Exhibit City News - September/October 2020 by Exhibit City News

Behind the Scenes of the Paycheck Protection Program

p. 24

September/October 2020 • VOL. 26 • ISSUE 5

GETTING BACK TO WORK?

TOGETHER AGAIN EXPO RECAP AIPC: RE-OPENING VENUES SAFELY FOCUS ON DALLAS DAILY UPDATES AT EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Behind the Scenes of the Paycheck Protection Program

p. 24

September/October 2020 • VOL. 26 • ISSUE 5

GETTING BACK TO WORK?

Behind The Scenes of the Paycheck Protection Program First-Hand Account from Kevin Binger

26 On the Front Lines of COVID-19 Excerpts featuring Highmark, The Trade Group, Together Again Expo, Dallas Market Center, GWCC Authority, elevation3D, beMatrix, Disinfect Group, OCCC, Philadelphia CVB, Duke Energy CC, ProExhibits, Skyline, FashionGo, The Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, Alliance Nationwide Exposition, CES, Rethink Fabrics, Vanguard LED, SunDog Design, ProGlobal Events, Smash Booth, Image Audiovisuals, Iguana Group, WX Global, Live+ MR, EDPA, Optima, Patron Technology, Makitso, Atlanta Market, MPI and Event Leadership Institute

TOGETHER AGAIN EXPO RECAP AIPC: RE-OPENING VENUES SAFELY FOCUS ON DALLAS DAILY UPDATES AT EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM

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On Our Cover: Willwork’s Mike Vega and Jeff Shutts setting up ECN’s booth at the OCCC for the Together Again Expo in Orlando.

Feature Story 22

Together Again Expo Industry’s Coming-Out Party Was Resounding Success

International Focus: AIPC

Columns

Play Ball! Reopening Venues Safely

Shop to Showfloor Section

Convention Center Snapshot

I&D and Event Labor

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

As the Saws Turn Your Personal Brand

Andy’s Apps

34-35

Show Me The Money!

The International Man Joining Together for Industry Survival

Ask an Expert Q&A: ELITeXPO’s Chuck Michel on COVID-19’s Effects

Hybrid Events: The Ultimate Answer

I&D Labor Pivoting to Survive Skills Lead to Entrepeneurship

The Rigging World

Eyebolts: Have the Correct Ones...or It Will Cost You!

Convention Center Spotlight

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

Association News: EDPA

The Don & Mike Show

ACCESS Going Hybrid & Chapter News

Convention Center News

On the Road Again, at Last!

Airport Snapshot Dallas Ft. Worth International Airport

Departments 8 40 48 53 57 65

Plan B: What’s Next with Tradeshows and Events?

Editor-in-Chief’s Corner Eat, Sleep & Play The D.E.A.L. Regional Show Calendar Industry Service Guide Advertiser Index

Making the Most of “Down Time”

People on the Move

In Memoriam

Robert Vaughn (Czarnowski, Atlanta, GA) & Melissa Williamson (TLS Productions, Ann Arbor, MI)

6 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S CORNER

PUBLISHER Donald V. Svehla Jr. (702) 309-8023 ext. 102 DonS@exhibitcitynews.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jeanne Brei (702) 309-8023 ext. 103 JeanneB@exhibitcitynews.com

Greetings to our readers!

CSAL

CONVENTION SERVICES ASSOCIATION

AS VEGAS

enjoy Albany Capital Center’s Shannon Licygiewicz story on “Making the Most of 'Down Time,' ” and my feature on how several Las Vegas Teamsters are pivoting to entrepreneurship using their skills to keep the bills paid. Jim Obermeyer talked to a dozen exhibitors and attendees at the very successful Together Again Expo and learned just how ready everyone is to get back to work! And travel! And tradeshows! Not only was the turnout a success (both physically and virtually), but a month later, there have been NO reports of any illness and no calls from contact tracers. True success! Due to space limitations, we just have excerpts from Amadeus’ “On the Front Lines of COVID-19” weekly online series, but we hope you’ll head to our website to read the rest of each story about the companies that have stepped up in the COVID-19 battle. We did the same for Haley Wilson’s EDPA Chapter Roundup, so please head to our website to read each chapter’s recaps. Stay safe, healthy and keep on jazzin’!

Editor-in-chief

ART DIRECTOR Thomas Speak Tom@Speak-Design.com FEATURES WRITER/EDITOR F. Andrew Taylor (702) 309-8023 FAndrewT@exhibitcitynews.com COLUMNISTS / WRITERS Calanit Atia Amadeus Finlay Andrew Fulton Larry Kulchawik Jim Obermeyer Cynthya Porter F. Andrew Taylor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Candy Adams ("The Booth Mom") Vince Battaglia Kevin Binger Peter King Shannon Licygiewicz Mike Morrison H.K. Wilson PROOFREADER H.K. Wilson NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Christy DiGiambattista (702) 309-8023 ext. 111 ChristyD@exhibitcitynews.com CIRCULATION Manny Chico Mike Morrison Vol. 26, issue 5, copyright 2020 by EXHIBIT CITY NEWS, published six times a year by Mr. Tradeshow Communications, LLC, 1675 E. Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89169. Editorial views presented within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher and no liability is inherent. To subscribe, go to ExhibitCityNews.com or call (702) 309-8023. Reproduction/reuse of this material may only be permitted with expressed permission of Exhibit City News. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to location listed above.

Photo by Allison Earnest

irthdays and seasons spent in lockdown don’t count, right? We’ve lost both spring and summer in this miserable year of 2020 and, as we head into fall, I pray that people begin turning off the TV—especially the “news”—and start reading beyond the headlines. Question the methodology of of everything you’re being told. Follow the money because that’s what will lead you to the truth. When hundreds of front-line doctors are willing to be defunded or lose their medical license to let people know that there is not only an inexpensive preventive but also an early treatment with a 65year proven track record of safety, why do people remain in fear and lockdown? In the meantime, we must pivot to survive the upcoming economic hard times and likely civil unrest. This issue continues to be all about pivoting and surviving. Check out Kevin Binger’s behind-the-scenes account of how the tradeshow industries are getting legislation passed to allow them to survive this lengthy lockdown and Candy Adams’ (the Booth Mom) analysis of how the industry will end up being changed when we’re finally allowed to go back to work. I hope you’ll

MANAGING EDITOR/GAL FRIDAY Lisa Abrams (702) 309-8023 LisaA@exhibitcitynews.com

8 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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CONVENTION CENTER SNAPSHOT

Photo by Justin Terveen

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Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Address: 650 S. Griffin St, Dallas, TX 75202 Year built: Opened in 1957 Square Footage: The KBHCC is more than 2,000,000 sq.ft. and contains 1,000,000+ sq.ft. of exhibit space. It has the largest column-free exhibition space in the U.S. and regularly hosts the Dallas Auto Show. The original structure of the CC still exists as part of the facility, the Dallas Memorial Auditorium, a 9,816seat arena. The complex also houses a 1,740-seat theater, 105 meeting rooms, and two large ballrooms. Parking: The KBHCC has a parking garage and three surface lots. There are no in-and-out privileges. Violators are booted. Wi-Fi: Robust free Wi-Fi is available throughout the facility.

PLUS!

Hotels: There are more than 100 hotels within a three-mile radius.

Where to eat, sleep and play near KBHCC on p. 40

Airport Info: The KBHCC is 20 miles from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, but is in a near straight line primarily on one highway.

Fun Fact #1: The KBHCC was the first U.S. CC to offer wi-fi for exhibitors. Fun Fact #2: Queen filmed the video for Fat Bottomed Girls during a concert at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium. Fun Fact #3: It has the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest bronze monument, featuring 40+ lifesized longhorn steers, horses and cowboys. Website: dallasconventioncenter.com ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 11

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COLUMN As the Saws Turn

Your Personal Brand

ow to write “I means necessary…but then changed a light bulb” be a fair and just ruler and on your resume: bring your company to new “Single-handedly managed heights, or whatever. the successful upgrade and Skills: It’s best for employdeployment of a new environers that I not work with people. mental illumination system Relevant Experience: with zero cost overruns and no None really, but please allow safety incidents.” me to articulate the many I think we’ve all probably reasons why I think my done this kind of creative writ- minimum-wage work history ing at one point in our careers. is extremely relevant and has And probably a lot more of us adequately prepared me. have been doing it in the last References: Unavailable several months. But let’s face because they were all burned it: What is the purpose of a up in a fire. resume? To get you face to Weaknesses: My face with someone that looks can be a distraccan hire you. Does tion in the workplace anybody really hire to members of the someone without opposite sex (and in having actually met some cases the same them first? By Jim Obermeyer sex). I have been So the resume is one told I am an overly way of getting their attention generous lover. and getting the interview. A litOkay, then—a little more tle exaggeration on a resume is than we really needed to know. probably not unheard of. But The reality of what we are sometimes, I suspect it gets living through right now is that taken a little too far. These are a lot of us have taken out that all from actual resumes: resume that may not have been Objective: To claw my looked at or updated for years, way to the top using any maybe even decades. We’re

now challenged with making it relevant to the current culture and the current state of our industry and its workforce. Put another way, we’re now challenged with creating a brand for ourselves. Marketing ourselves, promoting ourselves. Dare I say, selling ourselves. But this isn’t intended to be a lesson on how to write a resume. This is more about recognizing your personal brand. Or perhaps to use an older term—your reputation. If you have been in the workforce and been in this industry for any length of time, you have a personal brand. That brand is based on a wide variety of factors, not the least of which is the impressions you have made on your coworkers, clients, suppliers and partners. That brand is evident when your name is brought up in conversations: “He’s a solid guy, works very hard.” “She’ll go to great lengths to take care of her clients.” “When he walks into the room, run the other way…” Regardless of what your resume may say about your

employment history and your industry experience, your brand reputation—the way you are known in the industry and community—will have a big impact on your ability to influence employers. The hiring process is not just about work history and experience. A big component in the hiring process has to do with cultural fit—will you work well with current employees and clients and are your priorities aligned with those of the company? In many cases, cultural fit outweighs work experience in the decision to hire. So what to do? Start by trying to determine what your reputation is out there. Ask close friends and associates in the industry what they have heard about you—what is your brand? Focus on your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Perhaps more importantly, do a self-evaluation: What is important to me in a potential employer? It’s not just the job description, but the cultural fit—a place where I align with their values and where my strengths will be put to good use. A place I want to work. Sure, we may be unemployed for the first time in decades, and it may have come as a total surprise due to current circumstances, but that is no reason to settle for something less than desirable. Why not take this opportunity to find our next great adventure? Good luck to everyone working on this. See you on the show floor. Jim Obermeyer has been in the tradeshow industry 38 years, both as a corporate trade show manager and exhibit house owner. He can be reached at jobermeyer903@gmail.com

12 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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COLUMN Andy’s Apps

Show Me the Money!

f your tradeshow involves set up to provide small business actual orders of goods or loans. Secure sales and reportoutright sales, you need a ing tools make it a multitool of secure way to accept payments. a system. Chances are, if you’re Paypal has been around for 20 using this system, several layyears, so it has name recogniers of corporate approval were By F. Andrew Taylor tion, but in your customers’ required to do so. It’s not an minds it might be thought of as the thing app for a casual user, but very useful your “artistic” aunt uses to take payfor a serious business. ments for her gum wrapper sculptures on Etsy. Venmo, another well-known Square mobile payment app, really isn’t approSquare is, by far, the best-known priate for business. It’s great for splitting point-of-sale credit card processing a lunch bill with a friend or colleague app. Chances are that coffee you got or paying the yard guy for pruning your this morning was processed through a begonias, but not suitable for corporate square reader or POS register. Square work. Also, it’s PayPal, literally. Same has its own reader that you attach to company. If you’re going to take credit your phone, either through the earcards in your booth or tradeshow, you phone jack or Bluetooth. It’s so well need to take a look at these options. known that many other apps use Square’s hardware or compare themFattmerchant Mobile selves to Square when explaining what If your business is high volume, Fattthey do. Because it is so well known, merchant may be the app you’re lookyour customers are likely to trust it and ing for. It has very transparent pricing, which will show you all the financial breaks you’ll get for big sales, but if you use the app infrequently and for low sales, those breaks aren’t there. For those who are processing a lot of sales, it’s a solid, robust app that can be expanded to include extra features as the business needs expand. It’s also known for being a very secure service.

not balk at letting you run your card through your phone or smart device. It does have its downsides. The fee per transaction is on the high end, and users report a greater number of disputed transactions, which can be partially explained by the ubiquity of Square, which is used by businesses ranging from fancy boutiques to hot dog stands to, well, that “artistic” aunt of yours. When is she going to get a real job anyway? F. Andrew Taylor is an award-winning journalist, artist, photographer, cartoonist and illustrator working for alt-weeklies, tourism publications, hyper-local papers and others. He is also the illustrator for “Christmapus,” the tale of the Christmas Octopus. His first fiction prose story was published in 2018 and was featured at the Vegas Valley Book Fair. He also works in film production, does local historical research and has been an amateur stunt driver and rodeo participant. Contact him at fandrewt@exhibitcitynews.com.

Leaders Merchant Services Now there’s a name you can set your watch to. It sounds reliable. In practice, well, it’s actually pretty reliable. Transparent fees which can be considerably lower than other point-of-sales apps. This is actually the mobile app for a more intense credit card processing and sales service. With its service, you can do things like make direct deposits to employees and the system is 14 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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COLUMN The International Man

Joining Together for Industry Survival

Where to Find Data & Resources to Compete in the New Tomorrow

hile COVID-19 determine how we were comhas kicked the petitively positioned within exhibit industry the industry. Upon doing in the teeth, it shall return. a thorough search to find a Being prepared to compete qualified accounting company in a changed marketplace to conduct the survey, we is a must for survival. located a well-known Seeking out an inand very qualified firm dustry association to that would conduct help you collect your the survey at a cost thoughts for a new of nearly $400,000. strategy and compete We submitted the By Larry Kulchawik in a new environproposal to Greyment can serve you well. hound and also mentioned Way back in 1997, I was that EDPA conducted an honored to serve as presieconomic survey yearly that dent of EDPA. The company collected financial data from I worked for at the time was its members to come up with Exhibitgroup, a division of a combined P&L statement the Greyhound Corp. They with operating cost averages also owned GES (Greyhound broken down by the size of Exposition Services). I served the companies. The exhiba role in management, and it supplier companies that we were required to present provided their numbers were our profitability quarterly. then given a copy of the final We were members of EDPA, report. Greyhound concluded paying $2,000 a year as dues. that this EDPA survey providManagement often asked if ed most all the data they were we really needed to be a paylooking for, at a cost of the ing member and couldn’t we $2,000 EDPA membership use $2,000 more wisely? fee. What a bargain! One year, Exhibitgroup (a Now there are 20+ exhibgroup of 12 exhibit compait industry associations to nies nationally) was asked to choose from in the U.S., each conduct an industry survey to focusing on specific segments

of tradeshow marketing. Membership to any one or more of these can offer help in managing your business. Successful industry associations function as a kind of club. Although many companies belong to an association, they seldom consider their structure and true purpose. A club is a voluntary group deriving mutual benefits from shared costs and shared knowledge regarding the mutual services they provide. The gains from being a member of a successful club can be large when you seek out the true benefits. Companies that choose not to be a member, but use the data an association provides publicly, in my opinion are considered “free riders.” Being an active member to any of the exhibit industry associations can deliver real value, especially during these challenging times. As an exhibit supplier, EDPA has consistently delivered value in membership. Over EDPA’s 65 years of service, they have changed their colors and focus to address the challenges of the times. From the boom years of the ‘80s, the recession years in the ‘90s, and new product/service boom of the 2000s (portables, systems, fabric, ink jet printers, computer technology, AV & lighting, international, and experiential design) EDPA forged the way to help its members better serve their customers.

So today, EDPA benefits of membership still offer value rather than going it alone. Benefits include:

» Educational sessions » Annual convention » New products & services » Connections with other expo associations

» Power of a joint voice in the industry—including lobbyists & Congress » Sharing knowledge and building relationships I guess I am biased when sharing my thoughts about EDPA. In any case, work with any of the exhibit industry associations that relate to your particular piece of the market. They can help you adapt and survive. Join the club, and take advantage of the shared knowledge that is changing daily. Good luck on this new journey when these challenging times are finally behind us and tradeshows go back to meeting face to face. I recommend connecting with your industry associations for added guidance—especially as they pool resources and lobby Congress for legislation and assistance to get through these difficult times. Larry Kulchawik is the head of Larry Kulchwawik Consulting and author of “Trade Shows from One Country to the Next.” For more info, visit www.larrykulchawik.com

16 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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COLUMN Ask an Expert

ELITeXPO’s Chuck Michel on COVID-19’s Effects

By Calanit Atia

o one saw COVID-19 coming; no one expected the pandemic to last more than three months. The reality is that COVID-19 is going to continue through the first quarter of 2021, as evidenced by significant tradeshows going digital. The economic loss is hard to comprehend. Our convention, tradeshow and tourism industry have suffered losses that will take years to recover. Jobs have been lost, companies have closed or downsized extensively, and there is still no answer when the industry will rebound and people will go back to work. Chuck Michel, vice president of tradeshow services for ELITeXPO, shared with Exhibit City News how the pandemic has affected his company and him personally. CM: Before COVID hit and the world was turned upside down, virtual events could never compete with face-to-face physical marketing. It paled in comparison to real-time live engagement because, by and large, we are social creatures, and virtual experiences just didn’t offer that experience. Fast forward to postCOVID, and most will agree (albeit some reluctantly) that the virtual experience now has a strong foothold in our industry. And like it or not, it isn’t going anywhere in the short term, and will be around for long-term planning and implementation. I truly believe that the virtual

Chuck Michel

booth will coexist with the physical booth, with one actually complementing the other. I have come to embrace the reality that virtual meetings are now a part of the marketing. I have taken a deep dive into educating myself on the variety of platforms and approaches available. Virtual platforms are not new; however, as I stated earlier, it was never widely accepted as an alternative to face to face, in my opinion. I have done what I can to educate myself on the various virtual platforms, and, in turn, have been making a solid effort in both educating our clients and recommending solutions. Let’s face it, our clients are as worried as the rest of us regarding navigating their way around COVID concerning best marketing practices. While virtual for some was something that

they equated to in-booth demo experiences or games their kids played for entertainment, virtual has now become front and center as clients try to figure out their next step in marketing and branding within this new virtual event space. There are some great applications out there, and then there are some I would call below-par applications. So, in that regard, it is my job to educate and guide. As for PPE, we wasted no time connecting with our suppliers to offer our clients PPE solutions such as durable hand sanitizing stations, attractive office dividers with branding options, face shields and more. On a personal level, I am not driving nearly as much as I typically would during the summer. That, coupled with the fact that I now do almost all my local travel and errands on my Vespa GTS 300, has saved

us money with lower fuel cost. As for entertainment, like most people, my wife and I are not going out much and remain more homebound. So instead of heading out for a movie or dinner, we have tested the limits of our DVR and are enjoying a variety of great British series we have found on the BBC. That, coupled with cooking together more, has saved money and given us some quality time to connect more than our time typically allotted. It’s really a win-win on this front. We cook all the time now. Yes, we miss going out. However, we get to spend more time together and, hey, the food isn’t bad! I sing and play guitar in a rock band, and although all of our gigs have been canceled for 2020, we still all connect via Garage Band. We each create and lay down our own instrument tracks, then share the files and rehearse virtually. Not really a money saver, realistically a revenue loss, but at least it keeps us connected and allows us to still make music together. Our tradeshow community is a community, and we are keeping each other strong. As always, we will prevail as we have done in the past. There will be some casualties, as in all wars, but we will find our way back to the show floor in the end. Calanit Atia is the founder and president of A to Z Events, Las Vegas DMC, speaker, the Negotiator Expert, Air Force veteran, award-winning event planner and a member of the 2020 MPI Women’s Advisory Board. Contact her at Info@CalanitAtia.com or (702) 212-2500.

18 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY PODCAST

The Don & Mike Show: On the Road Again, at Last by Mike Morrison, National Sales Director, WS Displays As we draw closer to the fall season and what would normally be a major uptick in live events, shows and marketing efforts—none of that is happening as we still linger in drawbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest with protests, riots, looting, shootings and total disruption in many U.S. locations, total uncertainties from state and local governments on how to handle these major obstacles and an economy which—for several years was on a blistering pace

to outgain previous economic results—is now on a mission to eliminate itself and create a major uncertainty as to whether the U.S. can rebound at all. These are surely troubling times. The Don and Mike Show has been participating in ways that they could—not only with the weekly show offering of interviews to discuss today’s current weak and debilitating status for the events industry, but also in two face-to-face events held in second quarter: the Together Again Expo in

Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center in July and also at the COVID-version of the Chicago Randy charity golf tournament. One thing was for sure at both events—they were not normal. People were excited about being back in a show hall for the first time in four or so months. However, the unique feeling in attending was not easy to disguise, and the uncertain feelings were easily noticeable in attendees, exhibitors and all involved. The show can be consid-

ered somewhat of a success, however with states changing the rules of public gatherings seemingly on a weekly basis, any momentum that the event built is at jeopardy of being lost. The sparsely attended 17th Chicago Randy, was held to enjoy some camaraderie among mostly furloughed area industry workers. One thing is for sure, nothing is for sure! We will continue to highlight interviews with industry professionals to gauge the day-to-day situations that arise from these conditions and will keep our industry posted with The Don & Mike Show! To read the complete version of this story, visit ECN’s website.

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AIRPORT SNAPSHOT

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Dallas/Fort Worth Int’l. Airport Address: 2400 Aviation Dr., TX 75261 IATA airport code: DFW Year Opened: Although a joint Dallas/ Fort Worth Airport was proposed in 1927, construction didn’t begin until 1969. Dedicated in September 1973, it opened for commercial flights in January 1974. Size: The airport covers 17,207 acres, approximately 27 square miles, making it the second largest U.S. airport by land area. It has seven runways and five terminals with 182 gates split among them. Transportation: Three separate rail lines service the airport. DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) connects primarily to Dallas from Terminal A, TEXrail in Terminal B connects to Fort Worth and Trinity Railway Express services both cities and is accessed via a shuttle bus to CentrePort/ DFW Airport Station. DART also has bus service to the airport as does Trinity Metro. Taxis, rideshares and limousine services are available. Hub: It is the largest hub for American Airlines and is also the second-largest single airline hub in the world, behind Delta’s Atlanta hub Fun Fact #1: DFW Airport has service to 260 destinations, including 67 international and 193 domestic. DFW is in a small group of airports worldwide that service more than 200 destinations. Fun Fact #2: The airport is bigger than Manhattan and has its own zip code. A sixth terminal scheduled to open in 2025 will probably be delayed by COVID. Fun Fact #3: The dedication ceremony in 1973 included the first landing of a supersonic jet in the U.S. Website: www.dfwairport.com ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 21

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Together Again Expo INDUSTRY’S COMING-OUT PARTY WAS RESOUNDING SUCCESS BY JIM OBERMEYER

The Orange County Convention Center welcomed its first tradeshow under modified operations on July 24. The Together Again Expo, hosted in collaboration with Alliance Nationwide Exposition, offered a hybrid solution to connect and reunite more than 1,400 live industry professionals and 8,225 virtual attendees as they gathered to join the conversation and learn how to navigate the safe future of live events. Setting the standard on how live events may be hosted in the future, the OCCC and Alliance successfully revised the traditional tradeshow experience to offer a safe and controlled envi-

ronment for attendees, exhibitors, speakers and participants. “We were honored to have played a role in the successful execution of the Together Again Expo,” says OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “Gaining widespread industry attention, this event provided hope, optimism and practical solutions at a time when our industry needs it most. This groundbreaking industry collaboration, coupled with our Recovery and Resiliency Guidelines, GBAC STAR accreditation and partnership with Orlando Health, elevates our rigorous protocols and shows our commitment to keeping employees, guests and attendees healthy and safe.”

“The Together Again Expo has successfully brought theory into practice and shown how we can come together again to do business,” says Alliance Nationwide Exposition CEO Mark Yuska. “Touching on themes of safety, recovery and resiliency, we are proud to have connected our industry at this defining moment in history.” This all sounds well and good, but how did those who exhibited and attended the event think it came off? Our team at Exhibit City News reached out to those we know in the industry to find out. We asked three questions: What was your overall impression of the event? Virtual highfives at the Nuvista booth with Steve Edwards and Lisa Wetter

Kevin Carty, executive VP at Classic Exhibits: “It exceeded my expectations. And I was coming in with very high levels of expectations. This had to be done right, and they knocked it out of the ballpark.” Mike Ebert, president at CEP: “I was impressed with how positive everyone was. You could truly tell that the industry is ready to get back to work. There was not a single moment that I felt uncomfortable or worried about my safety.” Jay Burkette, VP at Expo Displays, provided perspective as an attendee: “I had a couple of objectives in attending from a non-exhibiting side—the first was to get onto the show floor with my peers, along with seeing how OCCC staged and handled a safe event. From my arrival to departure, I was very impressed. I think OCCC has shown we can do this safely. Now we just have to convince attendees and exhibitors to come back to the show floor.” How well do you think this event achieved its objective of proving that tradeshows and events can be done safely? Dasher Lowe, executive director at EDPA: “I think they fully accomplished the objective of showing how an event can be successfully executed within the new standards. From the moment you walked in the door and had your temperature checked, to heading onto the show floor and seeing

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Maintaining spatial distancing on the show floor

the ‘this area has been sanitized’ signs, I felt completely safe and comfortable.” Gina Porcaro, senior account executive at Optima: “Unlike concerts and sporting events, tradeshows and events can be controlled and managed safely; it will be a slow and calculated restart, but we can do this, we can get back to business. This was successfully proven by the OCCC, Alliance, the exhibitors and the attendees.” With the announcement

that there will be more Together Again Expos throughout the country over the next few months, what are your thoughts on your company’s participation in those? James Zacharias, VP of sales at Brumark: “The level of engagement was good. The ability to have meaningful dialogue solidified the value. We have looked at the schedule, and I think we have to look at what will be beneficial to our company in the long run. Budget is a concern right now for everyone.” Classic Exhibits’ Kevin Carty: “We will be there without question. Personally, I felt safe, I felt that my staff was safe and, like others, we need to continue to show the world

that events can happen. Business can be done face-to-face in a safe and meaningful way. In wrapping up conversations with exhibitors and attendees, it was quite obvious that creating this event was something the industry really needed to do. Sure, it would have been nice to have more people physically on the floor and representing a wider geography. As Dan Griffin, VP at CREW, pointed out, “It will be interesting to see what the next few weeks show in reporting back on how safe everyone remained…if there is no virus spread, then we were successful.” At press time, a month after the show, Yuska confirms that there have been no reports

of anyone getting sick from attending the expo and, even better, not one call from a contact tracer. But David Sterne, founder & CEO of Inside Track, put the best wrap on it: “Together Again Expo is really what the industry needs right now, along with national TV and radio coverage. We need to show elected officials on the local, state and national level that the tradeshows and conferences are essential businesses in terms of commerce and stimulating the economy.” The live event/expo intends to produce more hybrid shows in several cities in the next few months. Industry pros and suppliers can register at Togetheragainexpo.com.

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COVID-19 IMPACT ON INDUSTRY

Behind the Scenes of the Paycheck Protection Program BY KEVIN BINGER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES

The Paycheck Protection Program, Congress’ signature assistance program for small businesses, has been a critical lifeline for the live events industry this year. The PPP’s forgivable loans have helped countless small businesses that manage tradeshows and conferences keep their lights on and employees on the payroll. However, with the end of the 24-week period to spend loan funds rapidly approaching, and with almost every major event cancelled through the end of the year, the industry still faces major challenges. To make it through to the point in 2021 that industry events re-convene, a second round of PPP loans is badly needed. Congress is now working (slowly) on a fourth coronavirus relief package. With reported cases spiking in many parts of the country, there are lots of needs and competing priorities. In this environment, the old adage that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” has never been more accurate. Here’s one thing that government relations professionals know very well: nothing gets the attention of a Congressman or Senator better than a compelling story delivered by a sympathetic home-

» Mapping out their “political footprint” (the locations where they stage shows, maintain offices and employ people) » Fine tuning their message to get across the most important points in a 15-minute elevator pitch » Lining up Zoom meetings and conference calls with House and Senate offices (focusing on the sweet spot of Small Business Committee members from their key states) » Following up with letters and e-mails as new proposals emerged

Kevin Binger

town constituent. But creating that personal connection with a House or Senate office in the COVID era has been a unique challenge. With a little creativity and initiative, we are step by step finding a way. While some of our industry associations have banded together to get the message out, individual companies have also stepped up to the plate. A great case study is Massachusetts-based T3 Expo. CEO Chris Valentine had a strong pipeline

of business and a talented core of employees before the COVID-19 crisis struck. With event after event cancelled and tough decisions looming, he took out a PPP loan, tightened his belt and decided to engage with Congress. With a little guidance from their government relations team at Cassidy, T3 Expo mounted a campaign for more flexible loan forgiveness rules and a second round of loans. They took it step-by-step:

Along the way, other industry partners joined the effort to expand our reach. We were joined by companies like Tradeshow Supply, Audie Expo, Willwork Global Event Services and Mountain View Staging. Working together, we have amplified the important messages offered by trade groups like Go Live Together and EACA. We have mounted a sustained drumbeat on the importance of our sector to the U.S. economy:

» The events industry directly employs about 2.8 million people

» The industry indirectly supports 6.6 million jobs

» The industry adds $885 billion to U.S. GDP every year » We produce $117 billion in federal, state and local taxes annually

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amount of money in a matter of weeks. In the process, they saved millions of jobs. The live events industry has a clear path to recovery in 2021. What the hundreds of small businesses that stage events need is a bridge to get them from the end of the PPP-covered loan period in October to the resumption of tradeshows and conferences in 2021. Thanks to a unified effort of big associations providing high-level air cover, and small companies like T3 engaging in retail “door-todoor” advocacy, we are close to getting just that.

Tim Heffernan, T3 Expo chief development officer

» 80 percent of our companies are small businesses

» A high percentage of the workers who help stage live events are blue-collar union workers. Some of our key requests— to make the original PPP program more effective—were incorporated in the PPP Flexibility Act that Congress passed in June:

» Expanding the covered period to use loan funds to six months » Relaxing the rule that 75 percent of the funds had to be used on payroll » Creating a “safe harbor” for businesses that could show they have been directly impacted by COVID-related business restrictions Today, we are actively pushing, along with several small business associations, for legislation creating a @ExhibitCityNews

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second round of forgivable loans. Bipartisan legislation has been produced by the Senate Small Business Committee to allow “second-draw PPP loans.” The outlines of this program include:

» A second PPP loan of up to $2 million could be taken

» Businesses with fewer than 300 employees would be eligible

» Eligible businesses must show that their revenues have declined by at least 35 percent » The list of forgivable expenses is broadened to include PPE expenditures, supplier costs and operational expenditures like cloud services and software. As of this writing, Congress was still in the thick of negotiations over the broad outline of this fourth and probably final economic support package. Negotiators have been struggling to

Chris Valentine, T3 Expo CEO

bridge the gap on funding for state and local governments, schools, health-care providers and other critical needs. However, thanks to the concerted efforts of industry associations and forward-leaning companies like T3 Expo, there appears to be bipartisan support in the House and Senate for the second-draw PPP loans. In 20 years working in Congress and 17 working in government relations, I have rarely seen Congress react so swiftly and decisively to an emerging crisis. The PPP program funneled more than $500 billion to 5 million small businesses. The Senate and House Small Business Committees deserve enormous credit for creating this program. So does the Small Business Administration. Despite a few early hiccups, they processed an enormous

Kevin Binger is a senior vice president at Cassidy & Associates, and a former long-time Congressional aide. Cassidy & Associates is one of the leading bipartisan government relations firms in Washington D.C. As advocates and strategic advisors, they educate and empower federal decision makers with the facts, insights and strategies to make well-informed decisions that will advance their clients’ business goals. For more info, visit www.cassidy.com

...There appears to be bipartisan support in the House and Senate for the second-draw PPP loans...

ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 25

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COVID-19 IMPACT ON INDUSTRY

On the Front Lines of COVID-19 BY AMADEUS FINLAY

On April 2, ECN debuted a new weekly column online and in our Thursday e-newsblasts called “On the Front Lines of COVID-19.” Here are some excerpts from the last two months; to read “the rest of each story,” please visit our website and type 'Front Lines of COVID" in the Search Box at the top. If your company is going above and beyond to assist in this crisis, please email us at newsdesk@exhibitcitynews. com for inclusion in future stories in this series.

June 25: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: Highmark Introduces Health & Safety Solutions … Highmark is ready with mobile health and safety stations for events of any size. Whether the event is outside or indoors, Highmark’s stations provide solutions that set up in less than an hour. Based on display units from Highmark’s Modulbox mobile line, these stations offer contact-free handwashing with sanitizer or antibacterial soap as well as a site for PPE distribution...“I am proud that Highmark can offer these quick setting health and safety solutions to organiza-

tions and venues,” says Highmark President Debbie Parrott. “The fact that they are super mobile and modular and offer plenty of health messaging or branding surfaces is a great plus for organizations wanting to show their support of event safety wherever their business takes them. They are adaptable to any event, large or small, indoors and outdoors...”

July 2: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: The Trade Group and the Together Again Expo … In Dallas, award-winning experiential design firm, The Trade Group, has turned its attentions to developing products with the new workplace in mind, whenever (and whatever) that might be. The firm’s approach is two-fold. On an individual level, low-cost personal protective equipment face shields for use by frontline workers have been coming out of the company’s Carrolton headquarters since April. Designed to protect the entire face from “spray, splatter and droplets,” the shields feature a thick band that absorbs sweat, provides space for glasses or safety goggles, and can be easily disinfected after use. The

Trade Group has also launched custom, COVID-19-inspired fabrication solutions for corporate interiors, restaurants, salons and other retail scenarios ...and donated thousands of face shields to individuals and organizations that needed them right away. “We really wanted to do our part to help support and protect healthcare workers who were on the front lines,” explains Robin Barhydt, senior design consultant … July 9: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: Dallas Market Center, GWCC Authority & elevation3D ...The Dallas Market Center hosted the Apparel & Accessories Market and KidsWorld Market June 23-26, and it was an absolute hit. Drawing more than 85 percent attendance over the previous year, show management also reported an increase in the number of new buyers at an impressive 17 percent growth…The show

implemented new health and safety guidelines, including requiring temperature checks for every visitor every day, mandatory masks and strict social distancing. Other changes included deep cleaning, no gatherings and limited food options such as individually packaged and to-go food service from multiple outlets. There were safety measures integrated into the design of the marketplace, including open parking, large entryways, quick registration in multiple areas, wide hallways, multiple escalators and showrooms with controlled access to allow for the appropriate distance between customers. Most educational events went virtual for the show. elevation3D of Shrewsbury, Mass., is continuing to think outside the box by announcing a range of field marketing solutions to be utilized in the new business landscape. Designed for application in trailers and

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open external spaces, this new series ... includes modular trailers (which look like miniature custom exhibits), branded outdoor dome tents, and a combination of physical and smart solutions that come together to transform large indoor facilities into small and medium size spaces...

July 16: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: beMatrix, Disinfect Group, OCCC, Philadelphia CVB & Duke Energy CC ...On July 8, beMatrix, announced a partnership with a fellow Belgian company, Disinfect Group, that will provide sanitized entry point solutions at locations across the world. Disinfect Group specializes in tailor-made safety solutions, including sanitization tunnels that channel users through entry points where they are sprayed by a dry disinfecting mist. A simple but effective solution, the design ensures that everyone on site has been through basic hygiene and disinfection prior to gathering in crowded venues. That is where beMatrix steps in. The company’s customizable frames allow beMatrix and Disinfect Group to develop entry point solutions for every size of venue. …the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau announced a new advisory @ExhibitCityNews

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group—PHL Health Advisors—tasked with the express purpose of helping businesses address questions about meeting safety ... Philly is not the only city working on how to get back to work safely as Cincinnati’s Duke Energy Convention Center, in collaboration with Prestige Audio Visual and Creative Services, and their downtown Cincinnati partners held “Hybrid Events—Confusing Possibilities Made Simple” on July 15. Attendees joined live in Cincinnati, as others joined virtually, to learn how a hybrid event can be a successful and safe solution for planning meetings...

A similar story is playing out in St. Paul, Minn., where Skyline has developed a comprehensive variety of workplace safety solutions. Operating under the slogan, “Helping you get back to work safely,” the group offers everything from partitions to dividers, sanitization stations and floor markers...

July 30: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: Together Again Expo, Alliance Na-

tionwide Exposition, CES & Rethink Fabrics …With 1,400 live industry professionals, 8,225 virtual attendees and 250 exhibitors, the Together Again Expo, produced by Alliance Nationwide Exposition at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando tested the waters of how the tradeshow industry can go back to work during these challenging times. Held on July 24, the Expo demonstrated how tradeshows can still be held in the era of the “new normal,” however long that might last. Social distancing, universal sanitization procedures and self-protective equipment provided the foundation for the show, with the adjustments

July 23: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: ProExhibits, Skyline, FashionGo, The Unified Wine & Grape Symposium & Together Again Expo …ProExhibits has been keeping the lights on with a new range of products designed to support commerce in a post-COIVD world. Alongside a range of turnkey protective workplace solutions that are fully customizable and adaptable to existing office furniture, the firm has also developed a variety of healthcare solutions, including large tents and partition systems, designed for testing, isolation rooms or temporary buildings. ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 27

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COVID-19 IMPACT ON INDUSTRY

making for a successful and replicable model. Sustainable apparel company Rethink Fabrics has re-positioned its model to become producers of environmentally-friendly personal protective equipment. Using only 100 percent recycled plastic water bottles, the firm is leading the way in a green revolution in the face of COVID-19…

August 6: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: Vanguard LED, SunDog Design, ProGlobal Events, Smash Booth, Image Audiovisuals & Iguana Group ...Fixed installation and staging display firm Vanguard LED has added a state-of-theart temperature admittance device to its inventory. Dubbed Accutemp, the interface sports an HD camera supported by an infrared mode for night use, as well as alarms that activate after sensing temperatures out-of-normal range. Nimble design-and-build firm SunDog Design pivoted their production capacities and rolled out a swath of branded PPE and display solutions, including custom-branded masks, floor stands, partitions, kiosks and sanitization stands, as well as floor decals to indicate foot flow and social distancing requirements. ProGlobalEvents chose the 30th annual Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA) Summit (being held virtually

for the first time) to launch BeyondLive, a 3D-immersive, virtual-experience platform. Attendees were shown how the platform allows users to explore a virtual venue, can interact with others, collect and view content, purchase swag and experience an “escape room.” And what’s particularly attractive about BeyondLive is that the user neither needs to download software nor purchase special equipment... Smash Booth of Las Vegas, providers of interactive photographic experiences, has launched a line of digital products to support a socially-distanced world. These innovative items include a virtual booth... Image Audiovisuals of Denver recently launched an enhancement to its trademarked e-Attend technology platform. Known as “The e-Attend Virtual Experience,” this fully-customizable, onestop solution is designed to “take virtual experiences and attendee engagement to the next level.” The e-Attend Virtual Experience can be customized for use by any brand, and includes a main virtual lobby, auditorium, meeting rooms, hospitality suites, networking lounge, expo lobby, exhibit hall and exhibitor booths... Similar developments are occurring in England too, where venerable creative design agency, Iguana Group, has been breaking down the walls of convention and pioneering the concept of the virtual exhibit floor. Iguana introduced the Virtual Xhibition Xperience (VX2)...

August 13: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: SWX Global, Live+, EDPA, Optima & The Trade Group ...SWX Global of Dallas has turned its attention to the needs of the local community by offering services designed to safely reinvigorate the economy. “We are using our tools and resources to build a product called ‘Social Distance Barriers’ for use in restaurants, corporate offices and schools,” says Brian Cree, CEO of SWX Global. Speaking of the future, mixed reality firm Live+ (Mixed Realty) is taking everything society ever thought it knew about existence and interaction and turning it on its head. Pioneering the concept of mixed reality (MR), Live+ merges real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations, where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. Pressure is mounting on Washington D.C. as the pandemic continues to detrimentally impact the tradeshow and event industry. EDPA’s Chris Griffin has been petitioning industry professionals to demand that Congress include provisions to support tradeshow industry workers and their families. Visit www.golivetogether. com, www.liveforlifec19.com or email info@edpa.com to find out how you can help.

August 20: On the Front Lines of COVID-19: Patron Technology, Makitso, Atlanta Market & Event Leadership Institute …Already offering a suite of in-person, virtual and hybrid technologies before the pandemic hit, Pittsburgh’s Patron Technology quickly became the optimum model for the industry once it did. Patron began implementing new integrations and expansions of their traditional tools for ticketing, engagement and mobile apps, as well as developing innovative features for virtual events. Known as “Virtually Limitless,” the initiative enables event organizers to create entire online experiences complete with secure, gated access and a host of engagement and community features that bring audiences together. 3D design and build firm Makitso has released a portable shoe sanitizing station for use at entrances... The Event Leadership Institute, in partnership with MPI, has developed an online certificate designed to provide industry professionals with strategies, tactics and resources for executing modified in-person events and meetings. The first six-week Pandemic Meeting & Event Design Certificate course begins on Sept. 1, is eligible for 20 CMP hours, and can be taken at a user’s individual pace...

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“2020”

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AIPC

Play Ball!

Re-Opening Venues Safely by Peter King, CEO, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

hank goodness for cricket. There is indeed no doubt about that—what a wonderful game! But the quote comes in a very specific context: the reopening of venues for organized events. In a growing number of regions, local authorities are allowing events—including sports—to take place, albeit on a smaller scale and when respecting a strict safety protocol. These authorities realize that organized events are important for the much-needed relaunch of the economy and face the challenge of balancing this with health and safety challenges. In reality, business events, more specifically, can turbocharge economic activity and provide much-needed jobs. Getting back to business in a COVID-safe environment is not an easy task, and venues need to provide their authorities with insights on how and why organized events need to take place. AIPC supports this effort by providing clear guidelines and does so in partnership with ICCA and UFI to ensure messages are streamlined and come with a stronger voice. We need to be asking, and actively advocating, for the trust of our local authorities. We have always looked after the safety and security of our visitors and delegates as our first priority. We will never compromise their safety or our reputation. We need to

be allowed to do what we do so well: opening our doors and appropriately managing the congregation of people. In cricketing parlance, venue managers are great all-rounders—we are used to chipping in and doing a bit of everything to get the right result. In parallel to this conversation, event venues are rethinking the ways to achieve their core mission: to bring people together for a joint purpose and to enable these communities to share ideas, plans and projects which will bring them to a brighter future in their respective fields of profession. This will require more than a new ball. All players involved—both within venue and the larger event ecosystem—will need to profoundly rethink how this can be engineered in the best possible way. Classic event business will remain, but it needs to be enriched with new products and services. For example: technology needs to be deployed to provide a safe and secure environment—such as crowd management tools. This also allows us to obtain deeper insights in overall participant behavior. Collecting this data on a continuous basis will allow us to create better delegate experiences and adapt almost instantly when needed. Technology also allows us to increase reach and complement the on-site event with virtual elements, targeting not

Peter King

only professionals who are no longer allowed to travel, but also audiences who until now were “unserved” as the on-site experience was simply not accessible, for financial or other reasons. The identification and implementation of these opportunities will result into a new value proposal, with a key focus on engagement, independently whether that is through physical or virtual components. As one of our colleagues said during a recent meeting: “We do not run buildings, we manage experiences.” To deliver upon this, an even closer partnership between venues, destination and event organizers is needed, and hence organized events become platforms for achieving a multi-layered set of goals. Legacies include economic recovery, creation of jobs, and social and community-based outcomes. This is, of course, not new— many destinations are already exploring these routes to create other types of value. What is new is the momentum created by the current crisis to rethink and reshape organized events

in ways which were not conceivable six months ago. Very similar to the fact that nobody could imagine that working from home could actually work on such a massive scale—and yet it does. Given the concentration of creative forces within the event ecosystem, organized events will be back—with a twist—or a bit of a spin, just to return to cricket! Peter King, a member of the AIPC board of directors, is CEO at MCEC. AIPC, the International Association of Convention Centers, represents a global network of 185+ leading centers in 60 countries with the active involvement of 900+ management-level professionals worldwide. It is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in CC management, based on the diverse experience and expertise of its international representation, and maintains a variety of educational, research, networking and standards programs to achieve this. AIPC also promotes the essential role of the international meetings industry in supporting economic, academic and professional development and enhancing global relations amongst highly diverse business and cultural interests. For more info, visit www.aipc.org.

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SHOP TO SHOWFLOOR An In-Depth Look into Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World of I&D and Event Labor

Willwork I&D installing the ECN booth at the Together Again Expo in Orlando in July.

Plan B: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next with Tradeshows and Events? Pg. 34-35

I&D Labor Pivoting to Survive Pg. 36

The Rigging World: Eyebolts: Have the Correct Ones or It will Cost You! Pg. 38

This section is dedicated to all exhibit house professionals, as well as all exhibit managers and tradeshow coordinators worldwide. For advertising information and rates, please call our offices at 702-309-8023 and ask for sales. @ExhibitCityNews

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

COVID-19 Impact on Industry

Plan B: What’s Next with Tradeshows and Events? by Candy Adams, CTSM, CEM, CMP, CMM (a.k.a. “The Booth Mom”®)

orking in the tradeshow and events industry, one of the rules of any event is to have a “Plan B” when something doesn’t go as planned. When COVID-19 pulled the rug out from under events in March, we were told to expect 15 days of shutdown to flatten the curve. Now that we’ve passed 150 days—ten times what we originally expected—I feel like I’m running out of letters of the alphabet and already past “Plan X”! I spend hours every day reading about our industry and the pandemic, and although I don’t have a crystal

ball, I do feel the pulse of the issues facing us in getting our shows back on the road. But the more I read and learn, it just makes me ask more questions and dig deeper on these topics of what is—and isn’t—factual on where we stand today, what issues we can—and can’t— control, and what F2F shows and events might look like moving forward. Industry Confidence on Reopening Live Events: Recent industry surveys state confidence in reopening dropped by about 10 percent after the July resurgence of reported cases. Trying to stay

abreast of ever-changing numbers of tests, infections, hospitalizations, recoveries and deaths, medical opinions and government mandates—well, it’s like shooting at a moving target. Timing estimates for when large mass gatherings might happen currently vary from Q2 2021 through 2022 to be fully back to “normal.” Issues: Every state/city/ county is making its own rules, and show managers don’t know what rules on mass gatherings will be in place when the date of their live show arrives. Convention centers—at the crux of reopening—are at the mercy of whatever governmental entity owns them, whether it’s reopening to events or repurposing to be an overflow hospital or homeless shelter. Travel to Live Events: Employers have what is known as “duty of care” for their employees, defined as “the moral and/or legal obligation to ensure the safety or well-being of others” and not put them in harm’s way. Business travel bans during the pandemic have been put in place for all but essential travel. Through year-end, travel industry surveys indicate that about 90 percent of large employers have travel moratoriums in place, which would impact attendance at any live events that are still scheduled. What events, exactly, will cause these bans to be lifted is anyone’s guess. Issues: Adding to the uncertainty of whether travel is safe is the availability of network transportation like Uber and Lyft, airlines, convention facilities, hotels and restaurants at our destinations.

Gearing back up the entire travel industry to accommodate large groups of business travelers to shows that can’t guarantee a continuous flow of revenue will be challenging for all involved. Sanitation and Disinfection: An entire new industry has emerged to determine how to best sanitize and disinfect our environments to avoid the risk of infection by the COVID-19 virus. Issues: Faith has to kick in here that our travel suppliers have prioritized our best health interests. But while we are told that sanitation has taken place, do we really know what disinfection has been done—and how effective it is? » What has our Uber driver done to sanitize his car after each ride? » How are airports sanitizing checkin areas, restrooms, security, food concessions and gate areas? » What are the airlines doing to facilitate touchless check-in, touchless boarding passes, fogging the interior of the plane with disinfectant between flights, serving only individually packaged food and beverages and sanitizing the restrooms between visits? » How are hotel housekeepers disinfecting germy hotspots like door handles, remote controls, desktop surfaces, thermostats and faucet handles? Will there still be a quota system of number of rooms to “turn” during their shifts that would make them rush the cleaning process? » Convention centers are leading the charge in facility disinfection by implementing the GBAC (Global Biorisk Advisory Council) STAR program, touted as “the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation for facilities.” These show venues are proactively

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implementing sanitation and disinfection procedures, but a recent industry blog pointed out that adherence to GBAC’s guidelines is voluntary. And there’s been little mention of the additional costs of these sanitation protocols on both travel and show management costs, and how they will be absorbed or trickled down to consumers—to venues, show managers, exhibitors, attendees and staff. Spatial Distancing. How far away is far enough? Most often we’re hearing the six-foot rule of “social distancing” that equates to 28 to 36 sq.ft., depending on whether you’re calculating space as a circle or square around you. But I prefer the term “spatial distancing” since putting us farther apart doesn’t seem “social.” What’s considered a safe distance between us will affect everything from travel, tradeshow and exhibit layouts. » Major network transportation companies are no longer allowing front seat passengers. » Airlines are avoiding filling center seats “when possible” and looking at boarding in smaller groups or seating those in the window seats first to avoid lines in the aisles. » Show managers are considering how to determine optimal show floor density, potentially restricting the number of attendee registrations and the maximum number of exhibitors per booth space, moving to touchless registration onsite to avoid lines and badging attendees as to what day(s) or hours they can visit specific areas of the show floor. Expect both floor-mounted and eye-level signage to remind visitors @ExhibitCityNews

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of the show’s distancing rules.

» Tradeshow floor plan layouts are expected to grow to larger square footage, with wider one-way aisles, additional space between booths

effective and safe it will be or its cost or distribution roll-out timetable after FDA approval.

Businesses want F2F exhibits back: A recent global industry survey stated that 2/3 of global exhibiting companies have seen an adverse impact on their product’s branding and awareness since the pandemic started and tradeshows halted. Sales that have Candy Adams historically been driven by leads from F2F tradeshows have fallen and companies are anxious to resume exhibiting to regain that lead source. Issues: » Virtual/online events are, at and to accommodate spatiallybest, a stopgap. Most exhibitors distanced food consumption areas are reluctant to participate in (i.e. three people per table that virtual-only events, with only a used to seat 10) with food served 25-35 percent re-sign rate when in boxes or in individual packages. offered to move their booth space investment from a live to virtual Vaccine(s) or Treatment: event. Virtual events are being sold With some venues’ reopenas a replacement for F2F events ing being contingent on the when they are at most a band-aid availability of vaccines for—or that really requires a tourniquet! treatment of—COVID-19, One colleague compared them everyone has their eye on the to picking up food to go since you status of research and clinical can’t sit in a restaurant and eat— trials of vaccines and treatit’s not the same but it’s better ments to halt the virus’ spread. than nothing! Issues: There are several go- » Although the numbers of those rillas in the room when talking attending virtual events look about the possibility—and imvery high, they may not what pact on the events industry—of they appear. Virtual event a vaccine’s introduction: organizers may be counting » Fact: There is no vaccine currently attendance differently than at available for any of the seven F2F events, i.e., being counted strains of human coronavirus. as attending an entire session The CDC website states, “There regardless of how long I was is no vaccine to protect you there or if I attended each of against human coronaviruses an event’s six virtual sessions, and there are no specific I might be counted as six treatments for illnesses caused by attendees. Ask if the number of human coronaviruses.” We’re in those who registered to attend uncharted territory. is the number being reported, » No one knows if or how soon a since according to industry vaccine will be available, how estimates only 40 to 60 percent

of registrants actually attend the “live” virtual event. » Obstacles to the positive transition to virtual events for exhibitors include show managers without experience in virtual events, little history of success in providing a positive ROI, the widely-varying costs to exhibit virtually and lack of interest by attendees who see the event more as a virtual educational conference than virtual exhibition having little interaction with exhibitors. Hybrid Events: The Ultimate Answer After the cloud of COVID-19 is in our rearview mirror, we have the sunshine of hybrid events to look forward to. These events, with both a live, F2F show floor component plus virtual/remote attendance, too, are the silver lining we can look forward to when getting together again on the show floor becomes our new reality. Candy Adams, known throughout the exhibit industry as “The Booth Mom,” is a hands-on exhibit project manager with more than 495 shows and five industry certifications under her belt. As an accomplished veteran exhibit marketing consultant and exhibit staff “boothmanship” and exhibit management trainer, she specializes in guiding rookies and inbound international exhibitors through the tradeshow maze, assuring they maximize their return on investment while cutting exhibiting costs. A prolific award-winning writer and trainer on exhibiting best practices, she’s published more than 400 articles and blogs and trained tens of thousands of exhibit managers on all aspects of tradeshow exhibit management in her 28-year career. For more info, visit www.BoothMom.com.

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

One Teamster is painting and remodeling kitchens

Justin Jouas Custom Creations specializes in barn doors

Car detailing is one of the skills being used to pay bills

I&D Labor Pivoting to Survive SKILLS LEAD TO ENTREPENEURSHIP By Jeanne Brei

ith the news that SEMA and CES were forced to go virtual-only and that there may be a full year or more before tradeshows and live events will be allowed to be held in-person again, many companies and vendors have decided to go from furloughing employees to closing their businesses indefinitely—or at least until the events world starts turning again. One local Teamster journeyman starting doing home renovations on his own home and posting the results on Facebook. This led to being asked to paint others’ homes, remodel their kitchens and build doggy doors for them. He started becoming so busy that he posted: “Ok 631 Teamsters: Sound off if you have a skill. There is far too much work out here to be sitting around. Quiet mouths don’t

get fed. Or if you know someone with a skill who is in need of a little something extra, let’s post it here. Let’s work together—everyone could use a hand right now. Let’s go!” That post received 180 replies within hours, many from the serious and interested who posted skills, including:

» Mechanic » Cleaning and detailing cars, trucks, SUVs, ATVs, boats

» Custom carpentry, closets, builtins, custom furniture

» Carpentry, plumbing, tile, marble, granite, flooring, some electrical

» Graphic/Vinyl installs, car wraps, window perf etc

» Pest control » All kinds of appliance repair and some drywall, painting; hotel handyman » A/C work » Rustic farmhouse floating shelves » Building solar screens » Digital marketing

And then a few from the not-so-serious and silly:

» I’m pretty good at telling people what to do » I can drive the hell out of an electric cart... » I’m good at dealing with idiots, does that count? Teamsters have been reinventing themselves over the past few months and discovering that becoming entrepreneurs is helping them get through these difficult and challenging times. One proud father, John Jouas, president at Inside Dimension Services, says, “I have two boys, Justin and Geoff, who followed me into the tradeshow business when I started my own I&D company 17 years ago. We were chugging right along until March when the bottom dropped out. Justin designed and built his first door (the

white hexagon style) for his own house back in May, posted pictures on his neighborhood NextDoor page and orders immediately started rolling in. This all happened organically. His wife, April, came up with the concept for their master BR/bath doorway. Once the neighbors saw the pictures online, people started tracking Justin down, including a well-known real estate agent in the area. Things have just taken off from there. Justin is crushing this new door business, and his brother Geoff has been helping (mostly with the installations), but he’s more focused on homeschooling his first grader and pre-K boys right now.” “There are a lot of guys I know in our industry,” he adds, “who have switched gears to make ends meet until the Earth gets back on its axis.”

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

THE RIGGING WORLD

Eyebolts: Have the Correct Ones...or It Will Cost You!

hree things Experts understand go without the need for the right saying: We’re tools, gear and hardall looking forward to ware including the getting back to work so By Andrew Fulton importance of underwe can provide excepstanding the specs astional service to our clients and sociated with one of the most partners. We know we provide used, but least understood, exceptional service by staffing pieces of rigging hardware in our teams with experts. And our industry: the eyebolt. we know team members beAlmost all tradeshow booths come experts through training use eyebolts to suspend and education. signage and scenic pieces. Your team members can find They’re key to exhibit conthe online training and educastruction—and it’s a serious tion needed to become experts issue if the right ones aren’t at ITI (Industrial Training included in the construction International). Founded by hardware package. In other people whose desire is to help words, having the proper eyeothers be good stewards of bolt is a big deal. their gifts, ITI continuously A big deal because this exhausts all efforts to lead the missing piece of hardware can world in training skills in orbring a project to a standstill der to save lives and improve and compromise the job’s the industrial activities of the schedule and work flow. employers they serve. You Competent riggers will not use want experts on your teams, local hardware store substiand that means you want tutes—they’ll hold out until ITI graduates! the right eyebolts show up.

A rigger must leave the worksite to go get the proper eyebolts—those specifically designed for overhead lifting— from the show’s “General Contractor.” Not only is the workflow interrupted, but you are then charged a substantial fee for those eyebolts (an expense you hadn’t anticipated). And that’s the other sobering reason why having the right eyebolts is a big deal—not having them will cut into your profit margin. What is the proper eyebolt that your rigger will hold out for? Here’s what makes it so special:

» Made domestically is always the preference, from reputable manufacturers such as Chicago Hardware, Crosby, Campbell or Columbus McKinnon (CM). » It must be forged and shouldered. » It must have the size/diameter and manufacturer or their trademark clearly identified on it. This important information, along with the word “forged,” should be embossed on the eye. These North American manufactured eyebolts aren’t available at your local hardware stores. Forged and shouldered eyebolts are available from “rigging shops,” such as Silver State Wire Rope & Rigging in Las Vegas, for example. It is important to know that most rigging shops where legitimate rigging hardware is purchased, aren’t open on the weekend. This fact makes it vitally important that you have all your hardware needs well thought out and purchased before arriving onsite. Doing so prevents the above-mentioned scenario (delayed workflow/schedule and having to pay inflated hardware costs your General Contractor is sure to charge).

You can see why you want all team members trained in the basics of rigging hardware. A savvy sales team who knows that domestic hardware is a bit more expensive, will include this cost in the project estimate. Your foreman in charge of building the exhibits in the shop will know to send out the proper eyebolts in the first place—only those that qualify for overhead lifting. And finally, your onsite management team that is building the exhibits on the show floor, will know to doublecheck that every facet of the project is paired with the correct hardware. With all these pieces handled, your build will go smoothly. No one wants to explain to a client that the reason their project is at a standstill is because the eyebolts supplied for the project are not rated for overhead lifting and the riggers will not use them. That client is likely to wonder, “What kind of outfit is this?!” Not a good way to establish credibility or a build a long-term relationship. But when all team members are rigging educated, everyone profits. The job is completed safely and on schedule, and you have happy and satisfied clients that are already asking you to take a look at their next project. After all, that’s how you rig for success! Andrew Fulton is a 23-year member of IATSE Local 720 and is currently the Lead Production Rigger at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. Andrew manages projects for the Las Vegas PRG office and is also part owner of Rigging International Group, a rope access training and services company established in 2015. He offers rigging training & education through his entertainment rigging school, Rig For Success. Contact him at andrew@rigforsuccess.com.

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CONVENTION CENTER SPOTLIGHT Dallas is a hub city, with the railroad, four highways and a major airport, making it an inland port, so all things eventually come to Dallas.

EAT

The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

By F. Andrew Taylor

he Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is near the center of the city with easy access to multiple highways. The facility began its existence as the Dallas Memorial Auditorium. That structure still exists and is operational within the expanded convention center, but for multiple reasons, including not meeting ADA requirements, it is not in heavy use. It wasn’t until the 1970s that it was expanded and named the Dallas Convention Center. Several expansions have been built over the years and, in 2013, it was renamed after former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, making it one of the few CCs named for a woman, and a living one at that. As of this writing, she is the U.S. ambassador to NATO. In February of 2019 Spectra Venue Management signed a five-year contract to handle the day-to-day operations of the facility. Spectra operates scores of facilities across the U.S. The KBHCC has nearly 2 million sq.ft., with 1 million sq.ft. of exhibit space. There are 65,124 sq.ft. of ballrooms, 88 meeting rooms, a 1,750 seat theater with dressing rooms and a 21,290-sq. ft. arena with 9,816 seats. The KBHCC is also unusual in that it includes heliport/vertiport with 40 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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conference rooms. In operation since mid-1990s, the 169,000-sq.ft. flight deck is unusual in that it is elevated and designed to accommodate rotorcraft and tiltrotors, aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter but fly like a plane, such as the Osprey, a plane that is rarely seen in most other places. Very sci-fi. Up to two tiltrotors and three helicopters can use the facility simultaneously. Technically, any rotorcraft can use the vertiport, but it is primarily used by law enforcement, traffic and media helicopters and private charters. The KBHCC has hosted several significant conventions and events, including the annual Dallas Auto Show, the annual Fan Expo Dallas, the 1984 Republican National Convention, Wrestlemania 2016 and the annual VEX Robotics Competition, which is set to return in April 2021 for at least three years. The auditorium has also hosted a wide variety of musical acts from Elvis Presley to Elvis Costello, along with non-Elvis performers including The Jackson 5, Madonna, James Brown, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and LED Zeppelin. The center was utilized as an emergency shelter for Hurricane Katrina refugees in September 2005.

Bob’s Steak and Chop House, 555 S. Lamar St. You’re in Texas, so you’ll be wanting some steak. Don’t resist. The veal porterhouse is thicker than a Larry McMurtry book, and a jar of pickles and peppers is delivered to your table practically before you sit down. When you’re ready for some variety, Black Ship Little Katana, 665 S. Lamar St., serves Asian fare, including sushi; The Woolworth, 1520 Elm St., serves American cuisine, including a lobster grilled cheese sandwich and several vegan options; and Iron Cactus Mexican Restaurant and Margarita Bar, 520 Main St., serves...well, duh.

SLEEP The Omni Motel, 555 S. Lamar St. is connected via sky bridge to the convention center, making it the most obvious choice for conventioneers. Canvas Hotel Dallas, 1325 S. Lamar St., is a boutique hotel with a rooftop pool and lounge with an unusual view of the city. Aloft Dallas Downtown, 1033 Young St., has a stripped-back funky decor, and 14-foot ceilings to accommodate those who love spaciousness.

PLAY You can start with a visit to Reunion Tower’s GeO-Deck, 300 Reunion Blvd. E., which offers 360-degree views of the city from 470 feet. From there you might see the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Hardwood St., the Dallas World Aquarium, 101 N. Griffin St., and theTrinity River Project, a system of trails and green spaces along the Trinity River that is partially completed. When finished, the 10,000-acre nature district will become one of the world’s largest urban parks, more than 11 times the size of New York’s Central Park. There is also the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Cedars, 1005 S. Lamar St., a branch of the movie theater that led the way in adult beverages and ousting people who talk or use their cell phones during a movie.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

EDPA is Sharing Positive Vibes

By H. K. Wilson

he industry may not be experiencing business as usual, but EDPA President Amy Sondrup remains optimistic about the future of tradeshows. She assures everyone that plans are full steam ahead for the organization’s signature event, EDPA ACCESS 2020, scheduled for Dec. 1-3 at La Cantera Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas. “We’re leaning toward a hybrid event, and the content will be better, and more relevant, than ever,” Sondrup says. “We’ll keep everyone informed as we move forward.”

Another exciting offering from EDPA is its annual awards, and 2020 awards nominations are now open. For more info or to enter any of the award categories, visit www.edpa.com/edpa-awards. Sondrup acknowledges the hard work of the many EDPA chapters throughout the country that “continue to make the EDPA commitment to the industry a 365-day reality with online gatherings and programs.” EDPA Upper Midwest

The View from the Dining Table

While working from home,

CONCERTS CONVENTIONS DINING ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SHOPPING SPORTING EVENTS

ROSEMONT’S IMPACT FIELD

The stage of EDPA LV’s hybrid meeting at Total Show Technology

Upper Midwest Chapter President Jennifer Hermanson enjoys the companionship of her current coworkers, “two kitty assistants, who keep the operation running smoothly,” as she taps away at her computer on the dining room table. “I am optimistic that live events and tradeshows will return bigger, better and busier than ever,” she says. “Many of my customers have mentioned how much they miss the faceto-face interaction with attendees on the show floor and how challenging it is to demonstrate their products virtually.” EDPA Southern California & Northern California Coming Together as a Region

While each chapter retains its own leadership, EDPA SoCal and NorCal chapters are working together indefinitely to host virtual events. “The purpose of this is to open event invitation to a greater base of members in order to offer additional value during this difficult time,” explains SoCal President Antonia Nuzzolo. In addition to hosting a virtual happy hour at 4 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month, on Aug. 20 they hosted a virtual meeting with Katina Rigall Zipay of Women In Exhibitions to discuss the organization’s mission and how EDPA members can support it.

Nuzollo says there is a silver lining in meeting virtually. “I have been excited that EDPA SoCal has been able to welcome members from around the country to meetings. This allows us to trade insight about the industry from various locations which is valuable, especially during this time.” EDPA Las Vegas

Ramping Up for the Return of Tradeshows in 2021

On Aug. 12, the Las Vegas chapter hosted a hybrid summer mixer in conjunction with Total Show Technology. The in-person portion was held at TST’s facility, and the virtual portion was presented via Zoom. Live entertainment and bingo capped off the successful hybrid event. President Emeritus Mike Sunseri had even more positive news to share from the recent EDPA LV Happy Hour Zoom meeting with Brian Yost of the LVCVA. Yost presented promising news regarding several Las Vegas Strip properties that are going forward with convention space expansions. “The LVCC expansion is still on track to be completed before the end of 2020. The expansion includes 600,000 sq.ft. of new, leasable exhibit space, a 14,000 sq.ft. outdoor terrace able to hold receptions with up to 2,000 attendees, and a grand atrium.

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Resorts World is on schedule to open summer 2021 and will have 350,000 sq.ft. of meeting space. Wynn added 250,000 sq.ft. of meeting space in February. Caesars Forum recently added 300,000 sq.ft. of exhibit space, including the two largest pillarless ballrooms in Las Vegas. To sum it up, Las Vegas is ready for the return of tradeshows in 2021!” Chicago Randy masked golfers

EDPA Midwest

Still Wired Together

Golf lives eternal, and 32 golfers proved it when they showed up on July 27 for the 17th Annual Chicago Randy Charity Golf Outing at Seven Bridges. On Aug. 5, the Midwest chapter hosted a virtual event on the importance of F2F connections called, “Wired Together: Why Humans are Compelled to Connect.” Guest speaker Dr. Jennifer Esperanza, co-chair of the Dept. of Anthropology at Beloit College, said there is still hope for F2F industries because of our fundamental human drive to gather. According to Midwest chapter President Jacqueline Hake, “Afterward, guests were encouraged to explore the virtual environment and join us for one of the two socials in the speakeasy. The conversation was upbeat and hopeful, and the virtual @ExhibitCityNews

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platform was easy to navigate and exciting to experience.” The chapter’s annual Strikes and Scares Bowling event to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association will be replaced with a day of kindness and giving. Hake says, “We ask that our members perform random acts of kindness on Oct. 29 and post on social media using the hashtag #EDPApaysitforward.” Hake adds, “There are some positive conversations taking place in our industry. First, we have come together like never before to advocate for live events and to work together to raise awareness of our industry through Go LIVE Together and Live for Life. Everyone I talk to realizes that we are all weathering the same storm, and we are a family now more than ever.” EDPA Great Lakes

Bonding on the Golf Course

In late September, the Great Lakes chapter is hosting a much-anticipated golf event. Says Chapter President Kevin Sacharski, the goal is to “promote fellowship, networking, and frankly, getting out and seeing each other!” EDPA Texas

Wine and Spirit

EDPA Texas uncorked the creativity with a virtual wine tasting event on June 24. Members channeled their inner sommelier with the help of the director of wine making from Union Wines in Oregon. On Aug. 18, the Texas chapter was also enthusiastic about hosting a Zoom panel presentation on GBAC Certification and what it means for the industry. Brant Insero

from ISSA talked about what it takes for a facility to get certified and how working in a certified facility will affect the way EDPA membership does business there. The Holt Group’s John Zipay spoke about his experience getting certified, why he decided to do it and what advantages he thinks it will bring to his company. Mark Tester, executive director of the OCCC, discussed what GBAC certification has done for his facility and its impact on reopening for tradeshows and events. EDPA Southeast Getting Out of the Gutter—Virtually

EDPA Southeast called upon members to spare the time to

Get Out of the Gutter—virtually—in order to preserve the chapter’s time-honored event. It proved to be right up everyone’s alley, as they put on their favorite bowling shirts and participated in a virtual happy hour/bowling tournament. Prizes were awarded, and pithy bowling puns kept the good times rolling! EDPA Northeast

Together Again for a Classic

EDPA Northeast members are saving the date for “The Classic” EDPA Northeast Annual Charity Golf Tournament to be held at Shaker Hills Country Club on Sept. 14. All are looking forward to a safe and fun time together outdoors—and for a great cause!

Our Industry May Be Battered, But Our Foundation Is Strong. Thanks to the stewardship and hard work of our 51 Founding Grantors and Grantor companies, individuals, and charitable events the EDPA Foundation Endowment is solid, well managed, and our policy that 95% of money raised goes to recipients and causes allows us to continue to: Support two college design programs to help nurture talent for the future. Continue to fund our industry scholarship program, needed now more than ever. Make a generous donation to the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic to allow them to continue their good works. When the storm passes, and things improve for our industry, we will have a strong foundation to rebuild on.

Together, We Are Making a Difference.

Be Part of the Story. Visit www.edpa.com/edpafoundation to see how.

ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 43

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CONVENTION CENTER NEWS

Spatial distancing sign at the Albany Capital Center

Making the Most of “Down Time” BY SHANNON LICYGIEWICZ, DIRECTOR OF SALES, CEM, ALBANY CAPITAL CENTER

or reasons that don’t need to be explained, this “down time” isn’t what anyone in the event, tradeshow and live industry ever expected. Chances are, you most likely thrive on the smiles of event planners and attendees as they come into your facilities and the times when you go above and beyond delivering on expectations. What used to be familiar is not so familiar anymore. With

events currently looking a bit different, with smaller numbers and many opting for hybrid or virtual gatherings, chances are your day-to-day schedules aren’t what they used to be. Here are a few things the event industry can do as we count down the days until our new “normalcy” returns.

Update Your Marketing Materials Have you upgraded your technology or come up with new best practices your clients could benefit from? Update fact sheets and other materials on your website to highlight your Shannon Licygiewicz new offerings. This could be a chance to develop a deck of commonly used creative floor plans for events, or even test some setups yourself. Currently, our new “normal” most likely has restrictions on capacities and attendance. Are there so-

cial-distance-friendly setups you can include in your client packets that would come in handy? Consider creating a toolkit that event planners and clients can download, reference and share before planning and attending an event at your facility. For example, the Albany Capital Center created a COVID-19 Updates & Information page where this toolkit lives. It includes everything from FAQs to social media graphics, so your clients have everything they may need at their fingertips. Communicate with Your Clients No one has all answers on what the future holds, but

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...keep clients up to date on what you know. You’re not selling space anymore—you are selling confidence... Spatial distancing seating at the Albany Capital Center

letting your clients know you are still here and will do everything you can to keep guests safe while providing a stellar event can go a long way. Listen to the concerns your clients have, and take notes. Customer relations are at the utmost importance right now, and you have a duty to your clients to keep them up to date on what you know. You are not selling space anymore— you are selling confidence. Communication is a powerful thing, and how you deliver information will be important when messaging how to welcome them back safely to your facility. Owned Events When it’s time to welcome guests back to your facility, it will be even more crucial than ever to get your calendar dates filled again. One tactic can be to advise your staff to execute owned events that you can use to fill holes. Maybe it’s a safe Trick-or-Treating event, Breakfast with Santa, an Expert in the Room Webinar Series, Hybrid Art Gallery, or @ExhibitCityNews

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a Virtual Comedy Night. There are many things you can do to get people through the doors this fall and winter or to highlight the facility as a safe venue, keeping the building and your offerings top of mind. Staff Development There is a good chance you are not working faceto-face with your staff right now. Fortunately, there are still plenty of things you and your staff can do for professional development while connecting remotely. Encouraging your staff to invest in themselves during this time is a great way to continue to strengthen their skills, as well as strengthen your team’s knowledge of industry trends. Certifications are a great way to achieve this; companies like CVENT, Meeting Planners International and the Events Industry Council offer many opportunities to invest in yourself. Challenge your team to work on social distancing floor plans for tradeshows, corpo-

rate events and galas. Having sample floor plans ready can be a huge help when selling space in this new COVID-19 era. Updating LinkedIn profiles and encouraging your staff to share facility updates, improvements or highlights that are happening is also a great way to make them feel a part of things. Improve your email or Excel skills, watch a webinar on meeting and tradeshow trends, and share feedback with the team, do some cleaning of your inbox, organize digital files and more. Event planning requires many different skills, such as creativity, communications, organization and networking. Pick at least one of these to work on during your time working remotely. As facilities begin to reopen safely, many under attendance limits and mandates, it’s important to start preparing your facility and staff for different scenarios. Whether it’s a smaller in-person event or a larger event opting for a virtual platform, there are

ways you can best prepare your building and team. While you may be asking your clients to think outside of the box right now—it is your duty to be there with them every step of the way. Opened in March 2017, the Albany Capital Center, operated by leading venue manager ASM Global, is a modern, premier event and meeting destination in New York’s culturally rich Capital Region. Connected to the Times Union Center, Empire State Plaza and Renaissance Albany Hotel via enclosed walkways, the convention center hosts a diverse array of tradeshows, consumer and social events, and meetings for up to 5,000 guests. It boasts 22,500 sq.ft. of ballroom/exhibit space, six meeting rooms with 9,200 sq.ft. of space, 13,500 sq.ft. of pre-function space, state-of-the-art technology, and impeccable dining options. The ACC is conveniently located in downtown Albany and within walking distance of the New York State Capitol, business and warehouse districts, performing arts venues, museums, shops, restaurants and nightlife. For more info, visit www. albanycapitalcenter.com, or contact the sales department at (518) 487-2009 or shannon.licygiewicz@

ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 45

8/25/20 11:44 AM

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

People on the Move

ugh Jones, CEO of Reed Exhibitions, announced the appointment of Ron Walden, (right) group VP of strategic partnerships and activation of Reed Exhibitions USA, as the company’s first global executive sponsor for race. Jones says, “We stand in solidarity with our black and ethnic minority employees, customers and partners, and we are committed to helping build a company and a world where everyone can live equitably, with dignity and free from fear. On behalf of Reed Exhibitions, I have signed the Business in the Community’s Race at Work Charter.” Bill Lynch has been appointed the interim president of the Specialty Food Association. Lynch, who has 20 years of experience with SFA beginning as operations manager for the Fancy Food Shows, will take over the leadership position from current President Phil Kafarakis. Composite Technology International, an environmental engineering and manufacturing company that designs, develops and delivers millwork products, has promoted Tony Casey from senior VP of sales and marketing to chief sales officer. Jurassic Quest, a leading family edutainment company and producer of the largest North American touring dinosaur exhibition, has named Adam Friedman as their new CEO. The live entertainment vet sees major growth for company and brand accelerated by its revolutionary drive-thru concept. In convention center and CVB news, the American Marketing Association’s Atlanta chapter awarded its lifetime achievement award to William Pate, president and CEO of Atlanta CVB. The Tourism Vancouver Board named Royce Chwin as president and CEO of the 117-year-old destination marketing organization as of July 13. Spectra, the provider of venue manage-

by Exhibit City News

ment to the Owensboro CC and the Owensboro Sportscenter in Kentucky, promoted five-year veteran Jeanette Goins to director of marketing for the Owensboro CC and Owensboro Sportscenter and Cody Thomas to director of events for the Owensboro CC. The Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute named Indianapolis-based Matthew Shergalis, PE, as its new Northeast region manager as of June 10. SWX Global Design & Production (formerly Southwest Displays & Events), has hired Eric Lewis (below left) as VP of operations. Lewis comes to SWX from Derse Dallas, where he was the GM for more than 20 years. “The company has had to pivot,” says Brian Cree, CEO.” We are extremely excited to welcome Eric to SWX Global." Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, the nation’s largest independent electrical contractor to the convention/tradeshow industry, is proud to congratulate and celebrate the silver anniversaries of Vanessa Alenier, general manager of the Miami and Fort Lauderdale offices, Randy Casella, senior vice president, Kelly Putich, national director of event services, and Ellie Tackett, executive director of administration. Industry veterans Rob Cohen (right) [21 years with Display Supply & Lighting Inc. (DS&L)], Mary Ellen Hall [27 years with MSM Inc., formerly Mirror Show Management] and Chris Murphy [27 years with Iguana Group UK] also celebrated more than 20 years with their companies. 42Chat, the market leader in text AI chatbots for live events, has added Ray Baum, Collin Tokosch and Mike Fly-

nn to their sales team. Milestone Systems, a leading provider of open platform video management software, has appointed Thomas Jensen as CEO; he will assume the role on October 1. Contrast Security appointed Joe Sexton to their Board of Directors and Daniella Middleton was promoted to SVP of Tourism for Development Counsellors International, a leading tourism marketing and economic development agency. And in Orlando, Sean Verney was named GM for Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Resort. In association news, IAEE named Susan Schwartz (left) 2020 Legend of the Industry during its Virtual Leadership Conference held August 6-7. Schwartz is managing director and co-founder of ConvExx, an exhibition management company in Henderson, Nev., and has nearly 30 years in the industry, including serving on more than 20 IAEE committees, task forces and councils. ILEA International Announced their 2020 Volunteer Awards Recipients: JC York, Jaclyn Bernstein, Tom Kura Kristen Porchia. ILEA International also named their 2020-2021 Board of Governors & Regional VPs: Dana Macaulay, CSEP, president; Jennifer Trethewey, CSEP, immediate past president; Corinne Kessel, CSEP, president-elect and Dustin Westling, secretary/treasurer. Bryan Erler began his term as American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ 139th president effective July 1. In international news, UFI elected Monica Lee-Müller as president for 2021-2022 and ABPCO named Michael Smith and Barbara Calderwood as joint chairs. ExCeL London added Anna Clover and Simon Callow to their senior leadership team and Wolfram Diener replaced the retiring Werner Dornscheidt as Messe Düsseldorf’s CEO as of July 1.

46 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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IN MEMORIAM

Melissa Lynn Williamson Robert Vaughn Sept. 20, 1974 – Aug. 15, 2020

obert Vaughn, 45, of Douglasville, Georgia, passed away on August 15. Robert worked I&D for Czarnowski Events Services. Several of his friends and co-workers mourned his passing on Facebook, including Shaun Greenway, Brent Davis, Bernie Brady, Paul Mora, Kamelus Circus, Darrell Nichols and Cami Cash. Former project manager at Czarnowski Exhibit Services, Herb Davies wrote, “I heard the news of Robert’s passing the other day, it saddens me since Robert was so young. Worked with Robert at Czar while in Atlanta on various projecats. Enjoyed working with Robert and just talking about various topics outside of work. RIP Robert, you will be missed. My sympathies go out to Robert’s family.” Carl Rodgers added, “Robert with a big R, will miss my old buddy, had lots of fun with his goofy a** on booths,” and Tobias Riechel wrote, “Lost a brother!! You will be missed my friend! RIP” He is survived by his parents: Bobby Wayne Vaughn and Emily Breland Vaughn; sister: Pam McMichen and her husband Russell; nephews: Alan McMichen and his wife Cassie; Alexander McMichen; great-nieces: Madelyn McMichen and Lily McMichen; aunt: Mary Tuggle; uncles: Ernest Breland and Kenneth Vaughn. He was preceded in death by his grandparents. His memorial was held Aug. 21 at Cowan Mill Church in Winston, GA. To share a memory, photo or condolences, visit his online guestbook at https://www.hightowersmemorial.com/obituaries/Robert-Vaughn?obId=17950603#/obituaryInfo. @ExhibitCityNews

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that “Melissa was the coolest and a great co-worker—she was a package wrapped up in awesomeness...She was always happy when I saw her in any city, when I traveled with her company TLS! You’re gonna be missed out here in Las Vegas.” Melissa was a huge fan of the May 17, 1995 Cleveland Indians, had a love for animals and the out- June 26, 2020 doors, Disney musicals and Cedar Point. She elissa, 25, immersed herself in and her Marvel comics, even life partner dressing up as CapColeen Huling, 29, tain America for Halwere on an afternoon loween. Her love for bike ride in London outdoors was intense, Melissa and Colleen Township in Monroe ever since she was a little with Kelly Huling County on June 26, when girl. Her family had to beg a driver swerved and killed the her to come in, no matter how two women. On June 27, Michigan cold or how long she was out there. She State Police reported that a 21-year-old loved camping, cycling, kayaking and male was apprehended as a suspect in a lot of outdoor adventures with her the crime and will be facing charges. family. She and her dad often took long Melissa was born in Cleveland, Ohio bike rides throughout the countryside. and graduated from Riverside High She was always the happiest when she School in Painesville Township, Ohio, could be doing activities outdoors. where she was active with the marchShe met her soulmate Coleen Huling, ing band and theatre arts. In 2016, she who shared her love of camping, fishing, earned her bachelor’s degree in lighting hiking, biking, kayaking and Cedar Point, design and theatre arts from Eastern and they formed a bond that will never Michigan University in Ypsilanti, where be broken. They enjoyed life together, she was a member of Kappa Kappa and their families are consoled that in Psi-Delta Upsilon, marching band and death, they will always be together. theatre. After graduation, she joined Survivors include her parents, Roy TLS Productions in Ann Arbor and was M. and Kerri Lynn (Maynard) Williamworking in her field of lighting design. son, her twin sister Michaella Lynn “Melissa was a truly good person who of Ypsilanti, a brother Josh, a sister made everyone around her better just Renee, paternal grandmother Barbara by being her,” says TLS Productions, Lynn Williamson, maternal grandparInc. CEO Brad Hayes. “She was a rising ents Dale and Ellen Maynard, all of star in her chosen profession, a true Ohio, along with many aunts, uncles, friend to many of us at TLSP. Her loss cousins and a multitude of friends. is, and will continue to be, felt deeply. Her untimely death while doing someA GoFundMe was set up by Melissa’s cousin thing she loved with someone she loved Kennedy Haight, who wrote, “These incredible is heart wrenching.” In the company women were taken from this earth far too soon newsletter, she was remembered as and they will be missed by so many. ” The “one of the greatest coworkers any of us GoFundMe campaigns raised over $30,000 for at TLSP will ever have the pleasure of funeral costs. Her services were held July 1 in working with. And more importantly— Michigan and July 3 in Ohio. To share a memory an incredible human being.” or send condolences, visit her online guest book Ruben “Brandon” Cruz, from Las is at: https://www.starkfuneral.com/guestVegas, wrote in her online guestbook book/melissa-williamson

ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 47

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THE D.E.A.L. By Jeanne Brei

Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging

Dakota’s Steakhouse

DINING

“Texas-Sized” Portions of Steak, Tex-Mex, BBQ & More! Dallas is one of a few cities that can truly claim the steakhouse experience as a native cuisine. Of course, Tex-Mex, barbecue, chicken fried steak and food trucks vie for top billing as well. And “Texas-sized” portions mean you won’t leave the table hungry! Truluck, one of the best steakhouses in town, also features fresh seafood, hundreds of wines by the glass, as well as a live pianist and singer. As they explain, “At Trulucks, we’re all about fresh seafood, tender juicy steaks, succulent crab from around the globe, and delicious wines. We are so committed to bringing fresh

crab to the marketplace, that we operate a fleet of crabbing boats at our very own fisheries on the Isle of Capri just outside Naples, Florida. From our traps to your table in less than 24 hours.” And they’ll decorate your table with roses and serve a complimentary dessert if you're celebrating. Another popular and sophisticated eatery with live jazz is Eddie V’s. They also offer the finest seafood available, as well as their critically-acclaimed prime, center-cut steaks, aged 28 days and broiled to perfection. For a unique steakhouse experience, Dakota’s Steakhouse is 18 feet below street level because the landowners (First Dallas Baptist Church) had a legally binding clause in the sales agreement that prevented any future owner from selling alcohol on the grounds—but not underground!

The original Bob’s Steak & Chop House, 4300 Lemmon Ave., is all about Texas-sized portions of high-quality cuts, full of flavor and hand-picked from the top 2 percent of USDA prime beef. Whether you order prime steak, chops or seafood, every dish is accompanied by Bob’s signature, a single glazed carrot. Most cuts are butchered at the restaurant, and all are given a five-minute rest before returning to the broiler for Bob’s hallmark hard sear. Dallas is also home to plenty of great Tex-Mex restaurants like Blue Goose Cantina and Mercado Juarez, or visit Mariano’s Hacienda to have a frozen margarita where it was invented in 1971. But you can’t head back home before you try some Texas barbecue—from Central Texas-style brisket to East Texas pork ribs. Start at

Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum or Lockhart Smokehouse, two of Dallas’ most popular BBQ joints. Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse, a legendary BBQ joint frequented by President Bush, Larry Hagman and Jimmy Buffett, has starred in all sorts of food/travel shows, including Man v. Food Nation and Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels. The interior features old school desks from the '50s, but the real draw is the brisket, sausage, ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, BBQ beans, and mac & cheese. Fellow time travelers might enjoy lunch at the enchanting DeGolyer Garden Café, an indoor/outdoor garden restaurant inside the Dallas Arboretum and Botanic Garden. The restaurant is inside the historic DeGolyer House, a 22,000 square-foot Spanish-style home built in 1940, right in the center of the garden, overlooking White Rock Lakes, tiered fountains and formal landscapes. The Praline Creme Brûlée is a house specialty, but it’s the seasonal three-course tea services that really stands out. Tea service begins with soup, followed by an assortment of tea sandwiches, and ending with sweet dessert treats. Lastly, the Truck Yard, a Dallas favorite, is set in what looks like a junkyard, complete with repurposed truck beds, a tree house, an airstream bar and old-fashioned lawn chairs. The restaurant serves Philly cheesesteaks, but there’s always a rotating selection of food trucks in the yard too. The Truck Yard is also known for its on-tap cocktails, frozen daquiris and craft beer. Dogs and good friends are all welcome!

48 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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ENTERTAINMENT

Dallas Must-Dos: Riding the Mechanical Bull at Gilley’s to Speakeasies, Supper Clubs & Rooftop Bars The deep end of Elm Street (Deep Ellum) is the live music epicenter of Dallas. There’s a candy store in Deep Ellum, where if you provide the right password, a man will open a hidden door to Truth & Alibi, a speakeasy with a chic vibe. Just around the corner is a real, in-use barber shop with a hidden door in the back that leads to High & Tight, another low-lit speakeasy bar that often has live bands. Another elegant throwback in Dallas is The Clover Club, a swanky, 1960s-style supper club that offers dinner with a side of live music and dancing. Owner Eddie Campbell, who also owns neighboring Uptown bars Parliament and The Standard Pour,

@ExhibitCityNews

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offers cocktails with a view in CC’s casual rooftop lounge with cabana-style seating and bright red sofas and umbrellas, along with a more elegant (no shorts policy) atmosphere in the main dining room. Expect to swing to Big Band tunes and Motown while dining on everything from lobster pot stickers to grilled quail and ribeye steaks. Reservations for tables to view the show require the purchase of an entree, though guests can also enjoy the entertainment from the bar at Dallas’ premier supper club and live music venue. If a rooftop bar is more your style, the Gallery Rooftop Lounge comes with an infinity pool, a fire pit and awesome city views. High atop the artsy Canvas Hotel in the Cedars neighborhood downtown, it serves up creative cocktails, margarita flights, wine and craft beer alongside charcuterie boards, tuna poke tostadas and wagyu beef sliders. Also in the Cedars neighborhood, there’s a new Gilley’s complex with nine venues with capacities ranging from 350 to 4,000, including the South Side Ballroom, South Side Music

Hall, the Loft, Bonnie & Clyde’s, the Lone Star Room, the Brazos Room, the Saloon, the Pasadena Room, and the Federal Reserve Room. The original Gilley’s, a classic honkytonk club owned by country singer Mickey Gilley, opened in 1971 and reached fame when it was prominently featured in the 1980 movie Urban Cowboy starring John Travolta and Debra Winger. But, in 1990, a fire closed the original Gilley’s, and now it’s downright fancy in comparison. For many, riding the mechanical bull at Gilley’s is a must-do while you’re in Texas. The original mechanical bull from the movie, El Toro, has three settings: Bubbles, Cupcake, or Whiplash. After you sign the release form, then head to the center of the inflated red padding and get a boost onto the bull with the instructions: “Squeeze tight with your legs, one hand in the air, and lean back when his front end tilts down.” With a jerk of your tor-

Gilley's Dallas

so, you’ll be sent forward, backward, round and round. Be sure to hoot and holler like true rodeo pros. For jazz and blues music lovers, Sandaga 183, located just outside of Fair Park, is a paradise with nightly jam sessions, DJs and live music. The House of Blues Dallas, located in Victory Park, is one of the city’s premier venues for a wide variety of major musical acts. In fact, Billboard magazine rated the Dallas location as the fourth most popular music club in the country. Everyone from Alice Cooper to George Clinton have passed through its doors, and in addition to concerts, HOB also hosts free entertainment in the restaurant & bar. Other high-profile entertainment options include the Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, The Dinner Detective (downtown), the Texas Star Dinner Theater and the Toyota Music Factory. Yee haw!

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THE D.E.A.L. By Jeanne Brei

Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging

ATTRACTIONS

“Everything is Bigger in Texas” When you’re headed to the Big D (and I do mean Dallas), and you’re welcomed by a 55-foottall cowboy saying “Howdy, pardner” in a 95-gallon cowboy hat, you understand why they say, “Everything is bigger in Texas.” The iconic Big Tex stands in Fair Park, a largerthan-life (277-acres) venue on the right shoulder of downtown Dallas that was transformed for the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936. Fair Park features one of the nation’s largest collections of 1930s Art

Deco architecture, including the Art Deco Hall of State, gigantic murals, fountains, the 20-story-high Texas Star Ferris wheel with 44 gondolas, the 92,100-capacity Cotton Bowl stadium, the African American Museum, the Children’s Aquarium, the 7.5 acres of the Texas Discovery Gardens and much more, usually holding more than 1,200 events a year. And every October since 1886 (except 2020), it’s hosted the State Fair of Texas extravaganza. Still going “big,” the Dallas Arts District is the largest urban arts district in the U.S., with 20 square blocks featuring the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Klyde Warren Park, the

Winspear Opera House (Dallas Opera and Texas Ballet Theater), the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the AT&T Performing Arts Center and more. The Trinity River Corridor Project, when completed, will be more than 10 times the size of New York’s Central Park; and, with the roof enclosed, the entire Statue of Liberty could fit into Cowboys Stadium. Dallas has the most shopping centers per capita than any other U.S. city; the Galleria Dallas is home to the country’s tallest indoor Christmas tree at holiday time, and the largest permanent model train exhibit in the U.S. is on display in the lobby of Dallas Children’s Medical Center. Between the convention center and city hall, there’s the Pioneer Plaza with its man-made cliffs, waterfall and life-size sculptures recreating a cattle drive of three bronze cowboys herding 40 longhorn steer down the trail. It’s the second-most visited landmark in downtown (after Dealey Plaza where JFK was shot in 1963). Dealey Plaza has been converted into a memorial for the late president, and history buffs can visit the Sixth Floor Museum and the grassy knoll. Also in downtown, the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library has the only copy of the Declaration of Independence in the western U.S., as well as Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (The First Folio) printed in 1623—one of only 250 copies still in existence. For fellow time travelers, the Dallas Heritage Village’s 21 historic buildings, dating from 1840-1910, are arranged as an

outdoor museum in 20 acres. City Park was the first public park in Dallas, plotted in the 1870s, with weekly outdoor concerts in the 1880s and 1890s. In 1968, the Millermore plantation house became the first to move here. Each building is decorated with period-specific furniture, tools and historical actors bringing the village to life. Other parks to check out include the Klyde Warren Park, the Trinity River Corridor and White Rock Lake with its 1930s Art Deco boathouse. There’s a sunset sailing trip on White Rock Lake on a 38-foot catamaran; paddleboards, canoes and kayaks available to rent, or you can fish for white crappie, largemouth bass and channel catfish from the piers. Close by are the White Rock Lake Museum, Bath House Cultural Center and Dallas Arboretum. The 106-acre Dallas Zoo, founded in 1888, was the first zoo in the Southwest, and the Dallas World Aquarium features a rainforest exhibit and black-footed penguins. The George W. Bush Presidential Center, a little over six miles from KBHCC, is a stateof-the art facility on the campus of Southern Methodist University. The Library and Museum feature a precise replica of the Oval Office, twisted 9/11 beams from the World Trade Center, a Texas Rose Garden and more. Check out the 3.5 mile Katy Trail ending at American Airlines Center. And for some souvenirs with Texas flair, stop at Wild Bill’s Western Store, beloved for its turn-of-the-century bar with saddle barstools for some cowboy boots and hats. And let them know back home that “bigger can be better!"

50 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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LODGING

Saddlin’ Up at a Dude Ranch or Swimming in Air If the Lone Star State conjures up thoughts about dusty cattle drives, you might want to check out a dude ranch. About 50 miles east of Dallas is the 75acre Rocking L Guest Ranch, which provides an authentic western town atmosphere for company events, receptions, family reunions, private parties or personal getaways. Horseback riding, trail rides, hay rides, bunji bull riding, camp fires, catch-and-release fishing (for crappie, white bass or large mouth bass in one of three stocked ponds) and swimming are just a few of amenities—

there’s also indoor/outdoor catering, transportation and accommodations (private, semi-private and bunkhouse rooms available). Saddle up! But if duty calls and you need to stay in downtown Dallas, well, there’s always some beautiful historic hotels to indulge in. In the early 1900s, city founders teamed up with St. Louis beer mogul Adolphus Busch to build a luxury hotel. More than a century later, the 422-room Adolphus Hotel still stands as one of the city’s most luxurious places. The 1911 hotel is filled with crystal chandeliers, velvet furniture, dark wood paneling and Flemish tapestries. It’s home to one of the city’s finest restaurants, The French Room, which continues the lavishness with a domed ceiling painted

with frescoes, continuing hand-blown throughout the Italian Murano hotel. Rocking L Guest Ranch glass chandeliers, Lastly, The Magmarble floor and nolia Petroleum Louis XVI-style chairs. Company (merged to form While the Adolphus HoMobil in 1959) built a majestel may be the most opulent tic Beaux-Arts headquarters, historic hotel downtown, The opening its doors in 1929 to Joule’s rooftop pool on the become the city’s first and 10th floor—which juts out eight tallest skyscraper at 400+ ft. feet beyond the edge of the The tower is 29 stories, with building—makes it the coolest. its two wings connected by The heated pool is only open an arch about three quarters during the summer and is of the way up. In 1934, the exclusive to hotel guests—who Magnolia Building was given must feel as if they’re swima rotating red neon Pegasus ming in air. Built in 1927 as the to put on top of the building. Dallas National Bank BuildThe Pegasus still lights up the ing, the hotel is known for its sky and eventually became the revolving art installations, besymbol of Dallas. Mobil moved ginning on the front lawn with out in the 1970s, and the offices a three-story eyeball sculpture, of former oil tycoons have been continuing in the lobby with refashioned into a pet-friendly, a crystal-covered engine, and chic boutique hotel.

Installing and Dismantling Exhibits Throughout California

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52 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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

Tradeshow Calendar

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

U.S. CENTRAL Show Healthcare Facilities Management Forum Dallas Apparel & Accessories Market - August Iowa Veterinary Medical Association - IVMA Annual Meeting The Image Expo Fall Toy Preview - TIA eWomen Network International Colorado Health Care Association - CHCA Club Industry Show OilComm Dallas Apparel & Accessories - October Clean Gulf InnoTech FSTEC - Foodservice Technology Conference & Showcase

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 08/24 08/25 09/10 10/04 10/06 10/06 10/13 10/14 10/14 10/20 10/20 10/22 10/25

End 08/26 08/28 09/11 10/05 10/08 10/09 10/15 10/16 10/15 10/23 10/22 10/22 10/27

Venue

George R. Brown CC Dallas Market Center

St. Louis Union Station Hotel Houston Marriott Westchase Henry B. Gonzalez CC Cox Convention Center

City Frisco Dallas Aimes Houston Dallas Frisco Loveland St. Louis Houston Dallas San Antonio Oklahoma City Dallas

St TX TX IA TX TX TX CO MO TX TX TX OK TX

Att

2637 3000 2500 2000 2500 1500

Exh

Industry Healthcare Apparel Healthcare Beauty & Healthcare 292 94144 Toys and Hobbies 100 Business Healthcare 250 36500 Sporting Goods & Rec. 135 20000 Apparel 150 23000 Pollution Control 110 12500 150 Food & Beverage

U.S. MIDWEST Show World Beef Expo The ASI Show! JACK HENRY Annual Conference - JAC Midwest Healthcare Engineering Conf. & Trade Show MWHCEC The Makeup Show Chicago Enterprise Data World EEI National Accounts Workshop Fall - Edison Electric Institute Automotive Testing Expo - Engine Expo CannaCon American Contract Manufacturers Association - AmCon National Agriculture Bankers Conference - ABA Total Tech Summit

You Built It!

Nsf

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 09/24 09/30 10/12 10/12

End 09/27 10/01 10/14 10/13

Venue Wisconsin State Fairgrounds McCormick Place

10/17 10/19 10/25 10/27 11/02 11/04 11/08 11/09

10/18 10/22 10/28 10/29 11/03 11/05 11/11 11/11

Revel Fulton Market The Drake

Indiana CC

City Milwaukee Chicago Indianapolis Indianapolis

Chicago Chicago Indianapolis Novi Donald E. Stephens CC Rosemont Duke Energy CC Cincinnati Duke Energy CC Cincinnati Huntington CC Cleveland

St Att WI IL 4422 IN IN

Exh

104

Industry Agriculture & Farming Advertising & Marketing Banking Healthcare

IL IL IN MI IL OH OH OH

4000 2000

60 20

Beauty & Healthcare Computers & Apps

6000

370

Automotive & Trucking

Manufacturing Banking

600

Nsf

641 90K

3600

Now Flaunt It! SHOW OFF YOUR GREATEST EXHIBITS WITH THE GREATEST PHOTOGRAPHY!

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ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 53

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

Tradeshow Calendar U.S. NORTHEAST

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

Show Greater Long Island Dental Meeting New Jersey Association Of Osteopathic Physicians Surgeons - NJAOPS Psychiatric Society of Virginia - PSV Photoplus International Conference + Expo TechDay New York JA New York Special Delivery - Jewelry CBRNe Convergence Safety & Health Summit ISS World Americas - Intelligence Support Systems National Apartment Association - NAA Apartmentalize Coal Prep Tech - CPSA SMX - Search Marketing Expo East Ocean City Resort & Gift Expo

Start 09/01 09/09 09/25 10/22 10/23 10/25 11/02 11/03 11/04 11/04 11/09 11/11 11/15

End 09/02 09/12 09/26 10/24 10/23 10/27 11/04 11/03 11/06 11/06 11/10 11/12 11/17

Venue Hard Rock Hotel Javits Center Javits Center

LaVista CC

Embassy Suites Roland E. Powell CC

All Information Is Subject to Change*

City Melville Atlantic City Roanoke New York New York New York Boston La Vista Washington Boston Charleston New York Ocean City

St NY NJ VA NY NY NY MA NE DC MA WV NY MD

Att

18K 20K 4496

Industry Healthcare Healthcare Healthcare 221 78985 Printing 350 40000 Computers & Apps 274 54655 Jewelry

1000

100 8640

1300

11K 923 2000 1600

Exh

Healthcare Security 575 140K Housing 227 38600 Energy 70 12000 Computers & Apps 150 20000 Gifts

U.S. NORTHWEST Show SharePoint Fest Federation of Analytical Chemistry & Spectroscopy - FACSS SciX Power Clean - CETA Coffee Fest PNW School Bus Expo - STN West California Optometric Association - COA Monterey Symposium Sensors Expo Portable Sanitation Association International - PSAI Northern California Facilities Expo World Vaccine & Immunotherapy Congress West Coast American Exploration & Mining Association North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WINexpo) BIOMED Device San Jose - MDM

Nsf

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 10/05 10/11 10/22 10/24 11/01 11/05 11/16 11/17 11/18 11/30 11/30 12/03 12/09

End 10/09 10/16 10/25 10/25 11/05 11/08 11/18 11/20 11/19 12/03 12/04 12/03 12/10

Venue

Peppermill Resort San Jose CC

Hyatt Regency SFO Sonoma County Fairgrounds

City Seattle Reno Reno Tacoma Reno Monterey San Jose Reno Santa Clara San Francisco Reno Santa Rosa San Jose

St WA NV NV WA NV CA CA NV CA CA NV CA CA

Att 500

Exh 25

Nsf 5000

8000 1000 7000

400 41500 110 88000 75 300 21640

1200

160 21500

2800 3300 3014

250 62500

Industry Computers & Apps Chemical Laundry & Dry Cleaning Food & Beverage Transportation Healthcare Manufacturing Waste Management Plant Eng. & Operations Healthcare Building & Construction

406 48993 Healthcare

54 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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

See complete listing of shows online at ExhibitCityNews.com/tradeshow-calendar

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

U.S. SOUTHEAST Show HR Florida - Human Resources Florida Recreation and Park Association - FRPA International Society of Sports Nutrition - ISSN Travel Industry Exchange PM-Expo South Florida Property Management Expo ATMAE - Association of Technology, Management & Applied Engineering Florida Chiropractic Association - FCA Southwest Regional Convention & Expo Highpoint Market Fall LEAD Health Care Conference - North Carolina Medical Society Home Care & Hospice Expo - NAHC Atlanta Jewelry Show International Congress of Esthetics & Spa E-Scrap Conference

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 08/30 08/31 09/10 10/07 10/07 10/07 10/08 10/13 10/15 10/18 10/24 10/25 10/26

End Venue 09/02 09/03 09/12 Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront 10/09 Hyatt Regency 10/07 10/09 10/11 10/21 10/16 10/20 10/25 10/26 10/28

City Orlando Orlando Daytona Beach Miami Palm Beach Louisville Naples High Point Raleigh Tampa Atlanta Miami New Orleans

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

Att 1500 1000 400 3000

Exh

875 1000 85K 280 2500

14 1900 63 8000 2K 582K 58 300

1200

U.S. SOUTHWEST Show JOGS Tucson Gem & Jewelry Show California Workers’ Compensation & Risk Conference TechDay Los Angeles Financial Planning Association - FPA Business & Education Conference Alternative & Direct Investment Securities Association - ADISA Annual Conf. & Trade Show

Southern California Design-2-Part Show Nightclub & Bar Show International Association of Physiologic Aesthetics - IAPA California Assisted Living Association - CALA Fall Conference Building Operating Management’s NFMT - National Facilities Management and Technology

SAWC Fall - Symposium on Advanced Wound Care Association for Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback - AAPB National Council of Strucural Engineers Associations - NCSEA

Nsf

Industry Business 200 18000 Sporting Goods & Rec. 25 Food & Beverage 294 70000 Travel Industry Manufacturing Healthcare Home Furn. & Int. Design Healthcare Healthcare Jewelry Beauty & Healthcare Electrical & Electronics

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 09/03 09/08 09/24 09/30 10/12 10/14 10/19 10/22 10/26 10/27 10/30 11/03 11/03

End 09/06 09/11 09/24 10/02 10/14 10/15 10/21 10/24 10/28 10/28 11/01 11/06 11/06

Venue

Long Beach CC Las Vegas CC

Hyatt Regency La Jolla MGM Grand

City Tucson Dana Point Los Angeles Phoenix Las Vegas Long Beach Las Vegas Las Vegas Rancho Mirage Las Vegas Las Vegas San Diego Las Vegas

St AZ CA CA AZ NV CA NV NV CA NV NV CA NV

Att 37K 1200 7000 2000

Exh Nsf 400 140 200 20K

1863 37K

150 16K 662 196K

1300 425

100 35 5000

Industry Jewelry Insurance Computers & Apps Financial & Legal Financial & Legal Manufacturing Gaming & Entertainment Healthcare Healthcare Real Estate Healthcare Healthcare

• Delivery in Las Vegas, FedEx/UPS to all cities • Be a HERO use Horizon Print Solutions and make it EZ • Everything for your show or event from a top quality 25 year supplier!

Color Printing • Rack cards • Brochures • Booklets • Everything else @ExhibitCityNews

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Meeting & Event Supplies • Lanyards & Credentials • Binders, Tabs and inserts • Tote Bags & Inserts • Tickets & Programs

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

ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 55

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Tradeshow Calendar CANADA

*Disclaimer: All shows are subject to cancellation, check the official event web site on the ECN trade show calendar for the latest information.

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

Show Security Canada Atlantic - CANASA Big Data Toronto Conference & Expo Interior Design West - IDSWest The National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show CanWest Veterinary Conference Security Canada Central - CANASA Grocery Innovations Canada - GIC Buildex, Construct & Design Trends Calgary Pharmacy U Bakery Showcase The National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show The Buildings Show Project World & Business Analyst World

Start 09/16 09/29 10/01 10/03 10/17 10/21 10/27 11/04 11/07 11/08 11/14 12/02 12/14

End 09/16 09/30 10/08 10/04 10/20 10/22 10/28 11/05 11/07 11/09 11/15 12/04 12/17

Venue Casino New Brunswick Metro Toronto Congress Centre Vancouver CC Vancouver CC Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

City Moncton Toronto Vancouver Vancouver Banff Toronto Toronto Congress Centre Toronto BMO Centre Calgary Vancouver Toronto Congress Centre Toronto Calgary Metro Toronto Congress Centre Toronto Metro Toronto Congress Centre Toronto

All Information Is Subject to Change*

St NB ON CA BC AB ON ON AB BC ON AB ON ON

Att 200 4600 20K 1500

Exh Nsf 40 5800 90 300 75 24000

2500 6000 4000

200 280 55500 225 25000

2200 1500 35K 3500

40000 60 22500 700 110K 70

Industry Security Home Furn. & Int. Design Business Healthcare Security Food & Beverage Building & Construction Healthcare Food & Beverage Business Building & Construction Business

*DISCLAIMER: Please note that tradeshow information is provided as a resource only. All show information is subject to change. Please check show dates and venues with official show organizers and producers. For updated show and event listings, visit www.exhibitcitynews.com/tradeshow-calendar.

or call 702-686-2907 for more information. 56 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE Where to Find Professional Services, Products and Suppliesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a Companion Directory to Our Online Guide: www.ExhibitCityNews.com/Service-Guide

Aadvantaged Displays ABCOMRENTS A Harmony Nail Spa AllSpace Group BWC Visual Technologies CDS (Corporate Display Specialties) CEP (Chicago Exhibit Productions, Inc.) Champion Logistics Clementine Creative Services Condit

62 59 61 59 58 62 60 61 58 60

Corporate Communications CorpEvents Equip, Inc. Exhibitrac Direct Marketing Horizon Print Solutions Jami as Marilyn Monroe Tribute Artist LaborSource Las Vegas Power Professionals Lip Smacking Foodie Tours OnPoint Presenters

59 59 63 63 63 58 62 59 61 63

Prism Lighting Quality EFX Massage Roman Transportation & Logistics SISTEXPO (in Mexico) The End Result TSEMA.org TWI Group YOR Design Your Event Audio

62 58 63 60 61 60 62 60 58

For Service Guide information and rates, call sales at (702) 309-8023. Inclusive categories are available for all your company advertising needs. @ExhibitCityNews

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

BWC Visual Technologies BWC is the leading supplier of Science On a Sphere technology and an authorized distributor for Topobox, Inside Explorer, Liquid Galaxy and backlit tradeshow exhibits. At BWC, we also offer personal signage, pop-up displays, banners and much more. Do you have a new store opening up? Or your first tradeshow? Take a look through exhibitor catalog, and let us know how we can help with the displays at your next event. For more info, visit www.bwcviz.com

Audio Visual Technology

Creative Design Services

Creative Entertainment Services

Creative Entertainment Services NVMT 4993

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

Convention Chair Massage Services We use massage techniques & tools that surpass services provided by the competition. Massage services range from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. Advanced massage services that engage the highest level of convention services.

www.QualityEFX.com

Call or Text (702) 336-9362

58 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Corporate Communications Corporate Communications, Inc. is a digital marketing/web design agency made up of talented marketers/developers/creative thinkers who strive to find the best, result-driven solutions to improve our clients’ marketing efforts & develop stronger brands. Our clients range from retail, travel, tourism, technology & more; our digital experience gives us a new perspective on marketing strategies that cater to each unique client. We offer Web Design, Brand Design, Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing and Social, Print, Video & Animation, and Hosting. We are your Branding, Design, Development & Marketing specialists. Tell us your marketing needs to get the creative juices flowing. www. CorpCom-Events.com

Digital Signage, AV Production & IT

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

Exhibit Design & Builders

ABCOMRENTS is your premier source for Digital Signage, AV Production and IT needs for events and tradeshows NATIONALLY! LED Tile | Interactive Kiosks | Transparent Displays | Digital Signage

Event Production

Exhibit Services

Upstate NY

Montpelier, VT

Concord, NH

Boston, MA Worcester, MA Springﬁeld, MA

Hartford, CT

Providence, RI

@ExhibitCityNews

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(508) 366-8594 info@corp-eventsne.com

ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 59

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

CEP CEP has been transforming our clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sales and marketing objectives into award winning three-dimensional environments for over 30 years. We focus on youâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;your needs, strategy and objectives. CEP provides full service production and storage facilities in the three largest tradeshow venues in the U.S.: Chicago, Las Vegas & Orlando. We are positioned to provide cost effective and unique solutions from start to finish for any exhibit challenge, from design & fabrication to complete on-site install & dismantle services. For more info, visit www.cepexhibits.com

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

Exhibitor Education

Exhibits

60 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Champion Logistics Group has a transportation division specializing in the coordination of trade shows and special events. Champion provides the most reliable and flexible trade show transportation in the industry.

Champion Logistics Unique in the industry, Champion has a transportation division specializing in the coordination of tradeshows and special events. Founded in 1980, with the commitment to exceptional service, Champion Logistics Group has grown to become a logistics leader. By using the Champion fleet and network of specialized tradeshow carriers, we provide the most reliable tradeshow transportation services in the industry. For more info, visit www.champlog.com. Chicago | Atlanta | Boston | Dallas | Las Vegas | Los Angeles | New Jersey

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

Facial / Massage / Wellness Spa

Food Tours

Freight Brokers

ADVERTISE IN THE SERVICE GUIDE â&#x20AC;˘Added value with your ad in print and on our website. â&#x20AC;˘Engage a captive audience with 38,000 readers every month! â&#x20AC;˘Increase revenue and gain marketshare! Print and Digital Distribution (Ads in print issues will run concurrently online.)

1 Issue: $500 per month 3 Issues: $400 per month 6 Issues: $300 per month 12 Issues: $200 per month

â&#x20AC;˘ 30 years experience â&#x20AC;˘ Specialized in tradeshows â&#x20AC;˘ Show-to-show coordination â&#x20AC;˘ Available 24/7 - 365 days a year â&#x20AC;˘ Competitive rates without compromising quality â&#x20AC;˘ Familiar with the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general contractors

EndResultLogistics.com

@ExhibitCityNews

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TheEndResultInc@gmail.com

847-304-1113

Contact sales for details: 702-309-8023 or sales@exhibitcitynews.com ExhibitCityNews.com September/October 2020 61

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

LaborSource In addition to offering Installation & Dismantle labor for the tradeshow industry, LaborSource also provides direct labor contracting tailored to the specific needs of the retail/commercial construction business. Whether it’s a renovation, remodeling, demolition, fixture installation or full build out, LaborSource is uniquely positioned to provide a wide range of services to support our client’s needs. To learn more, please check out our new LaborSource website at www.laborsourcegroup.com

630.914.5281

Graphics

The Attention You Deserve Displays Starting at $69.95

www.laborsourcegroup.com

Lighting

EYE-CATCHING LIGHTING SOLUTIONS •Perfect Lighting for Exhibits, Retail Environments & Special Projects

941-758-8444

•Full Line of Innovative LED Products; Flexible Strip Lighting, Recessed Lights, Arm Lights, LED DMX and so much more!

866-239-8056

•Fast Connect Cable System Saving Time and Labor

Visit us online for more of our products & services

AadvantageDisplays.com

•Eco-Friendly Battery Solutions •Easy to Install, Plug And Play Lighting Solutions

PRISM – INNOVATION LIVES HERE!

WWW.PRISMLIGHTINGGROUP.COM | 1.866.620.1380 | SALESUSA@PRISMLIGHTINGGROUP.COM

Logistics

Printing

Attention Exhibit and Event Companies Local Service for Trade Shows and Events In: Washington D.C. - Baltimore - Atlantic City Philly - NYC - Hartford - Boston All in same-day driving distance from us.

WHOLESALE Warehousing, Storage, Prep, Delivery Graphics, Supervision, & Rentals 800-367-2531

CDSpartner.com

We Can Provide You A Local Presence 62 September/October 2020 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Exhibitrac Direct Marketing The Exhibitrac tradeshow exhibitor database is updated daily by our staff of researchers. This list of over 750,000 tradeshow exhibitors and over 10,000 shows is one of the most comprehensive, up-to-date B2B lists available anywhere. If you supply products or services to companies that exhibit in tradeshows, you cannot find a more targeted list of prospects! Our lists may be tailored exactly to your needs. Exhibitor records may be selected and sorted to your exact specifications: by show, by exhibiting frequency, by zip code, area code, even by booth size. For more info, visit https://exhibitrac.com/

Printing

r Silve Color Printing • Rack cards • Brochures • Booklets • Everything else

Product Specialists

• Delivery in Las Vegas, FedEx/UPS to all cities • Be a HERO use Horizon Print Solutions and make it EZ • Everything for your show or event from a top quality 25 year supplier!

Meeting & Event Supplies • Lanyards & Credentials • Binders, Tabs and inserts • Tote Bags & Inserts • Tickets & Programs

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

Tradeshow Furnishings

Trucking

FIXTURE & DISPLAY COVERS TRADE SHOW DISPLAY COVERS COMMERCIAL FURNITURE

EQUIP YOUR SPACE inc

BEST QUALITY. BEST RATES. CALL TODAY!

W W W. E Q U I P I N C . C O M @ExhibitCityNews

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your furniture partners | ask about our new â&#x20AC;&#x153;powered upâ&#x20AC;? collection

chicago 847.671.5494 | las vegas 702.798.6433 | www.anglesondesign.com

64 September/October 2020 ExhibitCityNews.com

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Advertiser Index 4 Productions

4Productions.com

EDPA Foundation

EDPA.com/EDPAFoundation

Angles On Design

AnglesOnDesign.com

beMatrix.us

Employco

Brumark.com

Exposures Ltd. Photography

ChampLog.com

Full Circle Events

ClementineCS.com

Highmark Tech

CRVegas.com & ColorReflections.com

Corporate Communications

Hill & Partners

Horizon Print Solution

Corp-eventsid.com

CORT Events

Cort.com

Laborinc.

CrownAndAnchorVegasLV.com

Las Vegas Store Supply

DEMcNabb.com

DesignToPrint.com & Pillows4Show.com

Sunset Transportation Superior Logistics TCF Center (formerly Cobo) TCFCenterDetroit.com

Live+ Mixed Reality

Total Show Technology (TST)

Back Cover

Momentum Management Nolan Advisory Services (NAS) OA Visuals (Oscar & Associates) HellOA.com & OAVisuals.media

15 19 4 52 41 9

TotalShowTech.com

Tradeshow Job Board

TradeshowJobBoard.com

NolanAdvisory.com

Design to Print

SMT Expo

LVStoreSupply.com & LVMannequins.com

MomentumMgt.com

D.E. McNabb

ShowNets, LLC

ShipSuperior.com

LivePlususa.com

Crown & Anchor Pub

Sunset-LV.com

LaborInc.ca

Corporate Events

Sho-Link Inc.

SmtExpo.com

PrintEfficiency.com

Corpcom-Events.com

ShowNets.net

HillPartners.com

ColorReflections

Rosemont â&#x20AC;&#x201C; RES

Sho-link.com

HighmarkTech.com

Clementine Creative Services

Rosemont.com

FCELV.com

ChampionLogistics

Onsite Exhibitor Service OnsiteExhibitorService.com

ExposuresLtd.com

Brumark

OctanormNA.com

Employco.com

beMatrix

Octanorm

West Coast Exhibit Services

WCExhibit.com

Willwork

Willwork.com

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES Contact sales: 702-309-8023 ext. 105, sales@exhibitcitynews.com @ExhibitCityNews

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FASZINATION SYSTEM.

Systems like the alphabet, mathematics or musical intervals excite us again and again. They help people to orient themselves in their environment, to communicate and they simplify things. All these systems have one thing in common, that they are comprised of a number of components, that interact to achieve a certain goal. What we at OCTANORM find exciting about systems is that individual parts keep reconnecting to create something new. This is why we want to invent systems for you again and again. Exhibition Systems I Interior Design I Presentation | Cleanroom | Project Solutions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with a system www.octanormna.com

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