Exhibit City News - March 2015 by Exhibit City News

EXHIBITORLIVE! Preview Edition P. 36-57

MARCH 2015 • VOL. 21 • ISSUE 2

EXHIBITORS’ GOT TALENT! Mark Holme Creative Director, Hill & Partners

P. 52

Global AV Consolidation Trend P. 24 3 Perspectives on Show Management P. 32 The Guys Who Power CES P. 14 EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXHIBITORLIVE! Preview Edition P. 36-57

MARCH 2015 • VOL. 21 • ISSUE 2

Contributing Writers

EXHIBITORS’ GOT TALENT! Mark Holme Creative Director, Hill & Partners

P. 52

Global AV Consolidation Trend P. 24

3 Perspectives on Show Management P. 32 The Guys Who Power CES P. 14

The Duel: In-house vs. outsourced tradeshow graphics

EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM

COVER PHOTO BY:

by Daniel Lambert

Zachery Holme ZacheryHolme.com

How Far Have We Really Come?

Cover Story 36-57 EXHIBITORLIVE! Preview:

By Rod Cameron

U.S. vs. Canada: Is there a difference when exhibiting? By Kelli Steckbauer

Rebranded and refreshed, EXHIBITOR Show is rolling out the red carpet for its new name and IAEE partnership.

Destination Asia By Sarah Chew

Columns

Corporate Profiles

As the Saw Turns Who Will be the Leader?

Sho-Link Welcomes New Cooperative Member

Employment Strategy Corner When and How To Mention your Salary Expectations in the Interview

In this issue 88 Convention Centers 89 Tradeshow History 92 Regional Show Calendar 99 Classified Ads 104 Service Guide

4 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Corporate Communications Celebrates 30th

Bright Ideas from Brightbox

253INC Introduces New Patent

Transit Air Cargo Customers Like Family

Photo Courtesy of MC2

The Green Piece Tech support for the Carbon Conscious

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features 14

The Guys Who Power CES

IoT Trend Drives Participation at CES 2015

Show Management Perspectives

Photo Courtesy of MC2

Global AV Consolidation Trend

Owning Graphics Equipment

@ExhibitCityNews

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PUBLISHER’S WORDS

Greetings to readers everywhere! W

e finally made the move! As illustrated by our first cover with the new format and Hill & Partners Creative Director Mark Holme posing with one of his wire art sculptures, today’s levels of creativity throughout the tradeshow and exhibition industry simply demand a move toward innovative thinking and design…. starting with our own publication. Although our look has changed, you will still find all your favorite features and departments! The March print edition includes feature topics, such as considerations for show management from three different perspectives - the show organizer, show manager and general service contractor. Exploring new industry trends, the novel use of drone technology to capture aerial photographs of the show floor adds another dimension to exhibit marketing. In international news, IFES will celebrate its 30th birthday in Vienna, also celebrating 200 years as a convention city, at this year’s World Summit by “Sharing Business” with industry professionals across the globe. Traveling a little further, up and coming Asian destinations are shining a new light on exhibiting in the Far East. Stay tuned for other exciting product and staff announcements starting with our presence at EXHIBITORLIVE the first week of March at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. ECN is once again growing to keep up with industry expansion and momentum! Stop over and meet the staff at booth #478 and get your free copy of our 20TH Anniversary Special Edition…a $50 value!

Don Svehla | Publisher

08 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

PUBLISHER Donald V. Svehla Jr. 702-309-8023 ext. 102 dons@exhibitcitynews.com

Editorial What do you think about our move to a full gloss format? Let us know what you think at newsdesk@ exhibitcitynews.com

hosted by:

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PARTY ANYONE? Don’t miss our annual networking party (see Page 37) during EXHIBITORLIVE! Join our partner, Willwork Exhibit & Event Services, and our party sponsors to network and DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY! Back by popular demand, The Spazmatics will perform three sets. To reserve tickets, go to www. ExhibitorParty.com and use the interactive form.

A new book on international exhibiting is coming out this spring. Authored by industry veteran of 43 years and international expert Larry Kulchawik, “Trade Shows from One Country to the Next” is a guide to the tradeshow industry overseas. For a sneak peak, go to LarryKulchawik.com

MANAGING EDITOR Zeenath Haniff 702-309-8023 ext.111 zeenathh@exhibitcitynews.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Kristan Obeng 702-309-8023 ext. 112 krissyo@exhibitcitynews.com ART DIRECTOR Thomas Speak thomass@exhibitcitynews.com COLUMNISTS Haley Freeman Phillip H. Kemper Jim Obermeyer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rod Cameron Sarah Chew Daniel Lambert Soni Phillips Kelli Steckbauer John Stuart

Sales DIRECTOR OF SALES Kathy Anaya 702-309-8023 ext.105 kathya@exhibitcitynews.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Gwen C.W. Campbell 702-309-8023 gwenc@exhibitcitynews.com CIRCULATION 702-309-8023 ext.100 kathya@exhibitcitynews.com

COLUMNS As The Saw Turns

Who Will be the Leader?

hat’s the question I kept asking last night as I was watching my favorite college basketball team struggle to win a game. A game that they were leading by twenty points at halftime. A game where they did not score a point for the first six minutes of the second half, until their opponent was within three points. A game they eventually did win, but not until after they had been down by seven and had every one of their fans asking this same question. This is a team that is full of top national recruits, All American high school players. A group of individuals who, each in their own right, should be a star. But as a team, fifteen games into the season, they are not gelling. I’m no basketball analyst, but it seems pretty

10 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

plain to me: There is no leader. What I do not see in any of these players is the fire and passion for the game, the unending desire to make something special of this team, to energize them, support them and carry them to victory. Unfortunately, what this team is suffering from is no different than many organizations – sports teams, armies or businesses. One of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies is the coming-out of a leader: In “Braveheart,” it’s the scene on the battlefield when William Wallace is trying to rally his ragtag troops to engage in battle with the enemy’s well-trained army: William Wallace: I am William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my coun-

By Jim Obermeyer

trymen, here in defiance of tyranny. You’ve come to fight as free men... and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight? Veteran: Fight? Against that? No! We will run. And we will live. William Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take... OUR FREEDOM! [Scottish army cheers] And what about business leaders? How about another of my favorite movies? Look at NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz, as portrayed in the movie “Apollo 13”: The mission is seriously in danger of ending badly, with the three men in space not making it back to earth alive. Kranz has his mission control team in the briefing room to find a solution to the problem on the spacecraft. After lots of wishy-washy indecision amongst the team on how to solve the problem, Kranz slams his fist on the table and says, “Gentlemen, failure is not an option!” The team immediately coalesces and finds a solution.

Don’t get me wrong, not all leaders are as dramatic as William Wallace and Gene Kranz. But ALL true leaders have a fire and a passion for what they are doing, and have the desire to carry their teams to victory. Carry their teams. Notice I did not say ‘push their teams’ or ‘drag their teams’ or ‘beat their teams into submission’. Leaders are as much servants as they are guides. ‘Carry’ suggests that the leader is part of the team, not above them. The leader is with them, guiding, serving, empowering, energizing. The Apollo 13 astronauts would not have survived the return to earth without a strong leader instilling in the team the energy to find a solution. The Scottish army would not have challenged the British without the passionate fire of their leader William Wallace. My favorite basketball team is not going to advance too far in the NCAA Tournament unless they can find a leader. And no organization will last without a strong leader. Who will be the leader? See you on the show floor. Jim Obermeyer has been in the trade show industry over 30 years, both as a corporate trade show manager and exhibit house executive. He is a partner in a new company: Reveal: Exhibiting a World of Difference. He can be reached at jobermeyer@revealexhibits.com

The Green Piece

Tech Support for the Carbon Conscious

n our efforts to be kinder to the planet, it is nice to have some help in managing resources and keeping industry guidelines straight. That help exists in the form of technological tools designed to make us more efficiently green. Let’s begin with the obvious. The industry’s excessive use of paper has long been the green planner’s lament, and in its most basic forms and functions, technology helps to solve this overarching challenge. By simply converting printed documents to email or PowerPoint, whole forests have been saved. Add a little creativity and print all materials double-sided, reuse items like signage and badges and refrain from printing show dates on promotional materials making leftovers reusable (duh), and we are well on our way to saving the world. Cvent, a company that provides online solutions for events and surveys, has effectively tackled the paper problem. They have developed a Web-based software tool that allows planners to send out personalized email invitations, collect RSVPs and registrant information automatically, as well as process payments for fees. The software enables webinars, online media kits and event webpages, and after the event, facilitates email follow-up and surveys with monitored open rates. Another industry software solution is produced by Lanyon. Their cloud-based software for managing corporate meetings, events and travel programs is used by 80 percent of the Fortune 100 as well as small- to mid-size companies worldwide. They help companies to automate event planning and meeting management tasks to save time and money while reducing their environmental impact. The multi-function software offers comprehensive solutions for automated sourcing, budgeting, online registration, attendee management and expense reconciliation. @ExhibitCityNews

COLUMNS

By Haley Freeman

Now let’s talk about the green compliance challenge. You may recall that on Oct. 5, 2009, President Obama signed EO 13514, directing federal agencies to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Section 2(b)(ii) requires GHG reductions including strategies for transit, travel, training and conferencing. When that order was adopted, the industry was just beginning to standardize sustainability guidelines. Organizers for the 2012 Olympics in London, recognizing the significant economic, social and environmental impact of large events, successfully coordinated with the world community to develop a set of global

The industry’s excessive use of paper has long been the green planner’s lament… standards – culminating in what we now know as ISO 20121. At around the same time, the Convention Industry Council (CIC)’s Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) partnered with ASTM International, the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create its own set of green standards. The standards focus on nine specific areas: Accommodations, Audio Visual, Communication, Exhibits, Food and Beverage, On-site Office, Destinations, Meeting Venue and Transportation. Avila Government Services Inc. has developed an online tool called the Sustain-

able Meeting Planning Program (SMPP). The Program offers versions for individuals and companies, which help planners to produce events fully compliant with APEX/ASTM and ISO standards, as well as the Event Organizers Sector Supplement for GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) sustainability reporting. An organization called iCompli, an independent, non-profit auditing organization, provides GRI reporting services and third-party certification of ASTM and ISO event standards for the SMPP. The Program has taken over 400 pages of published standards and broken them down in a three-part format that includes step-by-step implementation procedures for planning, managing and scoring sustainable meetings: 1. THE MANUAL: Provides a solid guide with ready-to-use sustainable meeting planning policies, procedures and instructions for integrating sustainability into the planning process. 2 .THE SCORING COMPONENT: A set of two scoring forms measure selected meetings for sustainability and generate an SMPP rating of platinum, gold, silver or bronze. The scores indicate the level of compliance with all industry standards; however, optional scoring forms are available specifically for ISO, APEX/ASTM and GRI EOSS. 3. THE ONLINE DIRECTORIES: Two online directories – one for individuals and one for companies (organizations, associations, agencies and companies) – highlight the planners’ sustainability ratings. Sometimes, being green is as simple as pushing a button. For more information about the resources mentioned above, visit: www.cvent.com, www.lanyon.com, www.sustainablemeetingplanner.com, www.icomplisustainability.com ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 11

COLUMNS Employment Strategy Corner

When and How to Mention your Salary Expectations in the Interview

By Philip H. Kemper

ere are a few ideas about one of the toughest parts of interviewing for a new position – the salary negotiation. Interviewing is full of important decisions, careful preparations for meetings, phone calls and follow-up correspondence, checking and supplying one’s own references – and more. But one of the trickiest elements in the interview process is certainly salary. We can’t forget that we can, especially since this may be why we are looking to make a move in the first place. But even if it isn’t, we do not want to change jobs without an advance in salary.

A salary increase is how our years on the job are reflected and rewarded. This is how our system works. Salary is so important, and it will become the platform on which raises in both this position, and future ones, are based. But – surprise – in many books and articles we are even told not to bring up salary at all in our interview meetings. How and when do I talk about it? What a dilemma! I suggest you try to remember back when you were hired into your current job? Often candidates are asked their current salary and their expectations – and then a sum is announced by the interviewer. A real negotiation never takes place. Is this what happened with your current or last employer? You realize now that this is where you lost money – money which could have been yours had the discussion gone differently. I personally have found the best approach, Whether you setup one booth or an entire show, anywhere in if you are asked for the country, reduce your labor expenses by using Employco. your salary expectations, is to respond with the question, “What is the salPayroll & Union Fringes ary range for the Workers’ Compensation position?” In most Employee Benefits cases, you will then Human Resource Outsourcing get an indication of the salary range and you can decide if you are wasting your time – or if the Become More Competitive - call Employco role fits with your Contact Rob Wilson, President at 630.286.7345 or robwilson@employco.com salary needs and expectations.

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This is why it may be prudent for you yourself to raise the subject of salary in the final interview, and to do it in a subtle way like so: “Thanks a lot for all our meetings. I am happy that you said you feel I am qualified for the position – and that you could imagine working with me – and I feel the same. However, we did not talk about salary yet, and I leave it to you to start this discussion. Just for your information: I am currently at $80,000, and when I make a move I would like an increase. I’m at your disposal to discuss this.” By the way, if you work with a recruiter on this position, he/ she will do the negotiation for you--- and will tell his/her client “my candidate will not sign for this salary. As I told you, 85k should be the minimum.” In conclusion, it is well for us to remember that the last time you really talk on eye-level with your boss is during the interview process. Consequently, always give a salary range. It is said that 80 percent of candidates give too low salary expectations, and very few go to the upper limit. This can be costly, and a situation that is most difficult to reverse. Do not talk about salary before your hiring authority has made it clear that he/she wants to hire you, and you want to work for her/ him. But then don’t be afraid to state a salary expectation a bit higher than the figure mentioned by the employer. This takes courage, but it will allow for negotiation, and the opportunity to back down, should the employer hold firmly to his high figure – and you want the position. Good luck in your negotiations! Philip Kemper is Founder/President of Kemper Associates, a 38 year old Chicago-based national executive search firm. Contact Phil with questions or comments at kemperassociates. org or kemperassoc@hotmail.com

12 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

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TECHNOLOGY SHOWS/PRODUCTS

Jesus Monarrez pulls access coaxial cable from his position in the catwalk high above the Central Hall at LVCC.

The Guys Who Power CES Cox Business wires the largest technology tradeshow BY ZEENATH HANIFF

To most, Cox is known as a cable television provider. To the exhibitors and attendees of the International CES, held annually in Las Vegas, Cox provides a lifeline. Preparing the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) for its biggest technology-based tradeshow is no easy feat, and one that Cox must don many hats to accomplish. Since being awarded the contract to provide telecommunications services to the third largest convention center in the U.S. 14 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

in August 2013, Cox Business, a full-service, facilities-based, nationwide provider of advanced voice, video and data solutions to the business and hospitality verticals, has been hard at work to transform LVCC’s 2 million square feet of exhibition space. “We worked really hard to make LVCC one of the most competitive, if not the most competitive, convention centers in the U.S.,” said Derrick Hill, vice president, Cox Business/Hospitality Network, Las Vegas. “Cox doubled wireless and Internet speeds,

and also added innovative features, such as location-based services and advertising.” As the facilities-based provider, Cox designs, installs and manages high-density wireless and wired Internet services for the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA), operator of LVCC. Taking over from the previous network provider, when the convention center had 166 wireless access points (APs) through which delegates could connect to the Internet, Cox installed 800 APs by the opening of CES 2014 and increased the number to 2,000 by CES 2015, adding over 10 times the level of Wi-Fi coverage than the facility had ever had since its opening in 1964. Using a combination of Cisco APs and external antennas, Cox created a wireless local area network (LAN) throughout the

Cox Hospitality Network

Delegates may not realize that the same Internet services they’re connecting to at the convention center may also be available within their hotel rooms. Hospitality Network, a product of Cox Business in Las Vegas, provides voice, video and data solutions to more than 110,000 guest rooms in Nevada and at a host of other gaming jurisdictions and properties throughout the U.S. VIDEO CONTENT: State-of-the-art video-on-demand episodes of popular cable and TV shows, Hollywood hit movies; Linear programming of popular news, sports, entertainment, in-language channels and music. HIGH-SPEED INTERNET SERVICES: Guests plug into Ethernet ports for wired services; Wireless access is available in guestrooms and in common areas of hotel lobbies, lounges, restaurants and pool areas. iGUESTBOOK®: A high-tech, in-room interactive resource allows guests to book hotel amenities through their TV, such as dining reservations, spa appointments, golf tee-times and show ticket purchase. VOICE SERVICES: Provides Primary Rate Interface digital trunk services as well as business-grade local service designed to manage the full range of voice needs; Systems integrate with current telephone equipment, including large PBX systems or standard desktop phones. ADVANCED CONVENTION SERVICES (ACS): An operating unit under Hospitality Network, ACS provides wired and wireless data services to 1.8 million square feet of event and convention space throughout the U.S.; 24-hour, inhouse customer support ensures constant connectivity. entire convention center. The result is a high-density Wi-Fi canopy based on the 802.11ac networking standard with each AP able to service approximately 300 devices at once. Cox executives estimate their wireless LAN handled over 15,000 unique devices simultaneously during each of the four days of the 2015 edition of CES, held Jan. 6-9. That is a number equal to nearly one-fourth of all CES attendees per day, totaling 70,000 at this year’s show. “It’s the first time that show personnel could walk around and use a tablet while addressing a customer, and continue to do so in the halls, lobby areas, anywhere in the Las Vegas Convention Center,” said John Fountain, director of technology, Cox Business/Hospitality Network, Las Vegas. Yet prepping the facility for CES and other technology tradeshows isn’t the sole purpose for the network overhaul. Hill explained that winning the contract to be LVCC’s exclusive telecommunications provider was also a victory for the @ExhibitCityNews

local Southern Nevada economy. Las Vegas hosts some of the nation’s top shows, including CES, SEMA and World of Concrete, and stands to bring even more economic value to the city by attracting additional shows to its convention center. “It was a perfect marriage from a technological standpoint. It fits right in line with Cox’s core strategy and objective to help LVCC become more technologically advanced to attract more shows,” Hill stated. “We will continue to add value to why exhibitors want to come to Las Vegas.” Working with the facility’s engineering team, who provided key recommendations, Cox’s role as LVCC’s technology partner helped to drive technological changes, including the installation of a 10 Gbps dual-homed, diverse and redundant fiber optic network that connects two of the company’s telecommunications hubs in Southern Nevada to the Data Command Center at LVCC. Continued on p. 16 ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 15

TECHNOLOGY SHOWS/PRODUCTS Continued from p. 15 Cox engineers eliminated single points of failure to ensure 99.999 percent uptime availability and virtually uninterrupted service to the convention center. “When we deploy a network, we go to great lengths to ensure its reliability,” Hill commented. With 39 onsite employees at LVCC, Cox is also creating jobs in the Las Vegas market. Composed of 28 full-time local contractors, seven part-time local convention service specialists as well as four full-time managers, Cox oversees its dayto-day activities at the facility. In addition, up to 25 temporary local contractors are brought on board to service larger shows. The telecommunications company also staffs a primary customer service desk in the grand lobby of LVCC as well as a satellite service desk at each of the facility’s three halls that are opened as show demands require. As if having a dual-homed, diverse, redundant network wasn’t enough, two oversized diesel backup generators on the grounds of LVCC provide uninterrupted power to the Data Command Center, where Cox Business houses its critical systems, in the event of a complete power outage. Cox also maintains a high-reliability battery backup system for additional redundancy. So far, Cox has invested over $10

From left to right: Cox Business/Hospitality Network VP Derrick Hill, Cox President Pat Esser, Cox Business SVP Steve Rowley.

million in new technology at LVCC. The company has installed 40 route miles of fiber optic cable, added 7,500 fiber terminations, over 80 nodes and will be replacing some 200 pre-existing network switches in the facility with newer 5.0 GHz equipment, among other upgrades. In addition to the Wi-Fi installation, Cox Business is completing its design for a neutral host Distributed Antenna System (DAS) inside LVCC. The DAS will improve signal strength, network capacity and reliability for wireless carriers to provide their customers better coverage within the facility. Scheduled for late 2015, Cox Business will then partner with wireless carriers

and serve as lead provider. Neutral host DAS systems are installed to handle voice and data services that require higher capacity and greater coverage while also eliminating dead spots. Before the advent of Wi-Fi and other Internet services, the most requested service was a cup of Joe. “Back in the day, convention center delegates used to ask, ‘Do you have hot coffee?’ Nowadays, people are asking if there’s high-speed Internet,” commented Juergen Barbusca, manager of communications, Cox Communications, Las Vegas. Cox is continually enhancing the “coffee” at Las Vegas Convention Center.

16 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

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TECHNOLOGY SHOWS/PRODUCTS

Samsung leader Boo-Keun Yoon shares his strategic vision for connected devices at CES.

Internet of Things Evolution Drives Participation at International CES 2015 IoT marketplace highlights new partnerships and products BY KRISTAN OBENG

18 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

show’s three major venues – Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), Sands Expo Center and the ARIA – that IoT was the technological wave of the future. “Anything we have today in terms of consumer or industrial devices, if we can use it, chances are at some point, it will be connected to the Internet. It is just a matter of applying that to more and more devices. Five years ago, homes weren’t connected to the Internet -same thing with cars. We are in the early days of Internet of Things. It will only continue to accelerate. The human race is endlessly innovative,” stated Timothy Sheehy, CEO, Webee.

More than 170,000 attendees sought out the show’s 3,600 exhibitors, including many who used IoT as part of their branding strategy to stand out at the show. Exhibitors like Samsung, Qualcomm and Freescale Semiconductor used their exhibits, or mobile tour bus in Freescale’s case, to highlight how they’re an integral part of the IoT revolution. IoT drives first-time exhibitors The technological phenomenon brought out many first-time exhibitors, including technology veterans like Freescale. Continued on p. 20

Photo Courtesy of CES

Where stand-alone devices once reigned supreme on the show floor, International CES 2015 illustrated the myriad of ways these devices currently connect with each other and how they could interact in the future thanks to their complementary pairing through the Internet. From Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas, Consumer Electronics Association, the owner and producer of CES, launched its first Internet of Things (IoT) showcase to a captive audience of professionals who may have felt like kids in a candy store. From signage to exhibit design, other than the products and keynote speakers themselves, indicators were all over the

Photo Courtesy of CES

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TECHNOLOGY SHOWS/PRODUCTS Continued from p. 18

A record-number of start-ups focusing on IoT Webee was included in the record 375 nascent start-ups forming the Eureka Park TechZone at Sands Expo. Many of these 20 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Anything we have today in terms of consumer or industrial devices, if we can use it, chances are at some point, it will be connected to the Internet. companies were less than a year old like Sezam Labs, the France-based creator of a connected wearable called Sezam Event. Sezam executives explained how the wristband’s use of Near Field Communication (NFC) could mean good things for the future events industry. NFC, a shortrange technology, provides opportunities to exchange information between mobile devices. With Sezam’s wearable acting as an admission and payment system, users wouldn’t have to carry tickets, badges or money at the event. The wristband would also allow event organizers to learn infor-

mation about the attendees and personalize the event as a result. “Sezam Event is designed to simplify the life of any event planner. We have opportunities with tradeshow planners, festivals and also soccer teams and stadium managers. Our ambition is simple: to guide and support organizers and managers before, during and after each event,” explained Benoît Pascal, president, Sezam Labs. For those hoping to see the next technological phenomenon, International CES will return to Las Vegas’ multiple event venues from Jan. 6-9, 2016.

Photo Courtesy of CES

Coming to the huge consumer tradeshow was a different experience for Freescale since it usually focuses on business-to-business events. The company parked its bright orange mobile trailer at the outdoor exhibiting space in front of South Hall at LVCC. Freescale is currently on a two-year mobile tour to see existing customers as well as gain new leads at CES. “We had a few arranged tours with CEOs and executives. So that’s been fantastic. We had opportunities to talk about how Freescale fits with their strategies to make them successful,” stated Iain Galloway, manager of technology strategy, Freescale Semiconductor. Freescale highlighted a range of connected devices that use chips it produces, so this is why, Galloway explained, the company brought its three-story open-air trailer rather than a traditional booth to CES. The trailer also provided much-needed meeting space. “The complexity of showing the entire range of the Internet of Things – we’re showing the home environment, the wearables, automotive systems and the networking systems that go behind it. There is a certain level of complexity, and we want to leverage that investment over and over again,” he added. Webee, the creator of a SmartHub that controls third-party smart objects from any mobile device, also had previous experience attending a business-to-business event. Its CEO found this year’s CES to be a whole different ballgame. “We exhibited at a show called CEDIA [Custom Electronics Design & Installation Association] in September 2014. That was our first show. It was a smaller show where we talked to custom electronics designers and installers, dealers and distributors. CES is a broader mix of people. It’s a big gamut,” said Sheehy.

Photo Courtesy of CES

• • • • •

LIGHTING

Lighting Up International CES

By Kristan Obeng

Lighting proves essential to exhibit design on the show floor

nder the direction of lighting designers, International CES becomes more than an exhibition dedicated to introducing the latest consumer technology. These designers proved that theatrical lighting is an essential element to the show’s large-scale production -- it continually makes attendees stop, look and engage with an exhibit, even if they have no idea what wares the exhibitor is showing. Nowhere is this phenomenon more prevalent than at the largest of the CES venues – Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) always features the largest exhibits, giving lighting designers the space to create intense visual attractions.

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“As a lighting director for a project, I have to see what is physically viable in terms of structures. Some venues are more difficult to light in than others,” stated Paul Fine, principal designer, Fine Design Associates. The dimly lit Central Hall of LVCC became the perfect backdrop for moving colors of light in prism-shaped structures or in 200-foot exhibit walls. This was only just one lighting trend seen on the show floor. “All the significant booths had overhead lighting rigs. There is a trend in the industry toward automated LED fixtures. Many used LEDs they could control to do specific patterns. LEDs were also built into walls

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and sculptures,” added Fine. “The fixtures themselves are always new at CES. Everybody likes to use the newest technology available, such as the latest projectors.” A major show like CES could also be considered a paradise for designers. Not only do they get to highlight their capabilities to the tradeshow industry and general public, but as artists themselves, they too marvel at the show floor creations of other designers. “Intel did something on a back wall with lighting, mirrors and Plexiglas. At first, we couldn’t figure it out, but it came together beautifully,” stated Chris Virtuoso, national design director, MC2. Never something to be left to the last

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furniture rental | tradeshows | meetings | events 22 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

minute, lighting design is important to the overall presentation and functionality of larger exhibits. “When working with booths up to the size of those we work with at CES and [with] artists like Paul, lighting changes the feel. Lighting is everything. We keep it in mind when designing,” added Virtuoso. As early as possible, MC2, an exhibit house, brought in its decade-long partner, theatrical lighting design firm Fine Design Associates into its exhibit design-builds for Samsung and Canon at CES. “We tend to get the [exhibit] design internally or from the client. We talk to Paul about 25 percent into the process. We make sure we don’t design structures that get in the way of what he does,” explained Virtuoso. From there, Fine and his team determine what needs to be done to achieve its partner’s goals as well as those of the clients. “For any of the properties we do, we have to pay close attention to the techni-

@ExhibitCityNews

cal requirements. We always want to get product lighting right. We want to make sure we are creating visually interesting effects and that every property we do looks different down the line in terms of lighting. When you look at Canon vs. Samsung, those are different types of lighting,” commented Fine. CES is where consumer technology reigns supreme, so it is important to all parties involved that product lighting is implemented correctly. Imagine going to a booth and discovering that an interesting lighting effect overshadowed the product line, which is probably more important to the client. “Most products at CES emit light. It is a fine line to light around them without washing anything out,” added Virtuoso. Lighting all areas of a large booth is a continual balancing act that Fine Design Associates often undertakes. The team lit quadrants of the Samsung booth based on different color temperature levels.

“We wanted the product tables to be the hottest things in the [Samsung] booth in terms of light level. We had a specific brightness chart. The Samsung phone area was the brightest area, and the TVs were the darkest area,” Fine explained. They also ensured that the lighting, such as a projector delivering blue pattern lighting, didn’t interfere with the overall Canon environment in which attendees tested out the capabilities of the client’s cameras. Prior to the show, MC2 eliminated any lighting issues by creating a mockup of the Samsung exhibit. While conducting experiments to guarantee that a lighting effect worked, MC2 also took advice from Fine Design Associates about what lighting techniques should be avoided depending on the structures used. Additionally, Fine Design Associates designed lighting for other clients at CES while MC2 worked 12 other projects across five CES locations in Las Vegas from Jan. 6-9.

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 23

AUDIO + VISUAL

The Great Global AV Consolidation Trend of 2014

By Kristan Obeng

Major AV providers discuss why operating overseas is big business

all 2014 illustrated that the global competition among large companies providing in-house audio-visual (AV) services is fierce. One after another, AV company acquisitions were announced by GES, Freeman and PRG – in that order. In September 2014, GES acquired Blitz Communications, a UK-based provider of audio-visual services. By October, Freeman had purchased Tampa-based AVI-SPL as part of its international growth strategy. Also that month, PRG acquired the Dubai-based Gearhouse LLC. Mergers and acquisitions are nothing new to these three companies, but the fact that these AV company purchases occurred near simultaneously points to a race of who will successfully corner a market first and to the wide appeal of the global AV services business. So why did these large companies go the mergers and acquisitions route rather than starting up in another country on their own?

24 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Freeman AV President Ken Sanders put it simply – expanding services to another country is easier when buying an existing business. “If you buy the business, you benefit from their reputation, if you choose selectively. They have a built-in market presence already. They are already doing business with the local government. To start-up in many foreign companies, you’re often required to have a foreign national partner. You wouldn’t be able to go in business without that,” Sanders explained. Prior to joining Freeman AV, Sanders opened an AV company in South Korea. Although his journey as a business owner in South Korea was not without success, the local regulations and legal hurdles he faced sometimes overshadowed the good. Sanders added that even after acquiring an established company, there is still much work to be done. “You have to do groundwork to decide what segment

of the business you want to be involved in. Hotel audio visual-services in [another country] may not be as profitable as in the U.S. and Canada. Even though China is building lots of hotels, it’s still not common to have a huge production for 1,000 people. In the U.S., you can have 1,000 people and have

a large production,” explained Sanders. “You may find some countries don’t serve the segment you want to work in.” Paul Wedesky joined GES as senior vice president of audio visual services around the time the company started offering in-house audio-visual services at the end of 2013.

ly, and we want those who take it seriously too,” commented Wedesky. Often, there is this false belief that it is always the larger corporation approaching the smaller firm for the consolidation. Sanders indicated

We do full-out acquisitions. We don’t do joint ventures.

Behind the scenes with Freeman AV

Wedesky indicated that it is easier to start the process for an acquisition when your company is not only well-known but operates globally. He explained that GES has built rapport and developed relationships with other companies during past business dealings. Developing relationships for an acquisition comes in @ExhibitCityNews

many forms, and no acquisition happens the exact same way. GES cited its long-term working relationship with Blitz Communications and how the company believed in its core values and complemented its culture. “Culture is important to us. It has to be a good fit. We take our core values serious-

this is not the usual scenario he encounters. Freeman is approached weekly from AV companies all over the world asking to be purchased. “It’s overwhelming at times,” stated Sanders. But what happens when Sanders likes the approaching company? “We do full-out acquisitions. We don’t do joint ventures. The culture of the company is the most important part. If I can’t demonstrate to Don Freeman or our board of directors that the company shares our values and integrity, then we won’t acquire the company,” he added. Also contributing to why so many large companies

are expanding their services overseas is the growing number of people in the meeting and tradeshow industries finally recognizing the importance of AV. According to Sanders, AV services had historically been an afterthought. The elements organizers focused their budgets on at first included catering and entertainment. Once those things had taken up the budget, what was left for AV? “AV has transformed from that mentality. It is now an imperative part of clarifying the message you’re trying to convey -- whether it’s in a hotel, sales presentation or board room,” added Sanders. “The customer is becoming more comfortable with technology. Things are easier than it used to be.” As an in-house AV provider operating globally, offering exclusive services is a strategic differentiator and could also be the reason behind an acquisition. When PRG purchased Denver-based Davis Audio Visual in February 2010, it cited its main reason for doing so was to access Davis’ proprietary management system for presentations and speakers. Freeman and GES also offer exclusive systems for presentations and speakers. So in the end, it may come down to which platform show organizers prefer and which company they want to work with. ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 25

GRAPHICS

Owning Graphics Printing Equipment: Why or why not? By Kristan Obeng

n the tradeshow industry, there are multiple sources or providers for graphics – display and exhibit houses, and of course, full-service graphics production companies. With each company ranging in size and having different business models, the logistics of how each of these companies provides their services may be different. Some may create and print all their graphics in-house while others reach out to their trusted partners. One of the top reasons companies outsource their graphics is due to the costs associated with printing equipment. Three companies shared the pros and cons of carrying or outsourcing printing equipment: Super Color Digital, Exhibit Network and Gilbert Displays. Super Color Digital Super Color Digital’s capabilities and opportunities has expanded due to buying and operating grand- and large-format printing equipment, something some companies with different business models cite as being too expensive to carry in-house. “Super Color Digital’s first service to the market was grand-format prints in the early ‘90s, but soon in 1997, large print

26 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

equipment was available. [It made] Super Color Digital the first company west of the Mississippi to purchase this type of equipment, leaving the company to spearhead new possibilities in grand- and large-format printing,” said Denise Rodriguez, junior marketing, Super Color Digital. Although there are risks and costs associated with owning grand- and large-format printers, added Rodriguez, the company found that investing in quality equipment and researching future trends helped to eliminate future cost. “[Benefits] vary from company to company. By owning equipment, a company has the benefit of taxing the machinery for an extended amount of time. However, it’s imperative to note technology is ever changing and can be costly. It is important each business looks at what their mission is to better service their clients’ needs,” stated Rodriguez. Exhibit Network Ever-changing technology is one of the main reasons Exhibit Network outsources printing equipment. “Keeping the most up-to-date equipment and software rips, not to mention staffing requirements, can be prohibitively expensive for smaller companies. Our partners

are like an extension of our business anyway, so why reinvent the wheel?!” stated Randy Bennett, director of Technology & Design, Exhibit Network. The company implements small-scale graphics projects in-house, but investing in large-format printers doesn’t fit its business model. “Unless you are an extremely high-volume facility or support multiple locations with high-volume, large scale in-house work, it just doesn’t make sense,” he added. “Large-format printers, fabric printing and direct-to-surface printing require such specialized equipment that [outsourcing] is far more cost-effective for us and especially our clients.” What Exhibit Network finds beneficial is having in-house graphics experts who are not only knowledgeable, but could also install the graphics to better serve clients. Gilbert Displays Gilbert Displays outsources a few specialized tasks, such as tension fabrics, large banners and water-jet projects, but for the most part, it does the majority of its graphics in-house. “There’s greater quality control over the graphics being produced. By cutting out the third party, we can better serve our clients by being able to respond in a timely manner as well as provide a quicker turnaround time. We are better able to control the pricing for our clients since there is no third party. Tighter integration with the rest of the exhibit’s planning and production results in a better overall product,” explained Desireé M. Olivera, marketing communications coordinator, Gilbert Displays. Olivera also understands why some companies choose to outsource graphics printing equipment and why some carry it in-house. “Some items that are too expensive are grand-format printers and water-jets. Projects requiring this type of equipment would be outsourced,” stated Olivera. But she can also see the other side, adding “owning printing equipment allows for greater quality control, faster turnaround times and quicker response time to our clients.”

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GRAPHICS

The Duel: In-house vs. outsourced tradeshow graphics By Daniel Lambert

Considerations for exhibit house art departments

he question of outsourcing production is a deep-seated decision for businesses of all sizes in all industries. It’s hard at times to pinpoint all of the benefits and hindrances associated with shifting a component of your business to an external vendor or vice versa. A consideration in the tradeshow and exhibition industry is the pros and cons of keeping graphic production in-house versus outsourcing from an exhibit houses’ perspective. Before comparing and contrasting our alternatives, I would like to mention that the underlying principles associated with outsourced versus in-house labor are implied and therefore not discussed. This includes the tendency for outsourcing to be more hands off and cost-effective and for in-house labor to have clearer communication channels and be more costly. I will, however, break down what it is that drives costs to fluctuate in this particular instance. Pros of in-house printing capabilities 1. Enhanced Tradeshow Capabilities – As an exhibit house grows, so should its non-current assets. A large-format printer should be one of the vital stepping stones during the process of become a full-service tradeshow marketing company. This purchase alone opens up a plethora of opportunities and offerings that would not be possible through outsourced labor. The next three pros will illustrate this point. 2. Production Flexibility – The drastic increase in production flexibility is one of the single most beneficial upgrades attained from in-house printing. Your project lead times drastically decrease,

28 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

and the quicker turnaround times will become a major selling point to prospective clients. Pricing on printing becomes much more calculated and provides the ability to guarantee delivery with certainty, which outsourced labor cannot provide. 3. Increased Margins – Some would consider this to be the most obvious factor in favor of in-house printing, but this particular point of interest can be deceiving. If the demand is heavy and the printing assets are getting the use required to pay down the high fixed costs of the asset, then the margins derived from the purchase are well worth it. However, if the calculated production falls short, the margins could actually be higher than outsourced graphic costs. This justifies the need for sufficient number-crunching and analysis prior to purchase. 4. Increased Operational Scope – The scope of work that an exhibit house has increases exponentially with the purchase of large-format printing assets. Aside from the innate ability to produce tradeshow materials, companies can now produce POS/Retail graphics, B2C graphics and much more. This can be particularly useful for increasing revenues during slow seasons. 5. Tax Benefits – Large-format printers are considered capital equipment, allowing for SEC 179 write-off tax benefits in the year of purchase. Cons of selecting in-house over outsourcing 1. Large Upfront Costs – The most significant con is the large upfront capital outlay and ancillary upfront expenses associated with purchasing an asset of this size. This cost not only includes the purchase of the printer, but also the costs

associated with a dedicated professional to operate the machinery. There may also be human capital costs endured when locating and employing a pre-production graphic formatting professional if your company does not already have an individual with this skill set. 2. Space Requirements – A printer of this quality requires a dedicated, enclosed space separate from the work shop that may facilitate a need for air filtration, upgraded electrical supply and additional HVAC costs. 3. Monthly Variable Costs – There are also monthly variable costs that will be encountered. These costs include ink, substrates, repairs (a repair contract would be a fixed cost) that will fluctuate with demand levels. It is beneficial to keep in mind that replacement parts can run as high as a few thousand dollars per occurrence. Other considerations for in-house printing Aggregate Use/Pre-Existing Demand – The word justify has been used heavily in the consideration of the pros and cons, but when purchasing an asset of this value, “justifying” costs should be a major pre-purchase consideration. In this case, you should be able to forecast an estimated production schedule and calculate with confidence that this printing asset will be used heavily each day. There needs to be an existing demand for the printing capabilities before making the decision to purchase. The printer would need to be fully utilized almost immediately after installation. Due to the cost, it would be difficult to rationalize this purchase if the pre-existing client demand isn’t high enough to start paying back the investment.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

The Mile-High Club

By Zeenath Haniff

Using drone technology on the show floor

ook! Up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane…. Actually, it’s a video camera strapped onto a drone, recording footage of the entire show floor from the air. Drone technology isn’t exactly a new phenomenon. Retail giant Amazon tried to pioneer its commercial use, but that idea hasn’t quite taken off. Instead, the advances in both unmanned vehicles and high-definition video equipment combined have us looking at tradeshow photography from a different angle. Oscar & Associates, a provider of photography, video production and post-production services to the tradeshow, convention, and corporate event and conference industry, is harnessing the power of flight to capture aerial views of the show floor. “What’s really changed is the overall aspect of photography and how we’re able to take care of our clients,” said David Hofflich, president, Oscar & Associates. Photographing exhibits is an art in and of itself. Photographing an entire show floor usually requires more than just a remote control. Often, images are captured from anywhere with a high vantage point, whether atop ladders or from cat walks above the show floor. In this case, however, a GoPRO high-definition video camera shooting in 3K is attached to a Phantom DJI drone, the market leader in aerial photography systems. As video footage is transmitted in real-time, drone 30 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

operators, who are firmly planted on the ground, can frame the desired image by adjusting the drone’s flight path. The 18 millimeter wide lens on the GoPRO camera captures panoramic scenes. For this reason, drone technology is marketed less to individual exhibitors than to the overall show due to the camera’s wide frame. Photographers pull frames from the video footage to provide still images to clients. While the GoPRO device produces a high-resolution video file, still images are best suited for smaller prints in publications and in low resolution on websites. Using a compact 4-quad propeller drone weighing less than four pounds ensures the safety of those on the show floor as the drone flies overhead. Although the drone can ascend up to 1,000 meters in the air, Oscar & Associates operates only within designated fly zones and times as dictated by the venue. At all times, vetted and experienced operators walk in close proximity to the device whenever it is airborne, carefully controlling the speed and movement of the device. Oscar & Associates’ first camera drone took to the skies at the ISSA/ INTERCLEAN in November 2013. “Most are using drone technology for video to have an interactive and real experience of the booth,” said Hofflich. In preparation, drone operators will scout the show floor the day before a show opens to familiarize themselves with the

layout, avoid any cables or wires and determine the best angles to photograph. “It’s not always necessary to fly over the booth,” Hofflich explained. “The aisles are somewhat free of obstructions. You can still see the booth from the middle of the aisle.” One challenge in using drone technology is the slow adoption by convention centers and other venues, from which approval is needed for indoor use of the drones. “It’s still a gray area. People are still waiting to know more about the technology. They’re still trying to figure out where it fits,” explained Hofflich. Privacy issues are one reason why facilities are reluctant to allow drone technology in tradeshow photography. While one exhibitor may consent to its use, neighboring exhibitors may not approve the photographing of their booths. Another concern is that of liability. To address this, Oscar & Associates maintains a $1 million aviation liability insurance policy specifically for flying the drone. The aviation policy is separate from the liability insurance typically required of photographers as contractors at tradeshows. While still considered a new technology in tradeshow photography, Hofflich predicts convention centers and other governing bodies will adopt the future use of drone technology on the show floor as demand grows. “It’s not going away. It’s inevitable that there will be competition,” Hofflich stated. “There’s legislation and regulations being talked about. There will be guides that convention centers will put out. “It gives people a new way to see the show floor, to give a new perspective.”

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SHOW MANAGEMENT

Three Perspectives on Show Management Implementing a well-run show to boost ROI BY ZEENATH HANIFF

From the Show Organizer Organizing a show is no small task. Raymond Bianchi, senior director of exhibitions, IDEAg Group of American Farm Bureau, knows this firsthand. His team produces the second largest group of agricultural events in the U.S. Approximately 120,000 attendees and 3,200 exhibitors attend annual events in California, Texas, Illinois, Minnesota and South Dakota each year. Adapting a sales perspective in every stage of planning ensures a handsome return on investment (ROI) for both exhibitors and the show organizer. Bianchi understands that marketing is key for contractors to attract exhibitors and 32 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

exhibitors to attract attendees. Among the most important considerations of a show kit, according to the senior director of exhibitions, are including marketing options and educating exhibitors on contractor costs. “You need to spell out all the opportunities for both operational and marketing. You need to walk each exhibitor through these, and then guide them to what is best for them,” said Bianchi. With sponsorships, it all comes down to dollars and cents. Salespeople who focus on establishing relationships may miss out on securing actual sponsorships. In the booth itself, Bianchi also recommends an aggressive sales tactic.

“Even if you have a small booth, invest in signage and visuals that are attractive and classy,” he advised. “Make sure that your staff is knowledgeable. Train your staff to work with people and not hide in the booth. Be aggressive with attendees to get them into your booth.” In recent years following the U.S. economic recession, the show organizer observed that exhibitors are spending less on booth design and more on handson items within the booth. While booth space rates have increased in tandem with a steadying economy, “the days of the late ‘90s will never return,” according to Bianchi. The corresponding rise in travel

costs should not deter the production of tradeshows. “Because of the growth in costs, it is essential that you have a lot of added value or guaranteed sales. The ‘tire kicker’ event is dead in the U.S. and the ‘marketing’ event is also on the decline. Most of the marketing stuff that is not related to sales can be completed by other marketing means. You need to deliver on attendees,” he commented. To keep attendees engaged, Bianchi organizes full education programs at each indoor show. Theaters located directly on the show floor offer short presentations à la TED Talks. Besides the content, Bianchi consults an advisory board on creating show policy, keeping in mind that exhibitors are central to the show’s objective. From the Show Manager “Details, details, details…The devil is in the details and will get you every time,”

@ExhibitCityNews

The booth should only be a supporting cast for the product, the experience or the staff telling the story. forewarned Glenda Brungardt, tradeshow/event manager, Hewlett-Packard Company. With more than 20 years’ experience, a seat on multiple exhibitor advisory boards and a regular speaker at tradeshow industry events and conferences, Brungardt’s advice is pure gold. One pearl of wisdom she shares with exhibit managers is to develop a solid strategy.

“[H]ave processes that you follow – no matter the size of show or event,” Brungardt counseled. While the tradeshow veteran says there isn’t a particular figure to reach, an aggregation of different measurements can help determine one’s return on investment at a show. “There is no magic number for ROI as measurement. It’s more than just ROI; it is ROO [return on objective], ROMI [return on marketing investment], social media impact, your PR activity, your meetings and net promoter score, etc.,” said Brungardt. Making a big impact in show metrics are tools with “the ability to capture inquiries digitally via different smart technologies and not relying on paper and pen,” according to Brungardt. An exhibitor’s marketing goals are driven by a combination of the individual show and the company’s own objectives. Specific Continued on p. 34

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 33

SHOW MANAGEMENT Continued from p. 33 business goals should be tied to the show, and yet, depending on the show, these focuses may shift to strictly selling or driving awareness when entering a new market. Getting to the show floor involves a number of decisions. Another suggestion from Brungardt is to read the show kit’s fine print. “Pay attention to deadlines and costs and special hidden rules – like special handling and carton weights. Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate,” she added. Whether a small or large company, booth selection may prove problematic when not given first pick or if purchasing a smaller space. Larger booths can detract or distract from an exhibitor’s presence on the show floor in more ways than one. Noisy or overzealous neighbors can overshadow other booths and aisles around them. Choosing a booth configuration depends on the show and event, but Brungardt has her favorite. “An island is always preferable for me if I have a choice, and sometimes, we will do side-by-side islands,” she remarked. On the show floor, the exhibit itself becomes a backdrop to the leading role played by the booth staff. “It is the staff [that makes the sale]. A booth can help attract the customer, but it is the actual interaction between the customer and the product and the staff – the booth should only be a supporting cast for the product, the experience or the staff telling the story,” said Brungardt. From the General Service Contractor While exhibitor service manuals, widely known as show kits, may seem daunting by their sheer volume, it is the tiny nuances that exhibitors should pay close attention to when preparing to exhibit at a tradeshow or convention. Aside from the exhibitor, show management and show vendors, from electrical and Internet service providers to florists, also benefit from the contents of a show kit. April Hurley, vice president, products and services, The Expo Group, 34 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

shares her insight from the perspective of both a general service contractor as well as an exhibit house. “I think we, as an industry, need to streamline [exhibitor service manuals] to make them easier to read, understand and, ultimately, use regardless if it’s an online version or paper version,” said Hurley. “We need to lose the fine print and hard-to-understand language, and author them with the user in mind, not what is easier for the supplier.” Hurley shares five essential items that should be included in every manual for proper show planning:

Deadline dates for everything, not just the general contracting services, but every deadline an exhibitor must meet. Ideally, placed in date order in one place. I will use that daily to manage my timeline.

Overview of the event. Important dates, shipping addresses, contacts for show management and suppliers, etc., and a short summation of the event that can easily be referenced for a variety of questions. This is a great, short recap that can be sent through my channels of everyone working on the show – from internal sales folks to outside suppliers.

Show/booth rules that are easy to understand and don’t contradict themselves. If IAEE rules are included, make sure the show management rules don’t conflict.

Floorplan, especially when the show might be targeted or staggered in any way.

Easy to understand pricing, especially around material handling.

Certain rules and regulations within a show kit apply exclusively to exhibitor-appointed contractors (EAC). As non-official contractors, EACs must collaborate with the general service contractor when it comes to work performed for an exhibitor. “EAC rules may seem stringent, but liability and safety concerns mean general contractors and tradeshow managers

in the U.S. have to know and approve companies and personnel working on the show floor,” stated Hurley. Working independently from the general contractor hired to produce a show, EACs are required to complete a vetting process to protect both contractors and exhibitors. One of the biggest changes in show kits has been the shift from paper to digital with online forms and submissions. And while the format itself may evolve over time, it is the exhibitor who has changed the most, according to Hurley. “We all suffer from time poverty in today’s world, and so, exhibitors don’t take time to read all the information provided,” Hurley explained. “Especially now that it’s online, exhibitors pick and choose the pages they need and don’t take time to read all the detailed information that could help them later.” Hurley offers tips for first-time exhibitors that will make exhibiting a breeze.

Understand your costs, especially around material handling, which can be your largest expense.

Befriend your customer account manager and allow them to guide you through the process. They can be your best ally to avoid the many pitfalls of a tradeshow.

Know when to use carriers like FedEx and UPS, and when not to. They have their niche, but not always within tradeshows.

It’s not just about “build it and they will come.” You must create an immersive experience for the attendee from the moment you first begin your campaign until well after the event. Be creative. Be bold.

Your salespeople on staff might not be the best salespeople for the booth – very different kind of selling atmosphere. Find the best folks to work your booth. If you don’t have choices, try investing in professional sales training specifically built for in-booth selling.

Follow up on your leads. You would be amazed how many folks don’t.

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PREVIEW

EXHIBITOR SHOW REBRANDS TO EXHIBITORLIVE! New show name, same core values By Zeenath Haniff

lenty of changes can be expected at this year’s EXHIBITORLIVE!, formerly known as EXHIBITOR Show. To be held March 1-5 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, the self-described “Trade Show for Trade Show People” will be entering its 27th year of providing university-affiliated educational sessions and industry products and services. Strategically announced in July 2014 at the start of the marketing cycle for the annual show, owner and organizer Exhibitor Media Group introduced the rebranded name. “EXHIBITORLIVE is the next chapter of the EXHIBITOR Show. It highlights our commitment to the show and to our customers who make a living doing live events and tradeshows,” shared John Pavek, chief marketing officer, EXHIBITORLIVE. According to Pavek, including the word “live” reinforced the core purpose behind 38 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

tradeshows – to foster in-person interaction and relationship-building. “We’re all adopting and using technology solutions for increased communication, and I think it really says that tradeshows are a live human experience. It’s all about saying that face-to-face meetings and events are more important today and for the future of events,” Pavek explained. Despite the growing use of technology, tradeshows continue to provide a real-time marketplace. “It’s a statement about tradeshows that they build trust, forge communities, cement relationships and close business like no other marketing channel or medium can do,” said Pavek. “We’re really looking forward to the next 25 years, and the future of our business is in these human connections. And the core of EXHIBITORLIVE is this core value.” Known as EXHIBITOR Show since its

debut in 1989, Pavek believes long-time exhibitors and attendees will eventually adjust to the new name, citing positive feedback since its introduction. “You’ll still have people say ‘Are you going to EXHIBITOR Show?’ because it’s been ingrained for so long,” said Pavek. First held at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, EXHIBITORLIVE is committed to Mandalay Bay Convention Center for the next few years. The city of Las Vegas also remains its home for the foreseeable future. “The show is committed to Las Vegas as the No. 1 tradeshow city in the world. There’s always something new there – new venues and new opportunities,” Pavek commented. Among the new things to be seen at EXHIBITORLIVE is the New Product Showcase. “We only get together as an industry once a year, and EXHIBITOR has become

a launching pad for new products and services – approximately 45 to 60 new products that have never been introduced to the industry. It’s all about spotlighting what’s new and innovative,” noted Pavek. A team of corporate marketers and actual exhibit or event managers will evaluate submissions based on a set of pre-determined criteria, including the products’ level of innovation and helpfulness on the job. Entirely a customer-driven recognition, the top six new products are to be awarded the Buyer’s Choice Award. Historically, products that helped make tradeshow marketing more effective and productive, such as lightweight displays or new graphics capabilities, were often seen in the New Product Showcase. More recently, customer engagement tools or technology that help exhibitors save money or track sales and expenses are now submitted for consideration.

IT’S ALL ABOUT SAYING THAT FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS AND EVENTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE OF EVENTS. According to Pavek, the adoption of new products, especially those that assist in converting leads into sales, typically begins with exhibit builders followed by marketing partners then by the tradeshow industry as a whole. “Builders and designers are the heart and soul of industry – they are the ones who adopt the technology tools and bring them to the customers,” shared Pavek. With a big uptick in international attendance during EXHIBITOR2014, Pavek is hopeful that 2015 will continue to see a geographical shift. The number of countries represented in 2014 nearly doubled previous years.

“I think the world is getting smaller. The U.S. economy is pretty strong right now and pretty attractive as a marketplace, especially to some of the European companies and countries,” Pavek commented. “We’ve made a conscious effort to try to connect the supplier industry to corporate marketers [who are] asking for more international resources for how to more effectively market products and services through international participation.” Approximately 66 percent of EXHIBITORLIVE attendees reportedly are corporate marketers who either are or planning to exhibit overseas within the next two years.

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ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 39

EXHIBITORLIVE!

IAEE Affiliate Program

PREVIEW

IAEE AFFILIATE PROGRAM AT EXHIBITORLIVE Exhibitors equipped with more knowledge prosper By Zeenath Haniff

he show floor isn’t the only place abuzz during EXHIBITORLIVE, the rebranded EXHIBITOR Show annually organized by owner Exhibitor Media Group. Filled to the brim are meeting rooms holding the attention of exhibit and event managers painstakingly noting every piece of advice from session speakers. At the annual conference, tradeshow and corporate event marketing professionals can take part in the industry’s only university-affiliated certification program to earn their stripes as a Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM). This year, 180 sessions will be made available over five days. Providing an opportunity for show organizers to educate exhibitors at no cost to the organizer, EXHIBITORLIVE has teamed up with the International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE) to create an affiliate program. 40 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

According to Carol Fotjik, senior vice president, Hall-Erickson, and managing director of EXHIBITORLIVE, the partnership was driven by industry growth. “Additional exhibitor education was needed due to new people entering the industry. It becomes an essential need,” said Fotjik. IAEE’s role to promote the program to its membership of show organizers and tradeshow and corporate event professionals helps support continuing education among industry members. “It’s not a one-year, one-off partnership; it’s a beginning of a partnership that we hope to grow,” stated John Pavek, chief marketing officer, EXHIBITORLIVE. The primary benefit to show organizers is business retention. Exhibitors with the tools and knowledge to generate more qualified leads at a show would be inclined to exhibit again.

“These show organizers are realizing that when they have more equipped exhibitors they’re more likely to prosper,” Pavek explained. Event organizers are realizing their own customers can benefit from exhibitor education events as well, according to Pavek. “When you have educated exhibitors, it makes everybody’s lives easier,” Fotjik added. “The more successful an exhibitor is at a tradeshow, the more likely they’ll return the following year. So it’s really a win-win [for show organizers and exhibitors].” Customized registration codes and URLs and complimentary conference brochure covers are provided to participating show organizers to pass along to their customers. For exhibitors who sign up for the program, three levels of session passes are available, each at a 10 percent discount off the full registration fee. Some taking two or more years to

complete their certification, the candidates must complete 28 core curriculum sessions that equate to 42 hours of classroom study. An advanced level is also available to CTSM-certified professionals who wish to further their education. “[Exhibitors] can learn how to save money, the ins and outs of transportation, labor issues, how to promote themselves pre-show and post-show, how to use social media, how to prepare for safety issues and how to make graphics work,” Fotjik commented. Selecting well-rounded, experienced industry professionals as speakers, Dee Silfies, chief learning specialist, EXHIBITORLIVE, works with a conference advisory committee to determine credentials. All speakers are required to complete professional training to ensure the highest quality in education. As another measure of quality assurance, speakers who do not receive a

sufficient rating from attendants are not featured in the following year’s program. Content for the education tracks are also evaluated and approved by the conference advisory committee selecting speakers. Covering a wide array of topics, the tracks include Measurement and Analytics; Planning and Execution; Marketing and Communications; Corporate Events; Personal and Career; Exhibits and Experiences; Global Exhibiting; Social Media; and Outsourcing. Also available are smart exhibit programs, full enhanced day workshops, field trips and Peer2Peer collaborative learning. Among the challenges for exhibit and corporate event marketers is justifying participation and proving ROI at tradeshows. The Measurement and Analytics track is, therefore, one of the most important for industry professionals, according to Fotjik. For those unable to attend education

sessions during EXHIBITORLIVE, FastTrak and eTrak sessions are also available. Featuring the most popular and best-rated tracks from EXHIBITORLIVE, both programs, designed as extensions of the show conference program, can also accelerate the certification process. FastTrak sessions will be held this year on June 9-11 in Atlanta, Aug. 25-27 in Chicago, Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in San Diego and Nov. 10-12 in Atlanta to reach exhibit and corporate event marketers in different markets. eTrak sessions offer interactive, collaborative webinars as well as credit toward CTSM certification and Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) through university affiliate Northern Illinois University Outreach. IAEE also produces educational events for show organizers themselves during its annual Expo! Expo! meeting and exhibition. The 2015 edition is set for Dec. 1-3 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

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ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 41

EXHIBITORLIVE!

Floorplan

EXITS

EXITS FREIGHT DOOR 24'W x 14'-8"H

FREIGHT DOOR 24'W x 14'-8"H

FREIGHT ELEVATOR DOOR 24'W x 14'-8"H

FREIGHT DOOR 24'W x 14'-8"H

* Duo* Display 30'

FSP

TABLE

450

551

550

STAIR #0R1 UP

L1BA L1BB L1BC

EXITS FE

6' 6'

6' 6' FE

6' 6'

FHC

6' FHC

7' T

IATSE

FS ESC-1K4 ESC-1K3

ESC-1K2

ESC-1K1

S P

6' EXITS

RD-1

EXITS

FHC FHC

ENTRANCE TO EXHIBITOR 2015

EVENT DIRECTORY

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"FE

FE FE

11'-10"

1603

TABLE

EXITS

L1BE L1BF

EXITS

RD-2

FHC S FHC

EXITS

TABLE

42 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

EXITS

Acme Design

1406

1503

452

451

MY M&M’s

11'-10" 6'

Times Int’l

1408

1407

20'

(APPROX. 15550 S.F.)

1410

20' Hargrove 20'

454

453

North America Display Corporation

EXITS

10'

THE SQUARE

20'

20' VizCom 20'

1703

Europe Displays Int'l LLC 20'

1606 1507

ABF Freight

EXITS

Shanghai Detian Display 20'

1805

1608

1026 1024

10'

20' 20'

1124 1025

1609

Exhibit Flooring Solutions

10'

1028

STAIR #0K1

IAEE

1610 1511

20'

USM, Inc

CE AN

ChangZhou Hawk Display Appliance Manufacture Co. Ltd

1413 10'

455

20'

1032

Crosswire Exhibits

1130 1031

1711

1808 1709

20' MBA Design 20'

Zuant Mobile Intellitouch Lead Capture 20' 20'

456

554

10'

655

HFM

20' Inhance Digital 20'

Grp Delphi 30'

1614 1515

10'

1812 1713 20'

STUDIO A-TAK SP

1615

1715

Blue Chip, LLC booth

20'

457

20'

TR EN

20'

Blue Telescope

458

556

557

1717

Deckel & Moneypenny Exhibits

1323

1423

1620 1521

1034

Jack Nadel Int'l 30'

Reality Engr

CEVA Creatacor Logistics

1125

1225

656

EXITS

20'

460

459

ExpoDisplays

Freeman 30'

10'

1029

20' TWI Group 20'

461

558

20'

1132

1131

560

EXITS

20'

561

20'

1231

462

SDI Brands Mktg 20' 20'

Tricel Honeycomb Corporation

1331

463

10' 20' Global Experience Specialists (GES) 30'

15'

20'

562

1136 1037 E&E Exhibit Solutions 20'

Hill and Partners Inc

563

AS OF 01.27.2015

1909 1907

1431

1529

1624 1525

20' Nomadic Display® 20'

XP Staging

DSA/ Exhibitpro Phototech

BC Cases Above All Advertising

MC2

Philly 1039 Case Co Zenith 15' LaborNet

Creative Banner Displays 40'

30'

Moss Exhibits 30'

465

EXITS

DLG Int'l GmbH

20'

565

Public Address Messebau Oehme & Partner GmbH

1912 1813

PosterGarden

466

BeautifulDisplays.com

acryleisfichtner design

20'

Apple Rock Advertising & Promotion LLC

10'

1137

20'

10'

1910 1811

CHRITTO Int'l AG

10'

20'

1239

10'

Hanging Signs

467

20'

EXITS

Atelier Damboeck Messebau GmbH

modulbox mo systeme GmbH & Co KG

Exhibit Surveys

10'

20' 20'

750

FHC

1913

Step1 Dezigns

ELITeXPO TRIDENTE Image Builders 20'

1621

1721

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)

1914 1815

1915

Wilson Case

1436 1337

10'

660

Accenta Display Corp

20'

470

Radiant Craters & Mfg Freighters

566

Volanti Technifex Displays

20'

EXITS

Mueller Messebau GmbH

D4 Projekt GmbH

1438 1339

10'

1437

20' Aluvision 10' 20' Inc

Victory Marketing Agency

661

Georgia Case

945

1045

662

(SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Metalcraft

20'

851

948

20' Hamilton Exhibits 20'

20'

FOOD SERVICE

472 Vista Exhibits

471

570

569

20'

10'

20'

Changzhou Gaochuang

EXITS

BRUNS Messe und Ausstellungs Gestaltung

30'

20'

The Inside Track 30'

Case Design Corp 15'

10'

755

855

954

951

1150 1051

AFR Trade Show Furnishings

571

572

enVu

BENCH

10'

20'

1916 1817

1917

OCTANORM

10'

1537

20'

20' Expand Int'l of USA Inc 30'

GERMAN PAVILION Messebau Siehr GmbH

1630

1629

20'

Brumark Total Flooring Solutions

20'

Exhibit Edge

Keshot Co

Aura XM 30'

1826 1727

1821

1634

Painters & Allied Trades LMCI

Rentex Computer & Audio Visual Rentals

1632 1533

Champion Logistics Group

20'

1638 1539 PRMconnect

10'

Instincts Inc

CMT Agency

30'

2018 1921

CHRITTOPUNCH

1830 1731

20'

10'

1637

20'

TS CREW

Highmark TechSystems

E2MA, Exhibit & Event Marketers

20'

H1BA RH1BA

2022 Meeting Professionals International

3D Exhibits 30'

Lonseal Marketing

1832

1829

Int'l Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

10'

1834 1735

20'

M2W Inc

1737

20'

AGAM Grp 30' Ltd

10'

1838 1739 VisuaLED

Pascale Engr

AV Rental Depot

2020

10'

1837

1931

2024 1925

2023

MG Design 30'

20'

2025

BuckDesign BV

10'

20'

20' Steelhead Productions 20'

Alliance Tech

So. NV Teamsters

956

Acme Made in USA

20'

OCTANORM

20' Brandstand America 20'

PeopleVisionFX

20'

10'

EXPOCAD by A.C.T. Inc

Parabit System

SmartSource Computer & AV Rentals

10'

859

Super Color Digital

20' NMR Events 20'

10'

20'

668

Totally Mod Event Furnishings

761

20'

958

957

1056

1053

20'

670

Changzhou Optima Displays

20'

Bannermate Exhibition System

20'

EDPA

960

10'

1145

1245

1345

1445

1545

10'

1939

Mirror Show Management

Multi Image Group 20'

Radius Display Products

20'

Skyline Exhibits 30'

AVID

Airways Freight Nuvista Corp 20' 20'

ShowGo Software

573

20'

669

20'

863

962

Celina Tent/ Catch Attention

961

1060

Armodilo Display Solutions

20' Czarnowski Display Service Inc 30'

20'

1349

ITN Int'l

20'

Suzhou JH Display

963

1062

10'

marketech360

20' 10' Matrix Frame USA 20'

20' Blue Hive Strategic Environments

20' 20'

1057

476

10'

1162 1063

1155

769

869

Positive Ardent Impressions Impressions Inc

20' ASTOUND 20'

10'

20' United Van Lines 20'

10'

20' 10' 253 Inc. 20'

goCharge

D1BA

GWF Assoc

2029

20'

1645

3D Exhibits

Power Tower

10'

20'

20' CORT Exhibit House Furnishings 30'

10'

1161

20' Triga USA 20'

1253

20' Mayflower 20'

10'

1650 1551

20' Classic Exhibits Inc 30'

10'

1453

1555

10' 20'

2036 1937

2031

1355

20'

Coastal Bagmasters Factory Int'l Exhibit Srv Direct

10'

1745

1845

Tricks of the Trade Inc 20'

20'

1752 1653

20'

Vonazon

Trussworks by BGB 30'

ExhibitForce.com

20'

1654

Sutter's Mill Specialties

10' 20' Orbus Exhibit & Display Group 30'

20' Expotechnik 20'

Featherlite Exhibits 30'

10'

Testrite Visual Products 20'

577

676

DoubleDutch

EXITS

EXITS 10'

2035 PG Exhibits 20'

20' Optima Graphics 20'

20'

Exhibit Foundry

HCEA

1655

1261

10'

1656 1557

eventuosity

20'

969

The Hill Group

1166 1067

Spoon Exhibits & Events

1460 1361

60'

Event Sakura Logistic Int'l Solutions

Corporate Communications

20'

1363

TRAQ-IT

RH1AB H1AB

1850 1751

20'

677

Exhibit City News

478

Brightbox

TO FOOD SERVICE AREA 20'

10'

20'

479

20'

STRAN

777 776

877

20' EXHIBITOR Magazine 10' 20' 10'

L1AY L1AZ

1851

10'

1659

ShowAids

Modern Postcard

Think Green Promos

20'

SGS Solutions Inc. / Showbattery

EXHIBITOR’s Find It – Marketplace

678

20'

1561

Atlas Logistics

HFM

20'

Blue Pony

22'

Kentucky Trailer Tech

20'

10'

1071

1266 1167

2020 Exhibits 40'

1365

10'

20' WS Display 20'

Lingtong 4 Exhibition Productions Sys Co., Ltd

20'

Display Supply & Lighting Inc 20'

DPL1A

20'

1466

Transit Tradeshow Air Floors.com Cargo 20' 20'

1270 1171

10' Display Transportation

1469

20' Exhibitus 20'

1756 1657

CRSTSpecialized Transportation Inc

40'

20'

1567

10'

1271

1371

Prism Tradeshow Lighting

10'

20' 20' 10' Abex Exhibit 10' Pixe Social Systems 20' 20'

Derse

FHC

1757

977

1177

20'

Tiger Presentations

10'

2039

On Location

1666

10'

SoftSpace 30'

nsure the ed on this floor r expressed or his floor plan. If , utilities or other cility is a usage of an of the exhibitor to verify all

20'

1857

20'

10' 2041

1668

Brentwood Plastics

20'

DF Young

10'

Art and Press Dimensions bvba

CorporateFX, TradeShow Magic Grp

10'

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"

aimer: nd floor plan layout are hal approval based on es and regulations. Every o ensure the accuracy of ntained on this floor anties, either expressed with respect to this floor building columns, utilities omponents of the facility e construction or usage of ole responsibility of the nspect the facility to verify s and locations.

20'

1573

[i]cell Interactive ShowMax Marketing

1663

Mark Bric Display Corp

OPTO Onternational Inc

1670 1571

beMatrix® 30'

1862 1763

Old Dominion Freight Line Inc

2044 1945

Smarter Exhibiting – The Hughes

20'

1079

EXIT

2046 Graham Rowland

40'

Inception Digital

10'

EXITS

10'

2048 1949

Expolinc

1769

10'

Tex Visions

1671

PRG

Shoei Bijutsu

2049

Legacy

Meridian Global

Laarhoven Portables & Graphics

20'

1277

1377

1179

685 EXHIBITORLIVE! Pixe Photo Booth

FHC

First Out

20'

1955

30'

10'

20'

20' Five Inc.

10'

Lancaster Mgmt

T3 Softspace Smart System

30'

10' 1278

PSAV

10'

20' Exhibit Concepts 20'

10'

20' APG Displays 20'

2057

1872

T1 Visions

1863

1961

Outwater Plastics Ind Inc 20'

FHC

2063

Display Concepts

1866 1767

20' DesignShop 20'

20' Zig Zibit 20'

Colormay Armstrong

1870 1771

1869

Eco-Sys Sustainable Exhibits

20'

10'

Fusion Imaging 30'

1969

2067

20'

20' Advantage Trailers 20'

15'

FHC

EXITS L1DF L1DE

DRIVE-IN FREIGHT DOOR 24'W x 14'-8"H

Tangram Int’l 30'

LEGEND

ply to 10x10 booths with

10'

SMT Expo 30'

2055

100'

10'

MVS LED 20'

Mleads

15'

Guerilla Cube

DRIVE-IN FREIGHT DOOR 24'W x 14'-8"H

10'

20'

Golden Strength

1280

20'

1576 1477

1577

20'

Goofy Faces, LC

1083

EXITS FE

FREIGHT DOOR 18'W x 14'-8"H

1184

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"

20'

2061

RE 10'W 0'.

1478

20'

Birttani Display

1285

L1AC H1AA RH1AA

LUDING ND HT IN R TAINED.

Kaon Interactive

20'

10'

CE *Talent

1381 Nelson Case

EXITS

OOT

10'

20'

10'

2075 2073

1877

20'

ShowValue Texture Plus 1677 1777

20'

Abcomrents.com

FHC

40' EDPA University Affiliation Program

1579

Light Tape

1580 1481 Laser Eve Prod Exhibitor Limited Service 20' 20'

EXITS

SERVICE DESK

15'

L1AA L1AB

1385

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"

4imprint

15'

SteelSpace

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"

1485

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"

Trifibre Ltd

EDPH1D

*20' *

LP Tent Inc 1586

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"

Barten Production Service

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"

DRIVE-IN

3'-6" 3'-6" 3'-6"

3'-6"

EL1D REH1D EH1D

EXITS

DRIVE-IN

EXITS

PREVIEW

MARCH 2-4, 2015 MANDALAY BAY CONVENTION CENTER BAYSIDE A&B LAS VEGAS, NV

EXHIBITORLIVE!

PREVIEW

Exhibitor List 1 of 2 Brentwood Plastics, Inc.

1666

European Exhibit Partner

2075

Brightbox Inc.

476

Eve Products Limited

1576

Brumark

1721

Event Logistic Solutions

1557

Exhibitor Name

Booth #

BRUNS Messe und Ausstellungs Gestaltung

1916

eventuosity

1655

[i]cell Interactive Inc.

1668

BUCKDESIGN BV

2020

Exhibit City News

478

2020 Exhibits

1261

Case Design Corporation

948

Exhibit Concepts Inc.

1671

253 Inc.

769

CE Talent

1285

Exhibit Designers & Producers Association (EDPA)

859

3D Exhibits Inc.

1637 1739

Celina Tent/Catch Attention

961

Exhibit Edge Inc.

1653

4 Productions LLC

1266

CEVA Logistics

1025

Exhibit Flooring Solutions

1026

4imprint

1580

Champion Logistics Group

1727

Exhibit Foundry

1945

ABCOMRENTS

1478

Changzhou GaoChuang Exhibition Products Co. Ltd.

472

Exhibit Surveys Inc.

1337

Abex Exhibit Systems

1371

Changzhou Hawk Display Appliance Mfr. Co. Ltd.

1410

ExhibitForce.com

1845

ABF Freight System

1024

Changzhou Optima Displays Co. Ltd.

668

EXHIBITOR Magazine

479

Above All Advertising, Inc

1907

CHRITTO International AG

1815

EXHIBITORLIVE! Pixe Photo Booth powered by Pixe LLC

677

Accenta Display Corporation

655

CHRITTO-PUNCH LLC

1735

EXHIBITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Find-it Marketplace

577

Acme Design Inc.

1406

Classic Exhibits Inc.

1645

Exhibitpro

1812

ACME MADE IN AMERICA

1937

CMT Agency Inc.

1826

Exhibitus

1561

acryleis - fichtner design

1813

Coastal International Exhibit Services

1650

Expand International of America

1621

Advantage Trailers

1079

Colormay Mfr. (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.

1872

EXPOCAD by A.C.T. Inc.

572

AFR Trade Show Furnishings

1045

Corporate - FX, TradeShow Magic Group

1177

ExpoDisplays

1225

AGAM Group Ltd.

1829

Corp. Events New England

1166

Expolinc

2041

Airways Freight Corporation

1056

CORT Exhibit House Furnishings

1445

Expotechnik

1355

Alliance Tech

1339

Craters & Freighters

467

FAMAB

1817

Aluvision Inc.

1137

Creatacor Inc.

1124

Featherlite Exhibits

969

APG Displays

1955

Creative Banner Displays

1034

Five Incorporated

1857

Apple Rock Advertising & Promotion Inc.

1529

CROSSwire Exhibits

1028

Freeman

1323

Ardent Impressions

963

CrowdCompass by Cvent

571

Fusion Imaging

1869

Armodilo Display Solutions

1053

CRST Specialized Transportation Inc. (STI)

1751

Georgia Case

750

Armstrong Display Concepts

1771

Czarnowski Display Service Inc.

1145

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs & Energy

1817

Art & Press

1756

D4 Projekt GmbH

1913

GKA International

1916

ASTOUND Group

1057

Deckel & Moneypenny Exhibits

1032

Global Experience Specialists (GES)

1423

Atelier Damboeck Messebau GmbH

1914

Derse

1469

goCharge

573

Atlas Logistics

1659

DesignShop

1863

Golden Strength Inc.

1280

Aura XM

1629

DF Young

1571

Goofy Faces, LC

1381

AV Rental Depot (AVRD)

2023

Display Supply & Lighting Inc.

1365

Graham Rowland

2044

AVID Labs

960

Display Transportation

1466

Group Delphi

1413

Bagmasters

1551

DLG International GmbH

1811

Guerrilla Cube

685

Bannermate Exhibition System

761

DoubleDutch

670

GWF Associates, LLC

2029

BC Cases

1909

DSA Phototech

1715

Hamilton Exhibits

945

BeautifulDisplays.com

462

Duo Display

1083

Hanging Signs

466

beMatrix USA

1663

E & E Exhibit Solutions

1132

HCEA

1654

Best of Times LLC

678

E2MA

1638

Highmark TechSystems

1821

Birttani Display Inc

1184

Eco-Systems Sustainable Exhibits Inc.

2063

Hill and Partners Inc.

1131

BLUE CHIP LLC

1713

EDPA University Affiliation Program

1877

IATSE

1503

Blue Hive Strategic Environments

863

Elation Digital

570

Inception Digital

1862

Blue Pony

1850

ELITeXPO

1525

Inhance Digital

1609

Blue Telescope

1515

enVu

471

Intellitouch

1511

Brandstand America Inc.

755

Europe Displays International LLC

1507

44 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Continued from p. 46

Coastal InternatIonal exhIbIt and event servICes

We provide professional and efficient exhibit i & D Services in over 55 cities across the united States. our crews work for Coastal on a regular basis and our Managers average 17 years with our company and over 25 years in the trade Show industry.

Coastal InternatIonal ConstruCtIon servICes

Coastal international Construction Services provides New Construction and remodeling Construction Services for retail, restaurants, Hotels, Multiresidential, Showrooms, Public Works Facilities, Hospitals, Museums and tenant improvements.

Coastal international Global serviCes

if you are exhibiting in any Country, outside of the united States, we have a trusted Partner for your international requirements. if you are an international exhibit Designer, builder, Marketing agency or exhibitor coming to the united States, Mike boone will assure that your u.S. experience is professionally managed.

Contact: Michael Boone, Director of International Services | Tel: (615)972-5281 | Email: mike.boone@coastalintl.com

i & D serviCes

ConstruCtion serviCes

info@coastalintl.com

info@coastalintlconstruction.com

www.coastalintl.com

www.coastalintlconstruction.com

3 Harbor Drive, Su. 211 SauSalito, Ca 94965 | tel (415)339-1700 | Fax (415)339-1710

EXHIBITORLIVE!

PREVIEW

Exhibitor List 2 of 2

Continued from p. 44 Exhibitor Name

Booth #

Interactive Entertainment Group

1608

IAEE

1709

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 1921 ITN International

1060

Jack Morton Exhibits

1808

Jack Nadel International

1031

Kaon Interactive

1577

Kentucky Trailer Technologies

1453

Keshot Co

1630

Laarhoven Portables + Graphics

1763

Lancaster Management Services Inc.

2049

Laser Exhibitor Service

1477

Legacy

1769

Light Tape

1481

NMR Events

951

Nomadic Display

1615

North America Display Corporation

551

Nusign Supply

556

Nuvista

957

OCTANORM USA Inc.

1437

Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.

1851

On Location

2036

Optima Graphics

1745

OPTO International Inc.

1573

Orbus Exhibit & Display Group

1253

Outwater Plastics Industries Inc.

2057

Painters & Allied Trades LMCI

1537

Parabit Systems Inc.

569

Pascale Engineering

1925

PeopleVisionFX

954

PG Exhibits

2031

Philly Case Co.

1136

Pixe Social

1271

Positive Impressions Inc.

1062

PosterGarden

1331

Power Tower Inc.

1838

PRG

1752

Prism Tradeshow Lighting

777

PRMConnect

1634

PSAV

1277

Lingtong Exhibition System Co. Ltd.

1167

Lonseal

1832

LP Tent Inc.

1586

M2W Inc.

1737

Maclocks

1632

Mark Bric Display

1757

Marketech360

1150

Marketing Instincts

1731

Public Address Messebau Oehme & Partner GmbH

1910

Matrix Frame USA

669

Radiant Manufacturing

Mayflower

1349

Radius Display Products

MBA Design & Display Products Corp.

1805

MC2

1431

Meeting Professionals International Meridian Global Services

Steel Space Concepts

1579

Steelhead Productions

1239

STEP 1 DEZIGNS

1533

Stran Promotional Solutions

676

STUDIO A-TAK Sp. z.o.o.

1614

Super Color Digital

956

Sutter’s Mill Specialties

1162

Suzhou J H Display Exhibition Equipment

962

SVP Systems Group

554

T1Visions

1866

T3 SoftSpace Smart System

2035

Tangram International Exhibitions Inc.

2067

TechniFex

557

Testrite Visual Inc.

1063

Tex Visions

1670

Texture Plus

1677

The Hill Group

1067

The Inside Track Inc.

851

Think Green Promos

1363

Tiger Presentations

877

Times International

1408

Totally Mod Event Furnishings

661

Tradeshow Floors.com

1171

Tradeshow Vinyl Graphics

565

Transit Air Cargo

1270

TRAQ-IT

1361

Tricel Honeycomb Corporation

1620

Tricks of the Trade Inc.

1939

566

TRIDENTE Image Builders

1624

1545

Trifibre Ltd

1485

Reality Engineering Solutions LLC

1130

Triga USA

1155

Rentex Computer & Audio Visual Rentals

1438

Trussworks by BGB

869

2018

Sakura International Inc.

1656

TS CREW

1830

1767

Salespromotor B.V.

1711

TWI Group

1125

Messebau Siehr GmbH

1917

SDI Brands Marketing & Promotions

1521

United Van Lines

1345

Metalcraft

660

SGS Solutions Inc. - Showbattery

776

USM Inc.

1029

MG Design

1837

Shanghai Detian Display co. ltd.

1703

Victory Marketing Agency

1039

Mirror Show Management

1931

Sho-Aids, Inc.

1657

Virtual Press Office/PR Newswire

560

MLeads

1278

Shoei Bijutsu Co. Ltd.

1949

Vista Exhibits Inc.

470

Möbius Virtual Foundry

2022

ShowGo Software

1051

VisuaLED

1834

Modern Postcard

1460

ShowMax Marketing

1567

VizCom Media

1603

modulbox mo systeme GmbH & Co KG

1912

ShowValue

1777

Volanti Displays

656

Moss Inc.

1231

Skyline Exhibits

1245

Vonazon

1555

Mueller Messebau GmbH

1915

Smarter Exhibiting - The Hughes Group

2039

Wilson Case Inc.

1436

Multi Image Group (MIG)

2025

SmartSource Computer & Audio Visual Rentals

662

WS Display

1071

MVS LED

1179

SMT expo

1969

XP Staging

1717

MY M&M’S

550

So. NV Teamsters 631 Convention Training

855

Zenith LaborNet Inc.

1037

Nelson Case Corporation

1377

Softspace

977

Zig Zibit

1961

Nimlok

1352

SPOON Exhibits & Events

1161

Zuant Mobile Lead Capture

1610

46 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

EXHIBITORLIVE!

New Product Showcase

PREVIEW

Orbus Hybrid Pro™ modular systems debuting at EXHIBITORLIVE!

NEW PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

SHOWBATTERY SHOW 6 LED LIGHT & BATTERY KIT

By Zeenath Haniff

EXHIBITORLIVE Booth #776

What is your new product? Show 6 Led Light & Battery Kit

nnounced Feb. 11, Exhibitor Media Group, the award-winning leader in tradeshow and corporate event marketing education, revealed 43 new products (see p. 49) officially debuting at EXHIBITORLIVE, the smart ideas conference for exhibit and event marketers, to be held March 1-5 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Each new product, introduced between Jan. 1 and March 1, 2015, will be vying for EXHIBITORLIVE’s Buyers Choice Award. Two products certain to light up the show floor will be the Show 6 LED Battery Display Light from Showbattery, a provider of custom tradeshow lighting solutions, as well as the LED Mobile Showroom by Prism Tradeshow Lighting, a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of innovative lighting solutions. Winning the Buyers Choice Award in 2014, Showbattery this year presents cost-effective, battery-powered display lighting. Canada-based Prism Tradeshow Lighting takes the guesswork out of LED lighting with an easy-to-use, portable mobile showroom.

48 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

What makes it innovative? It combines the energy efficiency and power of LED lighting with Li-on battery portability. This means huge savings for the exhibitor as it eliminates the need for electrical rental. It gives exhibitors the flexibility to control their own power wherever and whenever they need it. How often do you develop new products? Is it customer-driven? With in-house R&D, we develop new products semi-annually. Our team has over 20 years’ experience in the industry, and this makes it is easy to develop products based on real customer experience. For us, it’s about more than just selling a product – we know firsthand the challenges in the exhibit industry, and we Continued on p. 50

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE DIRECTORY Company

Booth

Product

Description

253INC

769

TK Express

Modular display system

ABCOMRENTS

1478

Innovate Surface Table

Tabletop interactive touch screen

Armodilo Display Solutions

1053

Lite™ by Armodilo

Tablet mounting display system

Birttani Display

1184

BT-Visual Merchandising Cube

Fabric display unit

The Flex Cube (BT-FC)

Fabric display unit

BT-LightBox

Fabric display unit

Brandstand America

755

Brandstand TV Tower

Monitor kiosk

Brumark

1721

Magnitude™ Raised Flooring System

Modular flooring system

Classic Exhibits, Inc.

1645

On the Move Express Furniture

Customizable accessories

CORT Exhibit House Furnishings

1445

Naples and Roma POWERED Collection

Charging station sofas and loveseats

DesignShop

1863

Radiance Light

Modular display system

ELITeXPO

1525

XPOVID-Analytics

Attendee analytics system

Eve Products Limited

1576

The Curve Display System

Modular panel system

Expand International of America

1621

Expand GrandFabric

Exhibit wall system

ExpoDisplays

1225

Threads

Portable exhibit system

Fusion Imaging

1869

Klik Magnetic Display System

Tension fabric display system

Inhance Digital

1609

SMART Platform

Touchscreen software solution

Mark Bric Display

1757

ISObar Modular Counter

Exhibit counter

Metalcraft

660

RFID Credential Tags

Radio-frequency identification badge

RFID Adhesive Closure Wristband

Radio-frequency identification wristband

Moss Exhibits

1231

Moss Groove Rounded Corners

Modular display system

Floating Shelves

Fabric display accessory

RGB 150mm WebBright Lightbox

Programmable LED Lighting system

Projection Mapping Services

Audio visual projection services

Illuminedge 100mm Curved Lightbox

Custom curved lightbox

Parabit Systems, Inc.

569

Portable Avatar

Holographic display system

PeopleVisionFX

954

PhotonAnimated Object

Holographic display system

Pixe Social

1271

Pixe Snap

Social media app

Prism Tradeshow Lighting

777

LED Mobile Showroom

LED Lighting case

Showbattery

776

Show 6 LED Battery Display Light

Battery powered display lighting

ShowGo Software

1051

ShowGo VirtualAssistant

Event management software

Show Max Marketing

1567

EventPulse

Event management software

ShowValue, Inc.

1777

SVCapture

Lead capture device

Skyline Exhibits

1245

SkyRise™

Wall frame system

Texture Plus

1677

Texture Plus Riverstone Grand Interlock Select Panels

Modular display panels

The Inside Track

851

EZ-UP MagneX Raised Flooring System

Modular flooring system

Custom Branded Stools & Tables

Customizable accessories

Dye-Infused Carpet

Customizable carpet

TigerPresentations

877

TigerLITE Slotwall Panel

Panel display system

Volanti Displays

656

Forza Mobile Video-Wall

Video display system

Vonazon

1555

Marketing Automation Support Services

Analytics reporting system

WS Display

1071

EZ Extend

Banner stand exhibit wall hybrid

@ExhibitCityNews

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 49

EXHIBITORLIVE!

New Product Showcase

PREVIEW

Continued from p. 48 strive to help our customers find solutions. We also regularly customize our solutions to meet customers’ needs in unique situations. How will it improve the show floor experience? It reduces the cost and use of electricity. It also eliminates the need for costly cable runs or subfloors and, when combined, is powerful enough to light an entire booth without the challenges of traditional electrical services. Who will benefit most from the new product – the exhibitor or attendee? Both – it’s changing the way people think about lighting and electricity in the industry and opening up a world of new possibilities in terms of cost savings, ex-

50 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

hibit design and location. The technology has a life span of more than five years, so depending on the number of shows an exhibitor does per year, there is a big return on investment. For example, an exhibitor who attends 10 shows annually and spends $200 per electrical outlet can expect a return on investment over the years of more than $9,000.

PRISM TRADESHOW LIGHTING LED MOBILE SHOWROOM EXHIBITORLIVE Booth #777 What is your new product? The LED Mobile Showroom What makes it innovative? The LED Mobile Showroom (LMS) is the most extensive transportable product showcase in the LED lighting industry. Never has there been such a compact transportable product showroom such as the LMS. With a small, compact footprint of just 28” x 20”, the LMS is packed with

dozens of working LED lighting products. Not only can one see and feel the LED lighting product, each fixture can plug into integrated power supplies and realize the type of lighting effect being produced. Being transportable with heavy-duty, locking-wheel casters, the LMS can be easily moved around and shared with all departments involved in creating an exhibit, showcase, kiosk or retail environment. How often do you develop new products? Is it customer-driven? Prism is continually looking at developing new products that answer our customers’ needs. Because we work closely with our customers to solve their lighting challenges, we’re well aware of their most common issues, and new Prism products emerge from the product customization process we develop for customers on a regular basis. The LMS answers a frequent customer request to have samples of our most popular LED lighting products quickly at hand,

ready to plug in, help troubleshoot and light up! When visiting exhibit builders and presenting Prism LED lighting products, it was always beneficial for the audience to actually see, feel, touch and turn on the lighting fixtures. To avoid taking up valuable real estate in most facilities, Prism created the space-saving LED Mobile Showroom that allows for a roomful of LED product samples to be tested and evaluated for design projects. How will it improve the show floor experience? The LMS can be used as a product resource tool at various departments within an exhibit company, helping them build better illuminated exhibits that

@ExhibitCityNews

Prism Lighting LED Mobile Showroom

communicate their customers’ needs on the show floor. The LMS offers the opportunity for exhibit builders to handle working LED light samples, plug them in to provided transformers and fully understand how each LED lighting product performs. Most popular areas of application include: • Design or Resource Center • Creative Design Department • Estimating and Engineering Department • Production and Fabrication Floor • Company Showroom

Who will benefit most from the new product – the exhibitor or attendee? Both. The LMS can be used as a product resource tool at various departments within an exhibit company. End-user benefits include: • Allows creative staff to understand LED fixtures and their capabilities at the beginning of the design phase; • Quick reference for estimating personnel; each item is coded and cross referenced with a Product Sales Binder; • Allows project manager and production staff to understand the physical characteristics of a fixture, so they can create construction details with assurance of correct fit; • End users can preview LED lighting products in advance of completion of an exhibit; and • The LMS is a one-stop resource center, saving time for all departments.

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 51

EXHIBITORLIVE!

PREVIEW

EXHIBITORLIVE’S got TALENT! START A CONVERSATION WITH SOME OF THE INDUSTRY’S TALENTED #EVENTPROFS BY KRISTAN OBENG

hile companies don’t register to exhibit at EXHIBITORLIVE to showcase their hidden talents, imagine what it would be like if they did… …A stage at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas from March 1-5 becomes the center of an age-old contest featuring many competing in different categories. As the participants’ online fan base grows, so do the crowds coming directly to see them. Thriving on this face-to-face interaction, die-hard fans spread the word about these talented individuals and offer to buy what they promise to deliver. By the end of the stiff competition, judges declare the best of each category or the overall winner at a special ceremony. And of course, after this party, there’s another after party – and so on… Oh, wait a minute! – Even with its rebranding, EXHIBITORLIVE along with its networking events and education sessions has always delivered these things to those working in the tradeshow industry. The annual Exhibitor Media Group-owned and produced show doesn’t actually focus on the hidden talents of exhibitors, obviously. But many of the show’s exhibitors do have hidden talents that go far beyond their duties at their 9 to 5. So for exhibit managers and event planners searching for various vendors, why not keep them in mind not only for their service offerings, but also because of the very cool things their employees are capable of too?

Illustration

Sculpture

Hockey Coach

Photography

CAITLIN COOK Hargrove p. 53

MARK HOLME Hill & Partners p. 54

JUSTIN PANZER Eventuosity p. 56

MATT JOHNSON Hill & Partners p. 57

52 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Portrait of Kara Cook

CAITLIN COOK ILLUSTRATOR

Sales Executive, Hargrove

aitlin Cook illustrated many of life’s special moments during her spare time away from her duties at Hargrove, a design and general contractor for events, tradeshows, and custom and rental exhibits. Her fascination with the likes of “Sleeping Beauty” and “Snow White” drove her artistic endeavors from age 10. Cook’s skill level grew during private art lessons as well as during high school classes where she learned classic oil painting and pastel techniques. Cook’s art most often manifests into birthday or congratulatory cards depicting caricatures of her friends and family. She also draws portraits, such as one to honor her late sister, Kara. The time Cook takes to painstakingly illustrate a friend or relative allows her to show how much they mean to her. After getting engaged, Cook didn’t focus on herself; she sought to make her bridesmaids feel special. @ExhibitCityNews

“After I selected my five bridesmaids, I was brainstorming some ideas on how I was going to ask them. After scrolling through Pinterest and The Knot for hours, I was exhausted, and nothing was personal enough,” Cook reminisced. “I wanted to show each of them how much I value our friendship, and I thought that there was no better way than to draw something for them. Each card was drawn separately for each of the bridesmaids to express their individualities. Some people give gifts, others cakes and cookies, and I give drawings!” Cook’s bridesmaids – Kendra, Rachel, Renee, Christine and Ashley – will no doubt cherish her illustrations as many have before. “I am so touched when people keep the cards and illustrations that I have done for them – When people feel such a connection that they can’t bring themselves to throw away a drawing after years of having it!” Cook added. “After meeting up with a friend who I hadn’t seen in seven years, she showed me the drawings she saved and told me how much they meant to her.” From junior high to college, art always played a major role in Cook’s life. As a

middle school student, she developed a successful website that not only showed her creations, but it also earned her work on three custom illustrations. By the time she was in high school, Cook mostly illustrated for fun. This played a role, she said, in her decision to apply her skills in a business setting rather than go to college for art. “Advertising seemed like the perfect fit, so I studied advertising at Penn State and interned at advertising agencies. After graduation, I worked for an event planning company in Baltimore before ending up at Hargrove. In all of my career endeavors, my background has been useful at some point or another,” she said. As a sales executive for Hargrove, Cook said she finds her illustration skills very helpful. When a client describes their ideal exhibit to her, she can quickly draw a sketch to show them. “Providing a visual is another way to ensure that the client’s message isn’t lost in verbal translation to a designer,” Cook explained. Continued on p. 54 ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 53

EXHIBITORLIVE!

Exhibitors’ Got Talent!

PREVIEW

MARK HOLME SCULPTOR

Creative Director, Hill & Partners

any in the tradeshow industry may not be surprised that Mark Holme is artistic. Not only did he win Designer of the Year at EDPA ACCESS in December 2014, but his day job is creative director for Hill & Partners – home since 1995 to branded environment specialists. It’s what Holme chooses to do with his fine arts background outside the tradeshow industry that is pretty wild. Since childhood, Holme has depicted wildlife through paintings and drawings, but it is his Wild Wire sculptures

54 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

that gained attention at two of his gallery showings. “Last year, I challenged myself to creatively do something new with my artwork. I went to a gallery show with large animal sculptures made from found scrap metal and objects. I was excited to use metal as a medium to create wildlife. Wild Wire was then born to create wildlife from industrial wire capturing the essence of each animal,” he explained. Holme’s journey into wire sculptures is so new that not too many people in the tradeshow industry know of his additional artistic capabilities. On the other hand, the art world is getting to know his work. “Having a gallery show with my work was rewarding and a sense of accomplishment because the gallery owners saw a picture of my work and sought me out for their gallery show,” he said. “People’s response to my work has been amazing. They truly can’t understand how I did that in wire. I continue to be excited to create the next piece thinking of movement and what story to tell.”

After wire sculpting animals ranging from giraffes to peacocks in various sizes, Holme hopes to show more of his work at other galleries. “It is very rewarding to see something you have worked [on] so hard gather a lot of interest in the marketplace. Having people willing to spend their money on something I created is a great barometer that you are doing something right. It is like they are adopting my piece; it is an extension of who I am,” he said. Being an exhibit designer is also Holme’s profession, and he sees a lot of similarities between designing and creating fine art. “As a designer and fine artist, you always think of composition, proportion, color, materials, execution and how best to tell a story. In a gallery show, you want to stand out from your competition much like clients at the tradeshow environment. Both things to me are connected with one helping the other,” he commented. Continued on p. 56

EXHIBITOR LIVE! PREVIEW

al m

Exhibitors’ Got Talent!

PREVIEW

Continued from p. 54

JUSTIN PANZER HOCKEY COACH

Founder and CEO, Eventuosity

n avid hockey player since childhood, Justin Panzer has also coached the sport for 21 years, even seeing some of his former players make it to the National Hockey League (NHL). “Many of the kids I coached have gone to play at a higher level. There are a couple of them in the NHL, a couple in the minor pro leagues, and lots of them in college and other school programs,” Panzer explained. He currently coaches youth hockey in Columbia, Md. Additionally, every year for two weeks, he teaches kids to play at a youth hockey camp in Pennsylvania. This camp constantly attracts players from the

Improve Your Image...

A-

EXHIBITORLIVE!

56 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

NHL and its feeder leagues. All of these things reinforced that coaching hockey was one of the best ways for Panzer to spend his free time. “I met someone volunteering with youth hockey clinics when I was in college. I did a few of those. I was hooked, and I began teaching kids how to skate. I often enjoy coaching more than playing,” he said. His travels as a hockey player contributed to the creation of his event planning app, Eventuosity.

Panzer along with other players throughout the U.S. and Canada compete in “beer league” tournaments, a term for adult-level hockey since most teams are sponsored by bars. Each year, Panzer and his club travel to an outdoor hockey tournament in Eagle River, Wis. As the person in the club with the most event planning experience, Panzer got tasked with organizing his team’s trips to the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships. This included coordinating who’d share hotel rooms and rental cars, which got pretty intricate considering most of the team flew to the tournament from different states. In the beginning, Panzer managed the hockey event through spreadsheets, printed documents and hundreds of emails. Creating Eventuosity not only gave Panzer more time to enjoy his hobby, but he founded a company from it.

Photography for Exhibits Events Architecture and more

+1.866.359.4493 exposurestld.com

...call

MATT JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHER

VP 0f Accounts, Hill & Partners

aking photographs began as a way for Matthew Johnson to express himself. The landscapes he captures look professionally done, but Johnson only seeks to have fun. If his work looks professional to some, it’s probably because his lifelong passion for the activity drove his desire to deliver the very best image. “I have been interested in photography ever since childhood. It is only recently, in past few years or so, that I have begun

to get into the intricacies of photography. It is an art that I have longed enjoyed but am just really getting to understand. What can be created through a photograph is amazing to me,” Johnson said. For close friends and family, Johnson could be talked into photographing weddings or taking portraits, but overall, he enjoys capturing a great landscape. “I enjoy doing landscape and candid photography the most. I am still learning, so I get involved in shooting as much and as many different things as my schedule allows. It is all fun to me,” he commented. Not one to promote himself, Johnson rarely mentions his photography skills.

When those in the industry catch wind of it, they’re instantly intrigued. “The biggest compliment I can receive is when people look at a photo I took and tell me, ‘Wow, that is amazing!’ or ‘That is the perfect picture!’” Johnson stated. In a few instances, Johnson’s love for photography coincided with his career at Hill & Partners. “To shoot a great shot, you have to have a good eye for composition and a sense of how the scene is going to look. I’ve been able to document some of our projects through photographs that allow others, who were not physically present, to experience the environment,” he explained.

CREATING SUCCESS BEHIND THE SCENES Nolan Advisory Services will improve your company’s overall performance. Our solution based services are developed for your specific goals and culture. We work confidentially behind the scenes to create success.

OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE EXHIBIT INDUSTRY: • Strategic and Financial Planning • Performance Improvements

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@ExhibitCityNews

• COO/CFO Positions in Trade Shows • Licensed/Registered Business Broker • Former EDPA Board Member & Chapter President

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 57

INTERNATIONAL

IFES World Summit 2015 The World of Live Marketing will be meeting in Vienna on June 24-26, 2015

he International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services (IFES) is the worldwide trade association dedicated to the specific needs of exposition designers and providers of tradeshow and events services. Over 200 companies representing more than 40 countries are proud members of the network. The purpose of IFES is to promote the commercial, professional and socio-political interests of its members on an international level as well as generating and promoting a business and knowledge exchange platform for its members who are active in the international market. The IFES mission is to create partner unity and to generate a stronger under-

60 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

standing about exhibition and event marketing on a world scale through networking and sharing knowledge. Every year IFES has one main objective: To bring together the Exhibition and Event Services industry to one location. This year the IFES World Summit will be coming to Vienna from June 24th to 26th under the core theme “Sharing Business.” For the first time, IFES invites global and national players from the whole spectrum of the exhibition industry, elevating the annual meeting to “The Next Level.” The key topics in Vienna will be environmental awareness, international market opportunities in the green segment, innovative and sustainable management based

on success stories of global market leaders, “Green Meetings” and “Green Events.” The commitment of the industry is overwhelming: More than 150 delegates from 31 countries already registered six months before the event. Over 250 delegates representing more than 40 countries are expected to join this key international networking platform. Leslie P.C. Zech, president, IFES World Summit Committee 2015 Vienna, explained the aim of this year’s meeting. “The core of our World Summit 2015 will be business-to-business. My goal is that each congress participant’s expectations will be fully met and that the participants get many new contacts to expand their business nationally and internationally,” said Zech. IFES looks forward to welcoming the industry to the amazing city of Vienna for a unique and magnificent experience. Plan to attend! For details, visit www.ifesnet.com.

Come see us at the MCÂ˛ FastTrak Lounge to find out how easy it is to stay connected.

Booth# 1431 @ExhibitCityNews

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 61

INTERNATIONAL

How Far Have We Really Come?

By Rod Cameron, executive director, AIPC

Addressing misconceptions about meetings and events

ow things change. And stay the same. Ten years ago in an article titled “Ten Things We Need to Explain about Our Industry,” we said “we’re not tourism - we really have relatively little to do with the leisure sector that makes up the bulk of the tourism product in most parts of the world. In fact, we’re much more connected to the areas of business and economic development.” At the time, many saw this as heresy – even within the industry itself. Today, it is almost universally accepted, at least amongst ourselves, driven by a growing awareness that the greatest value of meetings, conventions and other business events is the role they play in supporting economic, academic and professional advancement. In achieving this transition, we’ve managed to better align ourselves with the reasons organizers actually hold such events – and at the same time, with what are today the No. 1 priorities of governments and communities everywhere on earth. Now, this distinction is more important than ever, but still far from recognized amongst those same communities and governments who are amongst our most important audiences. So while we’ve achieved an important level of unanimity within the industry, we still have a lot of work to do beyond our own borders. The reason is simple: To the extent that we as an industry are identified with economic and social advancement, we will be valued in a time when those are urgent concerns. But if our events are seen as simply providing an excuse for a paid holiday at someone else’s expense – what can happen when there is too much focus on the leisure side of a conference or convention program and not enough on what they actually achieve – our importance will be at best devalued and at worst cut off from the kind of support that is required to maintain the momentum of the industry into the future. We saw this happen in the depths of the recent recession, when there was regular political outrage in many places over the perceived spending of public money on convention participation. But it’s still alive and well today in the form of travel and meetings attendance restrictions that are usually amongst the first (and lengthiest) cutbacks imposed by many governments in the face of ongoing economic uncertainties. In fact, a recent survey of more than 100 convention centers worldwide registered government policy decisions as the top perceived risk to their business recovery and growth prospects. Such a perception problem won’t be solved overnight – but as an industry, there’s a lot we can do to start moving things in

62 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

the right direction. At the top of the list is the way we characterize our destination products: More emphasis on their business, professional, institutional and intellectual qualities and less on the golf courses and nightlife would go a long way toward convincing dubious audiences of the serious intent of meetings and conventions. So would putting more focus on what these events achieve in terms of business and professional outcomes rather than just how much spending they generate in the host community.

In fact, a recent survey of more than 100 convention centers worldwide registered government policy decisions as the top perceived risk to their business recovery and growth prospects. It was true then and it’s still true now: We’re all about economic, professional and academic advancement. But while we may have come to believe it ourselves, we still have a long way to go in convincing others! AIPC represents a global network of more than 170 leading centers in 56 countries with the active involvement of over 1,000 management-level professionals worldwide. It is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention center management, based on the diverse experience and expertise of its international representation, and maintains a variety of educational, research, networking and standards programs to achieve this. 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 further information, visit www.aipc.org or contact marianne.de.raay@aipc.org.

INTERNATIONAL

U.S. vs. Canada: Is there a difference when exhibiting?

By Kelli Steckbauer, MG Design Associates Corp.

Tips to keep in mind when exhibiting up North

t’s been asked to me a few times – I have a show in Canada, what do I do? My typical response is, well, you run it just like you would run a show in the U.S. Yes, we all know that Canada is a different country, yet sometimes we forget our neighbors to the north are actually a different country! And … since they are a different country, there are different things to keep in mind when exhibiting there.

Currency – yes, they are on the dollar too, but it’s the Canadian Dollar and not USD. When budgeting and checking your show service forms, make sure to see what currency you are being billed in. While both currencies stay fairly close in value, if you have a large amount of services, the slight difference can add up and affect your budget!

Keep in mind if you are shipping your booth or even just product and

64 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

literature from the U.S. to Canada, you still have to ship through customs. You will need to pay customs charges, fill out customs paperwork and you will need to allow for extra delivery time.

Speaking of customs – you too need to pass through customs if traveling there. Don’t forget your passport or passport/border card. On the way back into the U.S., you will most likely pass through customs in Canada and land in a domestic terminal in the U.S. Therefore, allow extra time when heading to the airport.

4 5

Yes, you still pay drayage in Canada. This, unfortunately, doesn’t change.

When checking booth size, often you’ll still find them in feet. However, it’s best to do a double check of feet vs. meters.

Canada has both English and French as official languages. About 95 per-

cent of the people in Quebec actually use French as their first or second language. Working in Canada overall is very similar to working in the U.S. Even with customs, many people in the U.S. elect to ship their properties instead of building locally. However, if you do have a tight budget, finding a local exhibit house to help you out is definitely an option. You’ll also notice that, generally speaking, you’ll see the same general contractors in the U.S. doing shows in Canada too. Unions are also common in Canada, though sometimes not quite as strict as some that you find in the U.S. If you’ve never been to Canada, definitely take advantage of the trip. From Vancouver to Montreal to Toronto to Edmonton, and beyond, there are so many sites to see and activities to do. Just like the U.S., every part of the country offers something special and unique!

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INTERNATIONAL

Destination Asia

sia is leading the world’s growth in the meetings, incentives, conferences & exhibitions (MICE) industry. It is one of the fastest developing regions in the world and is poised for further expansion as it faces a relatively positive economic environment. The growing Asian economy has attracted the attention of international MICE players, with increasing focus on the region as the hub for hosting small to large scale events. Governments have recognized the importance of leveraging tradeshows as an avenue to attract foreign investors or to promote local expertise to the international market. Many are reinventing themselves amidst stiff competition through the development of state-of-the-art infrastructure, pro-business environment and an excellent hospitality industry. An increase in new convention and exhibition facilities and fresh government incentives enable these Asian markets to ride along the massive development boom that is currently underway. China leads the pack with the largest number of convention centers in the entire region, with the opening of the Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Center of International Sourcing (SHCEC) - an international multi-functional complex that houses facilities for conventions and exhibitions. SHCEC will also host IT&CM China 2015, one of the largest and leading MICE events attracting both Chinese and International MICE professionals. Experienced destinations like Singapore have held its position as the world’s ‘top international meeting city’ for seven consecutive years according to the Union of International Associations (UIA) 2013 Global Rankings. It houses leading MICE venues like the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention 66 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

By Sarah Chew Centre (MBS); Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, which underwent a major transformation; and the Singapore Expo with its MAX Atria convention wing — all of which are designed to enhance the city’s offerings. Beyond the city’s comprehensive MICE infrastructure, the country also has organizations that provide customized support for business events organizers. The Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau (SECB) has rolled out various schemes such as Business Events in Singapore (BEiS) and Approved International Fair (AIF) to meet the different clients’ needs and expectations. Furthermore, associations like the Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA) work closely with industry players from the region to promote the growth and development of the exhibition and convention industry in Asia. Emerging markets like Thailand have also joined the pack with the rapid construction of its MICE facilities and well-developed tourism industry. Over the last few years, Thailand has been strengthening its development plans to meet the growth of the MICE market in Asia. The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) was set up in 2002 to elevate Thailand’s MICE awareness while offering incentives and support to international organizers. Launched in 2014, TCEB’s campaign, ‘Thailand CONNECT the World,’ aims to act as a strategic link between global businesses and the local experts, reinforcing international confidence in Thailand as a premier business events destination. Thailand is also home to the IMPACT Arena and IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre, one of the largest MICE venues in Asia with a total area of over 1.5 million square

feet, which was recently refurbished to include additional facilities and support such as the construction of a new hotel wing. With Asia housing over two-thirds of the world’s population, and boasting a diversified range of industry sectors from energy, construction and automotive, the region is on track to tap on a large growth potential. Additionally, with the ASEAN Economic Community

The growing Asian economy has attracted the attention of international MICE players… 2015, there will be continued growth in economic activity and regional trade in the Southeast Asian region as countries become more closely integrated. In addition, a focus on innovation, content development, adoption and adaptation of new technologies to improve visitors’ and exhibitors’ experience will be the key in supporting the continued growth of tradeshows for these countries. The world’s increasing focus on economic engagement in Asia signals a strong growth in its conventions and meetings market for the entire region. The contributor is the Sales & Marketing Director of Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd, a leading communication design & production group in Asia Pacific & the Middle East.

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NATIONAL

Cincinnati Introduces a Colorful World of Lighting Opportunities

By Kristan Obeng

Duke Energy Convention Center revamps interior and exterior lighting

onventions coming to any town are known for making a major economic impact. Additionally, when they come to Cincinnati, Ohio’s Duke Energy Convention Center (DECC), their visual impact is seen in the evening skyline for up to five miles away. At the end of 2014, the 750,000 square-foot Convention Center replaced its older halogen lighting with LEDs to become energy efficient, reduce maintenance and improve lighting quality. The most obvious lighting change occurred to the 200’ by 40’ Cincinnati Icon sign, which now has the ability to display a va-

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riety of color combinations to emphasize branding for any event. The annual Cincinnati Winter Beer Fest is usually hosted at DECC and takes over the entire venue. In February, the festival took advantage of the Icon sign for branding purposes. Working with the chief engineer and director of operations, the show organizer’s specially designed sign looked like a mug of beer. The top of the sign featured white lighting to mimic the frothiness of beer while the bottom two-thirds of the sign consisted of golden amber lighting reminiscent of lager. “We can do thousands of color combi-

nations. There is a lot of flexibility. We can match the color to their theme or match it to their logo color. We can also do multiple colors. For New Year’s Eve, we did alternating colors for each letter [of the sign],” explained Ric Booth, general manager, Duke Energy Convention Center, Global Spectrum. Global Spectrum, the management company of the DECC, purchased the Pharos lighting system to make controlling the Icon sign easier than before. The Convention Center’s chief engineer can simply change the sign’s colors from the comfort of his own home, according to Booth.

“In 2006, this technology didn’t exist. LED lights were very expensive. In the past six to eight years, lighting technology has improved, and it’s now affordable to do what we need,” he added. Previously consisting of individualized white lights, the Icon sign was installed at DECC during its 2006 expansion. “Clients from time to time asked about changing the color of the lights on the sign. Each time, we had to close the street, rent a 125-foot lift and put a gel on the bulbs. That process was between $5,500-8,500. It was expensive and time consuming,” stated Booth. Global Spectrum started the overhaul of the sign in October 2014. After the four-week installation, the management company no longer had to worry about any of these issues. Now Global Spectrum is focusing on how the sign’s lighting could be used as part of the sales process to attract show organizers.

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ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 69

A $20M Open-air Event Venue Rises in Las Vegas By Kristan Obeng

MGM Resorts International continues expanding its event portfolio

aintaining its status as the No. 1 tradeshow and entertainment destination seems to come easy for Las Vegas, especially as many of the city’s own private companies continue to develop event and exhibition spaces. MGM Resorts International has become a leader in this regard. The multi-casino-resort owner and operator expanded its event portfolio with the addition of a 15-acre outdoor event space across from the Luxor in September 2013. It currently has in the works

a $375-million 20,000-seat arena with entertainment and facilities management company AEG and will bring one of the largest musical festivals in the world to Las Vegas in May after completing its $20-million outdoor venue – the now expanded 47.9-acre MGM Festival Grounds. “We are on time and on budget. We will soon turn over the venue to Rock in Rio to load their production in,” stated Chris Baldizan, senior vice president of entertainment, MGM Resorts International. The MGM Festival Grounds in partic-

ular has captured widespread attention due to the impact Rock in Rio is expected to create on the city. Traveling by car to the outdoor venue at the North end of the Las Vegas Strip, near SLS Las Vegas and Circus Circus, will likely become near impossible once up to 80,000 people descend on Las Vegas to see 120 musical acts from May 8-9 and 15-16. For this reason, as part of its overall logistics plan, MGM Resorts has not only addressed the traffic congestion concerns of neighboring casino-resorts and condos in strategic planning meetings, but it has also started collaborating with local transportation providers to ensure the large-scale event runs smoothly. “We are talking with [Clark] County officials, CAT and the monorail to roll out an extensive traffic plan,” he added. “For us to be successful, we also need to be good neighbors. Everyone needs to be on board.” Currently still under construction, the MGM Festival Grounds needed a more

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REGIONAL FOCUS

Photo Courtesy of Powers Imagery for MGM Resorts International

than 3,000-strong workforce to take on the endeavor. By the time Rock in Rio opens, the venue will also welcome 8,000 temporarily employed workers. MGM Resorts is still in discussion about how many people will hold permanent positions at the venue. For Rock in Rio alone, MGM Festival Grounds will rise as the City of Rock. When the large musical festival ends, MGM Resorts will continue leveraging relationships with existing partners and forming new partnerships to attract meeting planners and show organizers, according to Baldizan. “While Rock in Rio is an amazing festival we’re proud to host, we wouldn’t spend $20 million for one event,” he stated. Baldizan said he expects that after 2015, the open-air venue could attract between six to eight events a year. Many of these could include outdoor tradeshows, after parties or galas to complement indoor tradeshows.

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“There are agriculture conventions that need to bring in large farm equipment and car events. It’s that unique twist at the end of the event where [attendees] could come outside to have a wrap party. We already have staging set-up, so they can save money by not having to bring in lights and sound,” he added. The MGM Festival Grounds will complement existing MGM Resorts event and exhibition spaces, including the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and the MGM Grand Garden Arena as well as the new arena with AEG. Even

Las Vegas Rock in Rio press event at MGM Festival Grounds

though all of these spaces attract visitors with different mindsets, according to Baldizan, the MGM Resorts team can sit down with potential event organizers to discuss a game plan for how they could best utilize them all.

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 71

Sho-Link Incorporated® Welcomes New Cooperative Member Downing Displays Downing Displays is the latest member to join the installation and dismantle cooperative Sho-Link Incorporated®. This announcement was made by Scott Rudel, President, Sho-Link Incorporated. Downing Displays President, Mike Scherer said, “We are delighted to be invited to join this premier field service organization. As a member, Downing Displays is now in a position to provide our clients with skilled show crews led by knowledgeable supervisors who have direct accountability.” During the last 11 months Downing Displays and Sho-Link have been working together both in the field and at their facility. Sho-Link City Managers convened at Downing’s facility to meet and build their relationships with management and sales staff. Sho-Link also participated in direct training on assembling and packing Downing’s custom, modular and portable exhibits.

“This relationship offers us a true competitive advantage on the show floor. We are better able to control our quality and the cost to our clients, in large part because of open communication and familiarity of Downing Displays and ShoLink,” said Greg Ward, Downing Displays Vice-President.

Downing Displays is a leading designer and builder of custom, modular and portable displays. They have sales offices across the USA that work with their clients to develop solutions to increase sales, build brand awareness and better manage the costs of their tradeshow marketing programs. In addition to new construction Downing Displays offers rental exhibits, graphic designs, graphic production and trade show services that support their client’s needs. Scott Rudel President of Sho-Link Inc. expressed that “Having Downing Displays become a Member starts another chapter for the continued success of our company. Getting to know Mike Scherer and the people at Downing has been a great experience this past year. We are excited and fortunate to have such a strong company join the membership. I look forward to their success being part of ours.”

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30-year Strong Corporate Communications Celebrates Every Day By Kristan Obeng

CorpCom becomes a major outsourcing partner

ive years into a successful career as an exhibit manager, Robert “Bob” Dobinski shocked his bosses by leaving to start Corporate Communications Inc. (CorpCom) in 1985. This bold move may have seemed risky, but Dobinski saw something about the tradeshow industry that was only beginning to gain ground. Companies needed an outside partner to manage the logistics of their annual tradeshows, and Dobinski would be that partner. Becoming a business owner turned out to be the best decision of his life -- Dobinski is now celebrating 30 years as a service partner for national and international clients. And in a strange twist of fate, his former employer – Digital Equipment Corp. – later validated that he made the right decision to strike out on his own. “Some 10 to 12 years after starting [CorpCom], Digital Equipment approached us to run their user groups of anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 people. They hired us because it didn’t make sense to internally manage their event,” said Dobinski. Doug DeBarge, who previously worked with Dobinski at Digital Equipment, played a major role in CorpCom securing this contract. DeBarge later joined CorpCom as one of its early employees, and he is credited with creating the company’s exclusive in-house event management tool. Originally, Dobinski’s core team included him and one other person until he hired a team for logistics. With the company staffed to his liking, CorpCom became a “tradeshow department for hire.” The company met the needs of companies that didn’t want the responsibilities and costs associated with an in-house shop. “Folks said, ‘Bob, you can deliver the cup of coffee, but where do I get the coffee?’” Dobinski added. “We built an

74 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

inventory of rental exhibits they could use. They didn’t want to carry the inventory of expensive tradeshow exhibits if they were only using them a few times a year. We established partnerships across the country to manufacture exhibits and store them primarily on the East Coast.” A 30-year strong CorpCom now consists of 12 full-time employees working out of its 20,000 square-foot corporate headquarters in Westborough, Mass. The facility stands as a testament to

A big part of the business is the personal attention we give at every event. CorpCom’s growth after moving from its previous two facilities that were 12,000 and 18,000 square feet, respectively. “The exciting part of the growth of [CorpCom] continues to be the referrals that companies give to other companies,” added Dobinski. CorpCom employees manage more than 400 tradeshows and corporate events a year. One of the company’s clients alone has 110 events a year. “A big part of the business is the personal attention we give at every event. It separates us from independent event coordinators. If that individual is out serving a client, it’s tough to get ahold of them,” he explained. “We built a team of folks, so someone is always around and could answer the phone.”

A diversified business, CorpCom also provides labor services. In the mid-80s, Boston saw an increase in tradeshow activity. This meant additional work as an exhibitor appointed contractor (EAC) for CorpCom. Most of the company’s early EAC duties involved supervising the show’s official general contractors who installed and dismantled exhibits. “We became onsite supervisors for companies visiting Boston. It gave rise for our need for a union agreement in time. It established us as the oldest independent contractor in the city. That business has grown,” he said. “Eventually, we found it beneficial to do the labor ourselves versus being assigned to supervise people.” CorpCom further expanded its capabilities by offering sporting event décor services. This operation skyrocketed due to the company’s longtime partners, including the U.S. Open (golf) and U.S. Tennis Association (USTA). In 1999, CorpCom first contracted with the U.S. Open to customize a golf experience that was somewhat inspired by the festivities surrounding the Super Bowl each year. “That year, in conjunction with the U.S. Open and USTA hosting the Davis Cup, we transformed the [venue] for the tournament. We provided the décor, venue assessment for the décor, graphics and constructed 12 luxury boxes for major sponsors. That relationship flourished,” Dobinski explained. Getting to work with longtime clients like U.S. Open, USTA and those in the tradeshow and event industry explains why Dobinski said “every day is worth celebrating,” not just his 30th anniversary. He added that it’s also fulfilling to provide his staff with long-term careers.

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CORPORATE PROFILE: Special Advertising Section

Bright Ideas from Brightbox By Zeenath Haniff

Secure mobile charging stations become a priority at events

rightbox Inc., a B2B kiosk technology solutions company, works closely with show organizers, exhibitors and event integrators to provide secure charging solutions for mobile devices. Secure, engaging and interactive, the Brightbox mobile platform is more than a convenient charging service on the show floor. “We’re in a world where intelligent charging amenities are a ‘must-have’ at events,” said Billy Gridley, CEO, Brightbox. “Your mobile device is your connection to an event and your world; our secure and interactive charging platform offers enhancement and completion of the event experience.” Tradeshow delegates are often dependent on mobile devices to communicate as well as access event mobile apps. Smartphones in constant use can drain battery power, leaving delegates unable to connect with others during and after show floor hours. Helping attract, retain and satisfy attendees, Brightbox Mark3 provides a safe and secure charging station for smartphones and larger phablet devices. While recharging their devices, attendees are able to engage with exhibitors with complete peace of mind. “Tradeshows create intimate and memorable encounters, and we leverage those interactions,” Gridley explained. “For exhibitors, we draw traffic and facilitate longer face-to-face interactions with attendees. For users, we enable continuous connections and great experiences.” With nearly half of a staff of 20 working as full-time software developers, the 76 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

company has developed an intuitive, user-friendly product that protects both the physical mobile device and its internal data as well as engages attendees with a messaging platform. At tradeshows, exhibitors and show organizers typically offer the amenity at no cost, but may choose to charge attendees a nominal fee for use. Brightbox’s UL certified, PCI compliant and encrypted financial card processing regime ensures personal financial data is safe. A major concern for international event organizers is the possibility of an unguarded mobile device being stolen. To protect the mobile device from theft, the Brightbox locker-based kiosk has multiple safeguards built in. In case of a lost card or user error, Brightbox offers connected remote support. Kiosks operate on a 3G/4G wireless or Wi-Fi connected network, allowing customer service representatives to constantly monitor activity. Brightbox staff is able to review logs to determine the proper owner and can even remotely pop open a chamber when needed. As an optional security measure, an in-unit camera is located above the screen to record all activity. According to Gridley, Brightbox is also highly devoted to user data privacy. Distinct from other mobile charging stations, its charging cords make a power but no data connection to devices. When a device is plugged in, Brightbox detects the device and delivers the manufacturer’s

recommended charge at up to 2.1 amps to recharge at the safest fast rate possible. A graphical user interface (GUI) screen at the top of the unit can display event or sponsor content. Sponsorship and advertising capabilities, such as video, slideshow, logo, messaging and branding, as well as consumer interactivity in the form of surveys and on-screen sign-up are among the available feature enhancements. In addition, the color of the chambers can be customized to match company brands and logos. The default setting turns the chamber red when a device is plugged in, and then green once the device is fully recharged, giving users a visual cue of charging status. The Brightbox platform is connected in real-time and can provide reporting on usage data for various implementations. Among one of the first charging station companies to also offer customized event mobile apps, Brightbox kiosks can be deployed with integrated beacons to provide ROI data including usage heat maps and total impressions. “We are creating a new level of interactivity between vendor and attendees,” said Joel Martin, director of events, Brightbox. “We can demonstrate and report ROI and thereby experiential impact.” Future features for further user engagement will include image-posting directly from the in-unit camera and integration with event industry cutting-edge data and interactivity systems.

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253INC Introduces New Patented Modular Truss System at EXHIBITORLIVE By Kristan Obeng

American-made trusses to debut in New Product Showcase

inner of the 2011 EXHIBITOR Product Design Award for the “TK6 modular truss system,” 253INC launched a new division, TKtruss, dedicated to servicing its dealers, wholesalers, exhibit houses and trade partners. TKtruss will be introducing its newest product line, TKExpress, with hopes it can once again take home this award at the newly rebranded EXHIBITORLIVE. On the show floor, 253INC staff will set up shop in a 20’ by 20’ TK8 truss system display booth. They will also introduce themselves to exhibit houses interested in providing TKExpress, TK6 and TK8 to end users. “The new TK Express is a modular wall and booth system, made out of aluminum, is compact and will fit into small shipping cases,” stated Michael Calleja, founder and president, 253INC. For the past 32 years, Calleja has worked as an exhibit display and retail store fixture designer. He holds 19 U.S. patents, three Canadian patents and two Mexican patents

78 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

related to the exhibit and retail industries. He obtained his most recent U.S. patent in April 2014 covering “Modular truss system with six-way connector boxes,” which is used in both the TK6 and TK8 systems. “TK6 and TK8 modular trusses sections connect with each other in less than eight seconds,” Calleja explained “There is no other truss system that comes close to that assembly time. Everything has to do with speed, ease of assembly and strength. The TKtruss knob and pin connectors have a sheer strength tested up to 2,800 pounds.” In operation since 1983, 253INC is based in a 40,000 square-foot facility in San Francisco where Calleja leads the design and manufacture of what he proudly called “Made in the USA” truss systems that vary in size and materials. These truss systems are also powder coated in a multitude of color options for exhibit houses. “One thing that makes us a major player is our America-made truss products. Currently, most pop-ups and graphic-framed displays sold in the U.S. are made over-

seas. We proudly build all our products in-house here in California, with our staff having an average of 12 to 15 years’ experience in building trusses and store fixtures. We also build displays to our clients’ specifications. These can be made of aluminum and/or steel, laser cut, formed, TIG and/or MIG welded and finished in a multitude of powder-coated color options. Shelving, tabletops and printed graphics are also available,” added Calleja. At the newly launched TKtruss.com dealer and wholesale website, exhibit houses can view TKExpress, TK6 and TK8 modular truss systems. The website is member-based, requiring interested parties to apply to see all that it entails. “Our team prides themselves on delivering great customer service, technical support and on-time delivery. Also, large project fulfillment is our specialty,” he said. To learn more about 253INC and TKtruss, visit tktruss.com

CORPORATE PROFILE: Special Advertising Section

Transit Air Cargo Customers Like Family

By Zeenath Haniff

A mother-daughter team takes on tradeshow transportation

family-owned and -operated business, Transit Air Cargo treats customers and employees like one of their own. The transportation and logistics service for the tradeshow industry is led by a mother-daughter team who do everything with a personal touch. Originally founded by Jamshed “Jim” Khodayar in 1989, Gul Khodayar took over the role of president following her husband’s passing, with daughter Tania stepping in as vice president. When the company was first formed, the Khodayars had no trouble finding a niche. “There weren’t too many other companies specializing in tradeshow transportation and logistics at the time, so we found it to be the perfect market to enter,” Tania explained. Tania and her mother now lead the women-owned minority company as a “family business” by creating meaningful connections with clients and forming strong bonds with employees, several of whom have been with the company since the beginning. “When you work with us, you’re part of the Transit Air Cargo family. We know everyone by name,” said Tania Khodayar, vice president, Transit Air Cargo. Keeping close ties, employees like Vice President of Domestic Operations Christy Colton, who helped late owner Jamshed establish the company during its early stages, continued to provide the same support and guidance to Gul and Tania when the two inherited the business. Not just a logistics company, Transit Air Cargo also provides tradeshow consulting to help customers with the entire tradeshow experience. Handling paperwork and working closely with general service contractors on behalf of exhibitors adds a personal touch. Moving tradeshow freight is vastly different from other types of cargo, accord-

80 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

ing to Vice President Tania Khodayar. Not only are tradeshows time-sensitive, but cargo also needs to be handled with extra care and attention. Tradeshow cargo must be delivered both to the proper location, whether to an advanced warehouse or directly to show site, and on time to reach an exhibitor’s target move-in date. Expensive, and often fragile, cargo is placed on air ride trucks with special rear wheels that prevent the trailer from bouncing and shifting the cargo during transit. Additionally, Transit Air Cargo endeavors to keep freight on the same truck for the duration of the move. Transferring freight before it reaches its destination increases the risk of damage. Following 9/11, many aspects of the tradeshow industry were heavily affected, including transportation and logistics. Enhanced security measures included stricter rules and regulations such as more stringent customs clearance for international shipping and requiring proper identification from truckers. Without proper documentation, exhibitors may suffer penalties or delays in shipment. Consequently, many exhibitors began moving freight via ground transportation rather than air due to increased fees and fines under Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules. To ship by air, exhibitors must register with the TSA. Those registered as a “Known Traveler” may use passenger airplanes whereas an “Unknown Traveler” must ship by freight aircraft, a costlier means of transportation. Heightened restrictions also meant longer timelines to move shipment. International shipments, for example, need to be moved several weeks in advance to allow time to clear customs and for exhibitors to store or review inventory prior to a show opening.

Tania recommends exhibitors provide the most accurate and complete information as possible to a transportation and logistics company when arranging shipping. “The move relies entirely on information provided by the customer,” Tania advised. “Be prepared and have the shipment ready in advance. This provides ample time for the freight forwarder to overcome the unexpected.” Preparing itself for the next stage, Transit Air Cargo is expanding in more ways

When you work with us, you’re part of the Transit Air Cargo family. than one. “We’re working to expand within our niche in the tradeshow industry and expand opportunities with licenses and certifications,” Tania stated. Keeping a close eye on global happenings, the firm has extended the reach of its Asian offices following the lifting of sanctions in Myanmar. Becoming International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliant allows Transit Air Cargo to export government and military items and defense articles. As an in-house customs brokerage, the firm is licensed by the Treasury Department to act as a professional-agent to clear goods being imported or exported through customs. The women-owned minority company will continue to explore other avenues to move itself forward within the tradeshow and exhibition industry.

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PRODUCT REVIEW FOR CONVENTIONEERS

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his stylish small portable speaker comes in handy so many ways especially being on the road a lot. This bouncy pocket size speaker fits easily in any handbag or traveling case. It holds up to 20 hours playback time, and has a built-in volume control with a Bass Xpansion System. It outputs 2.5 watts RMS and features frequency range of 150Hz to 20 kHz. It has an on/off switch with a power indicator on the side of the capsule. The X-mini UNO Capsule Speaker is

82 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

compatible with mobile phones, laptops, tablets, portable game stations and media players. It comes in six colors - orange, red, black, blue, green and gunmetal. Also includes a carrying pouch and charging cable. Prices range from $26.99 - $39.90 For more information, visit www. X-mini.com Products provided by manufacturers for review in no way influences reviews, comments or opinions.

Exhibit City News .com

Get the latest tradeshow industry news...on the go!

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 83

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Q&A: Robert Campbell, president, EDPA What do you hope to achieve as 2015 EDPA president? My passion has always been [to] increase membership and make it more international. EDPA is in a solid financial position again. This came from very sound, conservative housekeeping that started years ago and needs to continue to make EDPA stronger to address industry issues forcefully. How do you balance your EDPA duties with your roles at Uniplan Group in Switzerland and Kaohsiung Exhibition Center in Taiwan? Naturally, at times, it is not easy. Not to participate in the issues that EDPA addresses is to take a bystander view. The balance for the time, effort and expenses invested is achieved in that Uniplan benefits from a wide network of partners 84 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

[who] we refer business to or who refer us business. There are members from all continents, and Uniplan’s network has been expanded enormously through our membership and attendance of the EDPA annual meetings. What type of legacy do you hope to leave at EDPA? Open the door for a Mexican, Indian, Australian or Chinese also to become president one day. It is not about nationalities, but about values. The way that you become EDPA president is working with members, then the board, on committees [and] then on the executive committee. Along the way, other members need to feel that you share their values and be able to be EDPA president. My legacy is hopefully leaving a stronger, larger and more international association.

How will you use your cross-cultural roots to grow international membership? Being elected as the first non-North American EDPA president (Canadian Cam Stevens was the true first nonU.S. one) sent a strong message, saying that EDPA is not only about the U.S. and its tradeshow and event issues, but that we understand that our industry is international. With over 20 percent of our membership being non-U.S. companies, it gives U.S. companies an added reason to join us. At our annual meetings, you can find a host of new partners to expand your business internationally. Surely, my international connections will help grow membership outside the U.S., but it will also be an even better reason for U.S. companies to join.

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IN MEMORY

A 2014 RSMGC Recipient Passes Away in Georgia By Kristan Obeng

Blue Sky Exhibits loses a “legend”

ichael A. Darby passed away Jan. 26 at age 60. Those working the Atlanta tradeshow scene, especially his extended family at Blue Sky Exhibits, will never forget the enthusiastic, passionate and long-haired 2014 Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic recipient. In addition to his five-year role as project manager and estimator at Blue Sky Exhibits, Darby was considered a “legend” by company Co-Founder and CEO Don Keller for his dedication to the tradeshow industry since high school. Darby came up at several exhibit houses, including Design South, IDEAS, MC2 and Pico North America. His friend of 11 years, Chris Dorman worked with Darby at Pico. She left the company before its closure for her current position at Blue Sky Exhibits as the graphics manager/account manager. When Pico closed its Atlanta branch in March 2010, Darby despaired. Dorman remembers his reaction well. “Darby was driving home from his last day [at Pico], and he said, ‘God, I guess it’s all in your hands now’,” she explained. Around this same time, Keller spoke for the first time to the man he respected and considered a friend, and boy, did Darby make an interesting impression. In one phone call, Keller and Blue Sky’s other Co-Founder and COO Tim Kelley hired Darby on the spot. “He was the first and only employee I hired without meeting him in person. I never did that before,” Keller explained. “He called me literally the day he was leaving [Pico]. I took a chance, and he was a blessing as an employee.” With Darby and Dorman working together again, it was like old times.

86 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Dorman remembered being amused by Darby’s unique sense of humor. When he tapped his foot to a beat only he knew while jamming to a song over his earbuds, Dorman would jokingly throw paper balls at him from across the office to get his attention. Darby knew how to have fun, but he worked even harder. Three years in a row, Darby perfectly handled exhibit set-up for a Blue Sky client, according to Kelley. “He did an exemplary job with [Cryolife],” Kelley added. “We had perfect tradeshows. When I went, I never had

He was the first and only employee I hired without meeting him in person. to worry about anything. The AV would work and the graphics would be perfect. Michael made clients’ lives easier.” Darby was also the resident expert on ExhibitForce to the point where the manufacturer asked for his insights about its own cloud-based event and project management software, according to Keller. “When I first hired him, we implemented [ExhibitForce]. He didn’t like it, and he was vocal about how he felt. I remember saying ‘This is not going away.’ Literally, he embraced the software program and became the point person on it. Darby

Darby donating hair to Locks of Love

knew about new tools, how to refine it and how it could best be used,” Keller added. After tackling, slaying and becoming the victor of ExhibitForce, Darby spent a lot of time teaching his co-workers about the program. Dorman added that the templates Darby created with ExhibitForce were often used by the Blue Sky Exhibits team. Darby loved his job at Blue Sky so much that even as his small cell lung cancer worsened, he wanted to continue working. “When he was in the hospital bed, [Darby] said – ‘I’m going to get on the computer.’ We told him to rest. He just loved doing it. He didn’t want to see anyone inconvenienced,” explained Kelley. Darby wanted to support his team like he knew they always supported him. Nicknamed “Darbio,” a play on “Fabio,” Darby knew cancer meant cutting his near waist-length dark blond hair. To lift his spirits, Blue Sky Exhibits organized a party where he was surrounded by family, friends and co-workers. They watched as his teenage son, Cameron, cut his hair, so it could be donated to the charity Locks of Love. Additionally, Darby was an avid outdoorsman, often going hiking or camping with his son, friends and co-workers. This past February, his co-workers organized a hike in his honor. “[Michael] left an imprint on us for the rest of our lives,” said Keller. Darby’s funeral took place Feb. 4 in Austell, Ga. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; son, Cameron; daughter, Kristen; and extended family. In lieu of flowers, the Darby family requested donations be made to Cameron Darby’s college fund.

REGIONAL FOCUS Canada

Snapshot of Metro Toronto Convention Centre

By John M. Stuart

he Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) has 1.2 million square feet of meeting and exhibition space, making it Canada’s largest convention and meeting complex. It hosted the G7 Summit in 1988 and the 620 Summit in 2010, notable gatherings promoting global collaboration and economic growth among world leaders. In February, the MTCC is home to the annual Canadian International Auto Show. During the month of April, contemporary art from galleries around the globe fill the exhibit halls at the annual Toronto Art Expo. Square footage offers versatility, attracting a diverse mix of tradeshows and events. This facility features large exhibition halls covering 46,000 square feet, the 28,000

square-foot Grand Ballroom and the 1,232-seat John W.H. Bassett Theater. There are also 66 meeting rooms with flexibility for multi-purpose configuration. Large plate-glass windows allow for natural interior illumination, making for open and airy public spaces throughout the facility. The MTCC also offers worldclass culinary service with award-winning chefs at its on-site restaurant. This convention centre is situated in the heart of downtown’s entertainment distinct, placing it within walking distance to the city’s top restaurants, 11,000 hotel rooms and other entertainment venues. The MTCC is also connected to the 586-

room InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel with its world-class dining and other resort amenities. Easy access to the city’s subway system (PATH) makes it easy to get around town and to connect to the Toronto Pearson International Airport. To see more Snapshots of Convention Centers in Canada, visit exhibitcitynews.com/snapshots-canada

Installing and Dismantling Exhibits Throughout California

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www.onsiteexhibitorservice.com | 707 258 8980 88 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

HISTORY

A Glimpse of Tradeshow History 1967: International CES then and now Considering the records International CES broke in 2015, with its more than 170,000 attendees and over 3,600 exhibitors, it had a modest beginning. A spin off of the Chicago Music Show, CES began in New York City with 100 exhibitors and 17,500 attendees. During its early years, the show rotated cities until it settled in Las Vegas in 1998. Now CES takes over multiple venues and requires all-day shuttle service to transport attendees. 1981: IAEE’s highest honor With the Pinnacle Award not given out every year, it takes someone special to receive this high honor. Since 1981, only 20 people have received this recognition for extraordinary industry achievement and

their commitment to International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE). The award also honors the late William Hunt Eisenman of American Society of Metals (ASM). In 1928, he along with a few others founded IAEE, which was then called National Association of Exhibit Managers. Originally, the Pinnacle was named after Eisenman. Perhaps this was changed due to ASM already having an award named after Eisenman. 1983: Moss Inc. leader starts a new trend Many in the industry probably remember that by the ‘90s, tension fabric structures had begun making themselves known on the show floor of EXHIBITOR and other major shows. Moss Inc.’s Bill Moss is often attributed to bringing ten-

Please visit www.tradeshowdogs.com to submit your information.

Name: Levi Breed: Mini Aussy Birthday: June 14, 2012 Biggest Turn-off: The vacuum Biggest Turn-on: Playing outside and chasing squirrels Top Toy: His tug of war rope Favorite Pastime: Christmas Favorite Four-footed Friend: Bailey (cat)

Peter Sullivan Southwest Displays and Events Carrollton, Texas

Ashley Occhifinto Nomadic Display Fairfield, New Jersey

Levi

Daisy

Name: Heidi Nickname: Weasel Teeth (I have an underbite) Breed: English Mastiff Birthday: November 12, 2013 Biggest Turn-off: Sleeping on a dog bed instead of a human bed Favorite Meal: Yogurt Favorite Pastime: Looking for sticks and branches Most Often Heard Phrase: "Why are you so cute?"

Name: Emma Kate Nickname: Little Dog Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Biggest Turn-on: Food Favorite Pastime: Lying in Momma's lap Favorite Four-footed Friend: The Big Dog Most Often Heard Phrase: “Awwww how cute!” Famous Feat: Just being a lap dog

@ExhibitCityNews

1989: The first EXHIBITOR show Twenty-seven years ago, the first EXHIBITOR show landed at Bally’s Las Vegas. Immediately, it was seen as a direct competitor to the veteran show at the time, TS2. with about 100 companies exhibiting on 15,000 square feet of space. Over the years, the show, now rebranded as EXHIBITORLIVE, became the tradeshow industry’s biggest event, especially after TS2 closed. Show owner and producer Exhibitor Media Group purposely kept the show in Las Vegas due to its rise as the No. 1 tradeshow destination. While in recent years the show has been held at the Mandalay Bay, it previously took place at the Mirage and the Venetian.

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Name: Daisy Nickname: Fish Face Breed: Boston Terrier Birthday: June 2007 Biggest Turn-on: Chasing Squirrels Favorite Meal: Ribs Most Often Heard Phrase: “Who's a Boo?” Famous Feat: Sleeping with her eyes open

Emma Kate

sion fabric structures to exhibitions. He intrigued many exhibitors and attendees at the 1983 Outdoor Retailer Show after he unveiled the first tension fabric display. In response, many other companies became suppliers of tension fabric structures.

Rob Loughran Moss Inc. Elk Grove, Illinois

Heidi

Teryn Blais Nomadic Display Springfield, Virginia

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 89

EXHIBIT CITY PUZZLER

ACROSS

1. Fabrication company: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Builder 6. Certain diagram: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Model 12. Uppermost on the scale 13. The _ _ _ and only 15. _ _ _ _ see us at our booth 16. Short conversation 18. Event 19. Football gp. 21. In-line, or _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Display 23. Stand for presentation objects 24. Most common width for a backwall panel 26. Purchase 27. Pecan, apple or pumpkin 28. Not well 29. Particular proportions 30. Way out 33. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, shortened 34. Nevada’s country (abbr) 36. Front or cupboard follower 37. Time increment (abbr) 38. Engrave into glass, for instance 39. IX minus VII 40. First in line 42. Whirlpool, for one 43. Las Vegas state (abbr) 44. Word with display or brief 46. Manipulate a moped, say 48. _ _ _ _ _ and beyond 50. The Good ‘_ _ Days 51. And others (abbr) 52. Particular pair 53. Total amount of leased booth space in an exposition facility: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Footage 55. Computer-assisted trading, for short 57. Floor space assigned: _ _ _ _ _ Area 60. Peruses 62. Little bit 63. Shopping ending 64. Possess 65. Follows area 66. Not him, but _ _ _ 90 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

A Custom Crossword by Gail Beckman CustomCrosswords.com 68. _ _ _ _ _ of the crop 71. Word with net or personal 73. In this place 74. Set by show management for the arrival of freight: _ _ _ _ _ _ Date 75. Transportation company moving goods: Common _ _ _ _ _ _ _

DOWN

1. Stated dollar amount for the worth of a shipment: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Value 21. Posts used to support signage or other elevated objects 3. For his sake 4. Ave. cousin 5. Not me, but _ _ _ 6. Provided at a trade show for locking up materials: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Cages 7. Prefix for system or logical 8. It doesn’t buy happiness 9. Morning initials 10. Wallet finding, perhaps 11. Terms and conditions between an employer and a union: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Agreement 14. Neural network, shortened 17. Hello 18. Goods flown in: Air _ _ _ _ _ _ 20. Symbol for iron 22. Excite; energize; _ _ _ up 25. Take apart; _ _ _ _ down 26. Scale drawing of booth layout, construction, and specs 29. Certain show participant 31. Short for Executive Officer 32. Pecan, apple, but not pumpkin 35. Depot (abbr) 39. Create a contraption, for instance 41. You can be a shining one 42. A dir. 44. Legal document 45. Tankard of _ _ _ 46. Making suitable for presentation 47. Power

12 16

6 14

25 28

38 41 46

35 39

22 24

65 71

48. Paid notice 49. Overcharge, shortened 51. Europium symbol 54. Merchant; businessperson 56. Associate of Arts, shortened 57. Carry-all giveaway 58. Additional; further 59. Rented, as a service

61. Word before one, body or thing 63. Short for cubic or close-up 67. Utterance of hesitation 69. Regular Army, shortened 70. Silver symbol 72. Not applicable, for short 73. That guy January 2015 Answer Key

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ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 91

Trade Show Calendar

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

US CENTRAL Show Energy Telecommunications & Electrical Assn - ENTELEC

Start End Venue 4/7 4/09 George R. Brown CC

City Houston

St TX

Att 2k

Exh 175

Nsf

Industry Energy. Oil. Gas

Texas Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference - FNDC

4/8

4/10 Marriott Westchase

Houston

800

4.8k

Health & Medical

Aircraft Electronics Association - AEA Association of College Unions International - ACUI National Space Symposium

4/8 4/8 4/13

4/11 Gaylord Texan 4/12 Marriott Rivercenter 4/16 The Broadmoor

Dallas TX 1.4k San Antonio TX 1.4k Col. Springs CO 9k

135 79 150

Technology Education Space

Texas Library Association - TLA

4/14

4/17 Austin CC

Austin

Library

Texas Water - AWWA National Art Materials Trade Association - NAMTA Agri-Marketing Conference & Trade Show - NAMA Texas Bankers Association Annual Conv. & Expo InnoTech

4/14 4/15 4/15 4/15 4/16

4/17 4/17 4/17 4/17 4/16

Not available Colorado CC Sheraton KS at Crown Center JW Marriott Irving CC

Corpus Christi Denver Kansas City Austin Irving

TX CO MO TX TX

2.4k 1.8k 1.2k 900 1.5k

195 60 100 110

JEA National High School Journalism Convention Organization of American Historians - OAH American Association of Community Colleges - AACC Infotec - The Business of Technology Texas Apartment Association - TAA Society of Behavioral Medicine - SBM Oklahoma Dental Association SAS Global Forum American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses - ASPAN AIChE - Spring & Global Congress on Public Safety Petfood Forum NWFA Annual Wood Flooring Convention & Expo National Patient Safety Foundation - NPSF Congress SAWC Spring - Symposium on Advanced Wound Care Texas Medical Association - TexMed Association For Research In Vision & Ophthalmology - ARVO Offshore Technology Conference - OTC Alternative Clean Transportation - ACT Expo Southwest Fuel & Convenience Expo Texas Dental Association - The Texas Meeting Texas Jail Association - TJA Annual Conference National Occupational & Process Safety Conference Association of Surgical Technologists - AST Houston Appartment Association Conference & Expo - HAA THE NBM SHOW American Thoracic Society - ATS

4/16 4/16 4/18 4/21 4/22 4/22 4/23 4/26 4/26 4/26 4/27 4/28 4/29 4/29 5/1 5/3 5/4 5/4 5/6 5/7 5/11 5/12 5/12 5/14 5/14 5/15

4/19 4/19 4/21 4/22 4/25 4/25 4/25 4/29 4/30 4/30 4/29 5/01 5/01 5/03 5/02 5/07 5/07 5/07 5/08 5/10 5/15 5/13 5/16 5/14 5/16 5/20

Sheraton Downton Denver Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center Henry B. Gonzalez CC CenturyLink Center Henry B. Gonzalez CC Marriott Rivercenter Cox Business Center Kay Bailey Hutchison CC Grand Hyatt Hilton Austin Kansas City CC Not available JW Marriott Henry B. Gonzalez CC Austin CC Colorado CC NRG Park Kay Bailey Hutchison CC Ft. Worth CC Henry B. Gonzalez CC Renaissance Hyatt Regency Marriott Rivercenter NRG Park Arlington CC Denver CC

Denver St. Louis San Antonio Omaha San Antonio San Antonio Tulsa Dallas San Antonio Austin Kansas City St. Louis Austin San Antonio Austin Denver Houston Dallas Ft. Worth San Antonio Austin Austin San Antonio Houston Arlington Denver

CO MO TX NE TX TX OK TX TX TX MO MO TX TX TX CO TX TX TX TX TX TX TX TX TX CO

3.4k 1.9k 2k 1k 3k 1.4k 1.5k 4.5k 2k 1.5k 1k 4k 1k 2k 2k 11.7k 119k 4.4k 2k 12.1k

92 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

200 45 325 115 80 50 150 300 70 200 2.5k 263 370 2k 100 2k 250 61 14.6k 175

Water 41.5k Fine Arts 6k Agriculture 10k Finances 12.5k IT

24k 4k 70k

3k 18k 150k

641k 30k 50k

52k

Education Education Education Technology Housing Health & Medical Dentistry Finances Health & Medical Sciences Animals & Pets Home Improvement Safety & Security Health & Medical Health & Medical Health & Medical Technology Automotive Gas. Oil & Fuel Health & Medical Law Enforcement Safety & Security Health & Medical Housing & Real Estate Graphics Health & Medical

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

Start End

Venue

City

5/15 5/16 5/17 5/17 5/17 5/17 5/18 5/19 5/19 5/20 5/23 5/31 5/31

5/20 5/17 5/18 5/20 5/20 5/21 5/21 5/21 5/22 5/21 5/26 6/03 6/04

Austin CC Dallas Market Hall George R. Brown CC Renaissance Austin America’s Center JW Marriott (Austin) Sheraton (Dallas) Ft. Worth CC George R. Brown CC Vista Conference Center Austin CC Colorado CC JW Marriott (Austin)

Austin Dallas Houston Austin St. Louis Austin Dallas Ft. Worth Houston LaVista Austin Denver Austin

TX TX TX TX MO TX TX TX TX NE TX CO TX

4/7 4/8 4/8 4/12 4/12 4/14 4/15 4/16 4/16 4/17 4/20 4/21 4/21 4/21 4/21 4/21 4/22 4/22 4/23 4/24

4/08 4/10 4/11 4/15 4/16 4/16 4/16 4/17 4/19 4/19 4/25 4/23 4/23 4/23 4/24 4/25 4/25 4/26 4/25 4/26

Marriott Madison West Chicago Downtown Marriott Indiana CC DeVos Place McCormick Place Renaissance Schaumburg CC Hyatt Regency Woodfield Depot Renaissance Hotel Palmer House Hilton Greater Columbus CC Indiana CC Donald E. Stephens CC Cobo Center Cleveland CC Hilton Chicago Hyatt Regency Lansing Center Hilton Columbus at Easton St. Paul RiverCentre McCormick Place

Middleton Chicago Indianapolis Grand Rapids Chicago Schaumburg Chicago Minneapolis Chicago Columbus Indianapolis Rosemont Detroit Cleveland Chicago Chicago Lansing Columbus St. Paul Chicago

WI IL IN MI IL IL IL MN IL OH IN IL MI OH IL IL MI OH MN IL

Att

Exh

Nsf

Industry

130 80

Library Business Beauty & Cosmetics 10.4k Health & Medical Finance Water IT 24.6k Gas. Oil & Fuel Military 8.6k Health & Medical 4.6k Human Resources 71.1k Gas. Oil & Fuel Business

US CENTRAL Continued from p. 92

Medical Library Association - MLA The National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show The Image Expo LeadingAge Texas NACM’s Credit Congress & Expo World Envionmental & Water Resources Congress Siemens PLM Connection - Americas User Conference DUG The Original - Developing Unconventional Gas JETC - Society of American Military Engineers/SAME Safety & Health Summit National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development - NISOD AAPG - American Association of Petroleum Geologists GS1 Connect Conference and Exhibit

500

120

60 2.4k 191 1.5k 250 1k 100 44 8.446 217 1.300

US MIDWEST Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers/Convenience Store Assn Card Forum and Expo International Door Association EXPO - IDA North American Snow Conference - APWA Healthcare Information & Management Systems - HIMSS Closets & Home Organization Conference & Expo Internet of Things North America Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Spring Refresher - MAFP Midwest Political Science Association - MPSA Ohio Pharmacists Association Annual Conference Fire Department Instructors Conference - FDIC Electric Power Conference + Exhibition SAE World Congress Reliable Plant American Burn Association - Annual Meeting - ABA Association of American Geographers - AAG Michigan Dental Association Ohio Osteopathic Annual Convention - OOA Minnesota Dental Association - MDA Star of the North Meeting Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo - C2E2

1k 600 4.8k 1.5k 36.5k 2k

200 75 183 120 1.1k 127 32 400 100 5.2k 33 1.2k 80 28k 821 5.5k 500 10.2k 148 1.1k 74 2k 80 7.5k 65 5k 150 800 50 8.5k 250 34k 453

12.5k 28k 524k 20k 3.2k 10.3k 14k 7k 425k 80k 34.9k 15.1k 11.5k 8.5k 18k 3k 35k 40k

Energy. Oil. Gas Finances Home Improvement Weather Health & Medical Home Improvement IT Health & Medical Politics Health & Medical Emergency Services Energy. Oil. Gas Automotive Energy. Oil. Gas Health & Medical Geography Dentistry Health & Medical Dentistry Entertainment Continued on p. 94

@ExhibitCityNews

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 93

Trade Show Calendar

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

Show

Start End

Venue

City

Att

Exh

Nsf

Industry

4/24 4/26 4/25 4/30 4/27 4/30 4/27 4/30 4/29 5/01

McCormick Place Sheraton Chicago Hotel Greater Columbus CC Wisconsin Center Donald E. Stephens CC

Chicago Chicago Columbus Milwaukee Rosemont

IL IL OH WI IL

8.5k 1.964 3.2k 618 3k

400 33 300 138 250

Automotive 6.7k Health & Medical 118k Health & Medical 22.4k Recreation 25k Health & Medical

4/1 4/1 4/3 4/10 4/15 4/18 4/20 4/20 4/21 4/21 4/22 4/22 4/23 4/28 4/30 4/28 4/15 4/6 4/23 4/17 4/26 4/24 4/8 4/29 5/1 5/3 5/3 5/4 5/5

Syracuse Worcester New York New York Boston Philadelphia Harrisburg Baltimore New York Boston New York Boston New York New York Boston Baltimore Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge New York Roosevelt Hotel New York Hilton Baltimore Baltimore Hartford CC Hartford Saratoga Hilton Saratoga The Sagamore Bolton Landing Baltimore Marriott Baltimore Baltimore CC Baltimore New Jersey CC Edison Metropolitan Pavilion New York The Sagamore Bolton Landing Radisson Hotel Valley Forge King of Prussia Javits Center New York

NY MA NY NY MA PA PA MD NY MA NY MA NY NY MA MD NY NY MD CT NY NY MD MD NJ NY NY PA NY

8.5k 2.8k 1kk 10k 15k 16.7k 4.5k 6k 10.4k 2.5k 2.5k 1.5k 31k 7k 10k 1.4k 1.2k 800 650 550 400 300 200

150 230

Construction Water Automotive Beauty & Fashion Education Health & Medical Technology Safety & Security Sciences Health & Medical Safety & Security Health & Medical Fine Arts Business Health & Medical Food & Beverage Marketing IT Health & Medical Retail Parks & Recreation Health & Medical Real estate Home Improvement Health & Medical Beauty & Cosmetics Utilities Finances Retail

US Midwest Continued from p. 93

Automechanika Chicago American Society of Neuroradiology - ASNR Ohio Health Care Association Annual Conv. & Expo - OHA NASC Sports Event Symposium Life Services Network Annual Convention & Exposition - LSN

US NORTHEAST Central New York Hard Hat Expo New England Water Works Association - NEWWA New York International Auto Show IMATS - International Make-up Artists Trade Show National Council of Teachers of Mathematics - NCTM American Association for Cancer Research - AACR Intergovernmental Technology Conference - ITC SPIE DSS Expo - Defense. Security & Sensing Interphex & Biotechnica America Bio-IT World Conference & Expo ASIS NY Solutions Expo Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting - COSM International ArtExpo NY BuildingsNY American College of Physicians - Internal Medicine - ACP Food Safety Summit and Expo Brooklyn Trade Show HPC for Wall Street - Cloud Technology Show & Conference National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties - NONPF Museum Store Association Conference & Expo - MSA New York State Recreation & Park Society Annual - NYSRPS New York State Council of Health-System Pharma - NYSCHP Real Estate Lending Conference & Marketplace - ABA Door & Hardware Institute - DHI CoNEXTions Abilities Expo-New York Metro The Makeup Show NYC Federation of New York Solid Waste Association International DB2 Users Group - IDUG The ASI Show! 94 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

4/02 4/02 4/12 4/12 4/18 4/22 4/21 4/24 4/23 4/23 4/23 4/26 4/26 4/29 5/02 4/30 4/15 4/06 4/26 4/20 4/28 4/26 4/10 5/01 5/03 5/04 5/06 5/08 5/06

New York State Fairgrounds DCU Center Jacob K. Javits CC Pier 94 Boston CC Pennsylvania CC Radisson Hotel & CC Baltimore CC Jacob K. Javits CC Seaport World Trade Center Jacob K. Javits CC Hynes CC Pier 94 Jacob K. Javits CC Boston CC Baltimore CC

300 456 150 500 617 130 120 500 300 325 152 150 60 250 75

32 107 6.5k 159 7k 80 700 120 500 30 3.536 305

79.6k 58k 159k

21k 10k 42.5k

110k 35k

5.4k 37.1k

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

Start End

Venue

City

Att

Exh

Nsf

Industry

5/5 5/5 5/6 5/7 5/12 5/12 5/12 5/13 5/13 5/13 5/15 5/16 5/17 5/17 5/17 5/18 5/20 5/27 5/28 5/30

5/07 5/07 5/07 5/08 5/13 5/14 5/14 5/14 5/14 5/16 5/16 5/19 5/19 5/20 5/21 5/21 5/21 5/29 5/31 6/03

Javits Center Loews Philadelphia Hotel Boston CC Downtown Marriott New York Hilton Midtown Eastern States Exposition Hyatt Regency Pier 92 Meadowland Expo Center Boston CC Cross Insurance Center Arena Javits Center Javits Center Javits Center Hershey Lodge & CC Baltimore CC Sheraton Burlington Javits Center Hilton Baltimore Hynes CC

New York Philadelphia Boston Philadelphia New York Springfield Greenwich New York Secaucus Boston Bangor New York New York New York Hershey Baltimore Burlington New York Baltimore Boston

NY PA MA PA NY MA CT NY NJ MA ME NY NY NY PA MD VT NY MD MA

24.1k 400 3.1k 1.2k 3k 11k 300 3.3k 1.2k 12.1k 7.1k 31.4k 7.1k 18.6k 4k 1k 3k 19.7k 650 2.6k

505 30 355 60 50 499 38 165 110 130 172 629 274 804 200 90 200 939 100 95

207k Commerical Lighting Health & Medical 41.1k Health & Medical 6k Health & Medical Media 114k Engineering 4k Technology Marketing 15k Finances Health & Medical 271k Equipment 165k Furniture 28k Fine Arts 119k Retail 30k Gas. Oil & Fuel 4k Engineering Business 155k Liberal Arts 8k Safety & Security 25k Health & Medical

4/1 4/6 4/9 4/9 4/13 4/14 4/14 4/18 4/20 4/25 4/25 4/26 4/29

4/02 4/10 4/11 4/12 4/16 4/16 4/17 4/21 4/24 4/26 4/29 4/27 5/01

Oregon CC Moscone Center Oregon CC Washington State CC Santa Clara CC Santa Clara CC Oregon CC Washington State CC Moscone Center Westin St. Francis Washington State CC Oregon CC The Observation Post

Portland San Francisco Portland Seattle Santa Clara Santa Clara Portland Seattle San Francisco San Francisco Seattle Portland San Francisco

OR CA OR WA CA CA OR WA CA CA WA OR CA

US Northeast Continued from p. 94

Lightfair International - LFI BioMarker World Congress Electronics New England. Design & Manufacturing. BIOMED Device Nursing Symposium Streaming Media East EASTEC - Society of Manufacturing Engineers DOCUMENT Strategy Forum Luxe Pack New York New Jersey Accounting. Business & Technology Show Heart Rhythm Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Exposition International Contemporary Furniture Fair - ICFF Surtex - Selling & Licencing Original Art & Design National Stationary Show & The Supply Side Oil & Energy Service Professionals - OESP SAMPE Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition Vermont Business & Industry Expo BookExpo America - BEA International Hazardous Materials Response Teams - IAFC American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons - ASCRS

US NORTHWEST Northwest Facilities & Machine Tool Show Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit - MRS Oregon Dental Conference Specialty Coffee Conference & Exhibition Percona Live: MySQL Conference & Expo Ethernet Technology Summit Craft Brewers & BrewExpo America American Planning Association - APA RSA Conference California Academy of Family Physicians American Association for Thoracic Surgery - AATS Northwest Foodservice Show sUAB Expo - The Silicon Valley Drone Show

5.6k 5.6k 8k 2k

115 264 425

6.4k 440 5.2k 15.7k 386 350 2.3k 5k 400

15k 30k 100k

98k

Equipment Research Dentistry Food & Beverage IT Technology Food & Beverage Planning Safety & Security Health & Medical Health & Medical Food & Beverage Technology Continued on p. 96

@ExhibitCityNews

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 95

Trade Show Calendar

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

Show

Start End

Venue

City

Att

5/5 5/6 5/12 5/15 5/20 5/21

5/07 5/09 5/15 5/16 5/22 5/24

Oregon Convention Washington State CC Oregon CC Portland Metropolitan Expo Westin Seattle Washington State CC

Portland Seattle Portland Portland Seattle Seattle

OR WA 3.5k OR OR WA 500 WA 4.8k

4/1 4/10 4/11 4/12 4/14 4/14 4/16 4/16 4/18 4/19 4/25 4/26 4/26 4/27 4/28 4/28 4/9 4/26 4/19 4/9 4/12 4/19 4/19 5/2 5/3 5/4 5/4 5/5

4/02 4/12 4/13 4/15 4/16 4/17 4/19 4/19 4/25 4/22 4/27 4/29 4/29 4/29 4/30 4/29 4/09 4/29 4/22 4/12 4/15 4/21 4/22 5/06 5/06 5/06 5/07 5/07

Walter E. Washington CC Music City Center Georgia World Cong. Center Gaylord Palms Miami Beach CC Orange County CC Georgia World Cong. Center Music City Center Walter E. Washington CC Charlotte CC Miami Beach CC Ernest N. Morial CC Georgia World Cong. Center Washington Hilton Georgia World Cong. Center Lexington Center Walter E. Washington CC Not available Georgia World Cong. Center Hyatt Regency Miami Hyatt Regency Hilton Riverside New Orleans Hyatt Regency Atlanta Walter E. Washington CC Rosen Shingle Creek Resort Gaylord Opryland Disney World Dolphin Reosrt Orange County CC

Washington Nashville Atlanta Orlando Miami Beach Orlando Atlanta Nashville Washington Charlotte Miami Beach New Orleans Atlanta Washington Atlanta Lexington Washington Charleston Atlanta Miami Atlanta New Orleans Atlanta Washington Orlando Nashville Orlando Orlando

DC TN GA FL FL FL GA TN DC NC FL LA GA DC GA KY DC SC GA FL GA LA GA DC FL TN FL FL

Exh

Nsf

Industry

US Midwest Continued from p. 95

NBAA Maintenance Management Conference American Association of Endodontists - AAE CleanMed Northwest Fire & Rescue Expo Association of Oncology Social Work - AOSW American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Annual - AAPD

130

Aviation Health & Medical Health & Medical Safety & Security Health & Medical 14.6k Health & Medical

450 600 230 115 564 979 430 384 150 275 168 403 300 60 550 225 450 55 50 14 150 70 100 221 80 100 100 220

90k 176k 54k 15k 96.2k 340k 184k 44k 46k 30k 27k 104k 70k 5.4k 125k 35k 48k 6.5k 6k 500 17k 6.4k 13.6k 80k 11k 30k 11k 70k

100

US SOUTHEAST FOSE National Rifle Association - NRA International Propane Expo & Southeastern Convention - NPGA CompTel PLUS Aviation Week MRO Americas Coverings The Clean Show American Occupational Therapy Association - AOTA American Academy of Neurology - AAN American Jail Association Annual Conf. & Jail Expo - AJA Jewelers International Showcase - JIS Risk and Insurance Management Society. Inc. - RIMS MuseumExpo - AAM Computers in Libraries Interwire - IFE Coal Prep Exhibition and Conference Springtime - ASAE COE Annual PLM Conference & TechniFair PaperCon - TAPPI Anxiety Disorders Association of America - ADAA National Association of Educational Procurement - NAEP Southern Association of College/Univ. Business Officers - SACUBO Association for Communication Tech. Professionals - ACUTA American Association of Neurological Surgeons - AANS American Oil Chemistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Society - AOCS World Conference on Quality and Improvement - ASQ ICMI Contact Center Expo & Conference Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference - SAP 96 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

13k 75.2k 2.9k 2.5k 8.6k 22.7k 11.2k 7.6k 10k 2.2k 5.5k 8.8k 5k 3k 5k 2k 1.5k 1.4k 1k 700 500 500 500 3.3k 1.5k 2.5k 1.5k 12k

Government technology Recreation Energy. Oil. Gas Telecommunications Aviation Home Improvement Textiles Health & Medical Health & Medical Law enforcement Beauty & Fashion Insurance Museum Library Machinery Natural resources MICE IT Natural resources Health & Medical Education Education Telecommunications Health & Medical Sciences Personal Development Human Resources IT

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

Start End

Venue

City

Att

Exh

Nsf

Industry

5/7 5/10 5/13 5/14 5/14 5/14 5/15 5/15 5/15 5/16 5/16 5/17 5/17 5/18 5/18 5/26 5/30 5/30 5/30 5/31

5/07 5/14 5/16 5/16 5/16 5/16 5/17 5/18 5/19 5/19 5/21 5/20 5/20 5/20 5/21 5/30 6/01 6/02 6/03 6/03

Knoxville Marriott Disney World Dolphin Reosrt Orlando World Center Marriott Miami Beach CC Georgia World Cong. Center Ocean Center Gaylord National Ernest N. Morial CC Ernest N. Morial CC Walter E. Washington CC Kentucky Int. Expo Center Orange County CC Music City Center Hilton Daytona Ocean Center Orange County CC Orlando World Center Marriott Orange County CC Ernest N. Morial CC Orange County CC Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort

Knoxville Orlando Orlando Miami Atlanta Daytona Beach Washington New Orleans New Orleans Washington Louisville Orlando Nashville Daytona Beach Orlando Orlando Orlando New Orleans Orlando Myrtle Beach

TN FL FL FL GA FL DC LA LA DC KY FL TN FL FL FL FL LA FL SC

2k 1.5k 2.800 25k 18k 1.8k 2.7k 5.3k 14.8k 19.8k 1.2k 10.5k 1.6k 650 10.9k 2k 66.5k 10k 6.4k 1.5k

85 50 115 425 800 205 83 272 339 263 100 375 225 79 920 100 785 275 881 100

8.5k 5k 12.7k 150k 170k 60k 18k 59.5k 130k 93.5k 20k 65k 30k 25k 275k 25k 289k 50k 145k 10k

Utilities Aerospace Health & Medical Health & Medical Architecture Food & Beverage Geriatrics Merchandise Health & Medical Health & Medical Health & Medical Health & Medical Legal Retail Natural Resources Health & Medical Beauty & Cosmetics Sciences Travel Safety & Security

4/7 4/7 4/8 4/8 4/9 4/9 4/13 4/15 4/15 4/15 4/21 4/22 4/23

4/09 4/09 4/11 4/11 4/10 4/11 4/16 4/17 4/17 4/18 4/25 4/24 4/25

Paris Hotel Mandalay Bay CC San Diego CC Phoenix CC Salt Palace CC Mandalay Bay CC Las Vegas CC Sands Expo San Diego CC Phoenix CC Las Vegas CC Las Vegas CC Las Vegas CC

Las Vegas Las Vegas San Diego Phoenix Salt Lake City Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas San Diego Phoenix Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas

NV NV CA AZ UT NV NV NV CA AZ NV NV NV

4k 4k 5k 3.5k 6.2k 16.4k 89.3k 36.8k 2.5k 3k 5k 3.8k 5.7k

300 400 200 300 170 540 1.6k 1k 136 200 345 230 308

40k

Services Health & Medical Education Health & Medical Dentistry Signage Media Safety & Security Telecommunications Health & Medical Maritime Merchandising Automotive

US Southeast Continued from p. 96

Tennessee Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Aerospace Medical Association - AsMA Ambulatory Surgery Center Association - ASCs Life @ 50+ (AARP) AIA Convention - American Institute of Architects Florida School Nutrition Assn Food & Equip Expo - FSNA American Geriatrics Society - AGS International Jewelry Fair/General Merchandise Show American Urological Association - AUA Digestive Disease Week - DDW Infusion Nurses Society Annual Meeting & Exhibition - INS American Society for Training & Development - ASTD Association of Legal Administrators - ALA Association of Progressive Rental Organizations - APRO WINDPOWER American College Health Association - ACHA Premiere Orlando - Beauty Show American Society for Microbiology - General Meeting - ASM IPW - U.S. Travel Association Techno Security Conference

US SOUTHWEST Inside Self Storage Expo - ISS MedAssets Healthcare Business Summit Council for Exceptional Children Convention & Expo - CEC National Student Nursesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association Annual - NSNA Utah Dental Association International Sign Expo - ISA National Association of Broadcasters - NAB ISC West RFID Journal Live! (Radio Frequency Identification) American Organization of Nurse Executives - AONE Water Quality Association - Aquatech - WQA National Automatic Merchandising Association - NAMA OneShow The Car Wash Show

30k 50k 189k 808k 292k

65k 116k

Continued on p. 98 @ExhibitCityNews

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 97

Trade Show Calendar

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

Show

Start End

Venue

City

Att

Exh

Nsf

4/27 4/30 4/27 4/8 4/21 4/23 4/9 4/14 4/13 5/3 5/4 5/4 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/6 5/10 5/11 5/12 5/13 5/14 5/17 5/17 5/17 5/18 5/18 5/18 5/19 5/19 5/26 5/27 5/28 5/29 5/30

Mandalay Bay CC Anaheim CC Ritz Carlton San Diego CC Phoenix CC JW Marriott Anaheim Marriott Paris Hotel Ballyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hotel & Casino Phoenix CC Westin Kierland Resort & Spa Venetian Paris Hotel & Casino Las Vegas CC MGM Hotel Four Seasons Hotel South Point Hotel & Casino Caesars Palace The Mirage Mandalay Bay South Point Hotel & Casino Las Vegas CC Aria at City Center Phoenix CC Hawaii CC The Arizona Grand Las Vegas CC Wynn Hotel Sheraton Waikiki Mandalay Bay Caesars Palace South Point Hotel & Casino Mandalay Bay Salt Palace CC

Las Vegas Anaheim Marina del Ray San Diego Phoenix Los Angeles Anaheim Las Vegas Las Vegas Phoenix Phoenix Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Phoenix Honolulu Phoenix Las Vegas Las Vegas Honolulu Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Salt Lake City

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

12.4k 28.9k 1.8k 1.2k 1k 1k 800 800 550 2.5k 1k

92k 130k 2.4k

600 19k 2.5k

330 578 30 185 100 60 60 120 45 150 55 84 25 2.7k 150

500 8k 2.7k 12.9k

100 85 255 765

Industry

US Southwest Continued from p. 97

Interop Las Vegas California Dental Association - Spring - CDA Digital Hollywood BDwest - Boutique Design West Border Security Expo - BSE Arthroscopy Association of North America - AANA Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association - PCNA National Congress for Manufactured & Modular Housing Car Rental Show International Supply Management Conference & Expo - ISM National Council for Perscription Drug Programs - NCPDP EMC World Tortilla Industry Association - TIA National Hardware Show American Payroll Association Collection and Recovery Solutions 2015 Roller Skating Association International Convention - RSA The Money Show Las Vegas Electronic Distribution Show - EDS Hospitality Design - HD American Towman Showplace - Tow Industry Week RECon - ICSC Leasing Mall & Trade Expo Current Concepts in Joint Replacement - CCJR Spring IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium - IMS Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability & Diversity Broadcast Cable Financial Management Association - MFM & BCCA SPREE RECon - Specialty Retail Entrepreneur Expo & Conference National Alliance of Buy Here Pay Here Dealers - NABD Best Practices Conference LANPAC Symposium & Exposition - AUSA Luxury by JCK International Society for Cellular Therapy - ISCT American Craft Retailers Expo JCK Las Vegas American Industrial Hygiene Association - AIHce

5/01 5/02 4/30 4/09 4/22 4/25 4/11 4/16 4/14 5/06 5/06 5/07 5/06 5/07 5/09 5/08 5/13 5/14 5/15 5/15 5/16 5/19 5/20 5/22 5/19 5/20 5/20 5/21 5/21 6/01 5/30 5/30 6/01 6/04

33.5k 1.1k 12k

550 30

125

36.6k 2.5k 5k 300

IT Dentistry Technology Design 10k Safety & Security 13k Health & Medical 20k Health & Medical 40k Housing 6.6k Automotive Management 6k Health & Medical IT Food & Beverage 559k Hardware 50k Finances Finances 10k Sports Finances 180k Technology 272k Hospitality Automotive 900k Retail Health & Medical 100k Manufacturing Health & Medical Media Retail Finances Military Merchandise Health & Medical Retail 498k Merchandise 77.5k Health & Medical

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.

98 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Classifieds

Estimator The Estimator is responsible for creating estimates / budgets for a wide range of projects including Trade Show Exhibits, Architectural casework, Retail Environments, Mobile Exhibits / Tours, and Broadcast sets.

ACCOUNTABILITIES: Budget Creation • Ability to read, interpret and understand blue prints and construction documents. • Create estimates and or budgets from blue prints, sketches, renderings, and verbal instructions. • Good construction knowledge to determine material quantities and construction methods. • Ability to make logical scope of work assumptions to create comprehensive budgets when detailed designs / drawings are not known. • Good verbal and written communication skills to effectively participate in team based projects. • Propose preferred materials and methodologies to design teams. • Solicit and manage outside vendor quotes for projects. • Review estimates / budgets with Senior Estimator and / or VP of Finance. • Effectively communicate and interact with Designers, Project Managers, Production, Finance, and other team members. • Help with the development, writing and presentation of project proposals, scopes of work, schedules and staffing plans.

Budget Management • Continue to update budgets as directed from project team • Develop/manage vendor and subcontractor resources • Participate in final job reconciliations • Manage and update budget templates and rate schedules

SUCCESS MEASURES: • Flawless delivery of client budgets / proposals • Positive team climate that inspires others to excel and deliver • Seen as a valuable leader working with project and client teams • Profitable budget creation / management • Keeps up to date on industry news, trends and standards • Continually looks for ways to improve processes / methodologies to stay competitive

REQUIREMENTS: • College degree • 2-4 plus years of tradeshow exhibit / construction estimating experience • Strong management, organizational and communication skills • Knowledge of tradeshow, broadcast and mobile tour budgeting Jack Morton is an equal opportunity employer. To apply please send resume and cover letter to: rachel_vingsness@jackmorton.com

Derse is Hiring! ACCOUNT MANAGERS – MULTIPLE LOCATIONS! (DALLAS, TX & PITTSBURGH, PA)

GRAPHICS SUPERVISOR – ATLANTA, GA

• Provide day-to-day support to Account Executive in developing new business within current client programs & necessary sales support for existing clients. • Initiate/prepare job order documents & associated correspondence for assigned accounts.

• Responsible for producing graphics and providing graphic design/layout solutions. • Manipulate existing / production-ready artwork to produce graphics. • Assist in providing information and visuals for clients’ graphic creative solutions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong account management & customer service experience required. • Tradeshow / Event industry experience preferred. • Ability to travel to show site and client locations as needed.

• 3-5 years of graphics production experience in exhibit/event industry. • Strong organization/communication skills a must. • Demonstrated technical skills in a variety of graphics software and Microsoft Office.

To apply for these positions and see what other opportunities we have available, please visit www.derse.com. Resumes / Salary Requirements can also be sent to: humanresources@derse.com | EOE-M/F/V/D

@ExhibitCityNews

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 99

Classifieds

Production Supervisor DERSE IS SEEKING AN EXPERIENCED PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR FOR ITS OPERATIONS IN PITTSBURGH, PA. • Supervise and direct day-to-day operations of 10-15 shop employees. • Maintain full accountability for production activities / shop. • Prepare production schedules, main-

Project Manager – Service DERSE IS SEEKING AN EXPERIENCED PROJECT MANAGER – SERVICE FOR ITS OPERATIONS IN DALLAS, TX. • Assumes accountability for monitoring & controlling service project budgets & deadlines. • Assign labor and materials to jobs as quoted • Attend all project meetings as needed.

tain high levels of quality within • Construction. • Focus on safety initiatives Requires custom cabinetry or exhibit background. Must possess at least 5 years of supervisory experience accompanied with strong organization & communication skills. If interested, please send your resume to: humanresources@derse.com

• Monitor process of detail drawings to ensure accuracy. Requires 3-5 years of project management experience in tradeshow/events and/or architectural/construction environments. Must have a good understanding of basic electrical requirements & woodworking techniques. Previous AutoCAD experience is helpful. If interested, please send your resume to: humanresources@derse.com

Estimator DERSE IS SEEKING AN EXPERIENCED ESTIMATOR FOR ITS OFFICE IN DALLAS, TX. • Provide support for Estimators • Prepare drawings for trade show exhibit construction • Research pricings, availability of materials.

Requires estimating experience in an exhibit, general contracting and/or architectural environment as well as the ability to read blue-prints. Must have basic construction knowledge. If interested, please send your resume to: humanresources@derse.com

Stevens Exhibits EXPERIENCED EXHIBIT & SERVICES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Want to Get Fired Up? Tired of the same old same? Need a new outlook? Need to exhibit your talents? Hate your boss? Bored with your current condition? Think you are too old to get hired? Think again! We love “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 48 year old, family owned company and we are looking for some new family members. Located in Chicago, IL just minutes from McCormick Place. Interested applicants should email their resumes to juliem@stevensexhibits.com 100 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Derse is Hiring! ESTIMATING SUPERVISOR – CHICAGO • Supervise and direct personnel within department. • Prepare Budgetary Guidelines & ballpark estimates. • Prepare detailed quotations from design redline drawings, which reflect accurate divisional fabrication methods. • Establish benchmarks for pricing.

QUALIFICATIONS: • Previous supervisory experience. • Ability to read & accurately interpret sketches and blueprints; including design, construction, architectural, & sub-contractor drawings.

MANAGER OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT – DALLAS, TX • Oversee the daily functions of the Project Management & Detailing departments. • Responsible for assigning projects to appropriate Project Managers & Detailers, monitoring all individual projects to ensure profitability & timeliness. • Maintain Project Management & Detailing departmental budgets.

QUALIFICATIONS: • 5+ years of leadership/supervisory experience required. • Demonstrated experience in mentoring / coaching staff. • Possess exceptional communication and organizational skills. To apply for these positions and see what other opportunities we have available, please visit www.derse.com. Resumes / Salary Requirements can also be sent to: humanresources@ derse.com EOE-M/F/V/D

Classifieds

Derse is Hiring! OPERATIONS MANAGER – DALLAS • Directly oversee production, project management, and logistics departments. • Assess the needs of production, project management/ detailing, logistics staff. • Responsible for project performance, budget maintenance and overall profitability. • Provide operational solutions for customers’ projects.

QUALIFICATIONS: • Minimum of (5) years of management/supervisory experience. • Hands on knowledge of fixtures/cabinet-making/millwork trades. • Custom environment/job shop experience preferred.

PROJECT MANAGER (CONSTRUCTION) – MILWAUKEE • Assumes complete accountability for monitoring and controlling project budgets and deadlines for all assigned construction projects. • Coordinate the post sale work order process for all assigned accounts.

QUALIFICATIONS: • 3-5 years of Tradeshow experience. • Demonstrated technical skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office. • Must have a good understanding of basic electrical requirements & wood working techniques.

ESTIMATOR – WAUKEGAN • Prepare detailed quotations from various drawings for construction of tradeshow exhibits / marketing environments. • Review all new estimate requests daily for a timely response. • Maintain product info & standard computerized material/ labor rate cost files.

QUALIFICATIONS: • 5+ years of estimating experience in an exhibit, general contracting and/or architectural environment is required. • Must possess strong contract/proposal writing abilities. To apply for these positions and see what other opportunities we have available, please visit www.derse.com. Resumes / Salary Requirements can also be sent to: humanresources@derse.com EOE-M/F/V/D

@ExhibitCityNews

Seeking President for Trade Show Exhibit Company Midwest based designer and builder of trade show exhibits is seeking a strategic leader to replace its retiring President. This successful company designs, builds and stores exhibits for clients ranging from middle-market to Fortune 100 companies. This Executive will have full P&L experience and will work with its shareholder to establish long-range goals and strategies that will increase sales and maximize profitability. Ideally, this Executive will have industry experience and a track record of success. Submit resumes to: corporatehr@lehighprofessional.com

Project Manager- Las Vegas, NV

The project manager is the main driver of internal production projects. The individual in this position will schedule and oversee all assigned projects. He or she will also assume responsibility for successful and accurate production completion- and profitability. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: estimating; writing of production COMS orders; participation in kickoff meetings; production scheduling; management and coordination of sub-contractors; management of internal departments involving new production- CAD, purchasing, graphics, production and warehouse. Project Managers are also responsible for change order tracking, reporting of change orders to the internal team, and overall project profitability tracking on assigned production jobs. In addition to this job description, the person in this position is responsible for operating within and managing to Czarnowski’s standard operating procedures.

REQUIREMENTS • Travel is minimally required and will be evaluated in regard to specific production projects. • Strong written and verbal communication skills are a prerequisite, along with appropriate computer skills (Excel, Word, Lotus Notes, COMS, Business Portal). • A College degree is preferred, but not required. • This position is technical in nature and requires knowledge of industry fabrication methods, carpentry, metal work, paint production, tension fabric, graphic production and other techniques. Send Resumes to: bbratton@czarnowski.com or fax to 702-727-8146.

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 101

Classifieds ARE YOU A SALES MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL WHO THRIVES ON EXCEEDING SALES GOALS AS WELL AS MANAGING, MENTORING AND COACHING A SALES TEAM? If so, BA Exhibits is looking for a Director of Sales – Trade Show Exhibits and Graphics who will be responsible for achieving sales/financial goals that include building business opportunities and market share, retaining and increasing customer base and expanding sales opportunities to realize substantial growth in revenue and business base. You will also be responsible for hiring, mentoring, and motivating a team of sales professionals; developing and implementing sales plans; managing the sales process; strategizing approaches to sales proposals; creating bidding opportunities; cultivating industry contacts and client relationships to maximize business opportunities and to ensure top performance by sales professionals. The successful candidate will also have experience developing and implementing sales administration processes and systems to ensure a proactive sales environment and efficient sales prospecting.

tunities and manage target prospects • Develop and manage lead distribution and tracking systems • Develop and implement sales plans and budgets in conjunction with the ownership • Develop one year and three year strategic plans and goals; specific activities and action plans/road map for one year plan. • Establish business/client targets and develop strategic plans to achieve targets. • Create sales processes and procedures and manage the proposal process • Manage participation in trade shows and event to drive sales • Recruit, select, train, manage and motivate sales professionals. Make appropriate sales assignments and develop/manage individual sales goals and plans. • With ownership, develop marketing plans/activities to support sales plans and goals – i.e. mailings to Salesforce database; unique selling positioning, sales proposals and templates, industry marketing events, advertisements and editorial coverage in industry publications, etc.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Drive sales and financial goals established for the sales team • Develop and manage the sales processes to include: • Develop and maintain sales forecasts • Develop system to identify sales oppor-

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications or related degree from an accredited university. • Three (3) to Five (5)+ years experience working in a sales role in the trade show, audio visual or event industry

• Two (2) years of prior management experience • Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite of products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as HYPERLINK “http://Salesforce.com” Salesforce.com • Detail-oriented, possessing exceptional organizational skills • Must be willing to work both independently and participate as a team player for achieving departmental and company goals • Must have ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment, competently handling demanding deadlines • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively interface with clients • Excellent written and verbal communications skills • Ability to analyze and interpret general business contracts, as well as proficiently write reports, proposals, and other business correspondence • Resourcefulness and possess innovative problem-solving and decision-making skills. • Experience managing budgets, the ability to participate in budget meetings and the ability to discuss and communicate changes that impact the bottom line for the client and BAE. • Strong leadership skills, work ethic, and possessing an enthusiastic and positive attitude • Previous consistent sales volume required of 750K or more annually Competitive Wage and benefits offered

SALES MANAGER WEST COAST Aluvision Inc., developer and manufacturer of a leading modular aluminum system for the international exhibit, trade show and event industry is searching for a Sales Manager West Coast.

REQUIREMENTS: Outstanding written and oral communications skills – Strong people interaction skills - Effective time management skills with strong organization abilities – Ability to travel on a regular basis - A positive, can-do attitude to continually improve performance - Tradeshow or event industry experience preferred 102 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

RESPONSIBILITIES: Preserve and foster relations with existing clients - Prospecting and adequate follow-up to develop new business – Travel to visit trade shows – Prepare and give product presentations and trainings to potential and existing customers – Cold calling and face-to-face visits – Achieve established targets Report directly to upper management Visit us at www.aluvision.com To apply, please email your resume to info@aluvision.com

Classifieds

Olympic Logistics Services, Inc. SEEKS TRADESHOW OPERATIONS COORDINATOR JOB SUMMARY The primary function of this position is to manage Olympic Logistics tradeshow shipments within the guidelines established by the company and to monitor all shipments ensuring the highest level of customer satisfaction and service has been provided.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES The job responsibilities listed below represent the essential job responsibilities for the Tradeshow Operations Coordinator. 1. Administer the tradeshow shipment process: a. rate quotations b. order processing from Olympic customers c. identify and find appropriate tradeshow carriers to transport tradeshow freight d. carrier selection & load tendering e. shipment tracking f. custo mer service. 2. Research and investigate show information to verify customer information is

correct and that move-in/move out dates are correct and accurate. 3. Research, investigate tradeshow carriers to determine if they meet the guidelines established by Olympic to help support Olympics growth with its Tradeshow partners. 4. Provide support to Accounting when processing customer invoices and carrier freight invoices. 5. Investigate all tradeshow claims and follow up with Management for resolution. 6. Perform other related duties as assigned by supervisory personnel.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES 1. Knowledge of the tradeshow and transportation industry. 2. Terminology of the tradeshow industry. 3. Strong relationships with carriers which could be used by Olympic. 4. Able to solve problems with limited supervision 5. Able to work carefully and attend to all details of show move-in and move-out. 6. Ability to multi task in a fast pace environment to achieve company, project and personal goals. 7. Negotiating skills a plus. 8. Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Exhibitrac is Hiring Exhibitrac needs new show guides for 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. Please contact us for details: klandrum@exhibitrac.com or call 702-824-9651 ext. 700

9. Ability to provide standard and comprehensive reports to supervisory personnel and customers. 10. Ability to work with revenue/cost budgets and customers annual tradeshow budgets. 11. Possess a thorough knowledge of company policies and procedures. 12. Working knowledge of market rates for Tradeshow and Commercial businesses. 13. Working knowledge of DOT regulations is preferred but not required. 14. Recommends and implements continuous operational process improvements 15. Knowledge of Microsoft Office, MSA Transportation software a plus. 16. Ability to share and implement ideas and procedural changes to improve Olympics current processes.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 1. Prefer four year college degree with courses in transportation management, supply chain management or equivalent industry experience. 2. Minimum of five years of experience in tradeshow operations or equivalent customer service experience.

Please email resume to: tobrien@olympiclogistics.net

Trade Show Shipping / Account Executive WORK FROM ANYWHERE! National Exhibit Transportation company is seeking high energy individuals to generate new business. We have been in business for over 25 years. Our core competency is in trade show shipping services. We are interested in hiring experienced sales reps with a background in trade show shipping sales. Work from home office fully connected to our corporate office. Strong telemarketing skills needed. Competitive salary and commission program. Please send resume in confidence to jimh@elitexpo.com

@ExhibitCityNews

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 103

Industry Service Guide

Exhibit Masters

The sun is shining, the ocean is calling. So go ahead, enjoy all that Florida has to offer.The experts at Exhibit Masters have your back. Our proven experience and skills will guarantee your success. When you partner with Exhibit Masters, your job will be a day at the beach.

Event Management

Exhibits & Events

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

Exhibits

104 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Exhibit Design

Industry Service Guide

Olympic Logisitics Services Inc. Since 1995 Olympic Logistics Services Inc. has been a global partner providing transportation solutions to the experiential marketing, tradeshow, multi city tours, corporate events and retail management industries. As a full logistics provider Olympic provides a wide range of services for the above industries. Flexibility to our customers’ ever changing needs is Olympics number one strength 24/7/365 days a year! Please view Olympics testimonial page at www.OlympicLogistics.net

Exhibit Production

Upstate NY

Montpelier, VT

Concord, NH

Lighting Design and Produciton Management Sales Rentals Service

760-480-9100 dave@dbarten.com Fabrication

@ExhibitCityNews

Boston, MA Worcester, MA Springﬁeld, MA

Hartford, CT

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

Providence, RI

Furniture

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 105

Industry Service Guide

Main Place Lighting Main Place Lighting offers diverse lighting solutions, distributing for major Lighting Manufacturers. We specialize in L.E.D. lighting, including but not limited to, under counter, over head, arm lights and custom lighting solutions. We are also proud to be the West Coast Distributor of ShowBatteryâ&#x201E;˘. Bringing an Industry first: Fully contained, Rechargeable Battery Units for LED Lighting.

Hardward/Supplies

Hotel

Logistics

106 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

Industry Service Guide

Armodilo Display Solutions

Armodiloâ&#x201E;˘ designs premium tablet display stands for iPad & Android devices for a wide variety of industries including trade shows and events. Our award-winning Armodilo(ex) Tablet Display Stand is a highly versatile 3-in-1, multi-tablet capable solution that comes in a lightweight carrying case for easy storage and transportation. Our patent-pending Tablet Fit Kitsâ&#x201E;˘ allow the use of a variety of tablet devices, making all Armodilo products a future proof investment for creating digitally interactive experiences. For more information visit www.Armodilo.com or Call 1.800.975.5946 today!

Printing

Security

Tradeshow List

BOOK BUSINESS WITH YOUR AD HERE Contact sales for details: 702-309-8023 ext. 105 Sales@exhibitcitynews.com

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ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 107

ADVERTISER INDEX

Advertiser Index A-Z 253INC 79

EmployCo USA 12

Octanorm USA 43

ABC Expo 65

Exhibit Edge 71

OnSite Exhibitor Service 88-89

Abex 58-59

Expolinc 33

Orbus Exhibit & Display Group 9

AFR 35

Exposures Ltd. 56

Prism Tradeshow Lighting 2

Aluvision 112

Flooring Exhibits 73

Rosemont Exposition Services 10

Angles on Design Inc. 22

Group Delphi 70

Sho-Link Inc. 72

beMatrix 6-7

Grupo Omega 16

ShowNets 110

Brightbox Inc. 17

Hamilton Exhibits LLC 55

Slim Furniture 83

Brumark 31

Hargrove Inc. 67

SRS Fabrication Inc. 50

Champion Logistics Group 63

Highmark TechSystems 39

Step 1 Dezigns 23

Coastal International 45

Hill & Partners Inc. 87

Storage West 91

Color Reflections 19, 85

IFES 60

Sunset Transportation LV Inc. 21

CorpEvents 77

Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York Pizza 109

Super Bright LEDs 15

Corporate Communications 75

King & I 109

Swisstrax 51

CORT 27

Kingsmen 111

Transit Air Cargo 81

D.E. McNabb Flooring Co. 29

MC2 61

Triga USA 41

Dolomite 5

Momentum Management 3

Willwork Inc. 37

Duo Display 47

Nolan Advisory 57

Zenith LaborNet Inc. 68

Eggworks 82

Nomadic Display 69

Zig Zibit 13

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES Contact sales: 702-309-8023 ext. 105 sales@exhibitcitynews.com 108 MARCH 2015 Exhibit City News

CARTOON

@ExhibitCityNews

ExhibitCityNews.com MARCH 2015 109

Omni-55

Exhibits

Permanent installs

Display lighting

Display solutions

Hanging signs

LED modules

Custom solutions

Aluvision Inc. > 5815 Windward Pkwy, Ste 302 > Alpharetta > GA 30005 > T: (646) 736 7317 > info@aluvision.com > www.aluvision.com