2005 Annual Meeting Press Releases
EDPA’s 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting & Supplier Showcase Reaches Successful New Heights
(December 9, 2005) Atlanta, GA — Exhibit Designers & Producers Association (EDPA) hosted its 51st Annual Meeting and Supplier Showcase on November 30-December 2nd in Tucson, Arizona. A record 325 attendees from around the world participated in Supplier Showcase exhibits, networking, cutting edge technology and educational sessions.
Seventy-one, also a record, first time attendees and past attendees raved about the forward moving technology and “can’t find anywhere else” events and educational sessions. Networking was at an all time high with a universal platform to exchange conversation along with an education offering of 16 sessions in two and a half days. The Welcome Reception was hosted at an indoor/outdoor saloon with peanut shell floors, live cow, ride and rope’em game and it’s own poker tournament benefiting the EDPA Foundation. The Silent Auction and President’s Ball provided attendees with bidding bargains, dancing and time to catch up with longtime and new acquaintances.
EDPA also hosted more than 90 golfers in a scramble during the 16th Annual Van Lines Golf Open and eight in the second annual golf clinic. Volleyball pick up games overlooking the pool and vast mountain terrain were added in 2005 to keep attendees active.
Along with the volleyball, attendees were sure to be wowed with all the uncompromising additions to the Annual Meeting. On Wednesday, attendees were invited to a 53-foot mobile marketing unit for a barbeque lunch. This unit also was host to one of the three new industry focus workshops that afternoon. The highly anticipated EDPA Foundation Poker Tournament was held later that evening with 42 players raising money for a Fashion Institute of Technology Master’s Degree Scholarship in Exhibit Design. One of the most impressive additions to the meeting was the use of
groundbreaking audience response system technology used throughout three sessions. This technology allowed the attendees to answer questions via a credit card sized device while almost instantaneously outputting the audience’s response on a screen.
“Never has EDPA and its sponsor support gone to such lengths to achieve the heights of this year’s Annual Meeting and Supplier Showcase,” stated EDPA’s Executive Director, Pete Dicks. From education, location, special events, networking, decor, attendee base, diverse exhibit floor and service, EDPA has set the bar and will continue to rise to the occasion to serve the industry.”
Starting off with a bang during the Kick Off Reception, the highly anticipated 9th Annual Supplier Showcase was a huge success garnering 68 booths. Twelve ecstatic first time exhibitors covered the show floor. Each exhibitor received maximum exposure through a new technique to excel booth traffic. The Grand Prize Supplier Showcase Award was created so each attendee would visit each booth. It was no doubt a success with more than 40% of the companies submitting rebook forms for the 2006 Supplier Showcase in San Diego.
In conjunction with the Showcase, were the coveted one-minute commercials and the Golden Ham Award sponsored by Exhibit City News. The award given out for the best commercial portrayed by a Supplier Showcase exhibitor went to first place winner The Exhibiting Show, second place Optima Graphics, third place Entertainment Lighting Services and fourth place to Display Supply & Lighting. Each received a trophy with a gold plated pig atop for their offices.
The Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) is an internationally recognized national trade association with more than 380 corporate members from 18 countries that are engaged in the design, manufacture, transport, installation and service of displays and exhibits primarily for the trade show and event industry.
EDPA’s purpose is to provide education, leadership and networking for the advancement of its members and the exhibition and event industry. In addition to providing regional industry education programs through its eleven chapters, EDPA organizes one annual convention, tradeshow and golf tournament in a resort location for industry members and their suppliers. EDPA holds quarterly Board meetings and publishes a quarterly newsletter and monthly electronic news bulletin. EDPA also sponsors several annual industry awards.