ACQUISITION

Personify acquires GTR to expand Event Management Software Offering

Personify, Inc. (“Personify”), a technology company that enables organizations to manage and grow their communities, announced the acquisition of Charlotte-based GTR Event Technology. GTR is a longestablished player in the events industry, providing innovative solutions for event professionals and modern experiences for attendees. The acquisition of GTR allows Personify to offer a complete event management platform for organizers of trade shows, conferences, corporate meetings, and other events of all variations and sizes.

GTR has developed powerful and easyto-use software, along with expert services for badge printing, online registration, lead retrieval and attendance tracking. “The addition of GTR to Personify’s Community Experience Platform further enables our mission of helping our clients to manage and grow their communities. Our clients often want us to serve all their technology needs including event, association, and community engagement technology. GTR’s products now allow Personify to be a single source,” said Scott Collison, President and CEO of Personify. Travis Tucker, CEO of GTR, added, "Being part of Personify’s Community Experience Platform will expand the audience of those who will now consider GTR’s products for their event management technology needs. Our market has immediately expanded. We look forward to providing a broader variety of associations, chambers, and trade show and event organizers with an exceptional event experience.”

Attendees will enjoy a seamless experience of Personify’s event website and online registration, event check-in and badge printing and a mobile conference app. Event organizers, exhibitors and sponsors can generate more revenue and productivity from trade show floor planning, lead retrieval, matchmaking, exhibitor and sponsor marketing, attendance tracking, and data reporting and analytics.

Marketplace Events acquires home shows in Harrisburg, PA and Louisville, KY, from Home Builders Associations

Less than two months after adding five holiday shows to their annual schedule, Marketplace Events (MPE), North America ' s largest consumer show producer, announced the acquisition of home shows in Harrisburg, PA and Louisville, KY, from Home Builders Associations in each market, respectively.

The company purchased the PA Home & Garden Expo, the largest industry event of its kind between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, from the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg, who had been operating the show since 1968. The show will take place March 2-5, 2023 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center. “We are pleased to be able to add this legacy show to our portfolio,” said Tom Baugh, CEO of Marketplace Events.

“Especially so after recently acquiring the Pennsylvania Christmas Show. Both shows take place at the same venue and provide MPE a strong foundation for regional growth.” The company also acquired the Louisville Home Garden & Remodeling Show from the Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville, who has run that event for 50 years (with the exception of Covid-adjusted shows in 2021 and 2022). “Louisville is a terrific market and the Kentucky Expo Center an outstanding venue - we look forwarding to restoring the show to its position as one of the Midwest' s premier home and garden events,” said Baugh. 2023 dates are March 10-12. The PA show attracts 200 exhibitors and 10,000 attendees annually while the Louisville show draws 325 exhibitors and roughly 25,000 attendees annually. The two acquisitions bring the Marketplace Events portfolio to 77 annual events in 35 markets, which includes 10 holiday events, 65 home shows and 2 wedding shows.