Exhibit City News - July/August 2018 by Exhibit City News

Women in the Industry: Progress, Challenges & Taking a Seat at the Table

July/August 2018 • VOL. 24 • ISSUE 4

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Women in the Industry: Progress, Challenges & Taking a Seat at the Table

July/August 2018 • VOL. 24 • ISSUE 4

30-33

Progress and Challenges Still for Women In Exhibit Design

34-36

INDUSTRY UNITES GLOBAL EXHIBITIONS DAY 2018

Taking a Seat at the Table Coalition Forms Over #MeToo

37-39

Insider Secrets of Tradeshow Security

INSIDER SECRETS ON TRADESHOW SECURITY

SPOTLIGHT ON AUSTIN, TEXAS RENTAL FURNITURE UPS ITS IMAGE

Shop to Showfloor Section

EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM

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I&D and Event Labor

6/18/18 5:28 PM

On our cover, L-R: Tom Gattuso, trade shows director, SEMA; Heather Ireland, acct. dir., mdg; Jay Burress, president/CEO, Visit Anaheim, in Washington, D.C., for Global Exhibitions Day

Rental Furniture Ups its Image

Lounges Replace Conference Tables

Feature Story

Q&A with Michael Martinez

26-28

Six Questions for a Man with a Passion for Teaching & Training

Industry Unites For Global Exhibition Day

A Record 85 Countries Take Part

The Wow! Booth

Columns

Czarnowski Embraces Nostalgia In VR Showcase of A to Z Solutions

As the Saw Turns

I & D Photo Poll

What do you like best about I&D?

Sometimes the Right Answer is ‘No’

The Green Piece

San Francisco: Greenest Convention City in America

Andy’s Apps

Be Careful When You Tap That App

The Digital Experience Facial Recognition for F2F Marketing

The International Man

A Single World Marketplace…

Driving Meaningful Brand Encounters On Exhibition Floor

IFES Leadership Keeping a Focus on International Harmony

Q&A with John Boyko at Structure Exhibits

Priming for Major Expansion in Vegas

Tradeshow Strategies Creatacor On Latest Giveaway Trends

Ask The Expert

Testimonial Videos are a Win Win for Everyone

Departments

Event Planning Strategies

Richard Branson Promises Fun Ahead

8 10 24 52 56 60 76 82 87 95 102 105

Publisher’s Words The Convention Center Snapshot The Airport Snapshot International Focus AIPC The Convention Center Spotlight People on the Move The D.E.A.L. Regional Show Calendar Service Guide Classified Ads Advertiser Index

From the Ballroom to the Boxing Ring

New Partnership: Doughnuts and Special Events Together

The Intersection of Events & Exhibits

In Memoriam

“Big Steve” Barry and Stanley Hyams

Austin CC photo by Thomas McConnell

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6 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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PUBLISHER’S WORDS

Greetings to readers everywhere!

CSAL

CONVENTION SERVICES ASSOCIATION

AS VEGAS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jeanne Brei (702) 309-8023 ext.103 JeanneB@exhibitcitynews.com

Global Exhibitions Day, as well. Even though it is one time a year, dealing with issues that affect our industry and work lives...and in turn the U.S. overall economy in general...need to be thought of and addressed 360 days per year. Whether it is entry visas to allow access to attend our tradeshows or wage negotiations to protect tradespeople and other professional workforce sectors in our industry...what happens to one part of the tradeshow industry food chain... will most likely have ramifications on the entire chain. And ECN is here to cover those issues. In addition to Global Exhibitions Day, this is also our Women in the Industry issue with stories on how AWE is reaching out to other associations in the wake of #MeToo and #TimesUp, to send the message that sexual harassment will not be tolerated in our industry...and how CEOs like Donna Shultz and Kelli Glasser are breaking the glass ceiling. So as we take a breather from a very long demanding work schedule and enjoy vacations with our families (or staycations in our backyards)...be proud of the work we do and the role we each play. Wishing all a safe Independence Day and summer!

Don Svehla | Publisher

ART DIRECTOR Thomas Speak Tom@Speak-Design.com STAFF WRITER/EDITOR F. Andrew Taylor (702) 309-8023 ext. 105 FAndrewT@exhibitcitynews.com COLUMNISTS Calanit Atia Haley Freeman Larry Kulchawik Lesley Martin Jim Obermeyer F. Andrew Taylor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sarah Chew Will Farmer Michael Flavin Peter King Cynthya Porter Tim Rogers SALES REP/NEW BUSINESS DEV. Christy DiGiambattista (702) 309-8023 ext. 111 ChristyD@exhibitcitynews.com CIRCULATION Manny Chico

Vol. 24, issue 4, copyright 2018 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 Exposures, Ltd. 2018, Exposuresltd.com

radeshow Pride: Catch the feeling! As we approach the Independence Day holiday I’d like to propose a reference of thought as we prepare for fireworks and BBQs and time with family and friends. Our nationwide tradeshow and event family plays a strategic role in the backbone of our economy. YES...the work that the many thousands of us in our workforce do on a daily basis has an ongoing profound effect on our nation’s economic well-being. Now that’s PATRIOTIC! Our unique niche industry helps provide millions of jobs in the hospitality and affiliated industries. Jobs that provide well for families and their dreams for the future. This doesn’t happen by magic...or accident. Behind the scenes of our daily work lives there are more than two dozen industry associations that nurture and protect the mechanisms that bring together the elements of a successful show or event...and protects the people that work on the front lines...in the fabrication shops, offices and show floors nationwide. Organizations including EDPA, IAEE, AWE and so many others, unite this industry. The ECN staff was happy to be out at the 16th annual EDPA Scholarship Golf Classic last month. About 80 golfers took to the links for fun, fellowship and a good cause. Exhibitions Day: IAEE at the Forefront. And we’re happy to be a part of

PUBLISHER Donald V. Svehla Jr. (702) 309-8023 ext.102 DonS@exhibitcitynews.com

8 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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The Neal Kocurek Memorial Austin Convention Center Location: 500 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78701 Year Opened: 1992 Square Footage: The ACC is 881,400 gross square feet and covers covers eight city blocks - between Trinity and Red River, and from Cesar Chavez to Fourth Streets. The five contiguous exhibit halls have 247,052 sq.ft. of column-free space, 54 meeting rooms and show offices with more than 58,000 sq.ft., and two ballrooms, including one with 43,300 sq. ft. Awards: »» 2011 - LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification Presented by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) »» National Prime Site Award Winner, 14th Consecutive Year, presented by Facilities & PLUS! Destinations magazine Where to eat, »» Readers’ Choice Award - Best sleep and play Convention Center 2009, presented by near ACC Texas Meetings & Events magazine on p. 60 »» Eight time winner of Readers’ Choice Awardsm, from ConventionSouth magazine »» 2017 “Smart Stars” Award from Smart Meetings magazine Parking: There’s 1,685 parking spots in two parking garages; street parking is also available. Photo by Thomas McConnell

Guest Services: There’s an on-site gift shop, a retail kiosk, an on-site Business Center, and a flight arrival/departure board with info straight from the airport. Website: austinconventioncenter.com ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 11

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COLUMN As the Saw Turns

Sometimes the Right Answer is “No”

was sitting in a meeting the other day of low-budget responses they get, what with our VP operations and our cremotivation is there for any sort of change ative director and we were reviewing in this game? an RFP we had just received. It was A good friend of mine from outside from a large company in a growing our industry made a comment to industry and was a relatively sigme several months ago about nificant program. Unfortunatethis. He said: “Jim, you could ly, there was very little detail walk into any corporate board within the RFP document to room in America and be the give us much to go on. We had smartest guy in there on the By Jim Obermeyer topic of face-to-face marketing. lots of questions. The document offered the opYou need to place more value on portunity to submit questions, which we what you know.” did, and when the answers to our quesHe’s right. And this is not about me. tions--and those submitted by others in This is about us. Every one of us that has receipt of the RFP--came back, we knew spent our careers in this industry has very little more. Their answers were as developed a level of expertise unmatched vague as the original document. by those outside our business. We The RFP asked for us to create a deneed to place more value on sign for an exhibit, detailed show service that expertise, and frankly, we estimates for three specific shows, suggest need to stop giving it away. creative ways to attract attendees, and How often is your then answer more than 50 questions about team caught our company. However, there was no in that situabudget provided, no indication of strategic tion where direction, and no opportunity to speak in you are person with anyone from the company. providing Unfortunately, this is becoming a more design–eicommon experience. We seem to be deal- ther for cliing with this type of RFP more and more. ents or prosI imagine that the companies sending pects–at no these out are expecting companies like charge to them, ours to jump at the chance to win their and with little business and jump through all sorts of direction? How often hoops to respond. And maybe that prece- are you providing creative ideas for dent has been set by us. interactive experiences without first I think we in this industry have a receiving confirmation that your tendency to not value the expertise that ideas will remain yours until the we have. Because we are accustomed to client or prospect has purchased giving away design (don’t get me startthem from you? ed on that topic…) and giving away our Wouldn’t it be wonderful if RFPs intellectual capital, the value of that were truly RFIs, and our prospective expertise seems to be diminished. If we clients based their decision to work all keep responding to vague and incomwith us on our capabilities, our past plete RFPs, and allowing the companies performance, our reputation and to then choose from the large number our relationships, rather than a 12 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

contest where multiple companies spend incredible amounts of time and money on an exhibit and experiential design at no cost to them? Back to reality…for the record, with this RFP, we talked with our sales executive, who agreed with our frustration on this one, and we responded back requesting a discovery meeting with their marketing team and a budget range to work with. If that was not agreed to, we would pass on the opportunity to respond. Trust me, this is a tough decision to make. We all want to win new business, and no one likes to turn down an opportunity. We have to look at each of these RFPs individually, and not make random broad decisions about which ones we will respond to. But there are times we just have to say “no.” It was the right answer for the situation, and for our business. Now, I’m sure they will get enough responses to select a new supplier. And I use the word “supplier” here intentionally; I do not view this kind of relationship as a “partnership.” For this to be a partnership, both parties would need to understand the value of what we know and agree to pay us for it. If more of us would take this approach and push back when we receive this kind of request, perhaps we could begin to swing the pendulum back to at least a middle position, where both parties understand and respect the expertise of the other. And are willing to pay for it. Well, it sounds good, anyway… See you on the show floor. Jim Obermeyer has been in the tradeshow industry 35 years, both as a corporate tradeshow manager and exhibit house owner. He is currently a vice president at Hamilton Exhibits and can be reached at jobermeyer@hamilton-exhibits.com.

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COLUMN The Green Piece

San Francisco -Greenest Convention City in America

solar power installations in the country, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an amount equivalent to annually planting 62 acres of trees. San Francisco is the first major U.S. city to provide curbside collection and composting of mixed organic material. In keeping with the city’s green values, Moscone Center instituted a kitchen-based composting program in 2004, which expanded to include use of compostable serveware in 2008. The Center’s exclusive catering company, SAVOR, captures all organic material from food service operations for composting. SAVOR also donates unused and excess food to area nonprofits. Located in the urban core, Moscone Center is easily reachable by mass transit. According to the Center, nearly three quarters of all its employees regularly commute using alternative transportation, reflecting San Francisco’s extensive and accessible public transit system. Moscone Center is also within walking distance to eateries, entertainment and more than 30,000 hotel rooms.

The Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco’s first LEED-certified hotel, is only steps away and offers unsurpassed green accommodations and spa amenities. The hotel also offers boutique event space for up to 70 guests. Moscone Center is as concerned with indoor environmental quality as it is with that outside. To keep indoor air healthy, 94 percent of its cleaning products are LEED compliant; carpet, ceiling and restroom tile are made from recycled content materials; all furniture purchased during recent renovations meet sustainable purchasing criteria; and all paints and sealants are low in Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emitting materials. The staff at Moscone Center is enthusiastic about helping planners create a sustainable show experience. Begin by downloading the guide for planning a greener meeting at http://www.moscone.com/ pdf/Green_Meetings_Begin_ with_You.pdf. Haley Freeman is a writer and a passionate advocate for the evironment.

Photo by Thomas McConnell

he city of San Francisco 700,000 square of exhibit is like a wrapped gift, space, 106 meeting rooms, and the Golden Gate and nearly 123,000 square Bridge the bright red bow feet of pre-function lobbies. that ties it all together. From Moscone Center lives up to inception, this community San Francisco’s exceptionof pirates, innovators, al green standards. It rerebels, activists, artists ceived the LEED Gold and dreamers have for Existing Buildings loved their city, and certification in 2012, the current generabecoming the first tion remains every convention center By Haley Wilson-Freeman on the West Coast bit as passionate about preserving to attain this honor the region’s natural assets and from the U.S. Green Building distinctive lifestyle. Council (USGBC). San Francisco is often A true industry pioneer, the lauded as an environmental Center began diverting a high leader in North America, and volume of materials from exin 2017, both WalletHub. hibit floor and lobby areas in com and RewardExpert.com 1998, and now diverts nearly named it the greenest city to 2 million pounds of materials visit in the U.S. For convenfrom all areas of the facility tion planners looking for the annually. Roughly 20 percent ultimate eco-experience, this of diverted resources are docity will not disappoint. nated to local non-profits. The Moscone Center is a In 2016, San Francisco world-class convention and became the first U.S. city to exhibition complex located in require that 15 to 30 percent of the heart of the city’s South roof space on most newly conof Market (SoMa) district, a structed buildings incorporate vibrant urban center that is solar, green roofs or a combinahome to an eclectic society of tion of the two. This initiative tech companies, art museums, expands an earlier ordinance hotels and attractions that requiring new residential and only San Francisco can offer. commercial buildings of 10 This award-winning facility is stories or less to install solar currently undergoing a $551 panels or a solar heating system million expansion slated for covering 15 percent of the roof. completion this year. The Again ahead of its time, project will add more than Moscone Center launched its 157,000 gross square feet visionary solar program in of flexible meeting space to 2004. Its roof houses one of the Center’s already robust the largest municipally owned 14 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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COLUMN Andy’s Apps

Be Careful When You Tap That App

n the tradeshow industry, That same technology, as you’re often surrounded by exciting as it is, also can exthousands of strangpose your phone to pickers, or frequently pockets and thieves—if downloading a new they can get their app to interact with smartphones within a convention cena few centimeters of ter or a new piece yours to mine data or By F. Andrew Taylor of technology. This inflict viruses. exposes you and your Here are a few phone to a lot of security risks, apps that might help protect so make sure your device is you. Unless otherwise noted, wearing protection. all are available for Android Even if you aren’t downloadand iOS. ing the latest app, your phone Trend Micro Mobile or other devices could be at Security and Antivirus risk due to the increasing use of NFC, near field commuOne of the more robust nications technology. NFC is apps available, Trend Micro short-range wireless connectiv- has a near perfect malware ity to exchange digital content, detection record. The free connect electronic devices and version also includes battery allow transactions by touchsaving tools, a social media ing or bumping your phone privacy scanner and more. It against an NFC enabled device. also offer Just-a-Phone mode, The technology is growwhich shuts down all apps ing and the possibilities for except the phone. You can try applications are seemingly out the paid features for free endless. Among the products for seven days. Those include introduced at this year’s CES Messenger Protector, Parental were the YesItIs Tag Sensor Controls, Call Blocking and which records environmental more for $40 annually. data such as temperature and humidity levels and allows you Avast Mobile Security to access the data by tapping Another strong app with it with a smartphone; Sony’s near perfect malware deTruly Wireless Bluetooth tection, it not only provides Headphones, which can be antivirus protection, but it paired to a smartphone with a also keeps track of what your tap and L’Oréal’s UV Sense, a apps are doing. Call blockUV sensitive patch that users ing is included in the free attach to their thumbnail and version along with an app is accessed by, you guessed it, locker and Wi-Fi scanning tapping it with a smartphone. options. Among the things The patch lets the wearer know offered by the $8/year pro if they’ve had too much sun. version is ad removal. 16 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

AVG Near perfect malware detection combined with some powerful theft protections tools make this one of the most popular security apps. If your smartphone is lost or stolen you can visit the company’s anti-theft website to track and locate it on Google Maps. You can also remotely lock it, blast an alarm at full volume and if, after all that, you still can’t find it, you can remotely wipe it to protect your information. For $15/year the pro version includes several other useful features, including Device Lock, which locks the phone if someone replaces the SIM card and Camera Trap, which takes a picture of anyone trying to unlock your phone. Lookout This app keeps a virtual eye out for suspicious activity and alerts you to data breaches and offers solutions to the issues. The free version includes things like Signal Flare, which automatically saves your device’s last known location when your battery gets low, improving your chances of finding it and Scream, which maps the location of your phone from any device with an internet browser and sounds a loud alarm, even if your phone is on silent. The $3/month premium version includes safe Wi-Fi, Breach Report and Theft Alert, which sends an email with a picture and the location of the device when there is activity that might mean the phone has been stolen. Kaspersky Lab This app has a 99.9 percent

...your phone could be at risk due to NFC--near field comm. technology... Malware detection record along with Call Blocker, Message Filter and Safe Browsing. It also includes anti-theft features that allow you to remotely find, lock or wipe your device. It’s free for Android but iOS users will have to purchase Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac for $20 per year. Avira Antivirus This free app handles malware detection, and helps you locate, protect and recover your phone. It also includes the ability to trigger a loud alert to find it if you think you’re close to it or send a message to alert someone who has found your phone to let them know how to contact you. If you can’t get it back, you can remotely wipe it. The $12 annual pro version includes secure banking tools and hourly anti-virus updates to stop new viruses as soon as they hit the net. F. Andrew Taylor is an award-winning journalist, artist, photographer, cartoonist and illustrator. 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.

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COLUMN The Digital Experience

Facial Recognition for Face to Face Marketing Various Uses Include Marketing, Interactivity, Check-in & Security

acial recognition technology may “At this point, facial recognition has conjure memories of the movie very simple tracking, like whether the Minority Report, in which Tom face is a man or woman, and rudimentary Cruise’s character walks through a emotional response, such as if they mall as bots call his name and laughed,” says Damien Christian, offer products. Recently considexecutive creative director at ered a technology of the future, Vaylian. Expressions can be used face scanning biometric tech to judge attendee engagement, is here. From suggested photo which can be helpful in analyzing tags on Facebook to improved By Lesley Martin how to connect with attendees. For security at airports, it’s a versatile further analysis, gamification tied technology with broad applications. For with emotional responses can show what face-to-face marketing, facial recognition the users are interested in. That’s even technology can improve the attendee more sophisticated if the results can be atexperience and gather insightful data for tributed to the user, often through an app. marketers. As people become accustomed Heatmaps drawn from the scans of to the technology, it’s important to know faces across a space can also help show what’s possible on the tradeshow floor. organizers gauge points of interest on the show floor. It’s even possible to gather How Facial Recognition insights by group type and track each Technology Works attendee’s journey. The technology is surprisingly simple. All that facial recognition requires is an Intuitively Interactive image or video frame to scan for specific Booth staff must be able to handle the biomarkers. Within a blink of an eye, the traffic flow and create a memorable experitechnology can extract facial measureence. Technologies like AR and VR require ments to predict demographics, personal special equipment and its scalability is limidentity or emotional expressions, or ited to the hardware available. Additionalscan a database for a match, or do somely, putting on the equipment and receiving thing creative, such as create an avatar. training takes time. “Our tradeshow clients Because it only requires an image, want to know the mass of people who facial recognition doesn’t usually require experience the asset. The more interactive specialized hardware, customizations, and equipment, like VR, require more trainon-site support. It’s a software that can ing for the users and the throughput may be downloaded to devices with a camera, drop,” says Christian. like a laptop, tablet or smartphone. That One of the biggest advantages to utilizmakes it relatively inexpensive and as ing facial recognition technology is that accessible as downloading an app. it requires only a forward-facing camera. Once people see themselves on the screen, Gather Marketing Feedback they know what to do–just like taking a Traditional methods of measuring traffic selfie. Plus, it works without user action, flow and gauging user experience takes and allows for people to have an experitime and effort, as well as distracts from ence while waiting to talk to booth staff. the marketing message. However, facial recognition technology takes work continuEngage Attendees on the Show Floor ously in the background to gather data and To draw a big crowd to their booth, extract analytics in a non-intrusive manner. video is a go-to tactic to grab attention,

18 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

but it’s passive. Big screens that contain forward-facing cameras, however, can utilize facial recognition technology to create an interactive experience, even in a big crowd. “Sensors can separate people from their background and track their positions in the booth. With a big screen and camera, the creative can work like a greenscreen experience,” says Christian. Attendees can see themselves transported to distance places, like a jungle or hotel resort, on the greenscreen. The interactive experience is an attention grabber than can be seen from a distance on the show floor. While waiting to talk to booth staff, attendees can immediately enjoy an experience. Another issue with other technologies on the show floor is that they are an isolated experience. For example, it’s hard to have a conversation with someone using VR. A camera on a screen, however, gives people something to talk about. Christian recommends,“Build a takeaway for the participant from the facial recognition--not only is it recognizing the person, it can do a scan, photographic, and can create an avatar that the participant can keep and use on social media.” Efficient Check-in & Security No one likes waiting in line. If the event takes advantage of facial recognition, users can submit their picture and ID during registration. When checking-in at the event, users can do so at a self-service station that instantly identifies them with no need to buy expensive hardware. Increasingly Prevalent Facial recognition is becoming prevalent. For the tradeshow marketer, it’s time to take advantage of this technology in the F2F marketing space. Lesley Martin is a writer and digital producer working in San Francisco, Calif. Connect with her at www.linkedin.com/in/lesleymartin.

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COLUMN The International Man

A Single World Marketplaceâ&#x20AC;Ś Adapting to New Realities

ive countries account for Many other country/city 64 percent of all major expo locations are popular, but world tradeshow events not to the degree that these conducted â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Germany, USA, cities in these five countries Italy, France, Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;per UFI do to influence the world of research. The top exhibit tradeshow marketing. In most suppliers have become cases, their attractive relatively proficient at strength, in the eyes helping their clients of the organizers, is with their exhibittheir infrastructure, ing needs in these transportation access, countries. And within political climate, hotel By Larry Kulchawik each country only availability, size of select city locations represent expo center, local industries, the majority of expo events city attractions, and the emothat are conducted within tional influences they deliver. that country. For Germany Depending on the size of the it is Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, show, locations like Hawaii or Cologne, and Munich. For the Puerto Rico can offer an emoU.S. it is Las Vegas, Orlando, tional attraction but are not and Chicago, for Italy it is Milocations with a local economy lan, for France it is Paris, and to attract regional businesses China it is Shanghai, Hong and attendees. Kong, and Beijing. It takes more than an attrac-

tive location to convince a show organizer to select a location and maintain a level of cost effectiveness. Attracting world companies to attend, and accommodate the event requirements, is a key component for an organizer when selecting a tradeshow convention site. Each of the key international cities from the five countries are positioned to handle and manage large groups of visitors for a three day event without concern about overload breakdowns within the city. Rooms are in short supply in London during Wimbledon tennis, or in Dusseldorf during Euroshop but the user-friendliness of these world trade center cities are what makes their sites attractive, not the country in which they reside.

Organizers can attract both exhibitors and attendees to world class cities for face-to-face marketing events much easier than other cities with similar attractions, but without the infrastructure to support it. Crossing borders is no longer a major concern when it comes to attracting valuable visitors to a primary, or secondary, international trade event. Regional attendees will still comprise the majority of visitors, but those exhibitors interested in increasing their market share abroad, will attend a major event dedicated to their specific industry of interest. In spite of global conflicts, the world of trade is becoming a single marketplace, with select world cities being the epicenters for major trade activity. They are attractive because of the infrastructure they have created to make trade connections most convenient and delivering stalwart results. As corporations analyze their marketing opportunities within the world marketplace, tradeshow marketing has become a major (and an expensive) marketing tactic employed by world corporations to uncover opportunities and expand their growth globally. Expanding internationally can be risky if awareness and cultural differences are not taken into consideration when planning for an international event. In my book, Tradeshows from One Country to the Next, I review venues, regulations, exhibit design, and cultural differences for 45 different countries. Understanding and respecting what is different will help lead to successful events.

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Five countries account for 64 percent of all major world tradeshow events conducted — Germany, USA, Italy, France, China—per UFI research

During a recent seminar I conducted at Northeastern Illinois University, a student asked, “If 60 percent of world tradeshows are in five countries, why write a book that includes 40 other countries? Why not focus on the five countries and their main cities only?” A valid question, but shortsighted as the world continues to evolve with new international marketplaces to consider. Exhibit managers and tradeshow marketing suppliers need to be ready to hit the ground running when asked to provide services in a new location or country. Just a few years ago, China and the Middle East were not even on the radar screen as viable tradeshow venue locations

to consider. Now they are, and who knows what may happen in Russia, Iran, or North Korea. The geography of globalization is changing within the developing world. According to a recent report by the McKinsey Global Institute, “roughly half of global GNP growth in the next ten years will come from some 440 rapidly expanding cities in the developing world, some of which most Western executives may not be able to find on a map. Such cities as Hsinchu in Taiwan, or the state of Santa Catarina in Brazil.” The world trade economy is already adapting to this new reality. More than half of all international trade in goods involves at least one developing country. There are many

factors that serve to influence this lateral growth in trade. This new growth will influence the location selection that tradeshow organizers might consider when deciding where to conduct their events. The addition of new world venue locations, and customers’ decisions to exhibit internationally, will continue to unfold. As an exhibit supplier, being ready to dance in a new location is an important first step for effective planning to assist your exhibiting customers in a new location. As the world moves closer to a single global marketplace, awareness and communication skills across borders will play a vital role in every company’s global marketing success.

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COLUMN Ask The Expert

Richard Branson Promises Fun Things Ahead For Las Vegas

ichard Branson walked out barehave a flat roof, we might have a massive foot with a big smile and sign, so it might be the first thing anyannounced that that he one who flies over Vegas sees.” bought the Hard Rock Hotel in The property, located at 4455 Las Vegas—and that the deal was Paradise Rd., will continue closed just five minutes before full-service operations under the he went on stage. He had been Hard Rock flag until it opens as a By Calanit Atia searching for the right opportunity Virgin Hotels hotel. Guest rooms, for years, and he finally had found restaurants, and public spaces will it. It was a long journey negotiating this undergo a facelift, expected to cost in the deal, but he got it done. hundreds of millions, with the final prodWhen asked why Las Vegas, Branson uct being a showcase of Virgin’s signature replied, “Virgin is all about fun entertainsleek and stylish design with an eclectic ment and not taking yourself too seriously. mix of social spaces. Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America have The hotel will feature 1,504 chambers, had a lot of fun flying tons of people to Las grand chamber suites, and penthouse Vegas from Britain for many years. We suites; a 60,000 sq.ft., fully-renovated would not have come to Las Vegas unless casino, multiple pools over five acres, we could have found property very Virgin, world-class restaurants, lounges and and I think that is what we have achieved. I bars, including new nightlife venues and don’t think there was any other property.” the brand’s flagship space, the Commons He promises fun things to come. As Club, as well as numerous meeting and Virgin Hotel Las Vegas, the famous large convention spaces. guitar will be changed to a giant V symWhen Virgin Hotels CEO, Raul Leal bol. Also, he says, “I did notice that the was asked when he launched the compaairplanes are flying over the hotel so if we ny a few years ago, if he had a chance to 22 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

launch in one city first, what is the perfect city for Virgin Hotels? He answered without even thinking, “Vegas Baby.” His excitement was noticeable and genuine. “We will bring signature Virgin values including our famous tone of voice, playfulness and will add to already amazing experience here in Las Vegas with this iconic property,” Leal added. According to Branson, the Hard Rock memorabilia is part of history, and he has the responsibility to look after it. “Our root is rock and roll; we had the biggest independent record label in the world. I walk around to see David Bowie, Rolling Stones, Culture Club, and Janet Jackson that were Virgin artists. We will treasure them and maybe display a small portion of them.” After meeting Branson and Leal, and being swept up by their charming and warm personalities, I can tell you this is going to be a top-level hotel with inviting atmosphere, impeccable service with a twist of fun. For online booking, visit www.virginhotels.com. Calanit Atia, founder and president of A to Z Events and Trade Show Talent, is an award-winning event planner, Las Vegas destination expert, social media maven, columnist, Air Force veteran and speaker. She can be contacted at Info@AtoZevents.com; for more info, visit www.AtoZevnets.com.

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Photo courtesy of Austin Bergstrom International Airport

AIRPORT SNAPSHOT

Photo courtesy of Austin Bergstrom International Airport

Austin– Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Location: 3600 Presidential Blvd., Austin Texas 78719 Year Opened: Built for the Army Air Force in 1942, converted to civilian use in 1999. Size: ABIA covers 4,242 acres with two runways and three helipads. Its single terminal, the Barbara Jordan Terminal, has 25 gates with nine new gates under construction. In 2017, 13,889,305 people came through the airport, making it the 35th busiest in the country. Service: ABIA serves as a hub city for Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Via Air. Transportation: The Airport Flyer bus service goes to and from downtown and the University of Texas main campus. Taxis, charter services and ride shares also service AUS. Fun Fact #1: There is a live music stage in the terminal of “The Live Music Capital of the World,” that local bands vie to perform on and in Annie’s Cafe & Bar nearly every weekday afternoon. Fun Fact #2: ABIA is the third airport to serve the community. Penn Field opened in 1918. It was replaced in 1930 by Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. The decommissioning of the Bergstrom Air Force Base led to AUS’ opening in 1999. Fun Fact #3: The first and third airports were named for fallen servicemen. Website: www.austintexas.gov/airport ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 25

INDUSTRY NEWS

As part of Exhibitions Day, GES team members lobby on Capitol Hill, pictured L-R: Julie Smith, Joe Miller, Josie Caldwell, Cindy Covington, Femke Morelisse.

GED Unites Industry BY JEANNE BREI, F. ANDREW TAYLOR & UFI

The third annual Global Exhibition Day, coordinated by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, celebrated the exhibition industry and highlighted its positive impact on jobs, business, innovation and local investment across 85 countries and regions on June 6. Both Freeman and GES ran activities globally showcasing the broad range of career activities in the industry. The International Association of Exhibitions and Events invited its members to travel to Washington, D.C. for a day of advocacy talks with parliamentarians and their staff. IAEE’s events were part of their fifth Exhibitions Day, where exhibition professionals and industry members come together to foster relationships

and build awareness with federal legislators and other policy influencers on Capitol Hill. “I was with the California contingent, and we met with staff in the offices of Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, and staff in the offices of Representatives Lou Correa, Dana Rohrabacher and Ed Royce,” says Julie Smith, CEM, CTA, GES senior vice president, exhibition sales, based in GES’ Cypress, Calif. office. “We focused on the issues of online booking scams and the bills that have been introduced to address the issue of hotel poaching (H.R. 2495 and S. 1164). We also discussed industry security issues, and how IAEE and its membership, along with other

industry organizations, have aligned with the Department of Homeland Security to develop the Exhibitions and Meetings Safety and Security Initiative.” IAEE members also discussed advancing the mission of the Visit U.S. Coalition, and promoting policies that enhance global travel to the U.S. for business and tourism. Additionally they addressed aging airport infrastructure, and the need for improvements to compete with other countries. Smith felt the groups were well received. “The staff with whom we met were very engaged, and we left feeling optimistic that our messages had been heard,” Smith says. “Exhibitions Day provides a unique opportunity to see how government works, and how we can make a difference in advocating for our industry. I enjoy partnering with the other members of the team, discussing issues from our own unique viewpoints. Whether you are a supplier, a show organizer, represent a venue or a

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destination, Exhibitions Day is a valuable experience and important effort.” She adds, “This was my fourth Exhibitions Day. I think each one gets better— we have more participants; more of the participants are comfortable carrying our messages and making the ‘asks.’ IAEE provides better tools every year…this year they introduced an app that housed our appointments, data on the legislators and staffs, the bills and their sponsors, talking points, an attendee list and other information like state-specific industry facts. And because of our repeat visits to the Hill, and those of other industry groups, we are making strides in educating government officials about the economic power of our industry.” This year, GED’s advocacy campaign united 41 GED partner associations and included a wide range of activities, both on-site and online, promoting exhibitions as business platforms, as well as highlighting opportunities for career and business development. The events were put together by international and national organizers, venues, service providers as well as national and regional associations. “I watched the action unfold throughout the day from my home country Italy,” says UFI President Corrado Peraboni. “All around the world, our industry stood up to be noticed–and we succeeded! I am especially pleased to see the prominent support from ministers in national governments who shared their understanding of how important exhibitions and business events are for their economies and citizens.” The different organizations celebrated GED in many varied ways. In Australia, the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment endorsed GED in a video message to the industry. The Exhibition & Event Association of Australasia organized the 2018 Global Exhibitions Day and Leaders’ Forum Dinner, and launched a talent acquisition campaign called “A Career for Life.” The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau ran an “Exhibition Industry Forum” focusing on the theme of change and the Indian Exhibition @ExhibitCityNews

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Industry Association organized meetings with ministers and government officials from various states to raise awareness of how important the exhibition industry actually is and “IEIA Youth CONNECT” used interactive sessions to reach out to students from MICE/event management institutes to encourage them to pursue a career in the exhibition industry. The Association of African Exhibition Organizers put together the first edition

...Exhibitions Day provides a unique opportunity to see how government works and how we can make a difference in advocating for our industry... of “Exhibition Games,” with 44 contestants taking part in a friendly contest. The association also hosted an open conversation between organizers and suppliers to address industry issues. The Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Qatar adjusted the lighting of its roof sun-wells to reflect the name of the event (“GED18”), creating a unique visual over the course of the week. The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company group gathered and linked up staff at their different venues from around the world to demonstrate their connectedness. In Europe, AUMA, the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry shared the findings of national research, backed by the latest data, to demonstrate just

how important the exhibition industry is for the German economy. AEFI, the Italian Exhibition and Trade Fair Association hosted a government advocacy event in Rome. AFE, Spain’s Event Planner organization also scheduled government meetings. UNIMEV, The French Meeting Industry Council, hosted the third Annual Global Exhibitions Day Run in Paris. The Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs organized the seventh Russian Exhibition Industry Conference in Moscow. EXPOCENTRE Moscow assembled a display of vintage exhibition posters in the Vystavochnaya (exhibition) metro station. In Latin America, AMPROFEC, the Mexican Association of Professionals in Fairs, Exhibitions and Conventions hosted events all across Mexico. Corferias, Colombia gathered 510 industry professionals in one GED picture and now holds the lead in the global #GEDNumberChallenge. Preliminary data analysis shows that joint initiatives by the industry reached a record number of people, both face-toface and on social media. Early numbers suggest that the number of GED events and projects has risen again this year. In the coming weeks, UFI’s media partner Exhibition World, together with the UFI team, will review all reported GED activities, and select best practice examples to be shared with the rest of the industry. Winners will receive the “GED Award” in the following five categories: Most Creative Activity, Highest Profile Online Activity, Biggest Scale Physical Activity, Industry Impact Award, and (new this year) the Talent Promotion Award. “It has once again been absolutely amazing to see our industry united for this cause,” says Kai Hattendorf, UFI managing director/CEO. “While the whole UFI team around the world will really need some sleep now, it’s been an absolute pleasure to support our global exhibition industry community in this way. When we started GED in 2016, we were encouraged by the strong support we received. Now, just two years on, GED Continued on p. 28 ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 27

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INDUSTRY NEWS Continued from p. 27

Celebrating GED at UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Malaysia

GES team in the U.K. celebrating GED

Celebrating GED at UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Malaysia

Asia-pacfic photos courtesy of UFI; GES photo courtesy of GES

has helped all of us make a real difference in obtaining tangible recognition for our industry. So a huge thank-you to everyone–no matter how large or small– who joined in the GED activities.” The 41 GED partner associations under the UFI umbrella are: AAXO (South Africa), AEFI (Italy), AEO (UK), AFE (Spain), AFECA (Asia), AFIDA (Central & South America), AMPROFEC (Mexico), AOCA (Argentina), AUMA (Germany), CAEM (Canada), CEFA (Central Europe), CENTREX (Central Europe), CFI (Italy), EEAA (Australasia), EEIA (EU), EFU (Ukraine), EMECA (Europe), EXSA (South Africa), FAIRLINK (Sweden), FAMAB (Germany), HKECIA (Hong-Kong), IAEE (USA), IDFA (Germany), IECA (Indonesia), IEIA (India), IELA (Global), IFES (Global), LECA (Lebanon), MACEOS (Malaysia), MFTA (Macao), PCEI (Poland), RUEF (Russia), SACEOS/SECB (Singapore), Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Industries Association (China), SISO (USA), TEA (Thailand), TECA (Taiwan), TFOA (Turkey), UBRAFE (Brazil) and UNIMEV (France). For more info, visit www.globalexhibitionsday.org. UFI is the leading global association of the world’s tradeshow organizers and exhibition center operators, as well as the major national and international exhibition associations, and selected partners of the exhibition industry. UFI’s main goal is to represent, promote and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry. UFI directly represents around 50,000 exhibition industry employees globally, and also works closely with its 58 national and regional association members. More than 750 member organizations in 87 countries around the world are presently signed up as members. More than 950 international trade fairs proudly bear the UFI-approved label, a quality guarantee for visitors and exhibitors alike. For more info, visit www.ufi.org 28 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY Making Their Voices Heard in 2018

L-R: Julie Sullivan, CMP, CEM, Cattleya Wongkongkatap, CMP, Kiki J. Fox and Nicole Unger, CMP at one of the FIRST AWE board meetings in December 2015

Progress and Challenges Still for Women In Exhibit Design

Taking a Seat at the Table

ECN Talks with Industry Leaders

Coalition Forms Over #MeToo

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AWE’s founding board and a founding supporter at a December 2015 board meeting (one of the very first)! Pictured: Brad Weaber, Richelle Wilkins, CMP, Cattleya Wongkongkatap, CMP, Stephanie Selesnick, CEM, Mas Tadesse, Tamela Blalock, MBA, CAE, CMP, DES, Cedric Calhoun, CAE, FASAE, Carrie Abernathy, CMP, CEM, CSEP, Kiki J. Fox, Doreen Biela, CEM, Mary Higham, CEM, Nicole Unger, CMP, Barbra Gustis, CMP, Eris Sims, LES, Julie Sullivan, CMP, CEM and Dionne Hulsey

Progress and Challenges Still for Women In Exhibit Design The adage that it’s a man’s world is possibly nowhere more true than in the exhibition universe, where, despite an abundance of women in the industry, studies find that women in leadership lag in pay and numbers by an embarrassing margin behind their male peers. It’s time for change, a growing collective demands, but, to achieve that, it might help to understand how the industry developed and how some women broke the mold to pioneer the transformation underway. There is not some sinister, purposefully suppressive design to the imbalance, most seem to agree, with the more likely

answer that it is a remnant of a time when everything was a man’s world, the exhibition industry included. As corporate secretaries took on meeting planning roles and men went to college for things like business management and industrial design, it’s likely positions became somewhat entrenched on the typical show floor over the years more as a matter of opportunity than anything else. But, though the Mad Men era is long over and as many women as men are entering the workforce with college degrees, the exhibition industry has curiously not quite righted itself. Consider

research compiled by the International Association of Exhibitions & Events, for example, which found that women in leadership positions that ranged from manager to owner earned, on average, between 17 and more than 100 percent less than men in the same positions, with the gap widening the further up the corporate ladder a woman climbed. Tellingly, just 16 percent of those surveyed with the title of president, executive director, CEO, CFO, COO and the like were women, and they were paid on average 62 percent less than men in the same roles. Only 14 percent of the businesses

Photo courtesy of EPNAC.

BY CYNTHYA PORTER

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Photo courtesy of EPNAC.

surveyed were owned or partly owned by women, and, on the whole, they make 117 percent less than men. Conversely, an estimated 80 percent or so of exhibit managers and event planners are women, suggesting that the industry’s mix overall is gender neutral, unless you count the fact that the majority of women are at the bottom of it. Kelli Glasser knows what the bottom looks like. When she first started working at her father’s company, Exhibit Concepts, Glasser was a teenage girl whose most important responsibility was getting everyone’s order right for the frozen yogurt place down the street. Then again, she was just there for a part-time job and had no intention of staying in the business. A few years later when she learned that her job prospects were less than exciting with her four-year Latin degree, Glasser found herself back under her father’s wing, this time taking on many of the company’s more pressing needs such as the way it functioned. In her role overseeing their sales and product lines, Glasser found her super power: organization, and she thrived. However, she wasn’t planning on staying. “I still didn’t think I’d be a lifer in it,” she says, “not because of the industry, but because it’s hard to work for your parents.” Now she’s owner, president, and CEO, having seen the inside and outside of every position there on her way up. Because she ascended through a family-owned company, Glasser acknowledges that she may not have had to confront some of the same prejudicial work environments others might experience elsewhere. “No one is going to be mean to the boss’ daughter,” she admits. But there is no question, she adds, that once outside the doors of her company, she was swimming into a sea of men who were not accustomed to sitting at the C-suite table

with women. At Exhibitor magazine’s inaugural Executive Roundtable – an annual, invitation-only meeting that gathers the top tier of industry executives together to discuss issues – Glasser was the only woman in the room, not that she cared. “I was always with the boys, even in high school, because I was into math and sciences,” she explains. “And I wanted to be No. 1 – I didn’t care about gender roles.” Dismissing gender discrimination, even when it is foisted upon you, is elemental to breaking old molds for leadership and power in the industry, with Donna Schultz, president and CEO of Mirror Show Management, as living proof. Kelli Glasser Schultz was a young account executive at a tradeshow house 32 years ago, and, by all accounts, was doing a good job. “One day the president took me aside and said, ‘Donna, I think you’re really great at what you do, and if you were a man you could be really successful in this line of work,’” Schultz says. “That’s how male-dominated the industry was at that time. The flip-side of this story is that his candid assessment gave me the jolt I needed to strike out on my own and start Mirror Show Management. And it instilled in me a life-long commitment to make sure that women in my company would be afforded all the opportunities they might not get elsewhere.” Thanks in part to pioneers like Glasser and Schultz taking hammers to the glass

ceiling, opportunities for women have grown exponentially over recent decades. To wit, in 2016, Glasser was the president of the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association, a 64-year-old Donna Schultz organization that was a male stronghold in the exhibit design world for decades. This year, Schultz is the president, and, in fact, the last three presidents have all been women. In many modern leadership circles, women have a strong presence, and Glasser and Schultz stress that they feel they are generally working in an industry now where they have earned and receive respect from peers regardless of gender. For Katie McTammany, entering the exhibition industry as a young designer four years ago bore little resemblance to the starts of Glasser and Schultz. In part, she says, that may be because she went directly from college to work for Schultz at Mirror Show Management. “I am lucky to be able to say that I have never been stereotyped because of my gender,” she says, nor has she ever felt victim to a “good ol’ boy” environment. “I have never once experienced this culture due to the fact that I work for a company owned by a woman. In fact, I didn’t even realize the industry had such a large male influence until I began to attend industry events and could see that, in many ways, we are the exception to the rule. By the way, I love being Katie McTammany part of the exception.” Change, demonstrated by stories like McTammany’s, is evident. But the significant pay gap persists and the degree of actual change within the exhibition workforce is anyone’s guess, says Michelle Bruno, Continued on p. 32 ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 31

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WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY

because no one is really measuring it. A journalist who has written extensively on exhibition and event industry topics, Bruno has become a pundit on the matter of gender equity in the industry, or the lack thereof. “Research, other than anecdotal, devoted to the number of women working in exhibitions and their current work experiences – access to career-enhancing opportunities, gaps in pay, and rate at which women climb through the ranks into leadership, for example – is nonexistent,” Bruno says. “I’ve discovered in researching women that not all of our industry trade associations ask members to identify gender, so the numbers of women in the industry in various positions or in certain salary ranges can’t be tracked.” Associations around the globe are making strides to recognize gender disparities and address them with forums, committees and events. IAEE is spearheading one of the larger efforts, hosting an annual Women’s Leadership Forum in the United States that organizers are looking to expand into Thailand, Mexico and Canada. The sold-out 2018 event brought women together to listen to speakers proffering wisdom and advice about how to have a positive impact in one’s own career, much of which, they say, involves shucking off the gender biases that still exist today. Angst over the disparate workplace also gave rise to WINiT, a nonprofit organization that provides career development programs and services for women in the meeting, event, travel and exhibition industries. Through its programming, the effort has grown to a 3,000-member-strong network working to push the conversation of industry equity to the forefront. Similarly, a European effort dubbed the Women in Exhibitions Network has

recently been launched by Oana Cipca, a business and international exhibition manager for MECC Maastricht exhibition hall in the Netherlands. The inaugural event in March drew women from five European countries, with more gatherings planned that will move Michelle around to different Bruno European cities. Like the IAEE Women’s Leadership Forum, programming at the Women in Exhibitions Network meetings include things such as education and leadership topics, best-practices stories, market insights, workplace challenges and networking. And south of the equator, the Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) brought attention to the issues surrounding women in the industry with a breakfast on International Women’s Day in March. Under the banner of themes that included #PressforProgress and “Leave No Woman Behind,” the event was intended to start a conversation that is overdue, organizers said, because just having breakfast once a year is not going to be enough. “This is not just a breakfast for women,” says EEAA chief executive Joyce DiMascio. “If we want to continue to attract talent–women and men–it is important that we create an industry that values and respects those who are part of it.” Despite growing attention to the matter of gender bias around the globe, researchers for the World Economic Forum found that the gender gap had depressingly widened in 2017 rather than narrowed, with country-by-country results in the areas of health, education, politics and economic progress provided

in the annual Global Gender Gap Report. It is the first time since the research began in 2006 that results had on average worsened rather than improved, researchers said, and it is not because of third-world countries as one might be tempted to suspect. Rather, the most marked backslide in forward progress happened in the area of economic participation and opportunity, and none of the world’s leading industrialized nations even cracked the top ten most equiJoyce table countries. DiMascio Bruno is encouraged to see momentum in the dialogue around the issue, but said it is not enough. “Talking about the issues, meeting face-to-face to exchange ideas, and learning how to move one’s personal agenda forward is an excellent start,” she says. “But the industry needs

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Photo courtesy of EPNAC.

Continued from p. 31

Photo courtesy of EPNAC.

The first meeting of the Women in Exhibitions Network in March of this year in Holland

to take the next step. The industry needs a scorecard to prove that advancing women is more than just talk. “The industry appears to be more focused on helping women enhance their skills (negotiating raises, behaving like a leader, becoming more valuable to the organization, etc.) than fighting discrimination, which could make research on the latter topic less of a priority,” Bruno continues. “It’s almost as if we’ve skipped the ‘what’s really going on’ phase and jumped right into the ‘let’s just be the best we can be’ phase. I’ve also noticed an undercurrent of ‘we don’t want to make men feel bad’ in some of the discussions regarding gender inequality in the exhibitions industry, which may inhibit research efforts.” There are a multitude of strategies women can employ to help themselves advance even as the industry still works towards equity, but Glasser, Schultz, and McTammany agree that the most imperative among them is to be really good at

what you do. Schultz’s ability to listen and her eye for talent, Glasser’s organizational prowess and McTammany’s curiosity and creative drive–these are the things that the women say are moving them ahead in their positions. More advice for success, particularly in the whirlwind of the exhibition world? “Be a giver, not a taker,” Schultz says. “Keep your perspective long. Do a great job today and tomorrow will take care of itself.” McTammany adds that being open to constantly learning is key, especially in her design world, as is asking a lot of questions. Glasser believes that a self-assessment is the first step towards success, as it’s not an industry for everyone. “It’s really, really important to know who you are, know what your strengths are, and know what you gravitate to, and you’re going to make better decisions,” she says. “Also, my mom told me from a very young age, don’t ever let anyone know you can make coffee.”

AWE Meet & Greet at MGM National Harbor in 2017

AWE Membership Launch 2016 in D.C.

AWE Inaugural Board Meeting in D.C. in 2015

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WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY

Taking a Seat at the Table BY HALEY WILSON FREEMAN

The Oxford Dictionaries define an association as “a group of people organized for a joint purpose.” Across the meetings and conventions industry, numerous associations are bringing like-minded professionals together to share ideas, solve problems and create new opportunities. These organizations are also places where an increasing number of women are taking a seat at the table, as the industry is becoming a more inclusive one. Amy Sondrup, vice president at Access TCA Inc., also leads the Women in Exhibitions group for the Experiential Designers and Producers Association. According to Sondrup, “The best thing about having the opportunity to convene with other women is the value of sharing experiences, best practices and survival techniques. There is strength in the numbers and the power of female voices in the exhibit industry.” As a leader inside an international organization that represents thousands of professional members and more than 300 corporations in 18 countries, Sondrup is optimistic about where things are heading for women in the industry. She explains, “What I hope for the next gen34 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

eration of women in this industry is that they find strong mentors who can help them find a balance between the realities that define the world in which we work and the opportunities to shape the future of the industry.” Many associations are engaging women in new ways, with development opportunities that are helping women connect them with other women and achieve new career objectives. The International Association of Exhibitions and Events represents more than 10,000 individuals in 52 countries who conduct

and support exhibitions around the world. IAEE promotes diversity in all its forms, and walks its talk with a robust Women’s Leadership Initiative whose mission is to provide a holistic approach to developing leadership skills for women in the exhibitions and events industry regardless of age, individual situation or current position. This year, IAEE’s annual Women’s Leadership Forum drew a sold-out crowd in Washington D.C., where a lineup of inspirational speakers led discussions on topics from breaking gender

Kiki J. Fox, AWE co-founder and 2018 president

stereotypes to debunking the myth of work/life balance. As attendees shared in this candid and often gritty discourse, 70 percent of the audience revealed in an on-site poll that they had been sexually harassed at work. Associations are adding their voices to the power of movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp to change the reality stated above. Sherrif Karamat, president and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association, is a passionate diversity advocate who introduced the “Ascent CEO Promise” at IMEX in

Frankfurt, Germany, in May. The Promise outlines three goals for mitigating tensions around gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and disabilities:

»» 1. We will make our workplaces and events open and trusting settings.

»» 2. We will provide education on barriers to inclusivity, including unconscious bias.

»» 3. We will share what we know, what we learn and what needs improvement. “The momentum tells us that industry leaders understand that there is work to

do, and that they’re ready to do it,” Karamat says. “Greater inclusion will foster new voices to strengthen our leadership, our business and our world.” PCMA-Convene is currently developing a series of webinars addressing unconscious bias, as well as other educational resources to help industry leaders and professionals collaborate in creating a safer, happier work environment. In 2015, a visionary group of five ladies formed the Association for Women in Events. This inclusive community dedicated to the professional advancement of women in all facets of the events industry, is asking the question: What if women empowered women? Kiki J. Fox, senior manager of national sales at Core-apps, is an AWE co-founder and 2018 president. She says, “Our job as women is to support other women. It’s what our organization is all about. As a young professional, this experience has been incredibly rewarding for me. I am working alongside other passionate leaders and learning to be a better leader overall. I want to give that to other people, too, and make them feel empowered by giving them the resources they need to reach their goals.” Membership in AWE is open to both men and women. Fox explains, “Men are our allies, and the response we Continued on p. 36 ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 35

WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY

Continued from p. 35 have received across the industry has been wonderful.” Recently, AWE took a bold step toward creating positive change in the wake of #MeToo and #TimesUp, when it launched a coalition with industry leaders from ASAE (The Center for Association Leadership), EIC (Events Industry Council), IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events), IMEX (Worldwide Exhibition for Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events), JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council), MPI (Meeting Professionals International), PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association) and SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) to stop sexual harassment. “One of co-founder Carrie Abernathy’s passions since we started was to find a way to talk about sexual harassment in

...we can make a bigger statement by presenting a united front and sending the message that sexual harassment will not be tolerated in the industry... the industry,” Fox says. “It’s a difficult subject to tackle, but when these movements came about, we realized it was the perfect time to do it. We can make a bigger statement by presenting a united front and sending the message that sexual harassment will not be tolerated in the industry. We also have an opportunity to create standards that can be adopted across the industry and develop education so members of all the organizations

involved can benefit.” Above all, Fox explains that AWE is seeking to bring about change in ways that unite people, rather than dividing them. “We are receiving calls and emails from people who want to bring their organizations in. No one is backing down. I think they all know how incredibly important this is, and that by collaborating together, we can create a better industry for everyone.”

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36 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

Insider Secrets on Tradeshow Security: COMIC CONS & JEWELRY SHOWS ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES BY F. ANDREW TAYLOR

Before the first piece of the first booth arrives at the loading dock, they are there. They’ll be there until the last piece leaves. They are convention security. The job is not for the faint of heart or anyone afraid of sore feet. Security guards at a convention can walk miles in a day when they aren’t standing for hours at a time and they have to thread the thin line between polite and intimidating. “We Continued on p. 38

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Photo by Christy DiGiambattista, ECN

Charles Swanepoel, Larry Burns & Daniel Campos, Century Security & Event Staffing, www.centurytradeshow.com

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TRADESHOW SECURITY Continued from p. 37 aren’t bouncers,” says Daniel Campos, national vice president for operations for east coast and west coast for Century, a security company that specializes in trade shows. “In trade shows you’ve got to say ‘Good morning, how are you doing today. Thank you for coming,’ but if someone tries to gain access who’s not supposed to be here, we’re firm.” That being said, when conflict arises, a good security guard seeks to deescalate the situation. In the rare cases when that doesn’t work, backup and a supervisor will be called, in part as a show of force but also as someone with even more training and more chances at deescalation. Security guards aren’t just trained to politely rebuff people who aren’t supposed to be at an event. They are trained in safety protocols and each event can have medic staff. Before the event gets set up, security ensures that the exhibitors are being safe during setup. “Building requirements are that if the loading dock is open you have to have security,” Campos says. “We don’t want people wandering in off the streets. We have to watch that people aren’t doing anything dangerous, like riding skateboards or wearing opentoed shoes. There are no kids allowed in the venues during move in or move out. It’s too dangerous, but sometimes people try to slip them in. That’s crazy. There are a lot of forklifts moving around.” As the actual event gets closer, the security needs become greater and the staffing increases. “Every day we add a layer of security,” Campos says. “When we get closer to show day, we start tightening things down. Then they’re unpacking everything, they’ve got stuff out and we don’t want it walking out the door. On show days that’s when we’re maxed out, we’ve got everything covered.” For the regular security staff, the day begins at the command center. Typically the venue provides a room to set up the company’s command post. There, the guards receive their daily briefing where they find out things like which badges

are allowed where at what time or what color wristband attendees should be wearing that day. They receive their post orders, which tells them where in the venue they’ll be working and make sure they know the evacuation plan for the event. “The guards typically work eight-hour shifts,” Campos says. “There are occasional 12-hour shifts, but we don’t like to have too many of those

... a good security guard seeks to deescalate the situation. Backup may be called to show force, but also for more chances at deescalation...

took notice, even though they have had plans to react to an active shooter situation for decades. “Thankfully, that hasn’t happened in the 10 years I’ve been working here, and we hope it never does,” Campos says. “Regardless, we’ve got a plan in place specific to each venue and each event. It’s one of the things we train our people for. We’re always trying to implement new measures of security. That’s what we do for a living.” Prior to joining Century 10 years ago, Campos served in the Marine Corp for 20 years. He did tours in Afghanistan as well as several training base posts stateside. “I was in special operations, I did recruiting, I was a weapons instructor, tactics instructor, anti-terrorism instructor,” Campos says. “In security I started out as a regular operations manager, worked my butt off and made it to director of operation, then regional vice president. About a year ago I got promoted to national vice president. My job is to make sure that the east coast and the west coast are working in sync. Some things are different because of the laws in different states, but for the most part we try to keep our policies and procedures the same throughout the company.”

because we like to keep them fresh and on their toes.” In most cases, security is literally on their toes…and the rest of their feet. Guards spend the majority of their work day on their feet, either standing at a post, for instance, maintaining secure access at an entrance or walking the event floor. At a recent show in Orlando, Campos happened to be wearing a FitBit and it logged 35,000 steps, around 13 miles in a single day. The stakes were raised for security on Oct. 1, 2017, when a sniper rained death and chaos on the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas. The event took place in a temporary open air venue, but exhibition and trade show venue security

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The majority of Century’s supervisors are former members of the military, former law enforcement or retired correctional officers. Those that don’t have that kind of background benefit from the company’s training and guidance. At a recent exhibition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Campos was onsite with Charles Swanepoel, senior vice president, and Larry Burns, who recently retired as a S.W.A.T. commander for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. “Charles Swanepoel has an extensive background in counter terrorism,” Campos says. “He was an instructor at one of the counter terrorism schools here in Vegas for a while. He’s from South Africa originally and he was in the mili-

tary there. He brings a lot of knowledge. He’s been with us about a year full time, but he’s been working with us about the last four or five years. Larry Burns is going to be running our Las Vegas office. He has a large amount of experience in tactics and security and that’s going to have a huge impact on us here. He’s going to raise that bar another notch here in Vegas.” Since the 1 October tragedy, security has had to up its game. Century made more services available to its clients, including bag checks, metal detectors and canine units. Additional layers of security increase the costs, of course, but thankfully, most events don’t require security at that level. The conventions that require bag checks and metal detectors are mostly the ones that are open to the public, the ones where anyone can buy a ticket and come in. “They’re things like the comic cons and the ones where you can dress up in costumes,” Campos says. “For obvious reasons, if you’ve got a guy dressed up like Deadpool or Batman, you don’t know what they have underneath that costume, Not only that, they also have fake guns, because it’s part of the costume. Part of our job is to set up a prop check desk on the outside. When they come up, our job is to check that those guns and knives are not real and tag it which that lets us know that it’s been scanned and we can let them bring it out on to the show floor. If it’s a fake gun but it looks real and it’s made of metal, we won’t allow them to bring it in.” Events with high-

end items on display, such as jewelry conventions also require more security, including additional cameras surveillance. For a fee Century can set up video surveillance in their individual booth. “It helps because if something gets stolen we can go back and review the footage,” Campos says. “Of course, that doesn’t replace having a booth security officer.” For the most part, armed guards are a rarity at an exhibition or convention, but that is a service some security companies can provide. “We’re one of the few companies in Las Vegas and Orlando that can provide armed guards,” Campos says. “They all work for us, they’re all trained for us by our instructors in the state of Nevada. That way we know we’re providing someone who can do well and excel. There’s a state required qualification course and we have one of our own. Our standards are a little higher than the states.” Despite the weapons training, no security company ever wants to draw a gun. The concept is that armed guards provide a deterrent and a show of force. The best security guards can provide congenial service while subtly keeping their heads on a swivel. “You have to be aware of your surroundings, you have to have good manners,” Campos explains. “This is where our military and law enforcement training comes in. I can walk around and I can pick out people who don’t belong here. We’ve caught people with the wrong badges trying to get on the show floor. You have to look for key indicators that give you the sign that something’s not right with this guy. If you can pick that up early, you can keep a situation from happening. That’s what we do.” When an event finishes, security is usually the last ones out the door, making sure move out is done safely and securely. That’s when Campos can finally relax. “My favorite part of the job is when we finish a show and the client comes to me and says ‘you did a hell of a job,’” Campos says. “That’s a great feeling.” ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 39

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

Teamsters 631 Training Facility faculty instructor Michael Martinez tools around on a forklift

Rental Furniture Ups its Image

Q & A Spotlight with Michael Martinez

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Lounges Replace Conference Tables

Six Questions

Wow Booth

InfoComm Photo Poll

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Czarnowski Embraces Nostalgia In VR Showcase

What do you like best about working I&D?

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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Photo by F. Andrew Taylor, ECN

Photo courtesy of Loki Box Design

SHOP TO SHOWFLOOR

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

RENTAL FURNITURE UPS ITS IMAGE In Latest Trends, Lounges Replace Conference Tables by Cynthya Porter

alking the show floor, one used to be able to easily recognize the great many exhibits using rented furniture, mostly because it all looked more or less the same. For the small booths especially, and even in large exhibits where significant effort had been poured into design details, plain rental

furniture was de rigueur–its role merely functional and its chrome and vinyl blandness screaming “after thought.” Exhibitors wanting a more custom look doled out barrels of cash to buy the furniture, store it, repair it, and ship it to the show floor time and again–married to a look for as many years as it took to get a

new-furniture line item on the budget. For many, the headache and expense were better than the alternative, however, which was having furniture that matched everybody else and suggested they ran out of design steam by the time they got to the booth’s furnishings. But those days are over thanks to a veritable explosion

of firms cultivating sometimes massive inventories of pieces available for exhibitors to rent. They are spread from one coast to another, most of them transitioning to tradeshows from the event, office, or movie set rentals business once they realized that exhibitors were interested in upping their style game too. That shift is part of a larger design evolution happening at trade shows, says Kevin Dana, executive director of marketing and product development at CORT Events, one of the nation’s largest and oldest rental furniture providers. It used to be that exhibits exuded a very business-like atmosphere and far more im-

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portance was placed on function rather than form when it came to furniture. “In the mid-2000s, the market really changed and Cort changed along with it,” says Dana. “Furnishings became integral to helping support a client’s overall brand and message.” Fritz Williams, founder and president of FormDecor, agrees. As another of the country’s largest and best stocked rental furniture providers, FormDecor has set itself apart in the industry with an inventory of unique, heavily stylized pieces that Williams say exhibitors are clamoring for today. “In the past, furniture was the very last thing on the list and not

considered to be an integral part of the booth design,” says Williams. “Now companies understand it builds their brand and furnishings have become an important part of their brand story.” Mid-century modern, old Hollywood, rose gold glamor, Danish modern, and industrial chic are among the looks trending as exhibit design themes, both owners say, and there are rental furnishings available to complete those and many other styles. FormDecor boasts more than 6,500 unique designs in its Southern California warehouse, and CORT offers more than 300 seating choices alone, not to mention a full complement of tables, rugs, lighting, pillows, plants, and more. Essentially, every conceivable look is available in the rental market today. “I can’t think of a theme we can’t accommodate,” says Williams. While there is hardly a design theme that can’t be accommodated, there are a few overarching design trends that experts agree have changed the approach to furniture– even changed the approach to face-to-face marketing–in many modern exhibits. While displays of the past might have been all business, the trend today is to create a space that is much more relaxed. All but gone are the formal conference tables, replaced with “camp-fire style” seating arrangements featuring comfortable, easy to move pieces that invite lounging and interacting. “When attendees are more comfortable and relaxed, they are more open to learning, engagement, and networking,” says Dana.

“Lounges are the new conference rooms,” says Williams. “Creating a comfortable environment shows respect for an attendee’s time. Now, just with furniture, you can make clients feel comfortable and valued and show your personality as a company at the same time.” Another design trend that is permeating the rental furniture market is integrated power supply ports so attendees can recharge while they, well, recharge. “Staying connected and charged is a hot button item for attendees,” says Dana. When attendees rush to find seating by wall outlets to charge their phones or other electronics, it is disruptive to the overall exhibit experience. Over the last few years, exhibit furniture has become readily available to address this need.” Exhibitors may shy away from the concept of using

rental furniture based on misconceptions on cost and quality, Williams says, and they are likely to be surprised when they actually price out their options. “The cost that they charge for nondescript rental furniture can be similar to the cost of a really beautiful piece,” he explains. “For the same $400, you’re able to get something that is heavily stylized, and people are getting a little bit wiser that more unique pieces are a better choice than cookie-cutter stuff.” And when it comes to calculating costs to rent versus own, the scales are tipped heavily towards renting, even if, at face value, it appears to cost more, Dana believes. “Renting is a far more sustainable model,” Dana claims. “In fact, from a cost perspecContinued on p. 44 July/August 2018 43

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor Continued from p. 43 tive, it is cheaper to rent than buy, especially considering costs for sourcing, drayage, shipping, disposal, storage, maintenance, and damage.” And when you buy furniture, Williams adds, you are stuck with it, sometimes long past the time when your exhibit’s look should be changing. “Plus,” he says, “you’re going to have to pay labor for people to handle it, clean it, pull it, repair it, and prep it. And most companies don’t have a clean area to store furniture. Renting makes sense for a lot of reasons.” FormDecor serves the Southern California region directly from its warehouse there and ships its furniture

anywhere in the country. A staple resource for Hollywood set designers and Los Angeles-area event professionals, FormDecor is the secret weapon for many exhibit houses when it comes to the trade show industry. CORT has 16 warehouses in major markets across the United States and uses its own freight-moving crew to deliver products to anywhere in the country. Its inventory is large enough that it even supplies some general services contractors for events, raising the bar substantially from the chrome and vinyl sameness of years gone by. In cities across the United States, a bevy of other

providers are jockeying for space in the furniture rental market too, each one similar to but different than the next. A few still specialize in the mass-produced furniture pieces that have been the staple of trade shows for decades, but most have expanded to include interesting pieces that look very un-rental-like to feed the industry’s hunger for unique displays.

Indeed, today, one would be hard pressed to determine what items on the show floor were rented because the industry has transformed itself so dramatically on that front. Whether it’s an electrified ottoman, a tufted chaise lounge, or a faux bear-skin rug on the floor, furniture has proven that it knows how to be functional and as well as fashionable at the same time.

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Photo by

Q & A SPOTLIGHT WITH MICHAEL MARTINEZ Five Questions for a Man with a Passion for Teaching & Training by Jeanne Brei

CN is planning a series of Q & As with the men and women who work on the show floor and behind the scenes. For our first one, we headed to the new training center for Teamsters 631 and spoke with Michael Martinez, who has spent 14 years working in I&D, beginning as a direct hire for such exhibit houses as Alex Displays, Steelhead, Czarnowski, Willwork, MC2 and TSS before going through the apprentice program himself in 2011 and joining the union in 2013. In January this year, Teamsters 631 asked him to join the faculty at their new training facility and he has discovered a new passion for teaching the “tricks of the trade.” ECN: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Martinez: I’m originally from San Diego but in my junior year of high school we moved up to Salt Lake City. I started boxing at age 11 and in 2004 I went to the Olympic trials. I would have never got-

ten into the exhibit building industry except that people I knew in the boxing industry recommended it. I have three kids: 13-year-old Reko who skateboards and plays guitar; 11-year-old Drako, a football linebacker; and my 7-year-old artist, Adalina. ECN: What do you like best about your job? Martinez: In January I started full-time training and creating classes for I&D, Advanced I&D and Exhibit Building. I really like training the guys from the center to be the start of a better apprentice and have better knowledge after leaving here--to teach the best tricks of the trade and elevate the level of the guys coming up—a more educated teamster. I like helping to create well-rounded journeymen, not some guy who says, “I only kick carpet or load a truck.” We do 12 hours in a classroom and the rest is 40 hours of hands-on. It takes 2,000 hours (about two

years) to become a journeyman – and about 144 hours class time as an apprentice. Las Vegas has about 3,500 journeymen now and there’s lots more work coming, so we’re always training. ECN: Did you have a mentor? Martinez: I have worked with a ton of really great guys – especially carpenters, but if I have to pick just one, I’ll go with Scotty—Scott Hamilton from Czarnowski. ECN: Do you have something you wish you could tell exhibit managers to make your job easier? Martinez: Sure, more details! The more info you give to the lead man the better the job. Your guys are only as good as the info you give them. We need a crate count, electric layout, internet layout, booth plan/booth layout, carpet and pad info, etc., etc. ECN: Do you have a favorite tradeshow? Or a favorite tradeshow city? Or a favorite tradeshow memory to share?

Martinez: Hmmm, that’s hard. I love the New Orleans’ shows for the food. Las Vegas has the best—no one can beat our labor service— close second is Chicago. I like Gaylord, D.C…. ECN: What advice do you have for someone just entering the industry? Martinez: My best advice is to ask questions—don’t just assume what you’re doing—always ask. Don’t dummy down but listen to the guy in charge and be aware of your surroundings. Learn to watch, listen and learn. Don’t be so gung ho that you mess up. Also, remember that everything is always fixable. The definition of a good carpenter is that he can always find a way to fix it. The Southern Nevada Teamsters 631 Training Center is located at 4490 Nexus Way Building 2 Suite #102, North Las Vegas, NV 89115. Telephone: (702) 651-0344. For more info, visit www.631train.com. July/August 2018 45

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Through the viewfinders, visitors watched stylized characters build the Czarnowski logo and demonstrate the company’s capabilities.

CZARNOWSKI EMBRACES NOSTALGIA IN VR SHOWCASE OF A TO Z SOLUTIONS by Tim Rogers

or more than 70 years, multidimensional marketing agency Czarnowski has helped the world’s largest brands showcase their services and products at major events and trade shows. With 24 offices and six production facilities worldwide, Czarnowski offers end-to-end event marketing solutions, including everything from booth design and

construction to creative development and visualization. However, it can be difficult for some prospects and customers to understand the full scope of Czarnowski services. So, the company aimed to use ExhibitorLIVE 2018 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas to feature all its solutions in a compelling and creative way. The end result was an eye-catch-

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ing and inviting 20 x 30-foot booth that artfully combined advanced technology with vintage fixtures. “We do many things well, but, at the end of the day, we’re storytellers,” says Dillon Nagle, Czarnowski’s director of marketing. “And we have a wide variety of solutions we can deploy to tell our clients’ stories. At ExhibitorLIVE, we wanted to create a welcoming space where visitors could see these solutions first-hand and learn how we can help them communicate effectively with their audiences.” The architecture of Czarnowski’s booth told a story in and of itself. Designed as an open box–with matte black fabric walls that surrounded a brilliant white interior–the booth reflected Czarnowski’s effort to open itself up and allow visitors to explore all it offers. The open box architecture also made the booth uniquely approachable. While Czarnowski salespeople staffed the booth, visitors could approach and explore

without having to hand over information or pass through any kind of sales “gate.” “We let our clients and their stories lead every engagement and dictate the solutions we deploy,” says Josh Damesworth, brand strategist at Czarnowski. “Our booth reflected this philosophy. Our salespeople guided visitors as they navigated the various features of the booth on their own, gravitating toward the capabilities and features that most aligned with their needs.” The booth also featured two casual seating areas for visitors to rest, chat and learn more about Czarnowski. While the sleek design of the booth drew in many visitors, four authentic viewfinders in the middle of the booth kept them there. Though they looked like any viewfinder you’d see in a national park, the team at Infusion Studios, Czarnowski’s visualization department, developed and installed faceplates that held Samsung Gear VR headsets and Samsung phones, which

PROJECT CREDITS Production Design & Execution: Danielle Rodrigues (project manager) Exhibit Design & Construction: Chris Schwab (designer) (above) Samsung Gear VR headsets and Samsung phones in the viewfinders at the center of the booth powered a virtual reality experience..

Media: Jordyn Curley (3D artist) Automation Engineering: Josh Damesworth (brand strategist)

Designed as an open box, the booth’s matte black fabric walls opened to reveal a white interior with four viewfinders and two casual seating areas.

powered a virtual reality experience. Visitors who looked through the viewfinders saw four triggers that allowed them to activate animations of cartoon characters (lovingly dubbed “Czarbles” by the team) building the Czarnowski logo in ways that demonstrated each of the company’s overarching capabilities: strategic planning, creative development, engineering and fabrication, and logistics and on-site operations. “When you see a viewfinder, it immediately reminds you of family vacations and beckons you to look through it,” says Jordyn Curley, a 3-D artist at Infusion Studios/ Czarnowski and developer of the VR engagement at ExhibitorLIVE. “Behind this familiar exterior, however, visitors saw a cutting-edge virtual reality engagement. We capitalized on the irresistibility of these fixtures to take visitors on a self-guided tour of Czarnowski’s capabilities.” Czarnowski’s visualization team worked closely with

Exhibit Installation & Dismantle: Dave Elton (project manager)

booth designer Chris Schwabb to flawlessly match the design and build of the booth in virtual reality, making the back wall of the booth seamlessly come alive for viewers. They also used live-action motion capture to animate the cartoon characters in the video. Additionally, viewers could turn each of the viewfinders 360 degrees to see the exhibit hall transform into different scenes (a forest, an underwater garden, a desert and outer space). The entire experience ran off of an app that Czarnowski developed to ensure consistent playback and quality. “We wanted to give visitors an immersive and educational experience,” Curley says. “The VR engagement was a powerful way to remind visitors that while Czarnowski is skilled at booth design and construction, we also bring creative capabilities that leverage the latest in technology to the table. With this full array of capabilities, we can help companies tell powerful, experiential stories to their customers.”

To complement the viewfinders, Czarnowski mounted iPads on the exterior of the booth. These iPads offered bird’s-eye views of the virtual reality animations shown through the viewfinders and included brief written descriptions of different elements of the company’s capabilities. The visible, yet unobtrusive use of technology allowed Czarnowski to feature and explain its creative capabilities without letting the technology overwhelm the company’s messages. “Too much technology, or technology engagements that don’t correspond with an exhibit’s message, can be distracting and almost seem like a gimmick,” Nagle says. “Our team did an excellent job balancing technology with design in the booth. As a result, we successfully demonstrated that Czarnowski can tell a content-driven story, in addition to an architecturally-driven story.” Of course, every booth installation is a challenging process with many moving pieces.

For the ExhibitorLIVE 2018 booth, however, Czarnowski benefitted from executing the entire project using internal resources. Czarnowski handled everything from the development of the virtual reality engagement to the 3-D printing of logos in-house. This team effort led to a more efficient, streamlined and successful process. Overall, the company generated nearly twice as many leads at ExhibitorLIVE 2018 as it did at the 2017 show. “ExhibitorLIVE 2018 was an immensely successful showcase of our brand,” Nagle says. “With a perfect balance of nostalgia, modern architecture and high-tech capabilities, the booth successfully demonstrated our A to Z solutions in a way that attracted attention and educated attendees.” Tim Rogers is a marketing specialist with Czarnowski. He has worked in the marketing services industry for more than 20 years and has experience in marketing strategy, 3-D design and photography. July/August 2018 47

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT WORKING I&D?

ECN visited InfoComm at the Las Vegas Convention Center just before the closing bell to ask the I&D fellows who were checking in to dismantle the booths an easy question…What do you like best about working I&D?

by Jeanne Brei

Ken Hoskin, Sho-Link:

“I like that there’s something different every day. I don’t have to go to an office and do the same thing every day. I get to go to different places and do something different every day. I just got back from the security show in San Francisco. I get to travel and do something different— it’s the only way I’d get to some of these places like New York and San Francisco.

Albert Fernandez, On Location:

“Building. I like the challenge of building the structure, dealing with the clients and the chaos and then getting to see all the rewards the day the show opens.”

Adrian Carreras, CSI Worldwide:

“For me, personally, the opportunity to travel and to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse—plus the corporate dealing with high-profile clients. I’m from Miami and this is my third trip to Las Vegas this year – I was here for CES, ISC West and now InfoComm. I’m usually here for Life Fair, the Shot Show, the big shows. I&D is a stark contrast to delivering furniture or kicking carpet for a GC. When you’re working for an I&D company, it’s a lot more intricate and a lot more fun.

Allon Saadya, NMR Events:

“What I like best is when my boxes come. It’s different for us A/V guys because no one can tear down the booth until we get our stuff (the monitors, computers, seamless walls, LED walls, speakers, lights, etc.) out first. And we can’t get our stuff until the carpets get rolled up and the rolling carts get brought out.”

Alex Flores, CSI Worldwide:

“To me, it’s the challenge. I like working the different shows. You get to build different exhibits from show to show, so it’s always something different.”

Joe Terzi, Sho-Link Show Foreman:

“I like the challenge. Every booth has something different: whether it’s the clients, the structure, the facility—there’s always something different and something challenging and that’s what makes it fun for me. And, of course, the crew. We have a great crew of guys—we’re all like family—it makes the days go great when there’s people you like and can trust. 48 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

Aluvision @ Euroshop 2017

Aluvision Honored Twice at the Portable Modular Awards The PMA competition is meant to honor design excellence in portable, modular and system exhibits. With 50 years of experience, it is no secret that Aluvision, developer and manufacturer of the renowned frame system with holes, has been a leading and trend-setting worldwide supplier in the tradeshow exhibit and event industry. Therefore it is also no surprise that the company was rewarded for its continuous innovative strategy and high quality products with two of

the most sought after awards: the ‘Best Island Exhibit larger than 1,000 ft²’ and the top honor ‘Zeigler Award’. The Zeigler award is the ‘best of the best’ trophy. A panel of marketing and design experts evaluate all entries based on their aesthetics, functionality, and innovation. This price goes to the top score in the competition, regardless of category. “Winning this award is an important recognition for our company’s continuous efforts to develop an innovative, versatile

Aluvision @ EXHIBITORlive! 2018

and high quality system”, says Stephan De Mulder, Director of Sales at Aluvision. 2018 has been a great year for Aluvision so far, with a record-breaking growth in the first quarter of the year. “There are several reasons for Aluvision’s success”, explains Stephan De Mulder. “There is of course the wide range of solutions and the unmatched degree of precision and quality in our production process, but our business ethics and how we treat our clients make us a long-term partner, not just a supplier.” Another Aluvision innovation that contributes to the company’s growth is their LED tile P2 55: the thinnest LED tile on the market with a 2.8 or 2.5 pixel pitch that seamlessly integrates in the original Omni-55 frame system.

The Aluvision team at the Award Ceremony @ EXHIBITORlive! 2018

Aluvision at the Award Ceremony @ EXHIBITORlive! 2018

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This curved Aluvision LED wall was built using more than 650 ft2 LED tiles that were set up in a 7° angle using wedges. With its 5808x1408 pixels, this LED wall resulted in an amazing and mind-blowing visual impact.

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INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Singapore’s Advanced Technology Wins Award by Cynthya Porter

ith the world’s eye turned on Singapore as leaders from the United States and Korea held an historic meeting in the island nation/city, officials could not have chosen a more opportune time to announce that the MICE industry there has won yet another award in the department of innovation. The newest honor follows a string of other recognitions in recent years for Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, which, thanks to a $184 million modernization project in 2013, is considered to be one of the most technologically advanced venues in the world. The facility recently rolled out HybriD – a 3D visualization tool that provides a 360-degree rendering of a room, hall or exhibition space fully arranged in the configuration of the user’s choosing. So cutting edge is the new technology that UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, named Suntec the winner of its 2018 Digital Innovation Award, an honor bestowed annually on entities around the world introducing technologies that have the power to 52 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

transform the exhibition industry. HybriD may do just that, officials say, because it reduces the number of site visits by 50 percent and minimizes the amount of guesswork that goes into any particular room design. Event managers have the ability to explore seating arrangements, booth configurations, classroom space and more, allowing an event committee to fine tune the look and feel of a space and streamline the planning of its design before any moving carts are wheeled in. Moreover, it allows planners to mock-arrange a room remotely, as the tool can be installed and used on any device. That feature is credited with the dramatic drop in the number of site visits as well as the duration of site visits, leading to significant cost savings for exhibition center clients. The Innovation Award is one of several given by UFI each year in their effort to recognize outstanding initiatives within the industry. As part of the awards program, which is almost ten years old, the association also presents a Human Resources Award, a Marketing Award,

an Operations and Services Award and a Sustainable Development Award. Winners are chosen by an international panel of judges Suntec officials will join other 2018 UFI winners to present their projects at the UFI Global Congress in Saint Petersburg, Russia, from Oct. 31-Nov. 3. “I was impressed by Suntec’s submission as it demonstrates how Augmented Reality can be used to clearly enhance the service provided to exhibition organizers while also lowering the cost–a clear win for the industry,” says Matthias Tesi Baur, chair of the UFI Digital Innovation Committee. Accepting the award for Suntec, Arun Madhok, CEO of Suntec Singapore said, “Suntec Singapore is honored to be selected as the winner of the UFI Digital Innovation Award 2018. Our HybriD solution augments the real world with virtual objects, providing a connection between what viewers see ‘live’ and what the venue space can be transformed into.” Suntec Singapore, which is in the heart of the metropolitan area, has nearly half a million square feet of exhibition and function space and hosts events of up to 10,000 people.

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INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Wonik IPS and Materials & QNC at Semicon Taiwan 2017

Driving Meaningful Brand Encounters On The Exhibition Floor BY SARAH CHEW

Technology has made information more readily accessible and convenient for people to use and is responsible for the biggest disruption across all industries. Consumer preferences and needs gravitate towards more immersive and interactive exhibitions and experiences. Therefore, establishing the right engagement for a more personalized experience is important for brands

to provide a unique selling point that goes beyond the exhibition halls. Tell your brand story Brands need to think about the exhibition space as an opportunity to create a physical environment that can bring their brand story to life. Especially if they do not have a product or something visually exciting to showcase, they need to

consider how to enable visitors to understand what their brand represents and engage them on an emotional level. It is not just about filling the space with the latest technological devices or bombarding them with panels of information. Ultimately, exhibitions are a great channel to tell a story that connects you with your target audience and how your products or services are relevant to them.

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Design thinking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than just aesthetics A well-designed exhibition stand extends beyond creating a visual impact. Brands need to start thinking from the visitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perspective and how their stand is able to address the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. Design of a booth is critical for any exhibitor, and every little detail counts. They can begin by mapping out a strategic visitor journey when designing the engagement experience. Finding a reliable partner that understands the importance of a successful visitor experience will help you deliver a bespoke solution that finds the balance between functionality and style. The personal interactions matter Using various touchpoints is necessary to bring greatest value to the marketing dollar. Beyond selling the product, meaningful and genuine personal

interactions will generate conversations which will result in longer dwell time. It is essential to deploy well-trained staff that can build connections with visitors and take cues from the varying levels of visitor interest. Some may be more interested in the technical aspects, service capabilities or simply require a one-toone sit down engagement to understand the brand. Going global with your marketing efforts The influx of exhibitions traditionally held in the west, moving towards Asia has attracted a whole new pool of businesses. The growth of the Asian economy has now opened up more opportunities for the MICE sectors. With the growing number of venues and facilities and positive business environment, Asia has proven itself as a MICE destination choice.

Brands need to start thinking from the visitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perspective... Singapore has well positioned itself to be a world-leading venue for new and exciting events and the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading tourism and business hub. Brands can look for a partner to help them create experiences and serve as a launch pad into the region. Sarah Chew is the executive director of Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd, a leading communication design & production group in Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

These dedicated employees have been making an impact with us for over 25 years: George Boyd Brian Roberts Manual DelGado David Brassell Greg Smith Mike "Ray" Haren Jeff Brosseau Roy "Steve" Hawkins Bryan Snyder Richard Carter Jimmy Streicher Martin Huie Jeff Courtney Thomas Walker Gina Lanier Mike Darland Wes Weaver Pedro Orihuela William Davis Frederick Raymond

Thank you!

We salute you for providing consistently great customer experiences.

847.735.0640

info@sho-link.com www.sho-link.com

Join our National I&D Team www.sho-link.com

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6/18/18 4:39 PM

AIPC

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Embraces the “Customer Journey” BY PETER KING

These days convention centers need to put a major effort into staying ahead of the competition by understanding who their customers are and what’s important to them. At the MCEC, that has meant a specific initiative focusing on the customer journey that we undertook two years ago--a game changer for us, and a project that has generated great interest amongst other venues around the world. In fact, it is a piece of work that provides insights that impact all customer-facing businesses. MCEC had built a thorough three year plan encompassing all parts of our business, resulting in a detailed series of goals, objectives and delivery strategies designed to help MCEC remain ahead of its competition. This is nothing different from what most businesses do these days. However, in our view, one critical element was missing--MCEC’s customers. We were historically operationally focused and prescriptive in the way we interacted with our stakeholders. This needed to change. We felt we needed to become completely customer centric, with the needs and expectations of our customers driving every decision we made. This proved to be the most important decision we have made and has transformed our entire business-–our relationships, our understanding and our structure, including even our event delivery model. The “customer journey” project had a very clear scope and sequence, which was:

»» To accurately define our key customers.

»» To outline their needs, desires and influences with respect to events–-effectively humanizing them and providing consistency across the business. »» Mapping how they currently make decisions and interact with MCEC, and »» Using those maps to identify clear opportunities to improve the customer experience, be that through service, communications, content, food and beverage etc. Ultimately, we wanted to deconstruct our customers and their needs with precision, so we could determine the best way of satisfying their requirements. Faced with these four challenges, we took the following steps:

»» First, we crafted a set of seven customer personas to create a common language and customer objectives within the business; »» Second, we mapped the various journeys taken by our customers.in their interactions with us; »» Third, we identified ideas for improving their respective customer experiences. Each of these steps included a series of detailed actions. As a result of our findings, we reorganized our structure to ensure we provided assistance and support to customers at critical times in their particular journey with us. Our team has received constant positive feedback since this change, and we know that they now feel more empowered to provide immediate outcomes that satisfy our customers. Across the business, our post event survey results are at the highest levels we have ever seen.

Of course, the “customer journey” project is an ongoing one. We recently announced the launch of our customer portal, myMCEC, which is a direct result of our customer journey work and aims to ensure customers continue to find it easy to do business with MCEC. We are also soon to commence stage two of our customer journey understanding, as we all know our customer and visitor expectations are evolving very quickly. We have to reset our teams, continue to challenge them and improve our delivery performance every year. Standing still is not an option-–and by basing our evolving structure and practices on very specific customer perspectives we are ensuring that changes will work to their greatest advantage! Peter King, a member of the AIPC Board of Directors, is chief executive at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. AIPC represents a global network of more than 185 leading centers in 60 countries with the active involvement of more than 900 management-level professionals worldwide. It is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention center management, based on the diverse experience and expertise of its international representation, and maintains a variety of educational, research, networking and standards programs to achieve this. AIPC also celebrates and 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 or email marianne. de.raay@aipc.org.

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INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the “Original Frame with Big Holes”

More than 400 people traveled to Roeselare, Belgium, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the “Original Frame with Big Holes” at the BeMatrix headquarters on June 14. Guests were treated to group tours of the fabrication facility (below) and the Academy Tour truck (below left). Entertainment, food and drink were provided as guests partied with owners Stefaan Decroos and Edwin Van der Vennet (pictured left) with Jakob Dyrbye, owner of Faust Dyrbyem, a Danish stand building company.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

Incoming IFES president Peter Theodorides/Vision Ltd.-Greece congratulates outgoing president Voicu Sferdianu/XDS-Romania on a job well done

IFES Leadership Keeping a Focus on International Harmony BY LARRY KULCHAWIK

Each year, the International Federation of Exhibition + Event Services meets in a different country to share local tradeshow practices, to present relevant global data to members, and to create an environment for members to network and become partners. The 2018 IFES annual meeting held in Chicago from June 27-29 brought together exhibit suppliers from 32 countries to meet and share their views on effectively assisting their customers when exhibiting internationally. IFES was formed in 1984 with six country members and has now grown

to represent 45 countries. The last IFES annual meeting in the U.S. was held in 2001 in Miami as a joint meeting with EDPA. Now, 21 years later, Chicago was selected as the site of this meeting where relationships are formed and tradeshow knowledge is shared. Of the big three U.S. locations for tradeshow activity (Las Vegas/Orlando/Chicago) Chicago offers both the infrastructure to manage a large event and the economic base of business within the region to attract attendees and exhibitors. Chicago is home to 100 of the Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. and served to be an excellent location for the

2018 IFES Global Summit meeting. Every two years, IFES leadership is voted upon by its members. During the last election in 2016, the members voted to retain Voicu Sferdianu/XDS-Romania as president to continue a second two year term--serving a total of four years. Much of this decision was based upon Sferdianuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to build confidence among IFES members and manage the transition of a new IFES management team brought on in 2015. During his four years as president, Sferdianu sought to achieve three major goals: 1. Bring financial stability to the association; 2. Bring

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I am proud to see how our association has grown and is respected... in an efficient and effective association management team with full time attention to keeping the budget and association goals for growth on track; and 3. Attract new country members and sustain existing membership to meet their goals. He has achieved these goals; IFES is now financially on track, adding new member countries, and supporting programs that provides value to IFES membership. “As IFES president for the past four

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years, I am proud to see how our association has grown and is respected among the other industry associations in the world,” says Sferdianu. “IFES carefully selects its members. All members are required to sign and abide by the IFES Code of Conduct. Quality partners are what we strive for. Attending IFES events gives each member the opportunity to meet global stand builders and personally get to know them and build trust.” During the 2018 IFES Summit in Chicago, Peter Theodorides/Vision Ltd-Greece was slated to be sworn in as the new IFES president. Theodorides has been active on the IFES board as vice president for the past six years, providing bold marketing tactics and encouraging new members to join. “I am honored to serve as the guardian of our expo association now representing 45 countries,” says Theodorides. “My major focus will be to promote honesty,

integrity, and openness among IFES members and to foster an environment for valued collaborations. I also will focus on our ever-changing marketplace and the attitudes and aspirations of the ‘next generation’ of expo marketers. Next year’s IFES Global Summit will be held in Athens, Greece with the theme being ‘The Summit of Inspiration.’ Together, we shall make every effort for new ideas and inspirations to position IFES as the global collaboration network.” The International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services has been serving the tradeshow industry since 1984 and includes around 300 associations and companies from more than 40 countries–each member active in the design, conception, production, and services used at exhibitions, tradeshows, and events. All members are required to sign and abide by the IFES Code of Conduct. For more info, visit www.ifesnet.com.

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CONVENTION CENTER SPOTLIGHT

EAT

by Jeanne Brei

ome of the Texas Rollergirls, former home to the Austin Toros basketball team (until their move to Cedar Park Center) and the “home base” for the renowned South by Southwest technology, music and film conference/festival, the Neal Kocurek Memorial Austin Convention Center wears many hats as a multi-purpose convention center. Renamed in 2004 after civic leader Dr. W. Neal Kocurek, who helped get community support for its construction, the ACC is at the center of a debate on whether or not to expand again. In 1983, the city council proposed a $35 million convention center as part of a $350 million complex of hotels and parkland on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake. Downtown business leaders and neighborhood groups protested the proposed site and a downtown site near Waller Creek was selected. Financed by a $69 million bond sale, approved by referendum in 1989, the center opened on July 4, 1992. On September 1, 1999, construction began on an expansion aimed at nearly doubling the size of the facility from 441,000 to 881,400 sq.ft. The grand

reopening took place on May 18, 2002. The enlarged Convention Center’s five exhibit halls have a combined 247,052 sq.ft. of column-free space with 54 meeting rooms and two ballrooms, including one of the largest ballrooms in Texas with 40,510 sq.ft. Last year, the Austin Business Journal wrote about the latest proposed expansion especially the millions of dollars in debt outstanding on the property. But, the expansion proposal gained traction last year after Austin computer giant, Dell Technologies, decided to hold its annual convention in Las Vegas in 2017. Dell had held the event in Austin for many years, but execs determined that the ACC wasn’t large enough after Dell acquied EMC Corp. in 2016. Many of the large draws are local events such as home shows, the Austin boat show, Comic Cons, etc., and locals don’t usually stay in hotels. But attendance at SWSX has brought in around 150,000 attendees for the last couple of years, generating about 60,000 hotel room nights. City Council approval is needed to get the land, so stay tuned as expansion plans continue to be debated.

SLEEP There are more than 8,500 hotel rooms in downtown Austin, including the 31-story, 800-room Hilton Austin located on ACC’s north side. And on March 5, the Fairmont Austin, the largest Fairmont hotel in the U.S., opened with 1,045 guest rooms, nearly 140,000 sq.ft. of meeting space and direct access to the ACC via an elevated walkway branded as “Red River Canopy Walk.”

PLAY Stroll or jog along beautiful Lady Bird Lake, which bisects the center of town and is bordered by 10 miles of hikeand-bike trails. And, in keeping “Austin Weird,” you can watch 1.5 million bats take flight nightly from below the Congress Avenue Bridge. Austin boasts 13 nationally registered historic districts. Enjoy touring the downtown historic sights, like the State Capitol and Visitor Center, Governor’s Mansion, Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, Austin Museum of Art, Mexic-Art Museum and O. Henry Museum. Also close by are the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum, located in the University of Texas, America’s largest college campus, Lady Bird Johnson National Wildflower Center, Zilker Botanical Gardens, the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum and many more museums.

Photo by Thomas McConnell

The Neal Kocurek Memorial Austin Convention Center

Within walking distance of the ACC there’s Neapolitan pizza from Backspace; healthy, quick, affordable, panAsian fare at Koriente; noodle soup from Daruma Ramen (with vegan options); great fried chicken from Gus’s, healthy fare from Blenders and Bowls; or threequarter-pound patties made from local beef, ground fresh daily at Casino El Caimino, a downtown dive bar. Swift’s Attic and Cannon and Belle are recognized for their farm-to-table comfort foods; steak reigns at Vince Young’s Steakhouse; Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill offers classic American comfort foods. But jauthentic Texas Barbecue is Iron Works BBQ’s specialty. And who comes to Texas without having authentic BBQ?

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LISA HENNESSY

COBO CENTER EVENT MANAGER

What a pleasure it was to work with Lisa on our convention. She went above and beyond to make sure everything went smooth and all our needs were meant. Nothing was impossible. SHERRY DULEY | SEIU DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

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Q&A

Q&A with John Boyko at Structure Exhibits PRIMING FOR MAJOR EXPANSION IN LAS VEGAS BY DON SVEHLA

Las Vegas-based Structure Exhibits was founded on the philosophy that not only is perfection achievable, it’s required. Exhibit City News’ publisher, Don Svehla, spoke with John Boyko, president of Structure Exhibits, recently to discuss the company’s expansion, its strengths and how, occasionally, epiphany can be a threat to pedestrian safety.

ECN: Structure Exhibits has expanded by about 15 people over the last six months. What is driving the growth within your organization? Boyko: It’s the industry, especially here in Las Vegas. There are plans for major expansion at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The hotels, including Wynn Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay, are also expanding so we need to

CONCERTS CONVENTIONS DINING ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SHOPPING SPORTING EVENTS

ROSEMONT’S IMPACT FIELD

keep pace with the growth. We’ve always been focused on providing the highest level of service so with that in mind I think it’s important for us to have the right people in place and have the proper manpower to take care of our clients. We recently handled one of the largest private events we’ve ever been involved with. It was a 50,000-square-foot event for a company called Magento. It’s a backbone store for online services, one of the biggest in the world. (Magento is the leading platform for open commerce innovation and handles over $155 billion in gross merchandise volume annually) It’s really important for us to be able to provide the services at a higher quality for events like this and having the people in place who know what they’re doing to achieve a successful outcome. The change in the economy and the change in the tax code contributed to our growth also. With the saving in taxes we were able to take that savings and invest it back into the company. ECN: How do you use your background in design to drive the creative spirits within your ranks? Boyko: Beyond the high level of service that we try to keep focused on, I think the

key to success for a client is a great representation of their brand. Great design really drives traffic and it also leads to reflection that makes people think of the product long after the event is over. It’s important to have a memorable experience. Out on the show floor I still see a lot of cookie cutter booth designs, but I think right now is a really important time for the show floor. It’s changing in many ways. We want to stay on the forefront of technology. I’m a tech-geek so I always want to push the envelope and help our team discover the areas within design to help facilitate pushing those ends and hitting those untapped resources. I want us to really focus on figuring out what the next stage of exhibiting is. Over the past few years we’ve invested a great deal in LED video wall tiles and custom lighting solutions. About five years ago I was strolling down Times Square in New York and I realized that there were no billboards up anymore. There was video content and that video content was everywhere. It captured my attention so completely that as I was crossing a street, I almost got hit by a car. I realized that the next step is this technology for visual marketing and interaction with our clients. Just the simplest thing of having a rotating sign, something that has movement within a booth captures your eye more than something that is sitting there static. When you can start to engage your clients from a distance, that’s revolutionary on a show floor. I really felt that being able to provide that in-house for our sales team and our design team

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really allowed us to push the envelope and provide this higher level for our clients’ brands out on the show floor. ECN: Even with your expanding operations, industry vendor partners are important to a company’s success. How do these relationships add to your company’s success? Boyko: The bottom line is that you’ve got to have the right partners. We strive to provide as many services inhouse as we can. In addition to our exhibit rental inventory and hardware, we also provide all of our AV solutions and the majority of our furniture rental. It helps us control the quality, it helps keep down the costs for our clients and allows us to provide the @ExhibitCityNews

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highest level of service to our clients. That said, some services are better handled by partners specific to a client’s request, which are sometimes outside the realm of services that we provide. There’s a company that we utilize called Flux Branding. They are really focused on branding and marketing new products for clients. The owner, Jamie Schwartzman, is one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met. We’ve been working with them for about 10 years now and the level of creative ability he has--to take a client’s brand, restructure it or take a new product and market it so it can be understood in a simple format is second to none. Any time we need

those services we’re going to go to them. It’s important for us to provide our clients with services that are going to be successful for them. We don’t want to pretend to be something we’re not. Any time services, outside of our wheelhouse come along, and it’s better for the client to use someone who specializes in something we don’t, we’re going to do that. ECN: On the fabrication side, you have metal working, graphics and even embroidery. What are some of your recent or upcoming projects and how does your organization meet the challenges? Boyko: We look at each project individually rather than just taking some rental products and dropping a logo on them. You’ve really got to dig deep and figure out the best solution for design based on what the client’s needs are. There are a lot of times when I’m walking around on the show floor and I’ll ask myself “Geez, why did they do that that way?” I think a lot of the time it’s just that they used a cost-effective, cookie-cutter solution. We run into budgets all the time where the parameters don’t allow us to go further into design and fabrication. We look at how we can make it easier and save the clients’ money. Having a great team of minds involved in all facets of the industry allows us to effectively meet the needs of our clients without beating up their pocket books. ECN: What is one of your favorite things about the tradeshow industry and conversely, what is one of your least favorite things about the tradeshow industry?

Boyko: I think the answer is the same for both questions. I like the rush. I like that the show is going to open at a specific date at a specific time. There’s no going back and redesigning and pushing it back. You hear that all the time about buildings, where they find out they can’t move into the facility for another six months. I had my pool done last year and they told me it was going to take 10 weeks to get it finished and it ended up taking three and a half months. There was no rush because there was no definitive deadline. I like the fact that the show is going to open and you’d better be ready for it. I got started in this industry in the I&D world and I liked being that last guy on the show floor that can make a difference. I liked being the superhero. I liked throwing on the cape and being able to take care of those last-minute needs. All of a sudden a typo was noticed in a graphic or a product didn’t show up for a client. How do we fix this? What’s the solution? I like coming up with that on the fly, figuring it out and having the clients excited that we solved their problem. That’s also the hardest part about the industry. The timelines are getting thinner. Clients used to start talking to you about their exhibit needs six months or even a year out. Now many clients start talking to you just two months out. It’s a quick push to go from a concept all the way to the creation and out to the show floor. To be creative takes time and I think society itself has stopped focusing on time and taking your time. Everything is about instant gratification these days. ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 63

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TRADESHOW STRATEGIES

PHONE HOLDER

WHAT YOU’LL NEED 1

PHONE HOLDER KIT

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Creatacor Shares The Latest Giveaway Trends BY WILL FARMER

When it comes to gearing up for your next tradeshow participation, picking what free giveaway you want to offer attendees that pass by your booth should be an easy decision. Easy yes, but how can you translate a giveaway into an effective marketing opportunity? For most, the goal of offering a unique giveaway is giving potential customers an item that they will hold on to and not end up tossing as soon as they leave the exhibit hall. Giving away an item someone will use time and time again, that is branded and that leaves a lasting impression with potential clients is a lot to ask for, but it is very doable. According to the Promotional

Products Association International’s 2017 Consumer Study Summary, 83 percent of people are more likely to do business with a brand due to their promotional product, so we know something is working. LEDVANCE, an international company for lighting products and networked light applications, offered a unique giveaway that caught the attention of thousands at a recent tradeshow. The basic concept of their giveaway was to draw attention to their exhibit, create a buzz at the event and leave attendees with a unique gift. Each attendee was able to personalize a lightbulb with a name or phrase that an artist then etched into the bulb

while they waited. If the long line didn’t generate interest enough, they also set up a camera overhead with monitors so those on line could see the artists at work. Each bulb was then was placed in a custom designed box with SYLVANIA branding for safe transport and creating a nice desktop display for their home or office – keeping their brand front and center with potential consumers and clients. While in line, each attendee’s badge was scanned to capture their contact information. As an exhibit design, fabrication and tradeshow management company that has worked in this industry for over 30 years and has serviced hundreds of brands with their booth and exhibit needs, we have seen our fair share of promotional products in convention and meeting venues. The LEDVANCE example is a giveaway we’ve seen recently that is an effective way of pulling in potential customers. Offering something unique but most importantly

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drawing people to your booth so you have an opportunity to connect with them, obtain contact information and hopefully start a relationship. The research shows that promotional giveaways can work, but what the research may not directly illustrate is in order to make these products effective, there is a lot of hard work that is accompanied by the promotional product. On top of having a fun, unique giveaway, that item must be paired with an eye-catching exhibit as well as highly engaging representatives manning the tradeshow booth. At Creatacor, we incorporate all three of these tactics when hitting the tradeshow floor ourselves. Recently, we put a spin on the traditional giveaway by having attendees build their own items to take home with them. The goal was to highlight what we do, and how well we do it while urging attendees to stop and spend time at our exhibit,

allowing us to initiate conversation. In addition, we wanted to showcase creativity, build capabilities and ease of working with them to create something great. We offered three “make-and-takes” giving attendees the option to choose which gift would be most useful to them. They included a mobile phone stand, a bottle opener and a picture frame. The phone stand was “tool-less” similar to rental systems we offer. For the other two, we supplied a screwdriver to make the task easier and to show how we are always prepared and in return, so are our clients. Continuing with the theme of our business, we provided easy to understand blueprint-like directions as we would do for a typical exhibit installation. In the end, we found this method to be highly effective in helping us connect with potential clients. Executing these three simple steps allows our

team to begin building client relationships through “make-and-takes”:

»» Step 1: Build a giveaway »» Step 2: Start a relationship »» Step 3: Create a partnership Promotional giveaways are a marketing trend that will not be going away any time soon and are constantly evolving. In order to stay current and relevant, it’s important for companies to review how they are incorporating giveaways and to make sure they are offering something that stands out and leads to building, which will hopefully be a long standing relationship between you and your new customer. Will Farmer is COO/partner at Creatacor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications Management from Ithaca College and has been with Creatacor since 1990.

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CORPORATE PROFILE

Win Win Video Offers Three Videos for the Price of One TESTIMONIAL VIDEOS ARE A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE BY F. ANDREW TAYLOR

Jon Nigbor has come up with a way to make money by making videos for companies for free. It’s no wonder he calls the company Win Win. Much of Nigbor’s business is testimonial videos. Often when they try to get a testimonial a business owner will say they’re too busy to do that. Win Win is a way to overcome that obstacle. “For instance, if we’re working with Castrol and they’ve got a car dealership that is using Castrol instead of some other brand, we contact the car dealership on Castrol’s behalf and say ‘Hey, congratulations,

...it’s really a win-win-win situation, because all three companies benefit from the deal... You’re doing an amazing job and Castrol has hired us to come out and shoot three free videos for you,’” Nigbor says. “This is usually when they ask ‘What’s the catch?’ “We tell them there isn’t a catch, but while we’re shooting the three free videos would they mind saying why you like

Castrol?,” Nigbor says. “They usually say ‘Well heck, if Castrol is sending a crew out here and they’re going to shoot some video, we’d be happy to say why we’re working with them.’ ” The result is that Win Win’s client gets its testimonial and their client’s customers get three promotional video to use as they please. The first video is an overview of the company, in the case Nigbor cited, the service department of a car dealership. For a car dealership, the second video is usually a tech recruiting video, because there’s a shortage of techs. The third video is a testimonial from a customer saying why they commit to that business. The original client only pays for one video, the testimonial they were seeking in the first place. Win Win does the other three for free, in part to secure the testimonial, but also to show their skills to a new potential client. It’s really a win-win-win situation, because all three companies benefit from the deal. Nigbor thinks that it’s a model he can take to the tradeshow industry. “Because the dealers want to have our video front and center at their tradeshows, they put us in contact with their exhibit company,” he says. “As a result, we kind of came in the back door in the exhibits industry.” In his conversations with exhibit companies, Nigbor has heard that there is a lot of competition coming from China. “Exhibits are being made cheaper and

faster there and exhibit companies in the U.S. have got to figure out a way of keeping their customers and being a little smarter about what they do for their bills, their marketing and their brand development,” Nigbor says. “We hope to help these U.S. companies compete with innovation and services that we can partner on. You’ve got to be in the place to shoot the video and understand the market.” Although Nigbor’s Media272 and Wi Win are based in Portland Ore., he has videography employees and subcontractors across the U.S. and internationally who are well versed in his videography technique and business model. He hopes that will make connecting with exhibit companies easier. “I’m hoping exhibit companies will come to us asking to shoot video in, for instance, Denver,” Nigbor says. “We can do that because I’ve got a crew in Denver, so there’s no travel cost. We can shoot it. It seems like a natural for us to be more aligned and collaborating with the exhibit industry since in many cases, that’s where the video goes.” Nigbor notes that he’s surprised how powerful the end result is. Because it’s

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a testimonial, people will often surprise a client with more praise than they expected. He cited one client who received a testimonial from a customer who had been a bit prickly in person, but in the testimonial heaped effusive praise on the client. “He told me it made him cry, because he had no idea the customer actually liked him that much,” Nigbor says. “He told me that no one had ever made him look this good and then he gave me a bear hug. He said the video was the best thing that anyone had ever done for him.” It’s this kind of personal touch that makes Nigbor happy to come to work. “We’re happy to get paid for this stuff, but finding out the way we make people feel is almost better than money.” For more info, call (800) 372-7222, email jon.nigbor@media272.com or visit www.winwinvideos.com.

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EVENT PLANNING STRATEGIES

From the Ballroom to the Boxing Ring UNCONVENTIONAL MEETING SPACES BY LESLEY MARTIN

When Harold Mintz throws an event, he wants to create a memorable experience that people will talk about. While vice president of North American sales & distribution at Nomadic Display, he was given a yearly budget of $25,000 to throw a party for his company’s top clients. He built a reputation for hosting parties at unusual places, including Alcatraz, a helicopter hangar and a boxing gym that became the location of his most legendary party–one that people talked about for days, weeks, months later and even led to a lawsuit. Stumbling Upon the Unconventional Venue Sometimes, finding an event space takes the old-fashioned boots on the ground approach. Four months before every event, Mintz would fly to the hosting city, rent a car, and cruise around until he found an interesting spot. That’s how he stumbled upon Johnny Tocco’s Boxing Gym. When Mintz drove by, he was drawn to the gym’s sign that “looked like it had been there for a thousand years.” Wearing khakis and a bright orange shirt, Mintz walked into the

gym and immediately noticed the sweaty, stinky gymnasium smell. Mintz remembers, “This was a real working gymnasium with a boxing ring and punching bags hanging from the ceiling. All the boxers stopped hitting the punching bags to look at me as I walked in.” While others might have been deterred, Mintz knew that this place had potential. When he inquired with the manager about hosting a party, the manager replied, “We could do that, but it’ll cost ya.” Mintz immediately thought that renting the space could eat-up his entire $25,000 budget, and he hadn’t even considered the additional costs of catering, cleaning and transportation. Would he have to throw in the towel? “$200,” said the manager. That was a softer blow than Mintz expected. Keep People Talking For a marketing event, the intent is to generate buzz around the brand, create an emotional connection with guests and garner loyalty. To support these goals, Mintz wants guests to talk about the event before, then deliver a creative experience to keep

them talking. “I want to get clients thinking about my party. How I deliver the party lends to my company’s event services–that’s what we’re driving from a business perspective,” said Mintz. For the customer appreciation party at Johnny Tocco’s, Mintz homed in on the boxing theme for talk-worthy moments. First, the party invitations were styled and sized like an old-fashioned boxing poster. Who were the top fighters? The company’s executive punching the face of a competitor. That’s what kept people talking months later, when the competitor found out and filed a lawsuit. “I had $25,000 to throw a party, and I wanted to use that budget as uniquely as possible. I knew there was a better way to spend it than renting out ‘Ballroom C’ of the Hilton. If you’re successful, there will be a line of people to get into your party,” says Mintz. Unconventional Venue Create Unique Experiences When planning a meeting, selecting the venue is the most important decision, as it drives the overall tone, theme, and experience. Conventional meet-

ing spaces, such as convention centers and hotels, provide the benefits of accessibility and turnkey services. However, the predictability compromises the “wow” factor that attracts people and generates buzz. An unconventional venue, such as a sports stadium, warehouse, local landmark, or corporate headquarters, offers opportunities for creativity and authenticity. Liz Nacron, executive vice president of creative and production at Live Marketing, says, “Many of my clients explore the non-hotel ballroom route when it comes to selecting the space for their next meeting or event. Hosting in a unique space gives them opportunities to be creative and think outside the box.” Guests are attracted to attend, and the life of the event is extended before and after. For marketing events, such as a client thank-you party, creating a super cool venue that piques curiosity can become the draw for attendees. Cool Space, More Effort Selecting and planning an event in an unconventional space requires more effort than one at a hotel or conven-

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tion center. First, the planner must find a cool venue with capacity and appropriate layout, including an open space to hold all guests for a speech or entertainment. Additionally, the planner must carefully consider the logistics and plan a streamlined experience for guests. If the venue is too remote or difficult to reach, guests will not attend, or react negatively. To mitigate the risk, planners should plan and communicate the transportation options ahead of time. Once the cool venue is found and secured, the planner must plan for the audio-visual, staging and furniture set-up. If the venue is cool enough, its environment can serve as the décor. A raw open area, like an old warehouse, will require more creative decorations. When working in an unfamiliar space, the caterer must also be brought into the process early to consider the logistics of food preparation and

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serving. At the sweaty boxing gymnasium, the caterer set-up a tent outside to prepare the food. Additionally, the caterer took extra steps to clean the facility before the party. Planners should also consider whether they will need to hire for other services and amenities, such as security personnel, safety equipment, power and internet. Ease of Hotel Logistics If the company does not have time or resources to host an event at an unconventional space, they might go the route of planning their event at a hotel. For the planner, turnkey logistics ease preparation, as they work with a single point of contact. They also have ready access to labor support and services within the facilities, including cleaning, catering and security. Additionally, hotels are usually located near public transportation and airports, making them easily accessible. Once guests have arrived at the hotel, they can

easily access their sleeping accommodations. Unconventional Venue Trends From empty warehouses to little white chapels on the Las Vegas strip, there’s an endless variety of unconventional venues. Still, there are trends in the types of venues attracting companies for events. In recent years, companies understand the value of creating an enjoyable place to work and are investing more into their workspace. Once they have a cool corporate environment, companies want to take advantage by opening up the space to clients and for networking events. Nacron says, “Inviting clients to their office or campus gives the company a chance to show off their cool space. It creates a welcoming gesture for attendees, like inviting them into their home, and showcases a company’s brand vibe. Plus, it’s conveniently located for company staff and executives.”

Another trend is renting out a sports stadium. To recognize and excite their top salespeople, Nacron’s client rented Petco Park in San Diego. The stadium offered plenty of opportunities for creativity, including taking over the jumbotrons and having an announcer call-out the names of top performers. The top performers got a behind-the-scenes tour of the locker rooms, custom jerseys made for them, and a highend cocktail reception. “That whole experience felt really cool and guests left on a high note,” says Nacron. Nomadic Display’s Mintz says, “I wish I still had all of the party invites and pix. My favorite missing invite was for the Alcatraz party. Of course, the invite was an oversized Monopoly “Get Out of Jail Free” card,” adding, “The key to every party I ever threw was thinking about the next day… I wanted everyone saying, ‘Hey, did you hear about that party last night?’”

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CORPORATE PROFILE

Last Minute Venues Finds Clients Going Nuts for Doughnuts A NEW PARTNERSHIP BRINGS DOUGHNUTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS TOGETHER BY F. ANDREW TAYLOR

Partners Melanie Bash and Molly Hoisington have been in the events industry for 20 years and they’re finally getting their just desserts… and they happen to be doughnuts. The new partnership between their company, Last Minute Venues, and The Dapper Doughnut is allowing them to provide desserts made fresh before their client’s eyes. “It’s an interactive dessert station,” Bash says, “The Dapper Doughnut makes bite sized doughnuts in a cooker right at the venue. You pick from a wide variety of toppings, including peanut butter and jelly, s’mores and fluffernutter.” Bash and Hoisington created Last Minute Venues more than three years ago to provide unusual venues for events in Las Vegas. Clients contact them when they want to hold an event that isn’t necessar-

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Stratosphere Observation Deck

Rhumbar at Mirage Hotel & Casino

Hexx Kitchen+Bar

ily at just a section of a casino ballroom or convention center. They now have a library of about 150 venues both on and off The Strip for hosting events. “I knew there was a niche for specializing in all kind of venues,” Bash says. “There are hidden jewels that a lot of people don’t have access to. People are always looking for a new experience. Las Vegas is the city for events and new experiences.” As the name implies, Last Minute Venues can pull together an event in a very short time. Bash says that while many clients book their service months or years in advance, it’s not uncommon for her to get a call in the morning asking if she can set up an event by that evening. Most of the time the answer is “Yes.” “We try not to turn anyone away,” Bash says. “We have venues available for nearly any group size and price range. We set up events for 10 people and we set up events for thousands of people.” They have exclusive arrangements with out of the box venues including lofts, mansions and airplane hangars. For The Dapper Doughnut founder, Jeff Pappas, the inspiration for the business came from his teen years visiting Schultz’s farm in Armonk, N.Y. He used @ExhibitCityNews

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to go most weekends to get fresh, hot doughnuts there. When he decided to explore that memory as a new business in 2015, he met Jimmy Nuccio and Gabriel Wiesen of Chicago’s Beavers Coffee & Donuts. The three joined together to create The Dapper Doughnut. The company has 30 franchises including one (and a second soon to open) in Las Vegas, the city where Bash operates her business. At the stores, they not only make fresh doughnuts to order with the toppings of your choice, they also serve doughnut shakes--milkshakes with crushed doughnuts and doughnut toppings added. Last Minute Venues has worked on several events with Pappas and it didn’t take them long to realize that their two ventures went together like peanut butter and jelly on a doughnut. Explains Bash, “We’ve used interactive food stations like a station where they roll the sushi for each guest or carving or tapas stations and interactive entertainment areas like a woman hanging from the ceiling and pouring champagne into glasses for the guests or a live statue who’s part of the food station, to make the event exciting and give the guests an opportunity to mingle and give them

something to talk about,” adding that “partnering with Dapper Doughnuts has been a unique new concept to present to clients–we’ve done several events and parties that guests have really loved with them–guests love picking all their own toppings. We’ve done Fifties parties and made doughnut shakes–they can pick the doughnut toppings for their shakes.” “This is the perfect fit,” Bash proclaims. “I’m always creating experiences with food and beverage and working with Dapper Doughnuts is a real treat.” Last Minute Venues has partnerships with event party vendors from caterers, to decor, staging, lighting, DJs, entertainers and all other services, who are able to give their clients VIP special pricing to meet their needs. For more info, call (702) 497-9169, email Melanie@ lastminutevenueslv.com, or visit www. lastminutevenueslv.com. The Dapper Doughnut is located in The Underground at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino (across from Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club), 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109. Telephone: (702) 755-5274. For more info, visit www.thedapperdoughnut.com/ las-vegas-mgm/. ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 71

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CORPORATE PROFILE

The Intersection of Events and Exhibits DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN EVENT MANAGERS & TRADESHOW MANAGERS BY MICHAEL FLAVIN

Event management is much broader than tradeshow management. While tradeshow management focuses on planning and execution of a specific type of event, event management involves development, creation and execution of small-scale, as well as large-scale events such as meetings, festivals,

ceremonies, concerts, formal gatherings, etc. Event managers might also be in charge of tradeshows for their company. Key Differences Based on the Nature of the Job Event managers organize and oversee events that have a widespread impact on a large target audience. They ensure

that events are cost-effective and successful while paying attention to the available budget and timelines. They understand various promotion and marketing techniques and lead all operational aspects of an event from the front. Key responsibilities of an event manager: »» Planning an event from inception until the end, keeping in mind the objective of the event, budget and timelines »» Suggest concepts and ideas to ensure the event’s success »» Supervise and designate work to the staff »» Finalize and negotiate with vendors and suppliers »» Ensure the event takes place without any hassles »» Assess the event’s success and prepare post-event reports Tradeshow managers are

responsible for ensuring the success of a specific event i.e., a tradeshow and managing different aspects related to it. They play a primary role in setting-up the tradeshow booth facility by leading a team responsible for the installation of necessary equipment and management of logistics. They strive to develop cordial relationships with vendors and tradeshow associations and participate in various pre-tradeshow and post-tradeshow events to report the success of the tradeshow. Key responsibilities of a tradeshow manager are: »» Coordinate materials and planning for tradeshow exhibitions including various travel arrangements »» Select external vendors to organize the tradeshow »» Ensure the adherence to tradeshow budget

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»» Keep a check on branding, logo and messaging throughout the tradeshow »» Secure giveaways and promotional activities, order booths and hire booth staff Key Differences Based on Objectives of the Job An event manager’s job is more focused on branding and producing experiences that create a lasting impression of a brand on the audience’s mind. For event managers, branding is a like an exceptional face. The more recognizable it is, the more will be its impact and the more the audience will remember it. Event managers plan events in different types of venues and sizes of spaces which

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means that their installations will vary from event to event. A tradeshow manager’s job is more focused on generating leads, building awareness about the brand, creating sales opportunities and entering a new market. Since convention centers and venues have a long list of rules and regulations inside a designated space the scope of creativity is more focused. Key Differences Based on Measurement of Success Measuring the success of an event or a tradeshow to determine the return on investment is one of the most challenging, yet critical aspects of an event manager or tradeshow manager’s job.

While event managers measure the results based on the operational excellence, overall participation satisfaction and brand awareness, tradeshow managers measure the success of their tradeshow based on the new leads generated, value of the leads, tradeshow booth attendance, press coverage, cost savings with client and company team meetings and recruiting activities. The bottom-line Tradeshow management is the subset of event management, which makes the roles of event manager and tradeshow manager similar in a way. However, the role of an event manager is more brand aware-

ness & experiential focused compared to a tradeshow manager, whose job is generally more concentrated on activities that affect a company’s bottom line, such as lead generation, client meetings and opportunity generation. Michael Flavin is director of sales at Gateway, where he leads a team of sales professionals who help tradeshow exhibitors and event marketers through predictive budgeting and flat rate structures, services and solutions. In this unique approach, his clients experience fewer headaches, more time for other sales and marketing activities and higher payback ratios from their events. To contact him, visit https:// www.linkedin.com/in/michaelflavin or www.michaelflavin.com.

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IN MEMORIAM

Stephen “Big Steve” J. Barry January 14, 1939-April 27, 2018

tephen J. Barry, founder of TWI Inc., passed away from a heart attack on April 27. Affectionately known as “Big Steve,” he was also the company’s chairman and CEO. He founded the event and tradeshow shipping and logistics company in 1972, based on the principles of offering customer service designed to address the specific requirements of clients and to provide a range of services never before offered by other forwarders including round-trip exhibit freight transportation. The company was put to the test early on when it shipped a total of 29,000 pounds of freight for 27 exhibitors to the 1973 Paris Air Show. The Las Vegas-based company also has offices in New York and Toronto. As of 2017, TWI had served the tradeshow and event industry longer than any company in its field. He won the Hazel Hays Award in 2001 and was the first president of IELA (International Exhibit Logistics Association) in the world of tradeshow marketing transportation. Jane Lorimer of Lorimer Consulting Group and the first president of CEIR, says she met Barry more than 30 years ago when she was on the board with him for the Trade Show Exhibitors Association. Lorimar says, “I admired his humor, his knowledge and his

willingness to step up when needed. I met his adorable wife, Cindy, while they were dating and came to know them both as “Steve and Cindy”--a charming, dedicated pair in the industry. When I was with Coors, I used vacation time to go Singapore to learn more about international shows. Steve and Cindy spearheaded efforts to ensure the trip was productive and full of the “right stuff” balanced with some fun,” adding, “When I headed up Trade Show Bureau, Steve sponsored me for a trip to Russia.

It was a huge honor to be invited to speak but back then TSB was very lean on funding. He stepped up.” She adds that he generously sponsored countless industry needs, funds for Bob Dallmeyer Education fund under IAEE and helped friends, including her, kickstart business endeavors. “Most of all, I knew him as an extremely loyal person in his love for his wife, Cindy, his family and his friends,” Lorimer says. “He will be sincerely missed by so many of us who were blessed to be his friend. Big Steve was a legend

in international shipping, a mentor, and a friend always.” Barry was an avid supporter of EDPA at both the national level and in the Las Vegas chapter for many years. He funded the first EDPA Scholarship Golf Tournament in 2002 completely so that all of the money raised could be used to start the scholarship program that has now grown to help more than 80 students with over $200,000. Rebecca Thompson, director, U.S. sales at stevensE3 and EDPA Las Vegas chapter board member, says, “In honor of his generosity and kindness, the EDPA Las Vegas chapter will be dedicating the 2018 EDPA Las Vegas Golf Classic to Big Steve. All of us who had the pleasure to know or work with Mr. Barry will be forever grateful and better for it.” A Celebration of Life was held May 5 in Las Vegas. The family asked that In lieu of flowers and in his honor friends should “take the time to be with someone you love, spend the day with them, hold their hand and tell them how much they mean to you.” For more info, call Palms Mortuary at (702) 464-8480. For those who would like to leave a memory in his online Guest Book, visit www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/ las-vegas-nv/stephenbarry-7836277.

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Stanley Hyams

January 2, 1938-Dec. 5, 2017

tanley Hyams, VP sales/senior account executive for Syma Systems Div. Art Guild Inc. for more than 22 years, and a past president of EDPA Systems Division, passed away on December 5 in New Jersey. He started as a carpenter in the tradeshow industry in 1963 and moved into a sales position with Display Craft in 1965. In the 1980s, he began working for the company that brought the Syma System to the U.S. and became a vice president of the company. In 1996 his company was acquired by Art Guild Inc. where he spent the remainder of his career until his passing. His son, Brett, remembers, “When we think of Stan it’s natural to picture SYMA, but I think you will all agree that his passion was people. He was involved in providing rental exhibit programs for the jewelry industry shows JCK and JA for 30 years. He traveled to 54 countries around this amazing world and shared that experience and many of them with his best friend, his wife Joan. We had a little competition that I’ve only been to 23 and I’m not sure I will ever catch up to him. He gave me the opportunity at a young age to live in Switzerland for six months and that helped changed my perspective and view on people from around this world. He was a man of the world and knew how to say hello to everyone in their native language. When you walked the floors of many international jewelry shows with Stan, you witnessed how he knew every client’s name and found a way to greet them in their own language. And if their showcase lights were working you could see the joy on clients’ faces when they spoke with him. He was an ambassador for SYMA and an amazing friend to all those he served.” Doug Zegel, the owner of Art Guild, remembers, “Stan first called on me in

1974 when I was working in the design department at the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia. He was selling a fabulous extruded aluminum “system” called SYMA Systems. We bought a bunch. Little did I know that day that a decade later we would purchase the Syma franchise for the U.S. And little did I know then, that I would have a great friend for life.” Zegel continues, “Stan had an easy smile, a hearty laugh, a wonderful sense of humor, and an incredible appetite for life, and food! He adored his wife Joan, his children, and he was over the moon for his grandchildren. And he enthusiastically loved his second family which were SYMA folks, Art Guild people, his fellow EDPA members, and his amazing cadre of clients around the world. Stan remembered everyone’s name, their families, and found a way to say hello, goodbye, and ‘go pound sand’ in their native language. He traveled the world repeatedly to meet with his jewelry clients in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East to close a deal and have a meal. His relationship with his clients invariably turned into lifelong friendships. Everyone loved Stanley. In the jewelry show business, one of the most important things is lighting. Especially the “Diamond Light.” We fondly remember Stanley knowing that his Diamond Light will shine the brightest with all who had the privilege to know him.” Fellow EDPA member, Michael Boone, director of international business at Coastal International, says, “I met Stan 26 years ago. I met him at my first EDPA meeting

in Rancho Mirage/Palm Springs soon after I entered the business in ’91. He was involved himself for a while already, and knew everyone there. Cool guy, big mustache. I didn’t know him well, but I liked him. Usually at our annual meeting, and at TS2 or at Exhibitor shows there would be a moment to catch a drink. Then, 20 plus years later I met his son Brett Hyams and made the connection due to last names. Brett is working in the AV rental business, so I have been able to refer a lot of work his way. Paying it back to his Dad, so to speak, for his efforts before me. I also then gave my time to EDPA, and the board, where it all started for me in 1992 when we first met. Another cycle to continue.” His friend Brian Egan, wrote in his guest book, “Not everyone we meet in our lifetime leaves us with a lasting impression, Stan was one of those people who did. While I didn’t know him very well, I knew him well enough to know that he was engaging, likeable, had a great sense of humor, and as he showed in the last years of his life, he also had great courage and strength of spirit. My condolences to his family and friends. I know he will be greatly missed, but I also know it’s a life worth celebrating.” He is survived by his wife, Joan, son, Brett, daughter Cindy Hyams Pietrangelo, grandchildren Shayna, Harlie, Rachel, Lindsey and Jacob. To leave a photo or message in his online guest book, visit https://www.legacy.com/ obituaries/name/stanley-hyams-obituary?pid=187437716&view=guestbook ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 75

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

People on the Move

reeman, a leading brand experience company, has created a new chief growth officer position and has named Janet Dell (right) as the inaugural CGO. Prior to joining Freeman, Dell served as the CEO of Marsh ClearSight, a global leader in risk, safety and claims management software. She was elevated to CEO after leading exponential growth as Marsh’s chief operating officer of global sales. During her tenure, the company’s annual sales topped more than $1.2 billion and global new business growth doubled. Freeman has also hired four industry leaders to strengthen the competency of its newly created brand experience leadership team. The new additions to Freeman’s brand experience leadership team include David Bean, Lesley Brasesco, Jeff Rutchik and Nancy Walsh (right). Bean has spent more than three decades in the marketing world, including 28 at George P. Johnson, where he held roles such as senior vice president of client services. Brasesco brings critical insights from the hospitality industry, having spent more than 20 years leading sales account teams at Hilton Worldwide. In 2015, she took on the management of the company’s corporate events team and was a Freeman customer. Rutchik has been in the event, exhibition and marketing space for more than 35 years and has held various senior leadership positions such as executive vice president, client services worldwide for GPJ. Walsh is a 30-year professional in the events industry and will be instrumental in providing insights and leveraging her experience to help Freeman take its clients’ brand activations to a new level. She joins the Freeman team from Reed Exhibitions,

by Exhibit City News

where she served as president of Reed North America. GES, a global full-service provider for live events, announced the appointment of Jay Altizer as president, North America, effective May 14. Altizer will lead GES’ exhibition and exhibit program business in the U.S. and Canada with a focus on accelerating growth. He brings extensive management experience, including operational excellence, business development and product innovation. He has successfully led teams at Dean Foods, PepsiCo, and Bain & Company. Altizer will report directly to Steve Moster, president of GES, and president and CEO officer of Viad. Also, Mike Nush (right) has re-joined GES’ San Diego team as sales manager. Nush is responsible for managing GES’ services for the Sheraton Harbor Island Marina and the Marriott Marquis properties. Nush worked for GES from 2013-15 in operations and as an account representative. He rejoins GES from the San Diego Tourism Authority where he was a site experience specialist, advising show organizers and corporate clients on potential locations in San Diego to host their events. MC2 (“MC-squared”), an award-winning brand experience agency, has promoted Allen Yesilevich (right) to vice president of marketing and growth. In his new role, Yesilevich will develop and lead MC2’s marketing, communications and digital strategy. He will also help drive the company’s business development and brand strategy, aiming to increase brand recognition as MC2

grows into new markets and expands its network of client relationships. Teamwork Events, a nationwide, full-service event contractor specializing in private and corporate events as well as user group meetings and tradeshows, has named Chris Casconi director of sales, promoted from vice president of national sales. Diversified Communications congratulates Mary Larkin, executive vice president of Diversified’s U.S. operations, for breaking the glass ceiling with her recent election to serve as UFI’s first female president. UFI is a global association of the exhibition industry of which Diversified Communications is a long-time member. Larkin will join the UFI presidential trio for the 2018/19 term as incoming president. PCMA-Convene has named veteran journalist Cristi Kempf as executive editor. Kempf joins PCMA-Convene from the Chicago Tribune and tronc (formerly Tribune Publishing), where she was in the masthead position of associate managing editor for editing and presentation, and then executive director of tronc’s new Design and Production Studio.Reporting to PCMA-Convene Editor-in-Chief Michelle Russell, Kempf will play a key role in PCMA-Convene’s content and engagement strategy. With a view of content across the editorial, education, events and marketing departments, she will oversee a daily and long-term editorial calendar across channels, including helping to plan and execute the print edition of Convene. Orbus Exhibit & Display Group, one of North America’s leading trade suppliers of display, exhibit and event solutions is excited to announce the addition of 10 new positions since January of this year. Continued on p. 78

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Continued from p. 76 New employees include Alex Blanco, Maribel Correa, Ryan Hammond, Chad Waytus, Yaritza Rodriguez, and Robert Pobiega. Orbus currently employs 423 full time staff. Departments that have seen growth include Project Management, Sales and Marketing. These additions are a result of the continued growth of the business, and have been key to Orbus’ continuous development. On Location, a nationwide provider of labor and management services for exhibits, events and environments, is expanding its West Coast operations to support business growth and enhance its level of service with even greater client focus. The newly created position of West Coast operations manager will be held by long-time company manager, Jim Dillard, and new hire Rob Morrison will join the team as regional manager-Nevada region. On Location has also hired Jennifer Anderton (below right) as an account executive. An industry veteran with more than 20 years of I&D experience, Anderton’s primary responsibilities will focus on new business development and customer acquisition through fostering long-term client relations. Anderton will be based in Atlanta, Georgia. Anderton joins On Location after several years as a national account executive with Zenith LaborNet. Prior to that, she held a similar role with Nuvista Event Management Services for more than a decade. Her efforts at Nuvista increased sales each year, retained existing clientele and, by working closely with management, grew the company. Rochester, N.Y.-based Mirror Show Management, a woman-owned customer experience agency specializing in tradeshows, events and environments, has hired seven new employees. Scott Leathersich has joined the company as an exhibit detailer. He was most recently with Rochester

Optical Manufacturing as senior product design engineer in Rochester, NY. Katie Stelick, Kelli Southern and Liz Currie (right) were hired to be associate account executives. Stelick was with Double Tree by Hilton as an event captain and holds a B.A in communication studies, public relations & advertising from SUNY Cortland. Southern was with Stungun Productions as an event production coordinator in Hollywood, Calif., and holds a B.S in communication management and design from Ithaca College. Currie was an account executive with CDM New York and holds a B.S in business administration from Nazareth College. Senior Accountant Molly Greene (left) was most recently with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a senior associate, assurance in Rochester, N.Y. She holds an M.B.A from the University of Rochester and a B.S in accounting from SUNY Geneseo. Kyle Burris has joined the company as a warehouse coordinator. He worked as a mechanic for Dick Ide Volkswagen and holds an A.O.S in automotive technology from Alfred State. Project Manager Jason Martin was most recently with AmBuild Company as a senior project manager in Rochester, N.Y. He holds a MArch in architecture from University at Buffalo. Ion Exhibits of Itasca, IL, a leading North American innovative exhibit and brand environment solutions provider, has added two tradeshow industry veterans to their sales staff. Jeff Blaisdell and Susan Johnson have both been hired as senior account executives, expanding the North American sales staff. IMS Technology Services, a six-time INC 5000 Fastest Growing Company

honoree and award-winning provider of event staging and systems integration solutions, is expanding its Orlando, Fla., office. The new IMS team members in Orlando are Dieter Burgoa, CMP, director of sales; Freda Agner, senior project manager; and Stephanie Willingham, event staging technician. “The expansion of our office in Orlando was a key component of our growth plan,” says IMS principal John Renninger. Industry veteran Warren Abraham has also joined IMS as vice president of business development for the event staging division. Abraham has nearly four decades of experience in the hospitality and meetings industry, and most recently served as the VP of account management with PSAV’s Premier Global Events division. Employco USA, Inc. offers human resource solutions for tradeshow companies of all sizes, has hired Omar Fundora, a loss control consultant. He will be responsible for providing consultation and training to employers regarding safety matters. Lake Forest, Ill.-based ShoLink Inc., a premier installation and dismantle service company, has named Nancy Virene (left) as senior national account manager. Virene manages various key accounts nationally, including special programs. She brings more than 28 years of experience serving as national account and operations manager of the labor division for EWI Worldwide Inc. They also named Jerry Regep to Regional Operations Manager. Regep joined Sho-Link in 2002 as a skilled carpenter and traveling supervisor. Over the last 10 years he has worked with many high-profile clients including Harley Davidson, Elsevier, Globus, Pharmacyclics and Nespresso International. Hargrove has hired a new director of Continued on p. 80

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Continued from p. 78 warehouse operations and logistics. Jeff Iannarino, a graduate of Drexel University with a degree in civil engineering, is a seasoned professional with more than 15 years of operational experience and expertise in warehouse operations. Iannarino came to Hargrove directly from Framebridge, Inc. where he last served as the director of operations. Tradeshow Logic, an event solutions firm that elevates the success of associations and show organizers, has expanded its sales team with the appointment of Katie Burke (right) to national accounts manager, exhibit and sponsorship sales and has increased the caliber of its marketing services with the appointment of Michele Rowe to VP of marketing and communications. The Consumer Technology Association has created two new positions to promote two executives. Karen Chupka, a nearly 30-year employee of CTA, is now executive vice president, CES; and Tiffany Moore (right), who joined CTA in 2015, is now senior vice president, political and industry affairs. Chupka oversees the sales, marketing, conferences, operations and management of CTA’s events including its annual tradeshows, CES- the global stage for innovation--and CES Asia. At CES 2018 in Las Vegas, nearly 4,500 exhibitors filled more than 2.75 million net square feet of exhibit space and showcased their latest products and services to more than 180,000 attendees from 150 countries. Moore joined CTA as vice president of government and political affairs, leading the association’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill on issues including communications and technology policy, patent litigation reform, strategic immigration reform and international trade, and overseeing CTA’s political action committee CTAPAC. In addition to these responsibilities, her new role will include oversee-

ing CTA’s U.S. Jobs, and Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. Paulsboro, N.J.-based Eagle Management Group, which provides skilled construction labor and management services for tradeshows, corporate events and road tours, has added MaryRose Rogers to its sales team. As an account executive, Rogers will concentrate her efforts on new business development. Her background includes sales for a prominent flooring company in the tradeshow industry, account management, and various customer service positions. They have also promoted Arthur Ximenes (right) to manager of operations and James Ross to be the new city manager of the Dallas/Fort Worth/Houston region. Ximenes had worked as Dallas/Fort Worth/Houston city manager for more than 10 years. According to company executives, he consistently exceeded expectations in this role, achieving great successes through his varied technical background and impressive self-discipline. Ximenes was introduced to the tradeshow industry in 1994 when he began working for Eagle as a lead carpenter and then city manager. Antonia Nuzzolo, a former Eagle intern, has transitioned to full-time employment as an account coordinator. In this new role, she is instrumental in assisting the corporate sales team in providing great customer service across the nation. Nuzzolo graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rowan University in May of 2018 with degrees in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. There, she was president of the board that controls all Rowan business organizations, a Stanford University Innovation Fellow, creator of campus-wide business competitions, and

a recipient of more than a dozen scholarships. Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, the nation’s largest independent electrical contractor to the convention and tradeshow industry, is pleased to announce promotions for the Las Vegas team. Melanie Carter has been promoted from assistant general manager to general manager and will move from the Mandalay Bay office to the Las Vegas corporate office. Her new role will consist of guiding the Event Services Team. Carter has been part of the Edlen team for 15 years, overseeing events such as JCK, Licensing Expo, Specialty Graphic Imaging Association, Surfaces, MAGIC, GlobalShop and IBM. Briana Gilbert was promoted from senior event services manager to assistant general manager of the Las Vegas branch. Gilbert began her career with Edlen in 2011, and in her new role, she will coordinate with event services managers and take a larger role in the production of Las Vegas events. Gilbert has also been an active member of the Las Vegas Hospitality Association for two years. Cassie Snow joined Edlen in March of 2016 after working as a freelance events manager for five years. In 2017, she was promoted from an event services manager to a senior event services manager. Snow has now been promoted to the director of event services. Exhibit Systems has strengthened its growing professional team with the additions of Kristin Eckert (left) as controller, and Steve Kasiske as a tradeshow and warehouse specialist on the operations team. Eckert comes to Exhibit Systems from the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, where she was controller. Kasiske, who most recently worked as a warehouse supervisor at GMR, builds and assembles customer displays at tradeshows across the U.S.

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

Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging

DINING

The “Father of Austin Country Music” Lives On at Threadgill’s Southern Style Restaurant Features Good Food & Great Music After nearly succumbing to the wrecking ball, the original Threadgill’s site was saved and bought by Eddie Wilson, owner of the Armadillo World Headquarters, a Seventies nightclub. Wilson’s idea was to make Threadgill’s a Southern style restaurant, so on New Year’s Eve 1981, Threadgill’s opened as a restaurant. It was an instant success. It all began in 1933 when bootlegger and country music singer Kenneth Threadgill stood in line all night to be the first person to own a post-Prohibition beer license in the county and opened Threadgill’s Tavern. In the mid-Fifties groups of local musicians were coming every week to play, and Threadgill would pay them with two rounds of free beer. UT students came

to the tavern to hear Threadgill and his Hootenanny Hoots play and his open-mic nights helped form the singer-songwriter community in Austin. Later, Janis Joplin became the star attraction for the Wednesday open-mic. In 1980, Threadgill and Willie Nelson appeared together and sang in the movie Honeysuckle Rose before Threadgill passed away in 1987. It’s been said “Austin wouldn’t be Austin without Threadgill’s” and “No one ever would have said ‘Keep Austin Weird’ if Threadgill’s hadn’t made it weird in the first place.” Even Threadgill’s website says that. It explains, that by “inviting the folkies, hippies and beatniks to his Wednesday night singing sessions with open arms, Threadgill’s love for people and music smoothed out the conflicts that usually occurred when longhairs crossed paths with rednecks.” The music continues to this day and I remember popping in for a meal when working a tradeshow in Austin to discover that the band members from Asleep at the Wheel had joined with musicians from George Strait’s Ace in the Hole

band and were jamming at Threadgill’s. I may have gone for food, but my soul was nourished by the extraordinary musicians and I left with two indy CDs from the sidemen of country music superstars. The Southern-style menu features burgers, sandwiches and poboys along with their world-famous chicken-fried steak, Texas Caviar & Chips (chilled black-eyed pea salad served with their housemade chips), fried or bronzed Mississippi catfish served with hushpuppies. Home made desserts include pecan pie, chocolate ice box pie, buttermilk pie, and strawberry rhubarb pie, among others. In addition to great music and food, the memorabilia and décor stand out as well. In 1996, Threadgill’s World Headquarters was opened in south Austin. The original location on North Lamar has the theme of Austin from 1930s-1960s. The south location celebrates the history of the Armadillo and the ‘70s. Old No. 1, 6416 N. Lamar Blvd; (512) 4515440. World Headquarters, 301 W. Riverside Dr. (512) 472-9304. For more info, visit www. threadgills.com.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Austin Revels in Being The “Live Music Capital of the World” In 1991, it was discovered that Austin had more live music venues per capita than anywhere else in the nation—and more than 1,900 bands and performing artists living there. From blues to indie rock, country to jazz, rock en español and more, Austin’s 200-250 live music venues mean you can catch a show any day, at almost any time. Even in the airport! Austin boasts of several vibrant entertainment districts including downtown (a bustling area of commerce, cuisine, cocktails and the Capitol), Sixth Street (filled with bars, restaurants and clubs), South Congress (neighborhood south of Lady Bird Lake filled with boutiques and eateries), Rainey Street (filled with renovated houses turned into bungalow bars), Red River (three blocks of nightclubs and live music venues) and East (the fastest growing neighborhood in Austin). That’s a lot of bars! But one of Austin’s most popular venues and most likely for celebrity sightings is called the Speakeasy Austin on Con-

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gress Avenue. Voted “best swanky joint,” and “best place to party” by the Austin Chronicle, Speakeasy Austin is composed of three levels, including the Music Lounge, Bowling Mezzanine overlooking the stage, the Kabaret Room and the rooftop lounge Terrace59, a covered and heated rooftop with a spacious lounge area, full bar and spectacular downtown skyline views. A Roaring ‘20s vibe on the lower levels, chic nightclub scene on the

rooftop, two live music stages with shows five nights a week, two vintage bowling lanes, and friendly gaming among shuffleboard, foosball, darts and a full-size pool table round out the experience. Speakeasy Austin is located at 412 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701. Telephone: (512)-47-PARTY. For more info, visit https://www.austintexas.org/ things-to-do/entertainment-districts/ and www. speakeasyaustin.com.

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

Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging

ATTRACTIONS

central Mexico to various roosting sites throughout the southwestern U.S. Most of the colony is female, and in early June each one gives birth to a single baby bat, called a pup. The pups are usually ready to fly by mid-August, which means the black cloud of bats emerging from the bridge is even more impressive during this time. In fact, the size of the colony virtually doubles because almost all of the bats that roost at the bridge are female. The males of the species usually roost in separate colonies. A redesign of the bridge in 1980 created crevices on the underside that were the perfect size for cozy bat homes. At the time, many Austin residents despised and feared the bats and tried to have the colo-

ny eradicated. Fortunately, Merlin Tuttle brought Bat Conservation International to Austin and told the city the surprising truth: that bats are gentle and incredibly sophisticated animals; that bat-watchers have nothing to fear if they don’t try to handle bats; and that the bats eat from 10,000 to 20,000 pounds of insects, including agricultural pests. And now Austinites love their bat colony so much they’ve created a Bat Fest, which this year will be held August 18 on the Congress Avenue Bridge. There’ll be live music, a costume contest, kids’ activities & more. Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge Bats, 100 S. Congress Ave.; (512) 327-9721. For more info, visit https://www.tripsavvy.com/austins-batbridge-a-viewing-guide-254880.

Photo courtesy of Visit Austin

With the largest urban bat colony in North America, Austin has one of the most unusual and fascinating tourist attractions anywhere. Up to 1.5 million bats emerge nightly from the underside of the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge about 20 minutes before sundown. The emergence can last up to 45 minutes and it’s like a cloud flying toward the east—they can fly up to 100 miles round trip. They are built for speed and can fly up to 60 mph with a tail wind. The Austin American-Statesman created the Statesman Bat Observation Center adjacent to the Congress Bridge, giving visitors a dedicated area to view the nightly emergence. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people visit the bridge to witness the bat flight each season (March-October). You can get an even better view from the water. You can rent kayaks and canoes by the hour from several businesses along the shoreline. Some of them even provide knowledgeable guides who share fun facts about the bats as you paddle. Capital Cruises also has two large tour boats for groups. The bats migrate each spring from

Photo by Mark Knight

Going Batty in Austin

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LODGING

Completed in 1886 and a member of Historic Hotels of America, The Driskill is the oldest operating hotel in Austin and one of the best-known hotels in Texas (it’s hosted every governor’s inaugural ball since 1887). The Romanesque-style building with its stained-glass dome, marble floors and columned lobbies was built by Col. Jesse Driskill, a cattleman who spent his fortune constructing “the finest hotel south of St. Louis.” The hotel was completed at a cost of $400,000. Its four stories occupy almost half a block, with three arched entryways on the south, east, and north sides right on busy Sixth Street. Carved limestone busts of Driskill and his two sons crowned the hotel on each of these sides. Six million bricks went into the structure,

along with limestone features. In 1888, Driskill lost the hotel in a game of poker to his brother-in-law, Jim “Doc” Day. The Driskill was threatened with demolition in 1969 but a nonprofit raised $900,000 and saved it. Currently it’s a Hyatt Hotel. In 1991, the rock band Concrete Blonde penned their hit Ghost of a Texas Ladies Man about the rumored ghosts that haunt the Driskill. Three main legends fascinate ghost hunters: Jesse Driskill himself (who died in 1890) leaving a cigar smell and fussy lights being reported; room 525 supposedly had two honeymooning brides commit suicide in the

bathtub 20 years apart; and the sounds of a little girl giggling in the hallway and a ball bouncing down the stairs after a Texas senator’s daughter died after chasing her ball down the grand staircase in 1887. Ghost tales aside, the luxurious, elegant and classic Driskill Hotel is a landmark of Texan hospitality. It has 189 suites and guestrooms and 18,080 sq.ft. of flexible meeting space and facilities. Check it out with your favorite ghost hunter. The Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St.; (512) 439-1234. For more info, visit www.driskillhotel.com

Photo courtesy of Visit Austin

Photo by Mark Knight

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30 YEARS EXPERIENCE ENDORSE US Omega Group consists of 4 companies that offer a wide variety of services for exhibitions from furiture rental to custom projects design. In Omega Group we have national and international recognition and more than 30 years of experiences in the exhibition industry.

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

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

US CENTRAL Show American Association of Nurse Practitioners - AANP National Education Association - NEA American Association for Justice - AAJ Annual eWomen Network International Texas Pharmacy Association - Rxperts American Veterinary Medical Association - AVMA Texas Restaurant Association - TRA Marketplace Conference for the Advancement of Math Teaching - CAMT National Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Symposium American Association of Meat Processors Exposition - AAMP International Literacy Association - ILA Texas High School Coaches Association - THSCA Unconventional Resources Technology Conference - URTeC Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Family Medicine Residents & Students National Conf. American Correctional Association Annual - ACA Sunbelt Builders Show Fire-Rescue International - IAFC SHARE Summer Technology Exchange NAPE Summer Houston - North American Prospect Expo Nursery & Landscape Expo - TNLA Fetch, a dvm360 conference Institute of Transportation Engineers - Annual - ITE Association of Progressive Rental Organizations - APRO The Great American Trucking Show - GATS The American Legion National Convention National Association of Chain Drug Stores - NACDS Total Store Expo PWX - Public Works Expo - American Public Works Association - APWA Islamic Society of North America - ISNA

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 06/26 06/29 07/07 07/12 07/13 07/13 07/15 07/16 07/19 07/19 07/20 07/22 07/23 07/23 08/02 08/02 08/08 08/08 08/12 08/15 08/16 08/17 08/20 08/21 08/23 08/24 08/25 08/26 08/31

View Complete Calendar Online

End 07/01 07/01 07/10 07/14 07/15 07/17 07/16 07/18 07/22 07/21 07/23 07/25 07/25 07/26 08/04 08/07 08/09 08/11 08/17 08/16 08/18 08/20 08/23 08/23 08/25 08/30 08/27 08/29 09/03

Venue Colorado CC Minneapolis CC Colorado CC Embassy Suites Frisco The Woodlands Waterway Colorado CC Henry B. Gonzalez CC George R. Brown CC Keystone Conf. Center Sheraton Kansas City Hotel Austin CC Henry B. Gonzalez CC George R. Brown CC Colorado CC Kansas City CC

City Denver Minneapolis Denver Dallas Houston Denver San Antonio Houston Keystone Kansas City Austin San Antonio Houston Denver Kansas City Minneapolis Hilton Anatole Dallas Kay Bailey Hutchison CC Dallas America’s Center St. Louis George R. Brown CC Houston Henry B. Gonzalez CC San Antonio Kansas City CC Kansas City Hilton Minneapolis Minneapolis St. Louis Kay Bailey Hutchison CC Dallas Minneapolis CC Minneapolis Colorado CC Denver Kansas City CC Kansas City George R. Brown CC Houston

St CO MN CO TX TX CO TX TX CO MO TX TX TX CO MO MN TX TX MO TX TX MO MN MO TX MN CO MO TX

Att 3000 16.8K 3200 3000 1000 8800 5041 6900 1200 1200 8000 10.8k 4300 43K 2700 3000 2525 14K 2000 7000 3352 6500 2000 650 49K 10K 3000 8500 20K

Exh 200 240 150 100 90 283 505 187 100 110 200 383 173 1.2K 372 400 163 500 68 700 532 275 120 79 554 110 475 650 350

Nsf Industry 50000 Medical & Healthcare Education 12000 Financial & Legal Business 38000 Medical & Healthcare 46300 Medical & Healthcare 83869 Food & Beverage 46750 Education 15000 Medical & Healthcare 15000 Food & Beverage 50000 Education 82100 Education Petroleum, Oil & Plastics 492K Sporting Goods & Rec. 45600 Medical & Healthcare 175K Police 27300 Building & Construction 180K Fire & Fire Protection 10700 Computers & Apps 70000 Energy 109K Landscape & Garden 47600 Medical & Healthcare 16500 Building & Construction 25000 Building & Construction 188K Automotive & Trucking 80000 Government & Healthcare 97150CityMedical Exhibit News’ best-read section! 105K Building & Construction 150K Religious

SEE YOUR AD HERE! Sponsor your region in the Trade Show Calendar.

ExhibitCityNews.com/Tradeshow-Calendar Exhibit City News’ best-read section! @ExhibitCityNews

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Trade Show Calendar US MIDWEST

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

Show Abilities Expo - Chicago AIAA Propulsion & Energy Forum & Exhibition Scaffold & Access Industry Association - SAIA National Strength & Conditioning Association - NSCA National Conference National Principles Conference Cultivate - Organization of Horticulture Professionals Health Physics Society - HPS Annual Meeting IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo - Institute of Food Technologists National Contract Management Assoc. World Congress - NCMA World Congres International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease Ohio Association for Career & Technical Education - ACTE EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Fly-In The ASI Show! American Academy of Dermatology - Summer Meeting - AAD National Training Institute - NTI - NJATC American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers - ASABE Clinical Lab Expo - AACC - American Association for Clinical Chemistry Indiana Long Term Care Convention & Expo American Bar Association Annual Meeting - ABA International Society of Arboriculture - ISA Academy of Management Annual Meeting - AOM Society for Industrial Microbiology Annual - SIM Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management - AHRMM Midwest Security & Police Conference/Expo Independent Garden Center Show - IGC ASAE & The Center Annual Meeting HR Indiana Annual Conference - Human Resources Chicago Shoe Market Kentucky Dental Association - KDA

Start 06/29 07/09 07/09 07/11 07/11 07/14 07/15 07/15 07/22 07/22 07/23 07/23 07/24 07/26 07/28 07/29 07/29 07/31 08/02 08/05 08/10 08/12 08/12 08/14 08/14 08/18 08/20 08/22 08/23

End 07/01 07/12 07/12 07/14 07/13 07/17 07/19 07/18 07/25 07/26 07/25 07/29 07/26 07/29 08/01 08/01 08/02 08/02 08/07 08/08 08/14 08/16 08/15 08/15 08/16 08/21 08/22 08/23 08/26

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Venue Renaissance Schaumburg Duke Energy CC Palmer House Hilton Indiana CC McCormick Place Greater Columbus CC Huntington CC of Cleveland McCormick Place Huntington CC McCormick Place The Hilton Columbus at Easton McCormick Place Hyatt Regency Chicago University of Michigan Cobo Center McCormick Place JW Marriott Hyatt Regency Chicago Greater Columbus CC Hilton Chicago McCormick Place Tinley Park CC Navy Pier McCormick Place Indiana CC Embassy Suites Chi. - Downtown French Lick Resort

City Schaumburg Cincinnati Chicago Indianapolis Chicago Columbus Cleveland Chicago Cleveland Chicago Columbus Oshkosh Chicago Chicago Ann Arbor Detroit Chicago Indianapolis Chicago Columbus Chicago Chicago Chicago Tinley Park Chicago Chicago Indianapolis Chicago French Lick

St IL OH IL IN IL OH OH IL OH IL OH WI IL IL MI MI IL IN IL OH IL IL IL IL IL IL IN IL IN

Att 5000 1500

Exh Nsf Industry 100 25000 Medical & Healthcare 60 14500 Aerospace & Aviation Building & Construction Sporting Goods & Rec. 56 3000 250 100K Education 12.6K 568 154K Landscape & Garden 1500 100 11300 Medical & Healthcare 23K 1.2K 222K Food Proc. & Distribution 2000 55 5500 Financial & Legal 5000 75 12000 Medical & Healthcare 550 55 55000 Education Aerospace & Aviation 500K 800 1M 4422 641 89950 Advertising & Marketing 4341 250 17760 Medical & Healthcare 1900 100 11500 Electrical & Electronics 1800 30 13300 Agriculture & Farming 21.3K 750 207K Medical & Healthcare 426 65 20000 Medical & Healthcare 9000 125 10000 Financial & Legal 2211 121 36400 Agriculture & Farming 8000 10000 Business 700 40 4000 Science 1016 200 29800 Medical & Healthcare 2300 175 28000 Police Landscape & Garden 600 2812 431 68400 Exhibition & Meeting Ind. Business Apparel 17700 Medical & Healthcare

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

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88 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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

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

US NORTHEAST Show Summer Fancy Food Show - NASFT Accounting & Finance Show NY Airborne Law Enforcement Association Annual Conf - ALEA APSCON National Association of College & University Food Services American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society - AOFAS American Podiatric Medical Association - APMA Associated Locksmiths of America - ALOA American Association of Law Libraries JA International Jewelry Show Bio World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology American Association of Collages of Pharmacy - AACP Controlled Release Society - CRS Annual Meeting & Exposition Texworld USA - Summer American Phytopathological Society Annual - APS Affiliate Summit East RDH Under One Roof American Agricultural Economics Association - AAEA Microscopy & Microanalysis - MSA Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Comm. - AEJMC Printsource New York American Sociological Association Annual Meeting - ASA NY NOW - New York International Gift Fair Ag Progress Days American Association of Diabetes Educators - AADE American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting American Chemical Society Fall - ACS Kentucky Medical Association Annual Meeting - KYMA The Louisville Gift Show American Political Science Association - APSA

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 06/30 07/11 07/11 07/11 07/11 07/12 07/13 07/14 07/15 07/16 07/21 07/22 07/23 07/29 07/29 08/01 08/05 08/05 08/06 08/07 08/11 08/12 08/14 08/17 08/19 08/19 08/24 08/26 08/30

End 07/02 07/12 07/14 07/14 07/14 07/15 07/14 07/17 07/17 07/19 07/25 07/24 07/25 08/03 07/31 08/03 08/07 08/09 08/09 08/08 08/14 08/15 08/16 08/20 08/23 08/23 08/26 08/27 09/02

Venue Javits Center Javits Center Kentucky Exposition Center

City New York New York Louisville Providence Hynes CC Boston Gaylord National Washington Gaylord National Washington Baltimore CC Baltimore Javits Center New York Philadelphia Pennsylvania CC Hynes CC Boston New York Hilton Midtown New York Javits Center New York Hynes CC Boston Marriott Marquis New York Gaylord National Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel Washington Baltimore Renaissance Hotel Downtown Washington Hotel Pennsylvania New York Philadelphia Pennsylvania CC Javits Center New York Russell E. Larson Agricultural Rock Springs Baltimore CC Baltimore Atlantic City Boston Louisville Marriott East Louisville Paroquet Conference Center Louisville Hynes CC Boston

St NY NY KY RI MA DC DC MD NY PA MA NY NY MA NY DC DC MD DC NY PA NY PA MD NJ MA KY KY MA

Att 26K 2100 1200 1080 1800 3500 3500 2000 5765 1200 2000 1600 5285 1800 2500 1500 1500 1800 2000 2200 6700 49K 46K 6570 1900 13K 1500 2100 6000

Exh Nsf 2.3K 307K 70 18800 165 250 225 200 120 456 60 50 106 328 50 130 100 20 110 50 76 66 2.8K 493 118 60 500 90 100 120

29900 45000 20000 78243

38700 60000 13000 11000 2000 36500 6000 15000 5280 545K 48300 6000 50000 9000 20000 34000

Industry Food & Beverage Accounting Aerospace & Aviation Education Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Building & Construction Financial & Legal Jewelry Science Medical & Healthcare Science Textiles Medical & Healthcare Advertising & Marketing Medical & Healthcare Agriculture & Farming Science Education Textiles Science Gifts Agriculture & Farming Medical & Healthcare Fishing Chemical Medical & Healthcare Gifts Government

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For more information, contact CHOPS Live Animation’s Gary Jesch at www.chops.com or 775-831-7451 @ExhibitCityNews

087_Tradeshow_Calendar_0718.indd 3

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Trade Show Calendar US NORTHWEST

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

Show PacVet - Pacific Veterinary Conference International Association of Food Protection - IAFP Intersolar North America SEMICON West School Bus Expo - STN American Society for Healthcare Engineering - ASHE Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly OSCON Open Source Convention United Postmasters and Managers of America - UPMA National Association of Scientific Materials Mgrs - NAOSMM Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery - SNIS Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conf. Washington Association for Career & Technical Ed - WA-ACTE Flash Memory Summit American Psychological Association - APA Small Business Expo National Association of State Firemarshals - NASFM Seattle Gift Show SecureWorld Expo Farwest Show The Money Show San Francisco Face & Body Spa & Healthy Aging Conf.& Expo NCSL International Workshop & Symposium American Society of Nuclear Cardiology - ASNC California Dental Association - CDA Fall Scientific Session American Public Human Services Associaiton - APHA ISM Conference Photomask Technology - SPIE Interbike - Bicycle Industry Exhibition California Physical Therapy Association Annual - CPTA Society for Clinical Data Management - SCDM

Start 06/28 07/08 07/10 07/10 07/13 07/15 07/16 07/21 07/22 07/23 07/28 08/05 08/07 08/09 08/09 08/13 08/17 08/21 08/22 08/23 08/26 08/27 09/06 09/06 09/16 09/17 09/18 09/22 09/23

End 07/01 07/11 07/12 07/12 07/18 07/18 07/19 07/27 07/27 07/27 07/29 08/08 08/09 08/12 08/09 08/15 08/20 08/21 08/24 08/25 08/28 08/30 09/09 09/08 09/19 09/20 09/20 09/23 09/26

Venue Hilton SF Union Square Salt Palace CC Moscone Center Moscone Center Peppermill Resort Washington State CC Oregon CC Nugget Casino Resort Hotel RL Hilton San Francisco Monterey CC The Davenport Grand Hotel Santa Clara CC Moscone Center San Mateo Event Center

City San Francisco Salt Lake City San Francisco San Francisco Reno Seattle Portland Reno Spokane San Francisco Monterey Spokane Santa Clara San Francisco San Mateo Salt Lake City Washington State CC Seattle Santa Clara CC Santa Clara Oregon CC Portland Hilton SF Union Square San Francisco San Jose CC San Jose Oregon CC Portland San Francisco Marriott Marquis San Francisco Moscone Center Seattle Monterey CC Monterey Reno Sparks CC Reno Santa Clara CC Santa Clara Hyatt Regency Bellevue Seattle

All Information Is Subject to Change*

St CA UT CA CA NV WA OR NV WA CA CA WA CA CA CA UT WA CA OR CA CA OR CA CA WA CA NV CA WA

Att

18K 29K 1000 2000 2500

1750 800 14K

10K 500 6000 8000 1200 1800 12K 1200 24K 1100 700

Exh Nsf 120

Industry Medical & Healthcare Food & Beverage 500 168K Renewable Energy 690 131K Manufacturing 110 88000 Transportation 279 37900 Medical & Healthcare Computers & Apps Government 55 5500 Science Medical & Healthcare 157 15700 Food & Beverage 46 3680 Education 148 20600 Medical & Healthcare Business Fire & Fire Protection 700 100K Gifts 60 6000 Security Agriculture & Farming 1K Financial & Legal 250 50000 Beauty & Healthcare 130 18000 Business 70 13000 Medical & Healthcare 370 80000 Medical & Healthcare Government 55 Science 810 320K Sporting Goods & Rec. 100 10000 Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare 75

90 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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

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

US SOUTHEAST Show International Christian Retail Show - CBA ICAST - American Sportfishing Association - ASA National Dental Association - NDA International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo - BCA Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market National Association of Counties - NACo SwimShow - Swimwear Association of Florida BbWorld + Devcon FIME Show - Federation of International Medical Equipment Suppliers National Association of Church Business Administration Association of Credit & Collection Professionals - ACA Florida Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Assn. - FPMA American Association of Physicists in Medicine - AAPM National Court Reporters Association Annual Conv - NCRA Florida Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists - FSHP Bronner Brothers International Hair Show Louisiana Foodservice Expo - LRA RetailNow - Retail Solutions Providers Association - RSPA NACE Automechanika Memphis Gift and Jewelry Show - Summer National Medical Association - NMA Southeast Building Conference - SEBC New Orleans Gift & Jewelry Show - Summer Florida Chiropractic Association - National Convention & Expo National Institute of Governmental Purchasing - NIGP Forum Wastecon - SWANA International Woodworking Fair - IWF NGAUS - National Guard Association United States Community Health Institute & Expo - NACHC

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 07/08 07/10 07/11 07/11 07/11 07/13 07/14 07/16 07/17 07/18 07/23 07/27 07/29 08/02 08/03 08/04 08/04 08/05 08/08 08/10 08/11 08/16 08/16 08/16 08/19 08/20 08/22 08/24 08/26

End 07/11 07/13 07/15 07/13 07/15 07/16 07/17 07/19 07/19 07/21 07/25 07/29 08/02 08/05 08/05 08/06 08/06 08/08 08/10 08/12 08/15 08/17 08/19 08/19 08/22 08/23 08/25 08/27 08/28

Venue Gaylord Opryland Orange County CC Rosen Centre Hotel Morial CC AmericasMart Gaylord Opryland Miami Beach CC World Center Marriott Orange County CC Morial CC Music City Center World Center Marriott Music City Center Hyatt Regency Hilton Bonnet Creek Georgia World Congress Ctr. Hilton New Orleans Riverside Gaylord Opryland Georgia World Congress Ctr. Landers Center

City Nashville Orlando Orlando New Orleans Atlanta Nashville Miami Orlando Orlando New Orleans Nashville Orlando Nashville New Orleans Orlando Atlanta New Orleans Nashville Atlanta Southaven Orlando Gaylord Palms Orlando Morial CC New Orleans Hyatt Regency Orlando Orlando Gaylord Opryland Nashville Gaylord Opryland Nashville Georgia World Congress Ctr. Atlanta New Orleans Hyatt Regency Orlando

St TN FL FL LA GA TN FL FL FL LA TN FL TN LA FL GA LA TN GA MS FL FL LA FL TN TN GA LA FL

Att 1132 8604 1600 2047 91K 23K 3000 2500 57K 1600 1100 1500 3885 1500 1100 30K 9000 1400 8500 5889 5000 5500 27K 2600 1550 3000 22K 4000 2000

Exh 231 457 110 132 2.4K 180 400

Nsf 43730 134K 25000 46500 1.1M 28000

900 100 150 183 120 60 100 300 420 134 400 101 150 300 350 500 200

150K 27300 31200 47600 5000 10000 40000 17500 18100 37600 95000 60000 28000

860 410K 100 22000

Industry Religious Fishing Medical & Healthcare Sporting Goods & Rec. Food & Beverage Government Apparel Computers & Apps Medical & Healthcare Religious Financial & Legal Petroleum, Oil & Plastics Medical & Healthcare Financial & Legal Medical & Healthcare Beauty & Healthcare Restaurants & Food Serv. Automotive & Trucking Jewelry Medical & Healthcare Building & Construction Jewelry Medical & Healthcare Government Waste Management Building & Construction Military Medical & Healthcare

Where Can You Find Industry Features, Maps, Insider Information, Shop Talk And Free Stuff?

Exhibit City News, of Course!

Sign up for six stunning, full-color issues of ECN and get our very special 20th anniversary edition, 52 weekly digital updates and free stuff to wear proudly! GO TO EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM/SUBSCRIBE OR CALL 702.309.8023

@ExhibitCityNews

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Trade Show Calendar US SOUTHWEST

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet All Information Is Subject to Change*

Show IDEA World Fitness Convention McKesson ideaShare Environmental Systems Research Institute - ESRI School Nutrition Association - SNA Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality & Foodservice Expo International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers of America - IPCPR Comic Con National Association of College & University Business Officers - NACUBO California Accounting & Business Show & Conference Las Vegas Market/Summer (Furniture) Cosmoprof North America ASD Las Vegas Association of Latino Professionals For America - ALPFA National Conference of State Legislatures - NCSL Legislative Summit THE NBM SHOW

Start 06/27 07/08 07/09 07/09 07/11 07/13 07/19 07/21 07/25 07/29 07/29 07/29 07/30 07/30 08/02

End 07/01 07/12 07/13 07/12 07/12 07/17 07/22 07/24 07/26 08/02 07/31 08/01 08/02 08/02 08/04

Venue San Diego CC The Venetian San Diego CC Mandalay Bay Neal Blaisdell Center Las Vegas CC San Diego CC Long Beach CC Los Angeles CC World Market Center Mandalay Bay Las Vegas CC Caesars Palace Los Angeles CC Long Beach CC

City San Diego Las Vegas San Diego Las Vegas Honolulu Las Vegas San Diego Long Beach Los Angeles Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Los Angeles Long Beach

St CA NV CA NV HI NV CA CA CA NV NV NV NV CA CA

Att 14K 5000 13K 7000 4414 6000 123K 2500 1700 50K 36K 40K 2800 5000 10K

Exh 140 200 300 385 326 300 1K 200 120 450 1.3K 2.8K 70 300 396

Black Hat USA APCO International Conference & Expo - Assn of Public-Safety Comm. Officials Global Business Travel Association - GBTA OFFPRICE Wholesale Apparel Show PGA Fashion & Demo Experience - Professional Golfers’ Association WWIN - WomensWear In Nevada - August MAGIC - Business of Fashion Specialty Advertising Association of California - SAAC Optics & Photonics - SPIE Coffee Fest Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo Gentlemen’s Club Expo VMworld

08/04 08/05 08/11 08/11 08/13 08/13 08/13 08/15 08/19 08/19 08/19 08/19 08/26

08/09 08/08 08/15 08/14 08/15 08/16 08/15 08/16 08/23 08/21 08/21 08/22 08/30

Mandalay Bay Sands Expo San Diego CC Sands Expo The Venetian Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas CC & Mandalay Bay Long Beach CC San Diego CC Los Angeles CC Los Angeles CC Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Mandalay Bay

Las Vegas Las Vegas San Diego Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Long Beach San Diego Los Angeles Los Angeles Las Vegas Las Vegas

NV NV CA NV NV NV NV CA CA CA CA NV NV

6500 3000 6450 14K 2803 7700 66K 2100 5000 8000 8000 4000 23K

150 300 475 525 200 480 4.3K 410 280 400 400 500 185

Nsf Industry 28000 Sporting Goods & Rec. Medical & Healthcare 30700 Science 83200 Food & Beverage 53000 Hotels & Resorts 150K Stores & Store Fittings Publishing 31200 Education 20000 Accounting 550K Home Furn. & Int. Design 221K Beauty & Healthcare 684K Gifts 84000 Government 43500 Printing 70000 119K 132K 25300 180K 951K 54000 30000 41500 50300 100K 188K

Computers & Apps Security Travel Industry Apparel Sporting Goods & Rec. Apparel Apparel Advertising & Marketing Science Food & Beverage Food & Beverage Gaming & Entertainment Computers & Apps

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92 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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

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

CANADA Show Canadian Veterinary Medical Association - CVMA Canadian Association of Pathologists - CAP-ACP American Society of Animal Science - ASAS/ADSA/CSAS Joint Annual Meeting Plant Biology - ASPB International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics - N.A. ISSX Meeting ISA World Congress of Sociology ARISQ Canadian Institute of Planners Annual Conference FBI National Academy Associates - FBINAA National Annual Training Conference International Association of Venue Managers - IAVM VenueConnect Smart Airport & Regions Conference & Exhibition Joint Statistical Meeting - JSM ICANM - International Conference & Exhibition on Advanced & Nano Materials Animethon Siggraph Canadian Gift Association - Toronto Gift Fair MODE Accessories MJBizCon International - Marijuana Business Conference & Expo IncentiveWorks Edmonton Marathon & Sports Expo Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 07/05 07/07 07/08 07/14 07/15 07/15 07/17 07/19 07/21 07/22 07/23 07/28 08/06 08/10 08/12 08/12 08/12 08/14 08/14 08/17 08/17

End 07/08 07/10 07/12 07/18 07/19 07/21 07/19 07/22 07/24 07/25 07/25 08/02 08/08 08/12 08/16 08/15 08/14 08/16 08/15 08/18 09/03

Venue JW Marriott Hilton Hotel Vancouver CC Palais des Congres Palais des Congres Metro Toronto CC RBC CC Metro Toronto CC Shaw Conf. Centre Vancouver CC Shaw Conf. Centre Vancouver CC The International Centre Metro Toronto CC Metro Toronto CC

City Vancouver Quebec City Vancouver Montreal Montreal Toronto Sherbrooke Winnipeg Quebec City Toronto Edmonton Vancouver Quebec City Edmonton Vancouver Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto Edmonton Toronto

St BC QC BC QC QC ON QC MB QC ON AB BC QC AB BC ON ON ON ON AB ON

Att 300

Exh 75 15

Nsf 960

1500

1659

213 221K

6000

Industry Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Science Medical & Healthcare

Gaming & Entertainment Aerospace & Aviation Manufacturing

22K 20K 2000 2400

153 46500 Computers & Apps 1K 421K Gifts Apparel 125 700 52000 Travel Industry

*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.

@ExhibitCityNews

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94 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE Where to Find Professional Services, Products and Supplies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a Companion Directory to our www.ExhibitCityNews.com/Service-Guide

Aadvantaged Displays BWC Visual Technologies CEP Champion Logistics Chops Animation Collazo Expo Services Corey Johnson Photography Corporate Communications Corporate Events CoStar Exhibits

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Larry Kulchwik Consulting 96 LipSmacking Foodie Tours 99 Last Minute Venues 101 Ommy Expositions 97 Tradeshow Transportation Specialists 100 TWI Group 101 YOR Design 98

For Service Guide information and rates, call sales at (702) 309-8023. Inclusive categories are available for all your company advertising needs. ExhibitCityNews.com July/August 2018 95

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

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96 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

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98 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

KB Lines, Inc. KB Lines, Inc. provides the highest quality customer service with on-time pick-ups and deliveries. All loads will be secured with friendly, knowledgeable, reliable, and experienced professional drivers. Safety is our highest priority–ensuring your load is delivered efficiently and on time. Hank Duran, vp of ops/ joint owner, has 40 years of experience in logistics and holds monthly safety meetings and new driver reviews. We do primarily entertainment transportation, hauling stage lighting, truss, sound gear, background sets, and tradeshow booths. We provide Convention Transportation Services, Tradeshows, Special Events, Theater Shows, Ballet/Symphony, Local Vegas deliveries to venues and Dry Van.

Logistics

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.

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

Photography

Printing

• 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!

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ECN10

Las Vegas, Nevada 218 - 209 - 1466 corey@cjphotog.com

PROMO CODE

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

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

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

100 July/August 2018 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

TWI Group, Inc. TWI Group, Inc. is the premier specialist in domestic and international tradeshow shipping, and exhibition logistics with over 45 years of exceptional service. We’ve moved over 250,000 shipments and more than 250,000 million pounds of freight to over 15,000 shows worldwide. Specializing in exhibition freight forwarding, transportation and arranging customs requirements worldwide, the TWI team has proven its ability in more than 60 countries. Let TWI prove that Delivering First-Class Service Every Time to your international venue is not just a concept for us, it’s a reality.

Tradeshow Furnishings

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Venues

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Call today - 775-831-7451 - and @ExhibitCityNews

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Classifieds

Equity Partner Wanted

Exhibitrac is Hiring

Exhibitrac needs new show guides for its database, and will pay $10 $20 per accepted guide. If you are an industry supplier, exhibitor, union or other employee who regularly attends or works at shows in major convention cities such as Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston, Orlando, etc.

Well established exhibit builder, centrally located, with a CNC based shop and a large storage warehouse, is looking for an equity partner to grow into full ownership. Company has steady clientele, no debt and quality employees. Email blindbox1234@ exhibitcitynews.com

Please contact us for details: klandrum@exhibitrac.com or call 702-824-9651 ext. 700

Experienced Exhibit Account Executive Want to Get fired Up? Tired of the same old same? Need a new outlook? Need to exhibit your talents? Think you are too old to start new with a company? Think again! We loved “SEASONED” professionals to bring experience and good old fashioned “know how to our organization. Negotiable compensation packages and great benefits offered. We also hire AE’s with at least 5 years exhibit sales experience. We are a 50 year old family-owned company and we’re looking for some new family members. Located in Chicago, IL just minutes from McCormick Place. Send Resumes to : juliem@stevensexhibits.com.

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QA Question: Where can you find industry features, maps, insider information, shop talk and free stuff?

Answer: Exhibit City News, of course!

Sign up for six stunning, full-color issues of ECN and get our very special 20th anniversary edition, 52 weekly digital updates and free stuff to wear proudly!

Go to ExhibitCityNews.com/subscribe or Call 702.309.8023

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2018 EDITORIAL CALENDAR* *Content is subject to change

JANUARY-FEBRUARY

MARCH-APRIL

January (print & digital)

March (print & digital):

February (digital only)

April (digital only):

• Feature: Year in Review • Transportation/Warehousing/Material Handling • Vendors International Focus: Argentina

• Feature: Exhibitor Live Preview • Furnishings • Event Organizers International Focus: Belgium

• Technology Show/Products • AV/Lighting/Graphics/Photography • Corporate Social Responsibility Regional Focus: Southwest US

• Exhibit Building & Design • Show Management/Kits • Extrusions Regional Focus: Northeast US

MAY-JUNE

JULY-AUGUST

May (print & digital):

July (print & digital):

June (digital only):

August (digital only):

• Feature: Museums/Exhibits • Exhibit Design • Exhibitor Live Post International Focus: Brazil

• Feature: Women in the Industry • Show Security/Safety • Show Services International Focus: Singapore

• Mobile Exhibits • Warehousing/Material Handling • Corporate Social Responsibility Regional Focus: Central US

• Insurance/Legal/Contracts • Industry Salespeople • Tension Fabric Regional Focus: Midwest US

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

September (print & digital):

November (print & digital):

October (digital only):

December (digital only):

• Feature: Giveaways/Incentives • General Contractors • Flooring International Focus: Costa Rica/Panama

• Feature: Labor/Unions • Associations • Booth Staff/Talent/Brand Ambassadors International Focus: Germany

• Lead Retrieval v. Data Matching/CRM • Tradeshow Marketing/Traffic • Social Media Regional Focus: Northwest US

Content covered digitally and in print Jan., March, May, July, Sept. and Nov. Other months, digital coverage only.

• Special/Corporate Events • Hybrid/Co-location Events • Corporate Social Sustainability Regional Focus: Southeast US

Deadline / Space reservation: 8th day, or closest business day, of month prior to print issue. We would love to hear from you! Share the coverage you would like to see in future issues at newsdesk@exhibitcitynews.com 3

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ADVERTISERS

Advertiser Index 4 Productions

4Productions.com

59/108

Aluvision.com/us

AnglesOnDesign.com

beMatrix.us

Brumark.com

CamdenTradeshow.com

Highmark Tech Hill & Partners Horizon Print Solution

CarpentersUnion.org

House of Signs

ChampLog.com

Inside Track

CharliePalmer.com

Joe’s New York Pizza

Chops.com

Kingsmen Creatives Ltd.

CoboCenter.com

Labor Inc.

107

ColorReflections.com

Lago Network

Corpcom-Events.com

MomentumManagement

ShowNets, LLC

Storage West

Structure Exhibits

106

Sunset Transportation

Superior Logistics

ShipSuperior.com

TLC Flooring

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Willwork

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LagoNetwork.com

Corporate Communications

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LaborInc.ca

ColorReflections

Sho-Link

StructureExhibits.com

Kingsmen-Int.com

Cobo Center

StorageWest.com

JoesNYPizzaLV.com

ChopsAnimation

SG Productions

ShowNets.net

TheInsideTrackInc.com

CharliePalmer

102

Sho-link.com

lvhouseofsigns.com

ChampionLogistics

Route91Strong

SethGrabel.com

PrintEfficiency.com

Carpenters Union

Win Win Video

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MomentumMgt.com

EventsNE.com

NewGen Business Solutions

NewGenNow.com

Cort.com

Nolan Advisory

NolanAdvisory.com

DEMcNabb.com

Octanorm, USA, Inc.

Octanorm.com

EDPA.com/edpafoundation Employco.com

HillPartners.com

Camden Tradeshow

Employco

ExpoSystems

Route91Strong.org

HighmarkTech.com

Brumark

EDPAFoundation

ExpoSystems.com

beMatrix

D.E. McNabb

Experience Transport Agency

Rosemont – RES Rosemont.com/DESConvention

ETALV.com

Angles On Design

Cort

EtsrSolutions.com

Aluvision

Corporate Events

EveryTSR Solutions/ETSR WiFi

Onsite Services

OnsiteExhibitorService.com

Orbus

Orbus.com

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

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LED tile 55 P2

Omni-55 frame

Pixel pitch: 2.5 or 2.8

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