanessa Panfl’s father. When her parents moved to Vegas in 2001, they started an AV and TV rental business. Over the years, the company grew under the hands of her mother and father and, later, her elder brothers. A balancing act between events and life; while the family was never too busy for Vanessa’s volleyball games—they were always working.

“You learn quickly the diference between work trips and family trips. Between the working time, when the show is being built and taken down, versus the family time in between,” Vanessa says.

Before starting last July,

Vanessa never wanted to work for the family business. She is studying to become a doctor and will graduate from UNLV with a degree in biology with a minor in neurosciences. However, when her father ofered her a job, Vanessa said yes; the company had always been a second home. Yet, it was not until she started working as an account executive that she fell in love with tradeshows.

“It’s fun,” she says about the long hours, late nights, and consistent back-and-forth with clients. “Seeing people appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears is cool. The attendees may not know it was us who built their favorite booths or the true extent of what we had to do. They may think it looks cool, but hearing the praise is a validation that elevates your pride. Yes, I helped build that.”

As an account executive, Vanessa works with clients to establish relationships and develop tradeshow or event plans. She often fnds herself working with clients who may not know about events, and Vanessa has the pleasure of

introducing them to the world of tradeshows. “I often tell clients, that our products are customizable like Legos. If you like part of one package and a part of a diferent one, we can mix and match and create the perfect exhibit for our clients and their needs.”

Vanessa has found a rhythm in the job and magic in the art of exhibits. As a detail-oriented person, she thrives in meeting people, developing relationships, and getting to know every detail of a client’s needs. She loves walking the show foor before a booth opens, wiping it down, and making it shine before the client arrives. “It’s like a concierge at a hotel; we want to provide the best experience possible,” she says. “We want clients to feel like family.”

It is this same experience that she looks forward to for the future of LV Exhibit Rentals. While Vanessa knows she can always become a doctor in the future, she is happy working in events. She’s excited to see how the business and their dedication to family grows as

she and her brothers take on greater positions at the company. One day, when her mother and father pass the company of to her and her brothers, she looks forward to seeing how her relationship with her brothers will strengthen and change. As much as they are family, they are a team, and they are dedicated to growing together.

“If I could tell the past me anything, it would be to ‘be unapologetically you,’” she says. Vanessa knows that this sentiment applies not only to herself but to all her clients. The more that they stand out and prove themselves unapologetically, the more they will shine and be noticed.

Perhaps one day, you will sit in an empty arena, staring at the booth that has been created for you or by your hands. The room will be empty save you and your team—your family; you’ll eat takeaway and know that in a few hours, the room will be flled with thousands. For now, it is just you and the booth before you that you know people will admire.

Vanessa assisting in booth build at Cowboy Christmas 2023.

Are We Barking Up the Wrong Tree About Sustainability?

by Liz Lathan, CMP

This issue of Exhibit City News is chock full of sustainability ideas and perspectives, but what’s the real situation in corporate events? Why are we not seeing greater leaps of innovation in our events and experiential programs?

The short answer is that there’s not enough pain yet to make it worth the cost.

As Cindy Lo, Owner of Red Velvet Events and Strong Events told me, “It takes green to go green.”

The quick-win trends that almost everyone has embraced (sort of):

» Water bubblers for the reusable water bottles — But how many reusable bottles are exhibitors or associations giving away? Are they sustainably produced?

Impact: Questionable.

» Attempting to (or pretending to attempt to) recycle badges/lanyards — Of the event marketers we asked about this, none of them said they actually reuse the badges; they toss them into the recycle bin.

Impact: Highly questionable.

» Cutting back on swag — Most still let their exhibitors bring swag, so the impact is limited to only the host company. The biggest change in swag has been selecting items with more meaning that aren’t just cheap, disposable trinkets. Selecting giveaways that attendees want to keep, are consumable, or shareable is winning.

Impact: Moderate.

» Eliminating paper — Most companies have removed paper programs in favor of apps and large signs or digital signage with the agenda on them. Impact: Successful.

Bigger wins that are tougher to tackle:

» Using more sustainable exhibits — Everyone’s working together to make booths lighter, but the reason isn’t saving the planet; it’s shipping costs.

» Carbon footprint — Other than Informa and Dell Technologies World, we couldn’t find many companies offering carbon footprint offsets as a registration add-on. Lots of associations are beginning to offer this, but it’s not prevalent in B2B yet.

» Virtual participation options — Companies are broadcasting content, but it’s not about providing a comparable attendee experience to reduce the carbon footprint of travel; it’s about expanding their audience reach.

» Venue selection — Despite options that are LEED Certified or built to be environmentally friendly, venue choice choosing a venue is still driven by dates, space, and rates.

Considerations to Make

Many of our corporate event professional respondents felt like they didn’t have the decision-making power to promote more sustainable choices. For example, the location of the event venue is driven by factors other than environmental considerations, so sustainability is rarely even brought up.

One event marketer expressed frustration with turn-key booths and kiosks as a barrier to making more sustainable choices. “I think when shows force people into prefab ‘turn-key’ booths, it almost completely kills the ability to be truly sustainable AND creative,” he said. It also ruins the attendee’s experience because all the booths look the same.

Rentals are a sustainable choice when designing a space, but most of our respondents agreed that they are unnec-

essarily price-gouged 100% of the time at trade shows. Paying $1300 to rent seating in a trade show booth when you can purchase it from Walmart for $600 and throw it away at the show’s end drives many exhibitors to make detrimental environmental choices.

However, many in our industry believe they do have the power to make key decisions that make a diference.

From the agency side, “Believing that the environmental impact of an event is our collective responsibility, we launched a rental division, DISCO To Go (Décor Inspiring Sustainable Celebrations and Occasions) ‘to save our planet, one event at a time,’” said Heidi Hiller, CEO & Creative Director of Innovative Party Planners. “Created with both sustainability and afordability in mind, DISCO To Go makes it convenient and simple for clients to rent, style, and

return event essentials such as: centerpieces, curated décor, themed tabletop props, signs, easels, frames, candles, lamps, lanterns, LED lighting, vases, and containers.”

Hiller believes that if you make these choices afordable and accessible, then designing a space can be beautiful and sustainable.

Former IBM event marketer Cissy Sanders agrees. “There are things that you can do at no cost to lower the carbon footprint— use local vendors for giveaways so the items are not being shipped in from some other city thereby reducing transportation,” she said.

“Meet with a venue before contracting to discuss the usage of recycling and composting on-site at the event, no single-use plastics, use regular plates and silverware, discuss menu items that are from local farms as well as donating

the surplus of food from the event to a local area food organization to reduce food waste.”

As for tradeshow booths, Sanders believes event marketers can ask their agency partners to make different choices for tradeshow booths. “Booths and signage should be designed so that the vendor incorporates sustainable elements and then the booth and signage should be repurposed for future events,” she said.

While most event marketers and agencies we talked to about sustainability believe that we can make an impact with smart choices, none thought that we, as an industry, are doing enough to make a seismic shift happen.

Until green solutions become the obvious cost-efective option, our corporate event decision-making will continue to be driven by the other green.

Streamlining Workers’ Compensation in the Tradeshow Industry

by Grifen Wilson, Employco

The tradeshow industry is known for its dynamic nature, bustling with activity and innovation. Behind the scenes, however, lies a crucial aspect that only gets attention when trouble arises: Workers’ Compensation. Ensuring the safety and well-being of employees is paramount in any industry, but where setup, breakdown, and event execution happen in rapid succession, managing Workers’ Compensation efectively can be challenging. Having a comprehensive solution that streamlines the process, ofering pay-as-you-go coverage without the hassle of annual audits and ensuring peace of mind for businesses across the nation is where Employco can help.

Top Challenges of Workers’ Compensation in the Tradeshow Industry:

» Financial Uncertainty: Annual audits required by many insurance providers can lead to unpredictable premium adjustments, making budgeting and financial planning difficult for tradeshow companies.

» Lack of Safety / No Loss Control Program: Workplace injuries on the tradeshow floor can hurt a company’s reputation. Traditional Workers’ Comp. carriers do not perform consistent loss control visits, nor do they implement safety programs to ensure a smooth move-in and move-out. Some companies have been fined by OSHA for safety violations such

as unsafe work conditions, no fall protection, ladder safety, etc.

» Coverage Limitations: Finding a workers’ compensation provider that offers coverage across all 50 states can be daunting, especially for companies looking to expand their operations nationally or pick up projects in states that they don’t typically operate in.

» Tedious Administrative Processes: Traditional Workers’ Compensation plans often involve extensive paperwork and administrative burdens, diverting valuable time and resources away from core business operations.

Employco’s Tailored Solution for the Tradeshow Industry: We provide a modernized approach to streamlining the Workers’ Compensation process, specifcally designed to meet the unique needs of our industry. Here’s how Employco solves the challenges faced by businesses in our industry:

» Streamlined Process: Employco simplifies the Workers’ Compensation process with its user-friendly platform, reducing paperwork and administrative overhead. Companies can focus on their core activities while Employco takes care of the rest.

» Proactive Safety Measures: Employco goes beyond traditional Workers’ Compensation offerings by providing robust loss control visits and safety programs. Employco’s experts conduct regular site visits to identify potential hazards and provide tailored safety training, helping companies prevent accidents and mitigate risks proactively.

» Pay-As-You-Go Model: Employco’s pay-as-you-go model ensures companies only have to pay premiums when they process payroll, eliminating the need for large down payments and minimizing financial uncertainty.

» No Annual Audits: With Employco, there are no annual audits, providing businesses with stability and predictability in their Workers’ Compensation costs. This allows for better budgeting and financial planning, essential for the dynamic nature of the industry.

» Nationwide Coverage: Employco is active in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, making it the ideal partner for tradeshow companies looking to expand their operations across the country. Whether setting up an event in Las Vegas, Nashville, or Orlando, Employco has you covered.

In the fast-paced world of tradeshows, managing Workers’ Compensation effectively is vital for the success and sustainability of businesses. Employco offers a comprehensive solution that addresses the unique challenges faced by companies. With nationwide coverage and a commitment to simplifying the administrative burden, Employco empowers businesses to focus on what they do best—delivering exceptional experiences to their clients and customers. Leave the Workers’ Comp. headaches up to Employco, and watch your company grow.

Employco provides customized HR solutions to businesses.

www.employco.com.

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The Sustainability Mandate

by Pat Friedlander

The convention and tradeshow industry is among the largest waste producers, second only to the construction industry, generating 600,000 tons of garbage annually. It adds up quickly, all those unread brochures and useless plastic schwag destined for landfll. Each of the 60,000,000 million worldwide attending a consumer or industry tradeshow produces, on average, 20 pounds of garbage, totaling more than 1 billion pounds annually.

Under the weight of all the garbage, things are beginning to change. As sustainability issues become a core value for more companies, the convention industry that serves them follows suit.

Paper and plastic ephemera is the most obvious frst line of attack on reducing that yearly billion-pound mountain of waste. White sheets and brochures for exhibitors’ products and services are increasingly offered electronically while participants navigate their tradeshow experience with a mobile app built for the show – design and build one app or hand out 10,000 maps. The advantage is clear. Even the displays are potentially greener, with companies offering eco-friendly booths made from recycled material for purchase or rent.

– Event Industry Council

AN EVENT INDUSTRY TASK FORCE FOUND THREE AREAS MOST CONCERNING FOR ADVOCATES OF SUSTAINABILITY:

Carbon: The largest environmental impact comes from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from participant transport, venue energy, and general service contractor (GSC) warehouse-to-venue logistics.

Next is waste, primarily from venues (including show foor waste, catering, and other waste generated during shows) and GSC warehouses supplying and building many materials and booths at events. Plastic waste and food waste were investigated as well.

Finally, booth construction is the most difcult to measure; given the fragmentation of the supply chain and the disruptions of the pandemic, there is a signifcant environmental impact, as choices here not only contribute to waste but also have an impact on climate change, natural resources, and labor. Although there is signifcant recycling of many materials, some currently only have limited potential for re-use. That includes carpet, which represents the largest proportion of waste material.

WHERE DO WE START

Maybe with Nicole Klein, now principal at Exhibit Expressions, who was part of the early awareness of the need for sustainability but found price resistance. “I started to tune into using the most sustainable materials possible while building a display for one of our clients at the Greenbuild Expo in 2008. We were asked to create unique elements using materials containing at least 70% recycled and recyclable content and provide a sustainability statement. Unfortunately, the crash happened soon after, and the sustainability momentum was lost.”

“When my father invented Highmark TechSystems,” says Debbie Parrott, president of Highmark, “he wanted the structures to be infnitely reusable, but he also wanted them manufactured in the US to reduce greenhouse gas involved in trans-

portation since most of the more sophisticated systems were manufactured in Europe.”

Al Mercuro of Genesis Exhibits, who has been searching for sustainable exhibit solutions, was excited about DS&L’s VELCRO® Brand LOGISTRAP®, which is reusable and can replace shrink wrap. When I spoke to Rob Cohen of DS&L, he explained LOGISTRAP® can be used in warehouses or in transporting palletized goods to secure loads. The product is available in various lengths and has been tested to be reused a minimum of 1,000 times. On the lighting side, Rob points out that DS&L continues to stay at the forefront of the LED world to deliver sustainable lighting solutions. This means pushing LED technology to deliver the most light output possible best while drawing the least amount of energy.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT CARPET?

“Our new initiative represents a bold commitment to environmental stewardship and innovation,” said James Zacharias, Division President at Brumark. “We are proud to pioneer a solution that not only diverts carpet waste from landflls but also contributes to creating sustainable fuel alternatives.” Brumark is reducing the environmental footprint of carpet disposal by converting carpet into fuel. Alternative fuels are renewable and environmentally friendly sources that ofer a sustainable alternative to coal and other traditional fuels. Using alternative fuels helps mitigate carbon emissions, contributing to eforts to combat climate change and promote a cleaner, greener future.

Alex Hill Vice President, Vice President, Experiential Solutions Taylor Visual Impressions (formerly Optima), shared his company’s Preserving Earth x Taylor (PExT), a series of programs, technologies, and business practices ofering their customers sustainable products, operations, design, and packaging. They provide a more environmentally conscious way to use signage, embracing recycled fabrics as a standard ofering for signs and graphics products. Taylor ofers a closed-loop recycling program for fabric and rigid graphics.

GLENDA BRUNGARDT, NOW AN INDUSTRY CONSULTANT AFTER 46 YEARS MANAGING HP’S EXHIBIT PROGRAM, HAS PUT TOGETHER HER LIST OF PROS AND CONS FOR CARPETING:

PROS:

» Carpet and flooring provide a comfortable and safe surface for attendees to walk on, reducing fatigue and the risk of slips and falls .

» Well-designed carpet and flooring can enhance the overall look and feel of a booth and the event space.

» Noise Reduction: Carpeting can help absorb sound, reducing noise levels within the event space.

» Some carpet and flooring options are designed for multiple uses, allowing for reusability across different events and reducing overall material consumption and waste.

» Choose carpets and flooring made from recyclable or recycled materials to support sustainable practices.

» Carpet traps airborne pollutants and keeps four times more pollutants out of the breathing zone.

» Carpets vacuumed daily remove more airborne pollutants than hard surface.

» Carpets can also be safely vacuumed with attendees present; however, hard surfaces present a challenge when being cleaned with attendees present.

» Carpets hide the crappy concrete floors in the convention center.

CONS:

» Waste Generation: Flooring and carpets can contribute to waste generation, especially if they are single-use and not recyclable.

» Some carpet materials may not be biodegradable, contributing to environmental challenges if not disposed of properly.

» To understand its environmental impact, we MUST consider the overall lifecycle of the flooring material, from production to disposal.

» Reuse and Recycling: Opt for materials that can be reused across multiple events or recycled at the end of their life cycle.

» Consider overall costs from installation to transporting to storage to labor costs.

» Hard surfaces, when being cleaned properly, can create a slipping hazard — why do you think all those bathroom floor signs are placed when cleaning?

» Carpet left behind by the exhibitor is what generates waste — one and done is not a good approach, just like “build and burn” of a booth property is not a good approach.

The bottom line is that aisle carpet and booth flooring provide benefits, but we need to figure out how to be more sustainable in our choices.

“We are proud to pioneer a solution that not only diverts carpet waste from landfills but also contributes to creating sustainable fuel alternatives.”

– James Zacharias, Division President at Brumark

TOWARD A MORE SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY

Reducing carbon emissions requires an all-out oversight of best practices, such as enforcing a no-idling policy for vehicles, not leaving vehicle engines running. Additionally, it is necessary to improve collaboration and information sharing between organizers, venues, and logistics operators to reduce inefciencies for unloading and reloading, as well as mounting and dismantling processes. Transportation is a major challenge—transporting properties and the travel associated with trade shows.

“Doing business sustainably means we consider the environment when making supply chain and manufacturing decisions,” said Jason Popp, CEO, Moss. “We actively reduce, recycle, reuse, and take action to improve the quality of the environment. We know we are not perfect, but we remain committed to leading on issues within our control. We are dedicated to ongoing sustainability.”

Moss purchases renewable energy for its ongoing electricity needs, provides sustainable and subsidized healthy food

FLOORING ALTERNATIVES

“Currently, the most sustainable fooring options in the industry are EZ Down Planks and EZ Down stone tiles,” says Dave Sterne of the Inside Track. “Some exhibit houses have had them in their rental inventory for more than eight years, which is a lot of shows! In addition to being reusable, they’re free from BPA, phthalates, and formaldehyde, making them an environmentally friendly option. This product is a long-term fooring solution for commercial and residential applications, so it can be used in various environments after they’re retired from trade show use. Since fooring needs to function properly in our trade show world, one or two layers of quarter inch eco padding are used underneath for channeling electricity. This product does not take longer to install than rollable vinyl.”

Dave explains, “Since our industry embraces the word ‘experiential,’ fooring will continue to fulfll the needs of creativity and marketing in both the trade show and event spaces. We can see this from several diferent perspectives. Nothing reinforces a tagline of ‘driving into the future’ like a custom-printed road in an exhibit or at an event. He also suggested visiting https:// carpetrecovery.org for more options.

for its staf, and gives employees grants and free charging for electric vehicles. The production operations in both Europe and the US are certifed carbon neutral through Moss’s carbon reduction actions and ofsets purchased.

When the event industry frst embraced fabric, the selling point was that it was lighter, cutting down the impact of transit. But there is more. “A product is sustainable only if it is produced in a sustainable facility,” says Popp, who cites, among other changes, the company’s sustainable fabrics created from recycled materials. “Our gaskets for our SEG fabrics are PVC-free, and the SEG fabrics are shipped in bags made of 100% recycled materials.”

As we move forward, we need to phase out and ban problematic materials such as wood-based products with high formaldehyde emissions, acrylic paint derived from petrol, sealants, coatings, and adhesives, and high volatile organic compounds (VOC)—to name a few.

CHANGING INDUSTRY CULTURE

To accomplish all this and to make the necessary changes to our industry, the culture of our entire industry needs to be on board—from eliminating single-use plastics to fnding transportation that diminishes carbon emissions.

GLENDA HAS SOME PROFOUND THOUGHTS: “CHANGING COMPANY CULTURE AROUND SUSTAINABILITY IS NOT A ONE-AND-DONE, AND IS MORE THAN FOCUSING ON THE PLANET, EVEN THOUGH THAT IS EASY. THERE ARE TWO OTHER PILLARS WE NEED TO LOOK AT:

People: How are we incorporating diversity, equality, and inclusion (DE&I)—or not incorporating—at our events? Events bring together diverse crowds from diferent ethnicities, backgrounds, and abilities, and every one of them must be welcomed. Support the use of pronouns—on badges and your registration sites. Long before COVID-19, people have been dissatisfed with manels—or male-only panels—for this exact reason. Speakers are the most visible representation of diversity at your event, so it’s important to be mindful of that. Food is another place where event organizers must be inclusive. Include vegan, halal, and kosher options in your menu. A lack of diversity at events leads to segregation and social exclusion.

Community Element: What are we doing to bring awareness or help those communities where we hold events? Events have impact. We want positive results and can add positive impact to our events through thoughtful actions to reduce negative impact on the environment and the community we hold them in.

CHANGING THE CULTURE ALSO REQUIRES US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR EVENT CARBON FOOTPRINT:

» Travel to and from the event (car, train, air, etc.)

» Venues (energy from guest rooms, meeting rooms, etc.)

» Food and Beverage activities

» Freight

» Event Waste

» Event Materials (handouts, giveaways, badges, etc.)

We need a plan and process to understand and identify areas where we can lower our event carbon footprint.

THE FUTURE IS NET ZERO CARBON

The most exciting initiative for the global events industry is Net Zero Carbon Events, which aims to address climate change and connect the events industry globally to the rapidly growing movement towards net zero by 2050. As an industry, the goal is to communicate our commitment to tackling climate change and driving towards net zero by 2050 and develop common methodologies for measuring the industry’s direct, indirect, and supply chain greenhouse gas emissions. Net Zero Carbon Events seeks to construct an industry-wide roadmap towards net zero by 2050 and emissions reductions by 2030 per the Paris Agreement.

Thanks to all my crazy/busy industry friends who found time to contribute to this article. They’re the best! (They can help you, too.)

Running Into the Fire How Spiro Evolved to Delivering New WOW Experiences

by Chris Kappes

There’s a saying among frefghters, “Risk a little to save a little, risk a lot to save a lot.” It’s a philosophy that applies not only to battling fames but also to navigating the complex terrain of business evolution.

As the embers of the COVID-19 crisis smoldered, the leadership team at VIAD found themselves at a pivotal juncture, seeking a visionary leader to reinvent their experiential marketing business unit.

With a seasoned background in agency leadership, Jef Stelmach stepped into this role with a bold mandate: “VIAD leadership said we’re going to run into the fre and bet on you. Take your track record and bring it here.

You have the connections; you know the talent. Go build a world class marketing agency.”

That was August 2021; Jef Stelmach was appointed as the new Global President of Spiro.

No stranger to challenges

Stelmach leaned into his new role after decades of leading event marketing agencies, OPUS, MOSAIC, Ogilvy, and others. “I’ve been an agency-brat my entire life,” Stelmach jokes. “My earliest exposure to marketing was putting toys inside Kellogg cereal boxes.”

From cereal boxes and grassroots marketing activations to building and integrating agencies within agencies, Stelmach’s journey has crisscrossed leading agencies, country, and globe. But the Spiro challenge was diferent. “The pandemic was a bless-

Photo courtesy of Spiro

Stelmach

ing and a curse,” he explains. “When an event like COVID strips a business down to its bare essentials, it is also an opportunity to rebuild the business from scratch and emerge as a stronger, more agile marketing solutions agency.”

Rebuild he did.

“Listening was priority one,” shares Stelmach. “I needed to understand what we had, what it could be, and what we needed as a baseline for a capable group of marketers.”

With some dry power left for investment, Stelmach used it to retool his global management team who worked to reformulate a new agency vision: the global brand experience agency for the NEW NOW™, ofering New WOW solutions for their clients. “Change and evolution are the only constants today,” he remarks, “NEW NOW encapsulates the ethos driving Spiro’s transformative journey.”

With each New WOW experience that Spiro creates for its clients, its aim is in “bonding brand & customer” —what Spiro calls “Brand Gravity.”

Explaining Brand Gravity

Rooted in the recognition of change as the only constant in today’s world, creating New WOW experiences for the NEW NOW encapsulated Spiro’s commitment to evolution, agility, and innovation. However, the value the agency ofers to its clients and their stakeholders is built on designing for and sustaining priority placement within clients’ customer communities.

Broadly, Stelmach and his team wanted their new message to be: events and experiences exist beyond time and channels. Spiro’s innovative platform empowers marketers to host events anywhere, anytime, seamlessly adapting to audiences’ evolving preferences and behaviors. By mutually understanding audience drivers and engagement motivators, and designing to those behaviors, Spiro works to create a critical bond between brand & customer—positioning brands as priority in the hearts and minds of clients’ most important audiences.

In March 2022, Spiro launched its name (meaning “I breath” in Latin) and brand identity. The identity inspiration manifests from a synthesis of the GES color palette and half a spirograph, called a Spira. The Spiro name and logo were the result. “We call ourselves Spiro•nauts,” smiles Mark Sykes, Spiro senior vice president and global creative director. “We’re innovators who can take your brand, analyze it, and ‘give it wings’ beyond where it normally goes.”

Turning Vision Into Reality

At the core of Spiro’s evolution lies its revolutionary methodology: Community-Centered Experience Design (CCXD™), a holistic approach that transcends traditional event planning, delving deep into economic, cultural, and emotional dynamics to craft experiential solutions. This process needed to be infused throughout the organization requiring months of staf immersion. “In eighteen months, we were a fully functioning agency,” shares Stelmach.

“I’m blown away with what we’ve achieved in a few years.”

This was confrmed in the most recent VIAD 2023 earnings. GES and Spiro outperformed expectations with a 7% full year revenue growth and healthy margins. Spiro reported revenues of $283,171 million.

Pushing Boundaries

Looking ahead, Stelmach sees the growth of Spiro coming from nurturing and applying CCXD™ into more global regions. “We will push boundaries and continue to evolve,” he shares. The B2C (business to consumer) channel is another exciting area of opportunity for Spiro. “We are very excited about the explosion of woman in sports and our involvement.”

Finally, Stelmach is focused on the company’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050. “This is a passion for Spiro associates,” he explains.

Stelmach and Spiro will continue to run into the fre knowing the risks but reaching for the opportunities ahead.

Photo courtesy of Spiro

HOT SPRINGS, VA

JUNE 23-26, 2024

This years event theme is ESCAlation!

We are ESCAlating the education, ESCAlating the way you network with peers and ESCAlating the business connections that you will form at the event and beyond!

Educational Sessions

Networking Events

Business Connections

Activities in a relaxing environment

Killer Tech

by Jessica Boswell

Mark Stross’s Killer Tech and the Drive to Save Humanity provides advice on how to embrace technology without becoming dependent upon it with, using real-life stories and tips.

In Killer Tech, Stross asserts that we are becoming “users” who are consumed by technology, unaware that we are the ones being used by big tech companies. Our every move, data, photos, and actions, is being traced without protection. Stross suggests that humanity must protect itself from all this monitoring.

Stross addresses parents, saying they are doing a disservice to their children by exposing them to too much tech early in life. Children need hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills for the real world. Handing them an iPad or smart phone will limit opportunities

to develop these skills. There is a lack of human interaction, conversation skills, and imagination in young people surrounded by technology. Stross suggests that everything our children do online is being tracked or monitored. As a parent, it is your job to monitor usage and activity, set parental controls, check history, and even preview an app or game before letting children use it. Above all else, Stross stresses that we as parents need to advocate for tech platforms to keep our kids safe.

Stross says adult Americans are all about convenience; we don’t think about the consequences this will have on our country. He warns about the recent trend of companies phasing out the need for human workers. Robots are doing that were once done by humans, from manufacturing to self-checkout. Social media and software are now in charge of detecting information about threats or specifc topics.

Additionally, Stross warns that we are pawns being infuenced by artifcial intelligence (AI) and are becoming overloaded and addicted to the tech. AI is learning to copy human behavior and is attempting to create a better version of humans. The copies of us often make viewers question whether what they see is real or false.

Stross’s book also discusses topics like “after the bandwidth,” signal privacy, NTFs, virtual reality, and deepfakes. He provides “Tech Action” at the end of each chapter that contains tips for protection and ways to preserve humanity within the tech space. Stross’s book is easy to understand for those of us who are “non-tech” people. The book provides suggestions of protections that the common person can do easily, now, that can help our society. Killer Tech is a must-read for anyone who owns a smartphone, goes online, plays video games, or is a human. With Stross’ book, we can take back control of our tech addiction and reclaim our humanity.

Networking

STRATEGIES FOR AN INCLUSIVE EVENT

BY SAM OGREN

You look at your badge, complete with two perforated tickets tucked into the plastic holder—“ONE DRINK” printed in thick black letters— and you think about the look you’ll get when you order club soda. Hundreds of faces are in front of you, strangers deep in conversation with their twenty best friends. Stepping through the door, it feels like every eye snaps to you while dismissing you to the corner that collects everything or everyone uninteresting. You look back to the door, your exit. A bead of sweat, a cold fush, and a sharp lightning up your spine: fear. There’s no place, no time for it, not here. There’s no turning back—the only way is through.

This drama might make you chuckle. Fear? At a networking event? It may seem preposterous. However, for introverts, neurodivergent

ery—to name a few—these events aren’t a bridge to advancement. Rather, small talk, free alcohol, strangers, and high pressure on growing careers are a potent combination of anxiety and stress.

But, if networking isn’t in your comfort zone, you cannot simply return to your hotel room and watch Housewives. You don’t randomly hit the big time. You need dedication, efort, and a willingness to try (and fail) to meet new people, uncover new opportunities, exchange ideas—and develop self-confdence.

Putting people together in a space is not networking. Planning networking doesn’t require money, it requires intent. The following are three ways in which we can improve networking events to be more meaningful, more productive, and more inclusive:

“Strangers are friends we haven’t met yet.”

By committing to a networking event, we decide to meet

people and expect a return on our investment by developing new relationships. It’s difcult to break into established groups with authenticity and vulnerability, but the solution isn’t to hang out with your friends or coworkers.

The best networking events eschew the same-old, same-old icebreaker games using pet names, frst cars, or fun facts. How about reworking an exercise from post-pandemic events where color-coded wristbands indicated personal space preferences? The same tactic can now denote expertise or interest. “Tell me about your new ofces” — blue button. “We’re looking to hire” — green wristband. “AI Expert” — red lanyard. “I’m just happy to be here!” — yellow badge ribbon. Remove the

Consider Other Drink Options

While alcohol has a time and a place depending on the crowd, we are seeing a defnitive movement towards other, alcohol-free options. Artisan teas, cofee, and craft sodas are great

“What do I say frst?” problem, alleviate social anxiety, and enhance the potential interaction by posting these categories at the door.

“Why’s it always so loud?”

Many networking events feature high echoing ceilings, amplifed pop hits of the Early 2000s, limited seating, pumped-up A/C, and a focus on access to the bar. The networker’s “terrarium” is set to 72 degrees and forescent; only the carpet changes, and after a while, that’s set on repeat.

Factors beyond our control dictate the environment, but can we create spaces for interaction, engagement, and collaboration? Maybe by using partial walls or sound-capturing materials, we can reduce the dB level to allow conversation and reduce stressors.

alternative options for networking events along with the quickly growing selection of mocktails, and nonalcoholic beer and wine. We are no longer in the age of in vino veritas. Bars are not a necessity at our events! Have a cuppa or a Coke!

Remember, some people prefer to sit and not be relegated to the edges; creating accessibility to foster productive, meaningful conversations can help communication.

“To your health…”

“You got two tickets, but I can get you more.” “Here, you look like you could use more fun; take my extras.” “It’s a cash bar, but I put my card down for us. Go ahead.”

The encouragement of a “drinking culture” can cause uncomfortable situations, not to mention embarrassing moments. Do themed drinks drive conversation, or could we replace them with varietal teas, coffees, customizable smoothies, or desserts? Do we need a social lubricant, or can we create the initial momentum in a conversation? Alcohol may be a standard, but it doesn’t have to be a centerpiece.

Then there are generational

diferences. For Millennials and GenZ, not only is networking not in their comfort zones, but they are drinking less than older generations did at their age, due to increased awareness on negative health impacts of alcohol and other social and cultural changes occurring within their generation. Their appetizer preferences don’t run to pigs in a blanket either. They are health conscious, often vegetarian or vegan; all the staples of the stereotypical event are suspect.

It’s simple. Create conditions for relationships to happen. Focus on meaningful conversations, inclusive spaces, new ideas, and stronger business communities.

The night air hits your face, you take a deep breath and refect on the past few hours. In one pocket, your fngers tingle from a thousand handshakes against the stack of business cards, and in the other, your phone vibrates with new LinkedIn connections. You’re propelled by strong cofee and invigorating conversations that test your knowledge and reinforce your belief in your skills. This event was diferent. This is what you signed up for, the awareness that you stepped outside your comfort zone and found meaningful collaboration—the energy of a community coming together. You’ve always been told you would do something… for the frst time, you believe it.

•

Let’s Imagineer a Better World

by Jillian Fafard, Aluvision Director of Marketing

Aluvision’s aim as a leading exhibit systems manufacturer is to inspire and connect partners on their creative journey to design and build modular environments.

Sustainability, globalization, and innovative product design are the main pillars Aluvision focuses on. The future of the exhibit industry undeniably lies in the use of sustainable materials and the pursuit of ecological processes. This is where possible reuse of existing materials and additional rental options come in handy for event frms and end-users alike. Customized, wood-built exhibits are no longer the only way to display creativity and inspire awe. A hybrid approach to event design can be more afordable, less labor-intensive, and equally impressive.

The current climate is an opportunity to collaborate and create new solutions. We recognize our responsibility to provide versatile, fexible, highly customizable, and intuitive options.

Aluvision’s system is a blank canvas on which each exhibit designer can create their own unique event masterpiece.

From durable frame systems like our award-winning Omni-55 Pro, to whole event units like our Flexbox, Aluvision provides complete design freedom. With embedded Velcro® for added durability and reuse, Aluvision’s Omni-55 Pro is sustainable and versatile. These ultralightweight frames accommodate SEG and panels on both sides, and easily and seamlessly connect to any size frame system and other materials such as wood.

Aluvision’s Flexbox is a complete event solution designed for indoor and outdoor events, with customizable fnishing options for backlit or unlit SEG, glass, hard infll, LED video, and even sleek wooden louvers. The Flexbox is linkable and stackable, and

has endless applications, from meeting spaces, showrooms, and pop-up stores to media stations and VIP lounges. With a simple setup, its reusability is as certain as its longevity—making the Flexbox the most sustainable, fexible solution of its kind.

For us, the details make the design. Aluvision products are not just easy to use; they’re intuitive. Featuring toolless assembly and a plug and play model, our solutions ofer complete freedom of confguration and seamless integration between systems.

Aluvision was built on the principle of minimizing our environmental footprint while providing top-quality products and services to our customers. Our vision for a greener and more responsible future has led us to implement four impactful projects for optimal sustainability: circular product design, responsible sourcing and manufacturing, sustainable and socially responsible headquarters, and alternative business models.

Our products are low impact and designed for reuse and recyclability. Like a master painter, we have an eye for detail and fnishing touches. Our profles are anodized, not only ensuring a high-end look, but even more importantly, leaving the aluminum surface scratch and dirt resistant. Anodization also reduces the oils

excreted from raw or brushed aluminum which cause stains and greasy fngerprint marks. This increases durability and longevity of use and ensures less byproduct waste in the use of gloves and soaps in handling our product.

Aluvision’s passion for stellar customer service has led to opportunities for growth across the globe. Our three showrooms in Deinze, BE, Atlanta, GA, and Las Vegas, NV are designed as educational hubs, where we ofer workshops and webinars to introduce professionals to our world of possibilities.

At Aluvision, we truly believe our product and company contribute to a better world for future generations. Our mission is to imagineer: engineer with limitless imagination, yet always keep the idea of reusability, ecology, and global yet local collaboration in mind.

Aluvision Flexbox @ Wonder Creativity Festival 2023

Aluvision @ ExhibitorLIVE 2024

Advocacy Matters!

BY BOB MCGLINCY

Tradeshows work. They work very well. But this wonderful, exciting, intriguing industry of ours is still an invisible one to many of those who work beyond the tradeshow foor. Explaining what we do, proclaiming its importance, and advocating for our business is critical. ECN reached out to industry leaders for their thoughts on advocacy:

Chris Griffin EDPA President, CEO of CREW XP Advocacy is not an occasional event. It’s a constant attitude. You cannot wait for a crisis or confict to get involved. We need to lay a foundation before those events happen.

That is what EDPA and ECA advocacy warriors have been doing these past three years—by engaging with our elected ofcials, news media outlets, and industry associations. We’re ensuring that all stakeholders understand the economic value that the tradeshow and business event sectors contribute to the U.S. and global economies.

Rob Cohen

2023 Hazel Hayes Award Winner, VP at Display Supply & Lighting, Inc.

Advocacy continues to be one of the most important activities we can engage in as an industry.

It is crucial to be heard as a collective voice on matters of importance and we are fortunate to have the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance led by Tommy Goodwin to guide our collective eforts. Not only

is it important to speak as a collec tive voice on matters of importance like future workforce development, but we also build community within our industry at the same time. We will certainly achieve more together than we will ever accomplish alone!

Julie Kagy

fueled the formation of the Events & Conferences Alliance (ECA), a collective efort by eight key industry associations. The ECA has become a powerful force, amplifying our voice on Capitol Hill and advocating for the interests of our industry. This unifed front elevated our presence and allowed us to present a cohesive and impactful narrative.

Vincent Polito

SISO CEO

It has never been more important for policymakers to understand and support the impact that our industry has on driving economic growth, supporting job creation, and empowering small businesses.

That’s why SISO is the leading supporter of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance and its advocacy work on behalf of the industry in Washington, DC and nationwide.

CEM, ESCA Executive Director Advocacy is not just a buzzword for us—it’s a strategic and vital part of our mission. We strive to ensure that our industry’s unique challenges and contributions are recognized and addressed at all levels.

Advocacy is crucial in our industry as it helps amplify voices and drive positive change. It has proven to be a game-changer, especially during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic unfolded, it became glaringly evident that our industry was underrepresented in critical conversations and decision-making processes. This realization

Efective advocacy campaigns can infuence policymakers to enact favorable regulations, secure funding for industry initiatives, and promote the economic signifcance of tradeshows. The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance is a coalition of the leading professional, industry, and labor organizations that comprise the unifed advocacy voice of the business events industry and fght for our industry’s rights daily.

Rob Cohen

Chris Griffin

Vincent Polito

Julie Kagy

Brad Falberg

President of Exhibitus, Inc.

When I think of advocacy, I think of it in two diferent forms. First, I think of advocating for our industry in general, and, second, I think of advocating for the industry’s economic engine—the exhibitor.

We learned a lot from the pandemic. No one was hit harder than exhibitions and conferences. We were dead in the water for 16 months. Worse, we seemed invisible to the news media, government, and the general public. This caused a rallying cry from all parts of the industry and, ultimately, the formation of the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance; a collaboration of eight diferent industry associations. The new alliance combined forces to make our voices heard on Capitol Hill and helped include us in the Paycheck Protection Program One and Two, and the Employee Retention Tax Credit. These programs literally saved my company as well as, I’m sure, many more in the industry. I highly recommend attending the Legislative

Action Day in Washington on May 30. I have gone or participated with each one for the last six years. Meeting with your representatives to make them aware of our industry, its importance and to propose specifc ‘asks,’ makes you feel like you are actually participating in the political process and making a diference in our industry and for your company.

The second kind of advocacy is for the exhibitors. I have spoken and written for years about the unintended consequences of skyrocketing drayage. Everyone knows that the general contractor uses drayage or material handling and the show organizer collects revenue to provide aisle carpet, signs, and all of the other infrastructure needed to run the show without charging the exhibitors or attendees in some other way. I understand that the revenue has to be collected somehow to run the show. Basing it on weight, however, is harming the medium. I implore show organizers, the general contractors, and exhibitors alike to tackle this issue to reduce the material handling rates so that exhibitors will renew their passion for spectacular exhibits and the resultant marketing value they

that comprise the unifed advocacy voice of the business events industry.

I am actively involved in the upcoming ECA Legislation Action Day and will join others in the exhibitions and events industry on May 30 in Washington, DC, to meet with policymakers about ECA’s top federal policies. We supported the recent FTC rule that acts against tradeshow scammers, including hotel reservation scams and attendee list sale scams. In addition, we supported the policy to improve visa operations to grow international travel and commerce.

This year, we will focus eforts on helping the industry attract and train the next-generation workforce and further reduce visa wait times. We recognize the ability to infuence elected ofcials’ actions by sharing the economic growth, job creation, and capacity to empower small businesses our industry has by joining forces in Washington, DC, each year.

Final Thoughts

Expositions and Events at AVIXA

As a trade association and producer of tradeshows around the world, AVIXA recognizes the importance of advocacy for the exhibition industry. Our commitment is to foster collaboration with fellow industry leaders to champion policies and initiatives that impact positive transformation

Over the past few years, AVIXA has supported the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA), a coalition of leading professional, industry, and labor organizations

Our industry has been “invisible” for far too long. If we want to be heard, we have to speak up. If we want to be seen, we have to become more visible. One way to efect change is to get involved: in industry associations and with issues that matter to you. In addition to promoting the industry, there are a number of other issues that one can advocate for. A sampling of issues includes: workforce development, attendee acquisition, visa delays, health and safety, exhibitor ROI, diversity, sustainability, and green initiatives.

ECA’s Legislative Action Day 2024 held on Thursday, May 30, in Washington, D.C. This is an opportunity to speak with legislators and network with industry professionals. It is an opportunity to discuss the industry and its policies and concerns. Will you or someone from your company be attending? The link to registration is eca.customreg.net or you can visit the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance web page to learn more.

Brad Falberg

Rookie on the Exhibit Show Floor

LOAD-IN AND LOAD-OUT SURVIVAL GUIDE

BY DANELLE DODDS

Being the new kid on the block can be challenging, especially when that block is over a million square feet of exhibition space. According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), more than 14,000 tradeshows and conventions are held annually in the United States. Traversing the geography of this event set-up and strike can be intimidating, especially for a newbie. On most days, the exhibit hall concrete jungle is buzzing with activity. The cracking of crates, the slap of carpet on stone, and the constant beeping of scissors lifts create a cacophony that can stun frst timers on the show foor. The hum of thousands of laborers moving in seamless synchronicity can glaze the eyes of a newcomer.

When you are a rookie, you need more than a rock to beat the Goliath of the expo landscape. Even with all the training, everyone experiences awkward, fedgling lessons their frst few times on the job. To survive—and thrive—you need the inside scoop from generations of suppliers who have been there and done that.

We spoke to the experts and consolidated their advice into a quick reference overview. We have organized tips into easy-to-follow categories that tackle the various things you may encounter in the early days of your career. With our handy guide and your skills, you might go from mentee to master in no time.

Our Experts: Alyson Lyden

CEM, Order Defned

With over 20 years in hotel operations, events, and tradeshows, Alyson Lyden knows how to connect the dots for her clients. “I bridge the gaps and organize the chaos,” she says.

White glove standards are second nature to Lyden. With a foundation in Project Management from the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC, Lyden integrates personalized and refned service into everything she does. Her background in tradeshows and events incorporates experiences such as being the C-level event manager for ABInBev’s global headquarters, business development manager for Freeman, and project management for agency and custom fabrication partners. Her experiences allowed her to bring that service to her exhibit clients, especially when she started her company in 2023, providing services to her former colleagues and clients. As a proud CEM (Certifed in Exhibition Management) and owner of Order Defned, Alyson continues to bring order to the disorganized. She helps her clients navigate the confusing world of the show foor.

Julie Kagy, Exhibition Services and Contractors Association (ESCA)

After graduating from Purdue University Northwest, Julie Kagy launched her career at the Ritz-Carlton Four Seasons Chicago, where she contributed to the hotel’s recognition as a Top North American Hotel by Conde Nast Traveler four times. Transitioning to the tradeshow industry with GES, Kagy spent 12 years honing her skills in various roles, including Exhibitor Services Manager, Director of Account Management, and Vice President of National Account Management.

Kagy joined the Exhibition Services and Contractors Association (ESCA) in 2015 and is currently the Executive Director, a role she wholeheartedly embraces. Passionate about collaborating with industry leaders, she dedicates herself to shaping the future of the tradeshow

industry and fostering innovation. She explains, “We specialize in minimizing the impact when things go wrong.”

ESCA is the premier association for industry leaders in the meetings, exhibitions, and hospitality industry. Kagy tapped her well-seasoned membership for their insider tips and tricks to help the rookies peek behind the velvet curtain.

Pre-Game

To increase your confdence the frst few times on the show foor, get ahead of the curve by prepping in advance.

» Heavy Reading: While overwhelming, the Exhibit Kit is your atlas. There’s a reason why they can be hundreds of pages long. It is the playbook for the entire show. The kit will tell you critical dates, supplier instructions, load-in and out schedules, details of the event, where to store your empties, and more. It is your North Star that will navigate you through the load-in and load-out.

The document is vital for understanding labor jurisdictions. Each city, venue, and show will have specific requirements. Understanding if you are dealing with union or non-union, exclusive electrical, or other mandates can help lay the foundation for a more stress-free experience.

» The advance warehouse can be your best friend: Take advantage of the advance warehouse instead of sending your freight to the show site. It could save you time and money. If you ship your freight directly to the show site, your shipment could be queued with all other shipments and delivered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Your truck may pull into the lot at the beginning of the day, but your freight may only unload hours later, depending on your shipment’s spot in line.

Usually, freight from the advance warehouse has been sorted, tagged, and loaded strategically for smooth floor delivery. Shipments sent to the advance warehouse are usually unloaded and delivered first.

This tip is excellent for any hanging signage as well. Hanging signs can have safety and engineering requirements. They may require additional approvals before being hung. Signage that arrives at the advance warehouse often goes through the approval process in

the warehouse and is usually hung before the booth’s set-up.

» Bring a well-stocked toolbox: Being prepared on the job doesn’t just mean the essentials. You never know what can happen when you are on the show floor. If something pops up, the nearest store could be miles away. To prepare for the unexpected, pre-stock your toolbox with more than you need. Include tape, bandages, essential tools, zip ties, scissors, wire cutters, and more.

» Budget for your labor, not your bottom line: When planning for labor, estimate realistic hours rather than what you hope your hours will be. Billing occurs on actuals, not estimates. Not only will realistic planning help you not be surprised when you get your invoice, but it will also allow the official service provider to plan for the skilled labor of the entire event more accurately.

Sustainability and Collaboration:

Part of walking the path like a pro is to think about your footprint.

» Reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose, and repair: Sustainability is more than a buzzword. As convention centers, venues, exhibitions, and events focus on green initiatives, the need to become more sustainable has grown. Minimize waste, use eco-friendly packing, and practice the five R’s of sustainability wherever possible.

Booth Set-up and Logistics: Logistics are the backbone of events. Understanding the process and adequately planning for it will help you build the proverbial muscle of a seasoned supplier.

» There is a method to the madness: The show floor and your booth unfold in strategic layers. Everything has a rhyme and reason given the sophisticated operation necessary to produce these well-oiled events. While there are always exceptions to the rules, generally, a show unfolds in order. The show floor is marked, and booth spaces are defined. Signs are hung. Electrical is placed. The carpet is laid. Structures are built. Then furniture is placed. Like a game of Tetris, each piece follows a particular order for it to snap into place. You will understand the flow as you become more familiar with the operation.

When you’re a rookie, you need more than a rock to beat the Goliath of the expo landscape.”

» Lay it out: Prepare and submit actionable booth diagrams and production schedules. Know the placement of everything in your booth (including power). Plan to efficiently use the space within your booth area to maximize visibility and accessibility. Create a production schedule with pertinent details for your partners, including move-in and move-out schedules. Maintain clear communication with all parties to help aid in a smooth process.

» Certifiable: All organizations working on the show floor must submit a certificate of insurance (COI). Your exhibit kit will identify your minimum insurance requirements for that show.

» Bring something to do: Even in the fastpaced world of load-in and load-out, there will be downtime, especially as things are systematically unfolding. Load-in and loadout days are great for working on your laptop, catching up on emails, or sorting through the ancillary last-minute details. Load-out days can take longer, especially for larger shows, as empty crates only arrive once the floor carpet is pulled. Plan team dinners, grab a cocktail, or hire labor to pack your booth on final days.

Shipping:

Your freight is your foundation. Simple steps to ensure smooth delivery and return may help you avoid unnecessary stress.

» Get weighed: When shipping your freight, have your carrier weigh it on a certified scale before shipping and include both light and heavy-weight tickets. Without the tickets, you may have to get weighed in the marshaling yard, which could delay your shipment’s arrival at your booth. Contact the General Services Provider (GSP) to confirm the marshaling yard requirements for certified weight tickets. Each show is different. You may have a smoother experience if you take this step.

» Double-check your BOL: On the show’s last day, you are responsible for turning in your Bill of Lading (BOL) to exhibitor services so they know what will happen with your freight at the show’s end. Ensure you have your outgoing BOL prepared and with your shipment. Doublecheck the carrier’s name and destination details noted. Minor, silly errors in this process can cause your shipments not to be routed correctly, which may cause delays and added costs. If your BOL does not match your carrier’s information when the carriers show up, the General Service Provider (GSP) may have to reroute it to their warehouse. You may incur additional costs for transferring and storing your items while rectifying the miscommunication.

Safety and Compliance:

Maintaining a safe and compliant environment on the show foor is critical, especially with hundreds of moving parts happening simultaneously. Not cutting corners and erring on the side of caution are characteristics of a professional.

» Keep it clear: Your space can quickly become overwhelmed when unpacking and packing booth items. As the detritus stacks up, try to keep it out of the aisles. Items strewn outside your booth lines can block forklifts or cause tripping hazards.

» Do not be a blockhead: Avoid blocking emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and other

life-saving devices with crates or tools. Every second counts in an emergency, so be mindful that your items do not block vital emergency access points.

» Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you should stand on it. Your mother was right when she told you not to climb on the furniture. Although using the side table for a quick-fix boost can be tempting when you’ve already folded the ladder, the risk is not worth the reward. Never use furniture or fixtures for unintended purposes. Little mistakes like this can often cause unnecessary injuries.

» Keep it freight-free: Certain aisles are marked “No Freight.” These aisles are needed for moving around the show floor, allowing forklift access, and in case of emergencies. Respect designated aisles marked as “No Freight” and ensure they remain clear.

Final Pieces of Advice:

Some lessons you learn through experience. These last takeaways come from

those who have seen and done it all.

» Use your voice: When you’re a newbie, you might have major imposter syndrome. Because everything feels new, it’s hard to differentiate between the severity of situations. It’s easy to intimidate yourself into silence. If something feels wrong, feel free to ask. Not only will you learn something, but you may also help prevent costly or dangerous errors.

» Be flexible and prepared to adapt: Every pro will tell you that Murphy knew his law. Even with the best-laid plans, things can go wrong. That is the nature of setting up high-stress, intensely detailed live events. When something unexpected occurs, stay focused on finding a workable solution. While different than what you envisioned, several alternate remedies may be available.

» We are all in it together: Even though you work inside booth lines, remember that collaboration has no borders. If you see your neighbor struggling, lend a hand where you can.

» You are on a stage: Remember that you always

represent your company, even behind the scenes. How you behave on the floor is observed by more than just the crew you are with.

Be mindful of your noise levels, language, and behavior during set-up and teardown. Maintain a professional and respectful environment. Do your best to create a positive environment for yourself and those around you. When you are on the show foor, you are an ambassador for the show, the city, and the industry. Everyone is working toward the common goal of a successful show. Be mindful and proud that you are a part of something bigger.

You help fuel a multi-billion-dollar industry. Arming yourself with a few of these inside tricks will give you the confdence to take your place next to the pros.

Do you have a few additional tips to add to the list? Join the conversation by sending them here!

Become an ECN I&D ACEs Sponsor Today!

Get in on the planning stages! Join now by becoming a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze Sponsor by sponsoring the bar tab, suggesting the venue, and the best date to celebrate your local ACES. We’ll do all the event planning, we’ll bring the trophies and videographer (for the ECN YouTube video channel — (check it out at www.youtube.com/@DonatECN) and we’ll provide the editorial coverage that will live forever — both in print and in our digital issues. Check out the May/June and July/August

2019 digital flipbooks at www.issuu.com for the digital issue coverage of the ACES inaugural event.

Honor your retired All-Stars who helped build your company with a William F. Nixon Sr. Lifetime Achievement ACE Award

Join as a Platinum Sponsor and Name Your Own Award after your company, your founder or person of your choice!

Honor those who have passed away with a posthumous induction into the ECN I&D Hall of Fame

Designing for Experience

Crafting Memorable Journeys in UX and Exhibits

by Chris Kappes

In the quest for defning good design, one need only glance at the iconic creations of our time: the iPhone, Google’s search engine, the Eames fberglass armchair, Uber’s ride-sharing app, and the timeless appeal of Lego Building Blocks. These exemplify the fusion of form and function, where solutions not only meet but exceed user needs, ultimately translating into successful business endeavors.

Yet, what constitutes good exhibit design in today’s dynamic landscape?

Exhibition stands have undergone a remarkable metamorphosis over the past three decades. From static displays that once served as testaments to corporate prowess, they have evolved into interactive environments that mirror the shifting tides of cultural institutions, technological advancements, and evolving guest expectations. Amid this transformation, one truth remains unshaken:

“Good design is good business.”*

The Rise of Experience Design

A global survey conducted by Momentum Worldwide reveals a seismic shift: 76 percent of consumers now prioritize experiences over products—a staggering 200 percent increase since 2012. What do these discerning consumers seek? Two words echo through the corridors of design: inspiration and meaning.

“The things we dream up must perform,” explains Scott Burns, senior vice president, creative at GPJ. “Everything starts with a thorough strategic brief before it goes into our creative team. Strategists create the brief. They form a perspective. It’s always identifying what is the point behind what we’re looking to create.”

Mark Sykes, Spiro senior vice president and executive creative director based in Shefeld, U.K., adds his thoughts, “Designing for experiences begins by understanding the gravity of where the customer needs assistance. This is captured as a strategic brief and is used to inform the creative team from around the globe.”

Experience Design Is Evolutionary

In the realm of experience design, the landscape has shifted dramatically. Immersive experiences have witnessed exponential growth, with technology playing an increasingly integral role in shaping user interactions. Burns asserts, “Experience design revolves around the user... [it] must consider technology, media, mobility, and AI to create positive emotions and drive specifc behaviors.”

Sykes adds this perspective, “We’re no longer exhibition designers but ‘entertainment’ designers. We place key brand content and messaging within an architectural framework and embellish it with high-value digital, sensory, and auditory production.”

However, designers today face a myriad of challenges. The cost of exhibiting has undergone a seismic shift over the past decade, with exhibit design and production costs now comprising a smaller percentage of the overall corporate tradeshow-event budget. The rise of afordable exhibit systems and portable displays, coupled with escalating costs in other

Photos courtesy of GPJ, Spiro, Core Design Group

* T.J. Watson Jr., son of IBM Thomas Watson, shared this in a company-wide memo in 1966.

areas, has necessitated a reevaluation of design approaches.

COVID-19 further compounded these challenges, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, resilience, and empathy in a rapidly changing world. Dave Lindermann, design partner at Core Design Group, observes, “Buyers are more

concerned about the guest experience, creating memorable moments, rather than stunning architecture.”

Sykes concurs, “Exhibit architecture is getting simplifed. It’s now designing a ‘house’ and vessel to draw the customer into the immersive story.”

But the challenge remains. Clients are expecting incredible experiences created in shorter periods of time.

Technology As Design Accelerant

To navigate these challenges, designers are increasingly leveraging technology as an accelerant for innovation. Global scale enables collaboration across ofces, facilitating the sharing of resources and expertise. Sykes and Burns highlight being able to link up with other ofces empowers their creative teams to respond to shortened timelines and ‘localize’ messaging, which is critically important to global clients.

While AI holds promise as a tool for streamlining the design process, its full potential has yet to be realized. Nonetheless, its applications—from mood and story board creation to image enhancement—offer glimpses into a future where technology serves as a catalyst for creativity.

Experiential Roadmap

Both exhibit and UX design thrive when viewed holistically. It’s not about isolated brilliance; it’s about orchestration.

Here are some key tenets experiential designers follow:

» Visitor Personas: Understand your audience deeply. Who walks through the exhibit-event doors? What stories resonate with them? Craft experiences that speak to their souls.

» Storytelling Layers: Exhibits are narratives. Within the grand story, weave smaller tales— subplots that engage, surprise, and linger. Layer upon layer. Flow and focus.

» Design a linear journey: Guide visitors through crescendos and pauses. Use graphic and media design to orchestrate interest and flow.

» Interactive Learning: Gamify learning. Let touchscreens, augmented reality, and tactile elements invite exploration. Make learning an adventure.

» Embrace Technology: Infuse exhibits with tech magic. Interactive displays, virtual reality, and immersive soundscapes elevate the experience.

The Future Of Experience Design

The future of experiential design lies in the seamless integration of form, function, and experience. By embracing strategic thinking, empathy, and technological innovation, designers create immersive experiences that resonate deeply with audiences, transcending the boundaries of physical space and leaving an indelible imprint that create brand enthusiasts. The future of experience design is bright.

Photos courtesy of GPJ, Spiro, Core Design Group

Photo by Gary Prochorchik / Exposures LTD

SH Hotels & Resorts, BDNY

By Gilbert

Natalie Romano with Studio Partnership and Derrick Nelloms with EmeraldX say, “Nature is inextricably intertwined into everything at 1 Hotels. For BDNY, the design team brings outside elements indoors—think roughhewn wood, textured stone, handwoven palm accents, and a eucalyptus-pole trellis that caps a repurposed, overarching structure. 1 Hotels and its partners turned to airy drapery for softness, cascading greenery to filter overhead light, and a neutral color palette for furnishings. The main goal was to achieve serene surroundings using sustainably sourced materials including GREENGUARD -certified fabrics, recycled-fiber carpet, and Cradle to Cradle Silver Certified engineered hardwood flooring.”

PROJECT CREDITS

Design Leadership and Team:

Chris Alvarado, Kerrie Murphy, SH Hotels & Resorts

Project Leads Onsite:

Natalie Romano with Studio Partnership, Derrick Nelloms with EmeraldX.

Exhibit fabricator and installer: Gilbert

Sponsors: AgroSci, Bluebird Lighting, C2C Designs, Momentum, Pioneer, Shaw

Product Contributor:

Quiltcraft Industries

Restoration Theory/ Stickwood

by Kerstan Szczepanski Photography by Gary Prochorchik / Exposures LTD

By the Numbers

Booth Footprint: 20’ x 50’

Tradeshow Name: BDNY

About SH Hotels & Resorts

SH Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Capital Group, operates 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, Treehouse Hotels, and SH Collection properties. With its marketing, design, operational, and technological expertise, SH is behind some of the most exciting hotel brands in the world.

JD Power, NADA 24 by Downing Displays

by Kerstan Szczepanski

Photography by Gary Prochorchik / Exposures LTD

For NADA 24, JD Power had Downing Displays, a Cincinnati, OH based exhibit house. The house had over 60 years of experience, created and produced an imposing exhibit that caught—and held—attendee attention long before they entered it. As Connie DeLap, Ofce Manager for Downing Displays’ Chicago ofce says, “The JD Power exhibit was crafted to harmonize nine distinct brands under the JD Power umbrella, aiming to showcase their unity and individual strengths while providing clear and transparent data.”

“From a distance,” DeLap continues, “the imposing corporate identity, illuminated with dynamic animated lighting, captivated attention, and beckoned visitors. As one approached, internally lit pillars guided the gaze into the booth space, while an open perimeter facilitated easy access and viewing of the oferings. Welcoming counters were strategically placed to assist visitors in navigating the exhibit.”

The counters provided ample opportunities to greet and bring in visitors. DeLap points out, “Abundant demonstration opportunities fostered deeper engagement, complemented by private conferencing areas and storage at the rear, serving as a bold canvas for displaying

brand messaging through backlit content. The interplay of lighting and robust black structures delineated the space, directing focus towards the showcased oferings.” The design accommodated a variety of exhibit needs. DeLap says, “The booth

structures are adaptable, allowing for confguration into smaller island spaces of 30x30 and 20x20 dimensions.”

Power and adaptability continue to lead this company to create engaging exhibit in any number of spaces.

By the Numbers

Booth Footprint: 40 x 40

Labor: Four carpenter 16 hours

Booth Height: 20’

Various graphic sizes: Banner 36’ x 6’ each side

Front wall: 38’ x 8’

Entrance opening: 14’ high.

Pillars: 19 ½ “ x 4” x 14’

Backwall: 38’ x 8’

PROJECT CREDITS

Exhibit House:Downing Displays Chicago, Illinois

Sales: Connie DeLap, Downing Displays

Project Management:Denise Hober, Downing Displays

Lead Designer:Marty Feldhaus, Downing Displays

Engineering:Zack Stephens, Downing Displays

Production Manager: Josh Bridge, Downing Displays

Fabrication: Downing Displays

Client Team:Downing Displays & J.D. Power

Flooring: Flooring Exhibits

Graphic Production:In-house and Moss Incorporated

Photography: Exposures LTD

Exhibit I & D: Sho-Link Inc.

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Hamilton

TELLING STORIES, PUSHING BOUNDARIES, AND LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT

BY THEA ENGST

Hamilton is a 75-year-old event marketing agency that provides cutting-edge brand experiences for companies throughout North America. Their Chief Marketing Officer Courtney Soice told me, “We design, produce, and exe -

Courtney Soice

cute integrated experiences—exhibits, events, environments, and digital solutions—that drive meaningful connections between brands and their audiences. We do everything from the creative concept to production to the on-site execution.”

I sat down with Soice, who’s been with the company for nearly seven years, to pick her brain about her days and what Hamilton provides for its customers. She arrived at Hamilton with extensive agency experience and a personal tie to the company—her family has owned Hamilton for over 30 years. She is not just the CMO; she’s a board member and a soon-to-be company owner. She’s also the Vice President of the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) Midwest Chapter and Secretary of the Women in Experiential Board of Directors.

“I grew up in the industry,” Soice told me. “I always

marveled at the incredible work Hamilton did. When I was little, I saw an exhibit that opened like a cocoon, and butterfies ‘few’ out of it. I thought it was the greatest thing.” Today, she still works with that childlike wonder and imagination, thinking well outside the box to tell immersive stories. She spoke about how she loves being a part of Hamilton’s signature innovation, how she and her team work to push boundaries, to do things that haven’t been done before, and to help their clients stand out from their competitors. “We are nimble and agile and embody a ‘we got this’ mentality. I’m

constantly amazed by the talent we have,” she said.

What does a typical day look like for the CMO of an event and experiential marketing agency known for innovation?

“I know people always say this,” Soice laughed, “but every day is diferent, and that is why I love my job. As a person who often has an excess of energy, having variety in the daily grind is highly appreciated.” She went on, “I start most days with cofee—very, very important—and checking my email, seeing if I missed anything overnight. I typically have several meetings during the day and between meetings, I try to get my other work done. That work varies. I could be working on marketing assets, creative writing, marketing

strategies, crafting pitches, things of that nature.”

She likes to immerse herself in the company’s physical creations as much as she loves to work behind the scenes. “I make it a point to get out and walk around the halls during the day. Given how many people work remotely these days, I feel fortunate to be able to collaborate in person, to walk out to the warehouse, and see what experiences we’re building.” Finally, she ends her day with a to-do list for the next. “It’s all about the to-do list!”

What about the rest of the company?

“We have approximately 110 employees,” she says proudly. “There are people who have been here 25 plus years and new people we’ve recently hired as we continue

to grow our business. Our culture is something that sets us apart. At our core, we are truly a Midwestern family business. There are no egos, and everyone is willing to help each other out.”

Exhibits, Tradeshows, and More

When it comes to tradeshow creations, Soice loves being a part of exhibits at events like Experiential Marketing Summit (EMS) and EXHIBITORLIVE. “We use these opportunities as working demos to show our clients what we can do. This is my Super Bowl!” She said, “I’m really excited for EMS and EXHIBITORLIVE this year. We have really cool plans that go totally beyond convention and will exceed expectations.”

Outside of 2024’s EMS and EXHIBITORLIVE, what

can we hope to see from this cutting-edge event marketing agency? An even more B2B approach to storytelling. “Hamilton has evolved a more agency-centric approach, ofering creative, strategy, and performance services beyond the traditional exhibit house. We’ve taken this to new heights since the launch of StudioH, our inhouse creative experiential design studio.”

Finally, what does she want readers to leave with after reading her profle? “Hamilton and I are dedicated to propelling our legacy of driving innovation and delivering best-in-class service to our clients. We love what we do, and we’re lucky to do it.”

Hamilton is a full-service event marketing agency in North America and around the world. hamilton-ex.com

Photo by Exposures LTD

New Orleans Ernest N Morial Convention Center

By Kerstan Szczepanski

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (900 Convention Center Blvd. New Orleans, LA) opened in 1985. The venue was named after Ernest N. Morial, New Orleans frst African American mayor. While not the largest convention center in the US, it does have the largest exhibit hall—1.1 million square-feet of space, contiguous on one level. There are 140 additional meeting rooms, a 4,000 seat theater, and two ballrooms: The Great Hall, a 60,000 square foot column-free ballroom, and a 30,000 square foot junior ballroom. The center is the sixth largest convention facility in the nation and annually ranks in the country’s top ten facilities that hold the most conventions and tradeshows.

The convention center has a transportation center along Convention Center Blvd. This location provides drop-of locations for busses, shuttless, rideshares, and taxis all without interfering with boulevard trafc. It is the frst phase of a liner park development along the street.

The convention center has a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certifcation, an achievement in sustainability in building design. Certifed by the US Green Building Council, the convention center

is the largest LEED-certifed project in Louisiana, the largest convention center in the US certifed LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance (O+M), as well as the frst convention center in the world to be awarded initial certifcation under LEED v4.1 O+M. With this certifcation, the center raises the bar on building standards for energy efciency, water conservation, indoor air quality and waste reduction for projects of its size.

With well over 20,000 hotel rooms within a 15 minute walk of the convention center, there are plenty of places to stay. This includes the Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans Convention Center and the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District, which is directly across the street.

The venue hosts the New Orleans Home & Garden Show, ATD24—the world’s largest learning and development conference—and the International WorkBoat Show.

New Orleans is a 24-hour party city with a rich 300 year old diverse culture: the birthplace of jazz, the home of the French Quarter, and creole and Cajun cuisine. Any convention-goer and exhibitor will have more than enough to choose from when it comes time to relax after the show.

EAT

Two Chicks Cafe (901 Convention Center Blvd suite 109) is a great choice for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. American, Cajun, and creole cafe-style offering sandwiches and salads, with plenty of andouille sausage, shrimp, and crab. Located at 920 Gravier St.

For a higher end option, try Briquette (701 South Peters). Located in the Warehouse District, Briquette is housed in the former Rodd Brothers Molasses Refinery. American cuisine with a focus on seafood dishes, Briquette has an 18foot seafood display all prepared over red-hot briquettes coated in flavored oil. It is known for its open kitchen.

SLEEP

The Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans-Convention Center (1201 Convention Center Blvd) is located across the street from the convention center. This hotel offers a range of amenities, outdoor pool, fitness center, business center, meeting rooms, free Wi-Fi, connecting rooms, and free hot breakfast.

Located near the French Quarter and the Warehouse District, The Q&C Hotel and Bar New Orleans (344 Camp St), is a boutique hotel, part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott. Pet friendly, parking, free Wi-Fi, walk-in rain showers, restaurant, bar, gym, laundry facilities, child-friendly activities, 24/7 front desk, and the Q&C Bar.

PLAY

The National WWII Museum (945 Magazine Street), tells the story of the American experience during the World War II era, with a veritable campus that features extensive exhibits, artifacts, and multimedia presentations. An absolute must-visit for those who love history.

No visit to NOLA is complete without seeing the French Quarter. One of the oldest parts of one of the oldest cities in the US, known for Mardi Gras, voodoo, cemeteries, cocktails, and ghost hauntings, the quarter features walking tours that show its colorful past and rich culture.

Evolution of Exhibiting at Tradeshows

LARRY KULCHAWIK

When the industry came to a screeching halt due to COVID, the world of business created ways to communicate. Zoom and other digital means became the new tool to exchange ideas face-toface. The convention industry experimented with virtual events with minimal success. One thing that was learned: there is no substitute for human contact. Face-to-face contact unleashes emotion in a way that digitalization does not. This being said, the industry learned to embrace some new digital alternatives that created a few new tactics to reach people beyond the tradeshow foor.

Over the past 50 years, world circumstances, technology, and new building materials have pushed the exhibit industry to change its ways of doing things. While all were face-toface, each decade developed diferent ways of exhibiting, for efciency and cost.

Starting with the street vendors in Persia to the World Fairs, the concept of tradeshows evolved. Unlike a World Fair, tradeshows evolved to be industry specifc. They became an efective way to introduce a new product to a knowing au-

dience within a given trade industry.

Many tradeshows started with an industry association who selected a city facility to organize an event and had companies acquire an exhibit space to introduce their products. The organizer would hire a show contractor to prepare the show foor, manage the event, and assist exhibitors with their displays.

Over time, exhibitors wanted more than the basic exhibit choices ofered by the show contractor, so exhibitors began to hire outside exhibit designers to build their stands. Many would ship in lumber, build a stand on site, paint, and apply hand drawn graphics. In time, decorator companies were formed in the cities where the frst tradeshows were held. Cities like New York, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, and others transformed their hotels and old buildings to conduct tradeshow events. Exhibit design companies began to form to help exhibitors improve their

image. Exhibit houses were usually owned by carpenters, sign painters, or decorators with an entrepreneurial spirit. Many exhibit houses then began to open outside of the major cities where the shows were held. Their customers were major corporations who exhibited at shows and built a custom exhibit to ship to the show. Wolla! The exhibit houses were born.

There were many tradeshows organized in the early 1900s. Then events came to a screeching halt with World War II. The concept of industry tradeshows picked up strong after the war and rapidly grew from there. Each time there was world confict or economic downturn the exhibiting methods changed. Technology played a key role in the fabrication methods for tradeshow exhibits each decade. The exhibit created

an image for a company and a way to show their products. In time, the exhibit needed to do more for the exhibitors.

In the early 60's, there were many exhibit companies in business. The EDPA association for exhibit design frms was formed to share exhibiting and business knowledge nationwide. EDPA was formed in 1956 with Norm Hadley from Hadley Display in Buffalo, NY serving as the frst president. Good ideas were copied and modifed.

1960-1970

Industry Expansions with Trade Fairs

During this period most tradeshows were held in a colosseum or in hotels. Exhibit houses were beginning to grow and most exhibits were fabricated from wood and crated for shipment. Weight was not a factor. Most were a 20’ to 30’ x 8’ high

in-line designs and used back lighted transparencies for graphics. Lighted with ball lights. The foor was covered in vinyl tiles. Wood paneling, slat walls, and painted box frame panels were a popular backwall. The exhibitors were mainly men and all attendees dressed in suits and there were few women who attended, except at the nurses show in Washington DC. The major attraction was to introduce new products and to make personal contacts.

Large shows were attracted to the New York Coliseum, the original McCormick Place, and Cobo Hall in Detroit. Both opened in 1960 to jump start the auto shows. Other popular tradeshow cities in the 60's were New York Madison Square Garden, Public Auditorium in Cleveland, LA Convention Center, and the Atlantic City Hall in NJ.

1970-1980

Industry Convention Parties

Tradeshows were picking up steam in popularity and were looked at by many as an industry party. The Housewares Show, the Hardware Show, and CES were the place to be to make contacts, hire reps, and show your products. McCormick Place was a leading location.

During the shows, everyone dressed in suits, smoked, and drank more than usual.

The exhibits continued to be fabricated from wood. Graphics were produced with silk screening and colored flms. Prefabricated light boxes and ball lights were the main reason to order electric, until slide projectors and TV’s began to be incorporated in the exhibit design. Aluminum exhibit systems were also creeping their way in as a frame to support a wall panel. Many complained that systems were too fimsy and would never be accepted in the USA.

Technology was unfolding: frst digital camera in 1975, Kodak; Walkman 1979, Sony; Floppy Disc 1971, IBM; frst cell phone

1973, Motorola; Betamax 1975, Sony; Mac computer 1984, Apple. This all infuenced how businesses operated.

1980-1990

The Go-Go Years!

Venues in all major U.S. cities were being built exclusively for tradeshows. City governments were willing to invest to build a center and attract business to their cities. McCormick expansion, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles and a number of other convention centers were built to compete with other venue locations. The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando was built in 1983 and was just getting popular. Many new shows began to unfold. Nat’l Computer Conference/ NY, Semicon/SF, Comdex/ LV, SCTE Cable Expo, ICSC/ LV. New shows were created as an extension of many shows getting too diverse.

The "Casual Friday' dress code at many corporations infuenced exhibitors to wear golf shirts with a logo as their

uniforms. Visitors also stopped wearing a suit to a show.

With so many shows, exhibit houses were managing their customers exhibit program, and not just a single show. Many houses specialized in particular industries. New materials to design an exhibit created a wide variety of creative solutions for exhibit design.

Materials like tambour, sintra, aluminum systems, fabric, vinyl graphics, and paint applications like Zolatone gave exhibit designers a new palette to design from. Exhibit houses no longer provided all things in house. So many components were purchased on the outside creating an explosion of new companies who specialized in providing a single exhibit service. Companies were formed to exclusively provide carpet, graphics, furniture, shipping, lighting, fabric, AV, light boxes, double deckers, and I&D services.

Exhibit builders were no longer carpenters, but assemblers of components. For each installation, exhibit houses would send an exclusive supervisor for the set up using

an independent I&D labor company or the show contractor labor. Arranging exhibit services was a time consuming task for the exhibitors. Exhibit houses provided this added service. Loyal partnerships were created between the exhibit manager and exhibit company team.

1990-2000

T he Age of Technology

New shows and venues continued to grow. During this period, tradeshow marketing was looked to be a valuable investment in the marketing mix for most companies. With the rising number of shows and a strong business belief in tradeshow marketing came the rising costs to exhibit. The cost to rent space on the show foor, and cost to build a classy exhibit began to rise. The on-site cost to handle materials shipped to the site, and the cost for labor to install were two major cost drivers. The word ‘drayage’ and ‘labor unions’ were becoming dirty words.

Reducing costs for drayage and labor at shows was the challenge. “Doing more with less” was the battle cry from exhibitors. As a result, exhibit designers pushed to create solutions to make exhibits

lighter, and to reduce the labor cost to install. From this driving desire came portable exhibits, aluminum system exhibits, fabric exhibits, light weight monitors, and independent exhibit installation companies. All exhibit houses employed these new components into their exhibit designs. This period was the start of using hanging fabric signs.

During this very time period came the stronger use of computers and cell phones. All exhibit companies discarded their T-squares, magic markers, and table saws and converted to using CAD design, construction drawings, and CNC for wood cutting. This new technology was not quickly embraced by builders due to cost but was eventually embraced due to the time saved.

CAD technicians began to replace carpenters skills. Assembly of parts was the skill needed.

2000-2010

Tradeshows Mean Business!

While the power of tradeshows remained strong, 9/11 and economic downturns realigned CFO priorities to begin working with their sales and marketing managers. The purchasing agent started working with the exhibits manager. There were more shows for companies to consider and budgeting to get the greatest return became decisions beyond the purview of marketing manager. Companies wanted to increase sales through shows without spending a fortune. Shows got

bigger and tradeshow investment did not get cheaper. Exhibitors at smaller shows used portables and set them up themselves. For the larger shows, exhibit materials were lighter, but now incorporated overhead lighting trusses, fabric signs, and monitors for a stronger image.

The labor costs shifted to using exhibit walls, monitors, live presentations, fabric graphics, and overhead truss for lighting. This was the start of the visitor experience approach to exhibit design, and the start of measuring the value of each prospect. CFO’s wanted justifcation for their tradeshow investments. Most all exhibit supplier companies provided tools for exhibit measurement, cost control, and engagement tactics to their clients. Las Vegas and Orlando became the top venue locations for shows. They matched foor space availability, saved on costs, and were located in appealing locations for a stronger emotional experience. “Tradeshows mean business” was the battle cry.

2010- 2020

Experiential Technology International

Exhibit design and builder companies now became agencies for three dimensional marketing. Exhibit design needed to create an image and to deliver an experience for visitors to remember. Design may include multiple attractions from live presentations, visitor engagement tactics, smartphones, and high quality video stimulation. New companies with dedicated specialties (lead management,

live presentations, exhibitor engagement) were formed and partnered with exhibit companies. Exhibit companies began to merge with other exhibit companies to expand their oferings. At this stage, the show contractor companies also began to expand their services, now ofering exclusive AV and Lighting services, lead measurement tools, marketing services and exhibit design and build. Since many exhibitor companies were now expanding their reach globally, the exhibit companies began to provide global services. Exhibit houses ofered rentals, portables, systems, fabric, and international exhibit services. Industry suppliers established international partners and quickly learned the diferent ways of designing and participating in shows abroad.

2020-2024

Rediscovering the Human Element

The COVID years forced all companies to uncover new ways of communicating. The exhibitors and the exhibit companies who survived those years experimented with many diferent digital ways to assist their customers. The virtual tradeshow concept was one way that created an opportunity for attendees to participate throughout the world at any given show. But what it lacked was the power of the human element, it lacked emotion.

People buy from people they trust. The decision to purchase becomes emotional, especially when buying big ticket items. Tradeshows are not like shopping on the internet from a cell phone. Face-to-face marketing

creates human interaction that serves to enhance a decision to buy. Aside from introducing and selling products, trade events provide the added benefts of educational sessions and networking with industry peers. This is not achieved as efectively with digital methods.

As a result of experimenting for two years, all companies uncovered many new digital methods of communicating for business. The power of tradeshows has made an amazing comeback from 2020. People want to get out and see real people again. Tradeshow design today incorporates the new digital methods that blend with the stationary methods of the past.

We all have acquired a new friendly attitude towards technology. Exhibitors incorporate digital ways to visit with a customer who is not physically there. This hybrid thinking about communication has changed traditional design for exhibits at tradeshows. Attracting attendees to visit your booth space can now be achieved through both in person engagement as well

as digital engagement. Both work, but one is more powerful than the other. Some may difer here, but the worst case would be no communication. All businesses rely on efective communication between buyers and sellers.

Is it no wonder why the top two convention cities in the USA are in attractive locations? The power of tradeshow and events is created with face-to-face marketing where emotion plays a role. Tradeshows do mean business, but don’t underestimate the power of the events location to encourage attendees to experience their personal desires as well as their business desires.

Attending a tradeshow should not be viewed as a job, but as a positive experience that makes you want to grin.

New tradeshow methods continue to unfold to support the power of in-person engagement. The investments made to do so will continue to be watched closely until a stronger alternative surfaces. For now, the magic of tradeshows is still very much embraced.

When WE and I Meet

BY MARLENA SULLIVAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY EXPOSURES LTD

Connections drive experiences. When the annual Women in Experiential breakfast was held at EXHIBITORLIVE on February 28th, this was the sentiment shared across speakers and attendees alike. The morning began with warm coffees and teas, breakfast to share, and lively conversations between women across the experiential umbrella. As a frst comer, I was welcomed by a variety of women who were excited to share, not only their experiences, but their words of women.

Women in Experiential ofcially rebranded from Women in Exhibitions, that

morning, as a way to embrace the full experiential community.

Ellen Kaminski, President and COO of Exhibit Concepts and President of Women in Experiential explains the change of the name, succinctly, “Last Spring, after the new board took over, we talked about how our industry is changing and how our membership has such diversity of companies and roles represented. We have members from companies who design and build of tradeshow exhibits, who are suppliers, and those who represent brands. Our commonality? We are

trying to create a great experience for our clients and guests. We also wanted to avoid any confusion with the international Women in Exhibitions Network group. We have a good relationship with that organization and recognize that it can sometimes be confusing. The great news is that there are women around the globe in all aspects of the live business events industry that are passionate about the industry and passionate about supporting colleagues in their careers.”

The keynote speaker, Sarah Sparks head of HR for Hamilton, spoke about relationships and how they can be used to foster healthy work environments. She provided attendees the opportunity to learn more about themselves and those around them through the use of a personality test.

Kaminski adds, “We frequently hear from our membership that they want more networking activities. We felt Personality Lingo facilitated by Sarah

Sparks would be a good ft. We learned a bit about our own personality types and how to communicate with colleagues that might be a diferent type.”

We were separated into four groups: Connectors, Planners, Thinkers, and Movers; told how our typing excelled and how we could assist our fellow coworkers. Attendees received necklaces correlating to their typing and a brilliant icebreaker was created. With our new necklaces and a new view of ourselves, I found myself able to bridge the gap in conversation with many of those who I had not spoken with before. Relationships were formed, with a common ground that we shared.

Kaminski says, “I don’t know if connections drive experience or experience drives connections. One thing for certain is that meaningful connections are best created with a shared experience, ideally an in-person experience.”

Over the course of EXHIBITORLIVE I there was a common sentiment that events are better, seeing each other in person has a diferent energy than online. In an era where people are more isolated from each other, where individuals fnd it harder to make meaningful and last connections, where companies are constantly looking for a way to connect to their customers and clients, we can take a note from the Women in Experiential handbook.

As Kaminski says, “Women coming together in a professional setting to catch up on what’s been happening in our families, what’s been happening in our careers, introducing each other to even more women in the industry. These are shared experiences that enhance a sense of community, of belonging, of support and of connection.”

When the individual I becomes a WIE, meaningful experiences are bound to be remembered.

Getting to Know the Biggest Little City in the World

BY KERSTAN SZCZEPANSKI

What to do when there’s no breakout meeting or the panels are done for the day? Where to go when you need a little time away from the hubbub of convention chaos? Exhibit City News’ 5 in 15 ofers fve places to go to eat, relax, or simply stay that are a ffteen minute or less walk from the convention center. That means Reno and the convention center of the biggest little city in America: the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa (3800 South Virginia Street) , the closest hotel to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, is directly connected to the convention center. The hotel offers daily housekeeping, casino, a spa, an indoor and outdoor pool, airport shuttle, a sauna, and eight restaurants,

bars and lounges. For those that like to leisure with the family, children stay for free.

Atlantis Steakhouse at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa (3800 South Virginia Street) ofers a lavish and luxurious dining experience with steak and seafood. The menu features items like prawn cocktails, seafood towers, California abalone, and a Caesar or spinach salad prepared tableside. For steak, you’ll get Allen Brothers of Chicago, some of the nation’s fnest steaks. The very best beef, selected for their marbling and favor, made to your liking. Cocktails include the Moulin Rouge (raspberry vodka, elderfower liqueur, bitter apéritif, rhubarb bitters, fresh raspberries).

Atlantis Steakhouse at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa

For something simpler and less expensive, the Black Bear Diner (2323 S Virginia St) is a classic American diner with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Pancakes, chicken fried steak or New York steak, and eggs to start the day; slow cooked roast beef, Santa Maria Tri-Tip, ribs and shrimp for dinner. In between panels at the convention center, grab a lunch of half sandwich and soup, tri-tip dip, or Bob’s Big Bear Burger. Don’t forget to wash it down with a Huckleberry Lemonade.

Need a late night meal after all the convention socializing? Or maybe an extra early breakfast? There’s the Purple Parrot (3800 S Virginia St), a 24 hour diner in the Atlantis Casino Resort. American fare for breakfast, brunch, lunch,

dinner, and late night, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options. With old style milkshakes, New York steaks, burgers, queso birria beef and baja fsh tacos, bread bowl clam chowder, Purple Parrot has just about anything to satisfy a late night craving.

Reno’s Midtown District is a little more than a 15-minute walk away from the convention center, but no list about Reno would be complete without it! You’ll want to cab or Uber there. The neighborhood has plenty of shops, bars, and restaurants highlighting the local scene. If you like live music, checkout Cypress Reno (761 S Virginia St), featuring live music performances with food and drink.

Atlantis Steakhouse at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa

Cypress Reno

Cypress Reno

LPeople on the Move

by Kerstan Szczepanski

as Vegas based GES has announced Jef Quade’s (right) promotion to President of GES Exhibitions – North America. Previously, Quade was Executive Vice President, Exhibitions, where he led the North American exhibition portfolio, spanning sales, client services, design, exhibition operations, product management, and sister company onPeak’s operations and service.

With 30 years’ experience at GES, Quade is a solid choice for the position. He started with GES as Director of Sales for Portland and Seattle, moving up through General Manager and Director of Sales in Phoenix. Next, he was the Vice President, Global Accounts in Las Vegas before becoming EVP, then Chief Sales Ofcer.

Randy Pekowski (right) has been named the Chief Executive Ofcer for the Expo Group preceding Ray Pekowski who has served in that role since the company’s inception in 1991.

Randy, who has been the President and COO for the company since 2016, will continue to lead as CEO and President to further the company’s success. This generational transfer is a milestone for The Expo Group and demonstrates the strength of the organization as it continues to grow.

in recent years. In an industry notorious for waste, Giordano looks forward to contributing to a B-Corp-certifed company that actively takes steps toward diminishing its carbon footprint.

Steelhead CEO Sean Combs says, “We could not be more excited to welcome John’s expertise and, more importantly, his character to the Steelhead team.”

EDE Corp. is proud to announce the addition of Jason Weddle to its award-winning experiential marketing and design team in Chicago. As the Chief Operating Ofcer, Jason will handle the company’s day-to-day operations while working closely with Owner, Creative Director, and President Greg Tivadar to defne and execute the frm’s long-term strategic vision.

Ray Pekowski, the company’s founder, and CEO will transition to serve as Executive Chairman of the Board and will remain active on The Board of Directors in a strategic capacity.

Steelhead Productions, a premier event, exhibit, and marketing services provider, is pleased to announce the addition of John Giordano as Chief Operations Ofcer. With decades of experience in the tradeshow industry, most recently as Vice President of Operations at Freeman Company, Giordano remains optimistic about the fast-paced environment and the positive trends he’s seen

planning and management for WBNS AM/FM Radio.

Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced Charlene Lopez (below left) promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Ofcer. Lopez has been with ACVB for 12 years and worked in the hospitality industry for 18 years. She worked at Omni Hotel’s CNN Center as director of sales, associate director of sales at Hyatt Regency Atlanta and associate director of sales, sales manager and business travel manager at Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa.

“Jason brings a wealth of industry experience and knowledge to EDE, and we’re excited to fnally have him on our team,” Tivadar said. For the past three years, he was CEO at Hamilton, leading the company through a period of growth. EDE is eager to put his experience and expertise to use in a new home.

Westerville, Ohio based Aurora Exhibit Solutions announced Steve Burkhart as Executive Vice President. Burkhart was Branding Solutions Advisor with the company for nearly 23 years before moving up. He was responsible for tradeshow displays, design, production, and installation of branded structures and elements for ofce, venues, directional signage, as well as sales, rental and project management, including on-site support, and I&D.

Lopez is vice chair of American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE) Industry Partner Alliance Committee, and sits on the board of directors for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ (IAEE) Southeast Chapter. She also served on the Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) Southeast Chapter board from 2015-2020.

Skyline Exhibits has appointed Chris Laundy as Director of Business Development. Laundy will be working remote from Canada for the St Paul, Minnesota based company. Working for Skyline Exhibits in Canada is nothing new to him, as Laundy spent 13 years with Skyline BC in Vancouver, eventually becoming President and CMO. He brings nearly a quarter century of leadership and experience in sales, marketing and communication, strategy, and project management to his new position.

Prior to entering the tradeshow industry, Burkhart had spent nearly 12 years in the radio industry. He was a broadcaster before moving to event

Milwaukee-based Derse has appointed Edward Horrocks (left) as Director of Business Development. Horrocks was previously an account director for Derse, serving in that position for seven years. Horrocks spent two years as a Senior Account Executive at Catalyst Exhibits before joining Derse in 2017. He also owns the HRH Company, which special-

izes in the import, restoration, customization and sales of classic Land Rover Defender vehicles. Still loving soccer, he volunteers as a mentor and coach for soccer camps and clinics in his free time.

Fern Expo, one of the top tradeshow and expo service providers, announced the addition of Eric Hofend (right) as Vice President of Business Develop ment. Hofend is an event industry veteran, bringing more than 20 years of experience helping event organizers and exhibitors reach their objectives. Eric is known for his strategic approach with customers, resulting in innovative work with industry-leading tradeshows in Las Vegas. He is also known for his international work, servicing events in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai.

oversees and manages all marketing initiatives across the company, including strategic marketing planning, brand development and awareness, demand generation, print and digital advertising, sales support, public relations, SEO, and competitive bid eforts. As the Chief Marketing Ofcer, Soice will play a crucial role in supporting the company’s overall direction.

leads in the shop, and account services team on any customer order or deadline changes.

“Eric’s appointment is a testament to our commitment to excellence and growth,” said John Hense, CEO of Fern Expo. “His vast experience and unique approach to client relationships will be a signifcant contributor to our continued expansion and success.”

Happy Projects has announced the appointment of Crystal Anderson (right) as Business Development Manager. Anderson has years of experience in the industry, including working as the Head Of Account Management at Aluvision USA and as the Account Management Team Lead at beMatrix USA. She also has worked with Barco and Amtico. Her responsibilities with Happy Projects will include business devel opment, sales, connecting all the exhibit houses in the US to the company’s production capabilities in the U.K. and Germany.

Orbus Visual Communications has announced Jordan Santiago as National Account Executive. Santiago has been with the Woodridge, Illinois based company since 2018, starting as an Account Manager. The Illinois native was a Construction Manager for DJR Contractors before joining Orbus. Santiago’s new responsibilities will include working with clients to educate their employees on selling Orbus custom and portable displays.

“It’s been a game changer to have Vincent at the forefront of production management and working so closely with both back- and front-ofhouse teams,” says Aluvision Vice President of Operations, Jamaine Sales. “This specialized role is new for Aluvision and demonstrates our commitments to customer service and a quality end-product.”

Eric Shafer (above left) has joined Synergy Design Group, an international exhibit design company for tradeshows and branded interiors based in Greater New Orleans, as Strategic Account Director.

Hamilton, an Indianapolis-based event marketing agency, promotes Courtney Soice to Chief Marketing Ofcer. Soice joined Hamilton in 2017, bringing over a decade of marketing and engagement strategy experience to the team. Soice

Kara Barker is starting a new position as National Key Account Manager at Orbus Visual Communications. Barker graduated Western Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science before landing at Nimlok where she was a Project Manager and Senior Project Manager for 11 years. She joined Orbus as a Sales Consultant in 2011. Barker has served as Vice President and President of the Promotional Products Association of Florida, a leading association for promotional products professionals for the past four years.

As Aluvision gears up for a productive year ahead, the company is thrilled to have added another new position to its US roster: Production Planner. Vincent Reyes (above right) joined Aluvision to fll this role. He works directly with the VP of Operations to monitor and assess production capacity and workfow. He is also responsible for coordinating with production

Shafer’s creative consulting experience in the tradeshow and live events industry spans over 25 years. His most recent roles included several positions with the Syand Corporation, a Greater Minneapolis-based information technology frm, where he ultimately served as their Virtual Chief Information Ofcer.

“Eric brings an unbridled creativity to client consulting that can only be developed through experience,” said Synergy Design Group founder and president Luz Lobos. “We are thrilled that Eric brings his wealth of industry knowledge to our team and our clients.”

Becky Bixby, interim general manager for Huntington Place/ASM Global, is pleased to announce that Huntington Place has hired Heather Anderson as marketing and communications director for the venue. Anderson will be taking over the position from Mary Klida who is retiring March 31.

“We’re so excited to bring Heather Anderson to the Huntington Place team,” said Bixby. “She is an award-winning ASM Global marketer who knows convention center operations and is ready to take the Huntington Place team to the next level.”

Neil Russell Holder

July 8th, 1954 – December 22nd, 2023

Neil Russell Holder passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 22nd. The Los Angeles born Holder came to Las Vegas age 16 and at 21 began work as a truck driver at All American Van & Storage. He rose through the ranks in the sales department and eventually became owner of the company.

A member of the Jaycees for over 20 years, Holder was Fair Chairman in the mid-eighties and also served as Chapter President and State President in the late eighties and early nineties. He was a member of the Las Vegas and North Las Vegas Chambers of Commerce. Holder was also active in the Boy Scouts as a Scoutmaster.

He is survived by his wife Zita, children Sara and Joseph, siblings Barbee and Wayne, as well as numerous grandchildren, nephews, and nieces.

Liese Peterson

August 1st, 1954

– December 30th, 2023

On December 30th, 2023, the tradeshow and live events community lost a great leader when Liese Peterson, CEO of von Hagen North America, passed away.

Peterson was a graduate of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. She worked at companies such as Nine Elms ED LLC, and Czarnowski, before starting as a Senior Vice President in November of 2012 and spent over 11 years with von Hagen. Profcient in German and Italian, and capable in Russian, her multilingual expertise helped to create cross-cultural, trans-Atlantic business connections throughout her career.

Fellow Exhibit City News Columnist Chris Kappes has this to say, “Legacy is what others say about you. I met Liese at Contempo Design where we both led sales and marketing teams. A big personality... Liese was quick on her feet and smart as a whip. Able to speak multiple languages, she was articulate in speech and written word. She was worldly, a fun travel companion, and warmed every room she walked into. I like to think that she's not gone but on another global trip.”

Share Your Memories with Us!

We're family. It's a refrain that echoes from all corners of the tradeshow industry. And ECN believe in celebrating the lives of those in the tradeshow industry and mourning losses alongside friends and family.

If you've lost a loved one who worked in the industry, please send your memories and a few treasured photos to newsdesk@exhibitcitynews.com. We'll gladly publish those memories on our website free of charge.

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

Judy Kackley

November 24th, 1951 – December 6th, 2023

Judy Marie Kackley, born in 1951, passed away December 6th in her home in Boulder City. She was 72, and in hospice care when she peacefully died of lung cancer.

Exhibit City News had a connection with Kackley. Publisher Don Svehla relates, “Judy was special to Exhibit City News (ECN)... she enjoyed being my right hand for nine years. She even put ‘publisher’s right hand’ on her business card!”

“Judy was like family to me those many years we worked together,” Svehla continues. “I knew her whole family. Her daughter, Dee, even worked with us at the ofce part-time for a few of those years. Judy's husband, Monte, fxed things around the ofce and even made a couple pieces of the furnishings still in use. Back in those years we started at 7 AM and Judy was always there at least 20 minutes early. Me with my cofee and her with her soft drinks and cigarettes!”

Kackley had experienced death before from a heart attack. She was at Exhibit City News working, and was resuscitated. Svehla remembers, “Judy died right outside my ofce door while I was on a sales trip to Southern California. She was

brought back by fre and rescue. She spent three weeks in surgical intensive care. Naturally, she retired.”

From then on, Kackley was not afraid of dying. She felt her “bonus life” as she called it, was to make people smile. In her retirement, she participated in many activities to do just that. In Boulder City she was known for participating in western couples and square dancing.

Says Svehla, “She was able to enjoy another 10 years of life. That included time with her grandchildren.”

Kackley had an efect on the people around her. She cared, and wanted people to be happy.

“Judy was quite special, and certainly one of a kind,” Svehla says. “Looking back on those years, the adventures we shared from over a decade ago come back in vivid detail. Judy, your memory is cherished in the archives of the archiver to the tradeshow and event industry. There's a reason why your business cards actually said ‘publisher’s right hand’ on them. You certainly were a heavy lifter for me and the organization back in the middle decade of our 30 year history as a publication.”

The last line in her obituary from the Blouder City Review sums Kackley up well. “She asked that if someone wants to honor her memory, then they could make someone smile.”

RIP, Judy Kackley.

By Kerstan Szczepanski

Southwest Licensing Expo Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV

MAY 21-23, 2024

For over 40 years, Licensing Expo has connected brand owners and agents with manufacturers, licensees and retailers from all over the world. At Mandalay Bay, in Las Vegas, May 21st23rd, over 10,000 attendees will see more than 5,000 brands with 5,500 meetings booked online at THE global event for licensing. Every category imaginable is covered including music, TV, flm and entertainment, celebrities, toys, video games and apps, animation, theme parks and live events, food and beverage, publishing, sports, automotive, fashion, digital infuencers, corporate brands, gaming, health and beauty, technology, travel and leisure, colleges and universities, government, and even non-proft (Heritage).

There will be invite-only showcases on Monday, May 20th and the Licensing International Excellence Awards will be at 6:30pm. www.licensingexpo.com

Southeast

ACC.24

ATLANTA, GA | APRIL 6-8, 2024

The American College of Cardiology 73rd Annual Scientifc Session and Expo will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. From April 6th-8th more than 280 companies will show the latest advances in imaging, devices, pharmaceuticals, and health IT. Billed as “The Global Marketplace for Cardiovascular Innovation” ACC.24 will also feature keynotes from community luminaries, as well as education sessions and accreditation, and more to, as their website states, “improve prevention, care delivery and outcomes for individuals with—or at risk for—cardiovascular disease.”

https://accscientificsession.acc.org

By Kerstan Szczepanski

West RSA Conference

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

MAY 6-9, 2024

The RSA Conference has been bringing together cybersecurity people for some 30 years. On May 6th-9th, the Moscone Center in San Francisco will host RSAC 2024. With the trademarked phrase “Where the World Talks Security,” the RSA meets frequently to address the ever evolv -

ing needs of cybersecurity. At RSAC attendees can earn CE credits and will hear from keynote speakers such as Emma Redmond, associate general counsel, and Head of Privacy and Data Protection at OpenAI, and Dawn Capelli, Director of OT-CERT at Dragos. www.rsaconference.com

By Kerstan Szczepanski

Southwest

HD Expo + Conference

LAS VEGAS, NV

APRIL 30-MAY 2, 2024

Midwest

SHRM 24

CHICAGO, IL

JUNE 24-25, 2024

The largest single hospitality event in the U.S., HD Expo + Conference is three days of education, connecting, and networking for professionals in the hospitality industry at Mandalay Bay. Everyone in hospitality—hotels, casinos, food and beverage, designers, and more—will be in attendance where 500 suppliers will exhibit over 25 product categories.

April 29th will be the pre-expo HD

The Society of Human Resource Management’s SHRM Expo is billed as the largest HR solutions center in the world. More than 650 companies will be exhibiting and selling the latest in human resource products and services to more than 25,000 attendees gathered in 176,000 square feet of space at

University Modules, including Casegoods, Flooring, Fabric and Upholstered Seating. On April 30th the conference gets rolling with HD’s Women in Design Awards Breakfast. Over the next three days sessions will include Generative AI Meets Hospitality: What To Do Now to Stay Ahead, and Brand Identity: Hotel Execs Take on The Future.

www.hdexpo.hospitalitydesign.com

Chicago's McCormick Place. Expo admission includes the Opening Reception, Tuesday night entertainment, lunch on Monday and Tuesday, and coffee and refreshments during break times. For an additional fee attendees can receive an additional Tuesday night

entertainment ticket and admission to preconference seminars and workshops.

SHRM24 also ofers a virtual only pass that provides access to livestreamed education sessions with recordings of sessions for up to 30 days post conference.

www.annual.shrm.org

Southeast NPE 2024 The Plastics Show ORLANDO, FL

| MAY 6-10, 2024

By Kerstan Szczepanski

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Every three years, anyone and everyone involved in plastics meets at NPE to trade knowledge and innovation at the largest plastics show in the Americas. More than 55,000 attendees from over 110 countries in the automotive industry, healthcare, consumer products, construction, and more, will experience the

latest technology at the Orange County Convention Center. Not only will NPE feature over 2,000 exhibiting companies, but there will be workshops, over 100 education sessions, and keynotes on issues like sustainability and enabling versatile innovation with polyolefn elastomers!

www.npe.org

Based on reader feedback and industry trends, we’ve made the strategic decision to move the most comprehensive tradeshow calendar in the industry from our print edition to the web. This change will allow us to better serve our readers by:

» Remaining nimble in the current climate when show dates change

» Freeing up space in our print edition to give you the content you want: corporate profiles, trends and news you can use

Horizon Printing

Horizon’s affiliation with American Solutions for Business in 2021 is Rocket Fuel for out already Award-Winning level of Service & Resources to the Print Marketplace. When a client requires a project in a single market or in every city across the U.S., Horizon is poised to meet national, regional, and complex requirements at an unprecedented caliber of efficiency and intelligence.

Silver Silver

• Rack cards

• Brochures

• Booklets

• Everything else

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•

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•

Audio/Visual

CorpCom

Since 1985, CorpCom has been a trusted exhibit, event, and décor partner in the US and abroad.

Partnering with CorpEvents New England- Professional Labor Resource, we provide a one-stop event experience from initial concept to successful completion.

» Custom Rental Exhibits

» Portable Exhibits

» Graphic Design/Production

» Professional I&D Labor

» Show Service Management

» Floor Plan Design

» Event Logistics

» Furniture Rental

I&D

I&D Labor

ADVERTISE IN THE SERVICE GUIDE

•Added value with your ad in print and on our website.

•Engage a captive audience with 38,000 readers every month!

•Increase revenue and gain marketshare!

Print and Digital Distribution

(Ads in the 4 quarterly print issues in 2022 will run concurrently online.)

1 Issue: $500 per mo.

3 Issues (1 print/3 digital): $400 per mo.

6 Issues (2 print/6 digital): $300 per mo.

12 Issues (4 print/12 digital): $200 per mo.

Contact sales for details:

(702) 272-0182 or sales@exhibitcitynews.com

Las Vegas Power Professionals

LitHeart Interior Aesthetics

LitHeart Interior Aesthetics was born from a Japanese term “Ikigai” that entails mixing your passion, mission, vocation, and profession to provide a sustainable solution to what the world needs. Our mission is to provide high quality interior/exterior aesthetic design products. Providing both custom and rental options for all your events, tradeshows, pop ups, and interior design needs.

Champion Logistics Group

Founded in 1980, Champion Logistics Group has become one of the largest 3PLs in the world. As a privately owned family business, Champion’s success stems from long-term relationships fueled by the highest level of customer service. A full-service logistics provider comprising three separate divisions, Champion provides full-service domestic transportation – which includes a wholly-owned Champion fleet, international freight forwarding, and warehouse and fulfillment.

Champion’s infrastructure, experience, and advanced technology services provide effective ways to better handle the global supply chain solutions for companies of all sizes.

Trade Show Services

Venues

South America Expo Services

ADVERTISE IN THE SERVICE GUIDE

•Added value with your ad in print and on our website.

•Engage a captive audience with 38,000 readers every month!

•Increase revenue and gain marketshare!

Print and Digital Distribution

(Ads in the 4 quarterly print issues in 2022 will run concurrently online.)

1 Issue: $500 per mo.

3 Issues (1 print/3 digital): $400 per mo.

6 Issues (2 print/6 digital): $300 per mo.

12 Issues (4 print/12 digital): $200 per mo.

Contact sales for details:

(702) 272-0182 or sales@exhibitcitynews.com

*Content is subject to change

QUARTER 1 (JANUARY-MARCH)

Print & Digital

• Future Trends for the Upcoming Year

• Day in the Life

• Budgeting Tips for Exhibitors

• Labor Shortage Tips

• ExhibitorLIVE Preview

• Wow Booth Feature

• Tradeshow Calendar & Service Guide

• Associations & Advocacy Features

Digital only

• Technology / New Products

• AV / Lighting / Graphics / Photography

• Maximizing ROI

• Exhibitor Must Have Products

• Advocacy Updates

Focus City: Boston, MA

30TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY (JUNE)

Print & Digital

• 30 years of ECN

• Tradeshow Industry History

• Top Convention Centers

QUARTER 3 (JULY - SEPTEMBER)

Print & Digital

• AI Considerations

• Virtual and Hybrid Event Considerations

• Day in the Life

• Wow Booth Feature

• Tradeshow Calendar & Service Guide

• Associations & Advocacy Features

Digital only

• Ace Awards

• General Contractors

• Agencies

• Insurance/Legal/Contracts

Focus City: Miami, FL

QUARTER 2 (APRIL - JUNE)

Print & Digital

• 2024 ECN ACE Awards for I&D

• Sustainability

• Day in the Life

• Wow Booth Feature

• Tradeshow Calendar & Service Guide

• Associations & Advocacy Features

Digital only

• Sustainability

• Warehousing/Material Handling

• Shipping and Logistics

• Innovative Design

• Show Management/Kits

Focus City: New Orleans, LA

• Then & Now

• The Future of Tradeshows

• Q&A with Industry Leaders

• Associations & Advocacy Features

QUARTER 4 (OCTOBER - DECEMBER)

Print & Digital

• 2024 ACE Awards

• Social Media and New Age Marketing

• Measuring Marketing Success

• Day in the Life

• Wow Booth Feature

• Tradeshow Calendar & Service Guide

• Associations & Advocacy Features

Digital only

• Healthcare

• Tradeshow Marketing/Traffic

• Security/Safety

• Advocacy Updates

Focus City: San Diego, CA

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

New and Improved LEDskin®

beMatrix, the manufacturer of the revolutionary b62 frame system, is proud to announce the newest additions to the LEDskin® line of products! Stronger and lighter than ever before, our new LEDskin® panels ensure that your video walls and digital signage are the highest quality for your customers. These new panels fit perfectly with your existing stock of beMatrix 62mm frames and showcase some of the latest LED technology. Our 2.5mm pixel pitch LEDskin® offers improved color accuracy, stronger LEDs, and increased brightness. beMatrix also now offers a 1.5mm pixel pitch panel to provide high resolution graphics, perfect for up-close-and-personal displays. Read the full list of specifications or scan the QR code to learn more on our website.

LEDskin® P2.5:

y Compatible with the beMatrix b62 frame system

y Modern IMD 2.5 MT2 technology: high color consistency

y Supports a resolution up to 192 px by 192 px

y Brightness 1200 Nits

y Size 496×496×62 mm

y Lightweight 16.5 lbs cabinet

beMatrix® USA

LEDskin® P1.5:

y Compatible with the beMatrix b62 frame system

y State of the art COB (FC) technology: robust cabinet

y Supports a resolution up to 320 px by 320 px

y Brightness 600 Nits

y Size 496×496×62 mm

y Extremely lightweight 13.5 lbs cabinet

4476 Park Drive, Norcross, GA 30093

T. +770 225 0552

www.beMatrix.us

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