Archived News 2009

Premiere Beauty, a leader in the beauty industry and a TSW 200, announced Freeman as the company’s face-to-face marketing partner. “As an organization, we are excited about the opportunities and look forward to working with Freeman,” said Howard Britt, President, Premiere Show Group.

ADA, a TSW 200 and America’s leading advocate for oral health, has been a Freeman customer for more than 20 years for audio visual support and recently added Freeman as the general services contractor.

“After a thorough review process, the American Dental Association has made a decision to expand our relationship with Freeman for 2010-2012,” said James S. Goodman, Managing VP, Conference & Meeting Services, at American Dental Association. “Freeman has proven that they not only can provide excellent customer service, but can be a strategic and creative provider, enhancing our mission.”

Customer driven, Freeman provides reliable, consistent, highly regarded products and services. Clients engage Freeman for strategic counsel, creative development and on-site logistics execution for face-to-face events of all sizes.

Freeman’s enhanced online ordering system is user-friendly, easy to navigate, and gives exhibitors a more engaging online experience that takes their event from beginning to end in one easy-to-use site. The new online experience provides show managers more customized branding opportunities to support their show.

“The online ordering system was revamped as part of Freeman’s ongoing effort to provide customers with industry leading innovation,” said Joe Popolo, CEO of Freeman. “The enhancements to our online ordering system are another great example of how Freeman supports our customers’ changing needs. We have improved online ordering to be an optimal blend of innovation, efficiency and flexibility, all designed for the ultimate customer experience. This is not only a great achievement for our company, but for our customers’ face-to-face marketing efforts, and we look forward to bringing them more innovative solutions.”

For more information, go to www.freemanco.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Most recently she worked with architects and construction companies on the Dallas Cowboys’ new $1 billion, three million-square-foot stadium. With a very eclectic background, Ms. Read brought her enthusiasm and passion to the event business, including work with the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. She spent time in Las Vegas working with event clients and major hotels and developing traveling backdrops for various entertainers.

But Dallas is her home and sports her first love. With the architectural introduction of fabric structures in the state-of-the-art, technologically advanced Dallas Cowboy Stadium, a whole new category for fabric usage in stadium design was born. She is delighted to bring her skills and insights to Moss in this exciting new initiative.

When she is not talking sports, she is part of a Red Cross disaster relief team. “I use sports to bridge the gap there, too; especially where kids are involved, I can always bring in t-shirts and other sports paraphernalia to make them feel better,” she says. “Basically I love to find out what makes people tick and to give people solutions, not just to sell them something. And I like to share my passion for sports and design.”

“At Moss we believe that fabric is a design solution, not a commodity,” said Shelly Alex, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Moss. “Joyce clearly believes this, and her intuitive sense of incorporating fabric into diverse creative situations makes her an invaluable part of our sales team.”

For more information go to www.mossinc.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Later in the day, the SoCal chapter is thrilled to have one of the industry's most-respected advocates give you his take on what 2010 holds for the exhibit sector. During the Awards Banquet after golf we will have a Keynote Presentation by ‘Event Marketer’ and ‘Event Design’ editor and publisher Dan Hanover, who will speak on “New Year, New You: 2010 Exhibit Industry Trends.” Join us for a rapid-fire rundown of top industry trends, stats and case studies, information that will give you some perspective, some insight, and quite honestly... some peace of mind. See how client spending is changing, how client wants and needs are evolving, and how exhibit partners and suppliers need to be evolving right along with them.

For more information or to sign up, go to: https://www.123signup.com/event?id=zhscq

“Wendy is a strong addition to our sales team, bringing the ideal mix of strategic thinking and marketing knowledge that is so necessary in helping clients build successful, integrated programs,” said Justin Hersh, President and CEO of Delphi and ICON. “We are delighted to have Wendy on board and are certain that, with her experience and passion for delivering the right solution for clients, she will blend perfectly with our company and customers.”

“I am truly excited to be a part of such a dynamic and forward thinking group,” said Voss. “The outstanding accomplishments of Delphi and ICON are directly related to the organization’s leadership and the quality and dedication of every employee. It’s an impressive team and I look forward to contributing to their continued success.”

Voss graduated from the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota. She has spent the last ten years with exhibit and event companies such as EWI, MICE and Event Think, and has professional affiliations with A.R.E (Association of Retail Environments), MPI (Meeting Planners International), CEMA (Corporate Event Marketing Association) and ICF (International Coach Federation).

Delphi and ICON merged in March 2009, creating a diversified enterprise with a more robust product, service and solutions offering for organizations in the tradeshow, events, museum and retail marketplace. Together, Delphi and ICON have nearly a century of combined experience, an extensive geographic reach with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ft. Wayne, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Berlin, Germany, and a strong industry commitment through key affiliations with EDPA, TSEA, HCEA, CEMA, EMI, IFES, and AAM. For additional information on Delphi and ICON, please visit www.delphiproductions.com and www.iconexhibits.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

An independent panel of judges selected 17 finalists for the Better Business Bureau’s 2009 Torch Awards, giving recognition and honor to those businesses and organizations that fully commit to ethical practices in all aspects of their business dealings. The judges evaluated the applications based on the eight judging criteria established by the Council of Better Business Bureaus and the International Torch Award Program. 

“We’ve received numerous awards for business growth and achievements, but it’s something else entirely to be recognized for ethics in the marketplace,” said Carla Eng, President of Abstract Displays. “People—our employees, clients, and business partners—are our most important asset and we wouldn’t be worth much as a company if we did not conduct all of our business ethically and fairly.  That’s why we are especially proud to be nominated for this award.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Contracted by Honolulu’s Bishop Museum, Delphi provided the engineering, fabrication and installation for an artifact-intensive exhibit featuring the culture and history of Hawaii. Delphi provided casework and graphics, and integrated the audio/visual components of the exhibit.

The Bishop Museum, which boasts the Pacific Basin’s largest collection of cultural and natural history, closed its Hawaiian Hall three years ago to undergo its first major renovation in over a century. The Museum hired leaders in the design and architecture field to fulfill the restoration—including Honolulu architect Glen Mason of Mason Architects, Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), a world-renowned museum design firm—as well as numerous Hawaiian scholars, cultural practitioners and artists.

“All aspects of Delphi’s work were outstanding,” commented David B. Kemble, senior exhibit designer for the Bishop Museum. “The excellent communication and close attention to detail Delphi provided made this the most seamless partnership we’ve ever experienced with a contractor—which is quite amazing given the complexities of the project. Delphi fulfilled the high expectations that we and the exhibit designers of Ralph Appelbaum Associates had when we selected Delphi as the lead fabricator.”

“It has been a true honor and pleasure to work with the fine team of artisans and craftspeople assembled by the Bishop Museum on this meaningful project,” said Justin Hersh, president and chief executive officer of Delphi Productions and ICON Exhibits, which merged in March of this year. Together, Delphi and ICON have more than a century of combined experience creating innovative exhibits, and a shared tradition of partnering with museum designers to achieve an institution’s experiential and fiscal objectives.

Delphi worked closely with the museum’s conservation, curatorial and mount-making teams to ensure the integrity of the substrates and LED lighting used for specialty graphic treatments that shared space with priceless artifacts. Part of these efforts involved extensive sampling and use of the highest level of non-chemically treated substrates as well as the manufacturing of mounting sleeves. In addition, to accommodate the exhibit’s significant audiovisual requirements, Delphi worked extensively with the construction site supervisor on interfaces. The audio, video, computer, network and control systems for this permanent exhibition included centralized, locally controlled interactive and passive experiences retrofitted into the 100-year-old building.

The state-of-the-art Museum embodies a native Hawaiian worldview, layered in meaning and authentic in voice. Hawaiian Hall offers visitors deeper insights into Hawaiian culture and access to a record number of the Museum’s treasured collections, together with Hawaiian interpretation and perspectives. Artifacts are displayed in ways that pay tribute to their inherent power and heritage. Over time, these artifacts will be rotated to ensure proper care and display.

“The public reopening of Hawaiian Hall truly was something to behold. The celebration was replete with traditional Hawaiian ceremonial activities, from dance to chant to traditional dress,” said David Salinger, Delphi’s senior project director. “It was incredibly fulfilling to see the enjoyment and approval of both the Museum’s staff and the public during the opening ceremonies, and to know that we had a part in creating an experience that will live on in Hawaiian culture.”

For additional information on Delphi and ICON,  go to www.delphiproductions.com and www.iconexhibits.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

In a letter to TSW Assistant Editor Joalien Johnson, EDPA Executive Director Jeff Provost notes that, among other things, “Exclusive services contracts exclude competition by definition … and eliminate the competitive bidding and competition that make the US economy the envy of the world.”

To see a PDF of the original TSW article, click HERE.

To see Jeff’s response, click HERE.

To read the EDPA’s position paper on bundling services, click HERE.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Revenue in 2005 must have been at least $200,000, and revenue in 2008 must have been at least $2 million. Abstract Displays was founded in 2000 by Carla Eng, a veteran of the trade-show industry. Since its inception, Abstract Displays has received numerous awards and recognition for growth and has been recognized as an outstanding member of the community. “We’re thrilled to be included in the Inc. 5000 again this year, especially considering the industry we are in, which has taken a hit with the economy,” said Ms. Eng. “We are proud to say that with solid planning and smart business practices we’ve been able to maintain our position and continue growing and look forward to 2009 being another successful year.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

He has created and produced award-winning designs for a diverse group of clients including Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gillette, Bose and Hologic. “Chris’ strong work ethic and breadth of experience strengthens our creative resources and allows us to deliver the innovative solutions our clients require,” said company President Stanton Sacks. Sacks Exhibits is a full-service tradeshow exhibit company specializing in delivering powerful, cost-effective 3D marketing solutions. For more information, visit www.sacksexhibits.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

According to Tim Morris, president of Eco-Systems Sustainable Exhibits, “the subcommittees have reported their findings and research, and the results are now available at http://wp.apexsolution.org.”

The research was crafted with the help of a number of EDPA members. Those interested in offering their feedback and comments should go to http://wp.apexsolution.org and click on the “How To Post” bar at the top of the page. Comments will then be passed alog to the committee for inclusion in the final report, expected to be available within two months.

Anyone with questions or technical issues is invited to contact Mandy Ewing at mewing@conventionindustry.org.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The four-day conference and two-day expo, featuring exhibiting companies and 70 conference sessions, held strong in spite of the sagging economy. National Trade Productions, Inc., owners and operators of TS2 since 2004, announced that the event experienced only a 15% decrease in attendance from the 2008 event, which boasted its best attendance since the 2004 purchase of the show.

Awards were given for Best in Show, determined by a panel of judges considering company identity, exhibit environment, design, presentation, exhibit personnel effectiveness, and overall “wow” factor. The 2009 winners were:
Overall Best in Show: Deckel & Moneypenny Exhibits
Runner Up, Inline Booths: 3D Exhibits

Commenting on the selection of Deckel & Moneypenny, Jane Lorimer, the head booth judge of the competition said of their entry: “They were selected because it all fit together — the booth design, the activity, and the messaging; and the staff made it all come together. They had great energy, passion and a love of what they were ‘selling.’

Congratulations to Deckel & Moneypenny and 3D for a job well done.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“This partnership brings together the respective strengths of both companies in business analytics and enterprise data warehousing, said Thomas Beard, Vice President of Champion Logistics Group. “Champion will provide trade show transportation and logistical support to Productive Displays customers. Tighter integration with a company like Productive Displays creates a higher level of customer satisfaction and provides a unified solution for trade show and event marketing events.”

The partnership will provide Productive Displays customers with a superior level of customer service and satisfaction. Champion Logistics is known throughout the industry as being reliable and flexible for all of its trade-show clients. Additionally, the company has employees available 24/7 in case of any unforeseen situation with a display.

“Our partnership with Champion Logistics means that our customers will have the best of both worlds,” said Bruce Ulrich, President of Productive Displays. “Champion Logistics has been providing customers with on-time and high quality trade show transportation services for nearly 30 years. They understand what our customers need and the importance that our tradeshow booth designs make it in one piece and on time. Because of their extensive experience and knowledge of the trade show industry, we're confident they can handle any problem or situation that arises.”

Productive Displays is a full service tradeshow booth design firm capable of creating any type of display or company signage. The firm designs entire displays from scratch or can simply design new display panels to work alongside a customer's existing display frame. Additionally, the firm's talented staff can even repair or refurbish existing displays to restore them to like new condition. Productive Displays also has a selection of rental displays, perfect for customers who don't attend trade shows frequently enough to justify the cost of purchasing a display.

"We are the premier Chicago trade show booth company and we work hard at it. Whether you're looking for pop-up displays, banner stands, panel systems or vinyl banners, we can design it all. Our expansive product offering, combined with our new partnership with Champion, shows Productive Displays' continued commitment to providing customers with personalized and customized event marketing support," said Ulrich.

For more information go to productivedisplays.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Communicator Awards’ video entries are judged against a high standard of excellence and winners are selected based on their best-of-breed performance in numerous communications areas. The Award of Excellence is the highest honor acknowledged by the Communicator Awards and the IAVA board. “We’re thrilled to be recognized by the esteemed IAVA for these two exciting media projects and we are thankful to Medtronic and Applied Materials for the opportunity to bring their brands to life in such a dynamic medium,” said Justin Hersh, President and CEO of Delphi and ICON. “We are long-time proponents of media creation and integration into event environments and have supported this belief with in-house capabilities for over eight years.”

This is the second consecutive year that Delphi has received Communicator Awards. Last year Delphi received an Award of Excellence in Interactive Education for Southern California’s “A Houseful of Thomas Edison’s Bright Ideas,” and an Award of Distinction in Corporate Image for Medtronic’s corporate branding video.

Delphi produces media elements and delivery systems that not only work well together, but also become seamless parts of an overall environment — be it a physical or virtual event or tradeshow, or a museum. “We believe media will continue to play an increasingly important role in all of these visual environments and we’re proud to have an in-house expertise to offer our clients as part of their integrated marketing and sales programs,” said Tony Erpelding, VP of Creative Services at Delphi and ICON.

Delphi and ICON merged in March 2009, creating a diversified enterprise with a more robust product, service and solutions offering for organizations in the tradeshow, events, museum and retail marketplace. Together, Delphi and ICON have nearly a century of combined experience, an extensive geographic reach with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ft. Wayne, Los Angeles and Berlin, Germany, and a strong industry commitment through key affiliations with EDPA, TSEA, HCEA, CEMA, EMI, IFES, AAM.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ProActive was acquired by Freeman in April 2007, but continued using its historic name to emphasize the enhanced strategic and creative agency-level production solutions available to Freeman clients. Freeman is the world’s leading provider of integrated services for face-to-face marketing events.

“Our goal is to strengthen our clients’ brand through face-to-face events, and our strategic, creative and production offerings are key to the success of that effort,” said Carrie Freeman Parsons, vice chair and CMO of Freeman. “Our clients have had great success leveraging the creative resources of ProActive the last two years, and we see this change as an extension of that evolution – simply reflecting in name what already exists in practice.”

Freeman’s full suite of strategic and creative services includes branding, event marketing, communications strategy, creative direction, experience and exhibit design, and assessment and measurement for live events, business meetings, trade shows, corporate training and other communication-based programs.

Existing clients will see no change in their working relationships with their ProActive or Freeman account teams; rather, the integration of the two companies’ brands will enable clients to better explore the company’s comprehensive range of resources — from products and services, to the expertise of personnel, and the geographic reach of its locations.

The former ProActive offices and personnel in Chicago and New York City will remain intact, with Tony Lorenz, CMM, continuing to head all creative resources at Freeman. Lorenz founded ProActive in 1992, building it into a respected leader in providing strategic experiential communications solutions.

For more details contact Freeman at www.freemanco.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SET, based in Indianapolis, has provided custom and modular aluminum structural systems to exhibit houses, specifiers and designers since July 1999.  SET’s first product offering was the ExpodeckT multi-story system that Tim Searle, President and Founder of SET, designed while working for Icon Exhibits in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  When Mr. Searle left Icon that year, he was given the exclusive right to engineer, market and sell Expodeck.
According to Searle, SET is developing a whole family of aluminum system-based products that will continue to provide lower cost, lightweight, structural solutions.  “Our industry is constantly being challenged to offer more for less cost. A key component of lower cost is the availability of products offering extensive repurposing capabilities.” Mr. Searle believes that SET’s products provide a much better ROI for its clients because each component or assembly has so many different functional capabilities.

“I am very grateful to the exhibit industry for the friendships that we have made over the last ten years with our clients and vendors,” he said. “We value the opportunities we have to work with many talented and committed people to meet their project challenges.  Our donation to EDPA is a ‘thank you’ to our many clients who have helped us to grow.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Each year, IAEE selects a “Legend of the Industry” whose contributions, innovation and leadership have been truly unique and remarkable. An informal setting then allows each Institute participant one-on-one time with this industry leader.

“After 45 years in the industry, I am always happy to see it infused with fresh ideas and enthusiasm,” Freeman said. “During these times of economic uncertainty, it is encouraging to see that our industry continues to grow strong and invests in its future. I am pleased to be able to share what I have learned with these future leaders and contribute to their growth process.”

Freeman has served as officer and director of numerous convention industry associations, including the EDPA, IAEE and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), among others.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Prior to joining ELITeXPO, Michel was with Group360, Inc., where he served as vice president of business development, sales director and executive vice president-creative division. In this capacity, he managed the accounts of multiple Fortune 500 firms and was responsible for significant increases in sales revenues.  

In his new role with ELITeXPO, Michel will be responsible for assisting in the growth of the company’s new property management services. This new service line includes tradeshow booths, shipping logistics, project management and more. By integrating the new division into its existing offerings, ELITeXPO is now a full service, single-source tradeshow/event partner and delivers unprecedented efficiencies through streamline management of tradeshow/event programs.

For further information about ELITeXPO, visit the Website at www.elitexpo.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

During the next few months Moss will be executing a strategic plan that establishes several areas of specialization throughout the organization. These changes include a newly created center of excellence for engineering and technical design in Belfast, Maine, and more than 175,000 square feet of manufacturing capability with a new state-of-the-art facility in Chicago. According to EVP-Operations, Vince Marler, “The reorganization of the company will allow Moss to continue in its efforts to become more efficient, cost competitive and customer centric.”

The Belfast facility will centralize Moss’ key technical expertise to provide better service to its customers by specializing in technical support and engineering. Additionally, Moss will be moving in to a new strategically located production facility in the Chicago area which will be designed for maximum efficiency and productivity. Salt Lake City will continue to be the hub for specialization in research and product development and in high volume retail production.

“These changes strategically position the company to continue its growth both in existing products and markets as well as new ventures”, said Charlie Corsentino, chairman, president, & CEO of Moss. Moss serves the Exhibit, Event, and Retail Environments from locations in Chicago, Maine, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas.  For more information visit www.mossinc.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sacks designed and built the award-winning display for the iRobot consumer products division. The kiosk is one element of iRobot’s 3-dimensional marketing efforts. “Working with Sacks over the past six years has been a wonderful experience. They’ve helped us develop our award-winning kiosk and a custom exhibit for our biggest show of the year, CES. Sacks has always been cost-conscious and proactive in coming up with solutions to meet our needs” said Julie Elanjian, of iRobot.

David Mihalik President & CEO of ELITeXPO said in a statement “ELITeXPO has been a preferred carrier for many Associations and Show Management firms for over 20 years. While we have steadily grown this portion of our business model and have Show Management representation in Chicago and Texas, we felt it was important to have an active Manager located in the Baltimore-Washington area where there is a high concentration of Association Management and existing ELITeXPO clients. Significant growth of our business over the past four years has afforded us the opportunity to bring onto our team highly qualified executives now available as a result of the changing markets. Tom will reinforce our position as a top Trade Show Carrier to the industry and expand our brand to previously unexplored areas.”

Tom Markusson began working in the tradeshow industry in 1998. He got his start working in operations for both a show management firm and a major general service contractor before making the transition to exhibit and sponsorship sales. For the past ten years, he has managed the sales efforts for numerous tradeshows on behalf of multiple non-profit organizations. Tom places an emphasis on relationship building, networking and preaches a consultative sales approach. Tom received a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC and holds the Certified in Exhibitions Management (CEM) designation from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE).
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

These panels absorb sound, which is crucial in schools and other large open areas that are traditionally very loud and require acoustic management. They can also provide graphic opportunities in cafeterias, media centers, gyms, lobbies and auditoriums. The panels are made of aluminum frames and power-stretch fabric so they are lightweight and durable. Graphics can be removed and replaced easily aiding in the install, cleaning, and storage.

“Nimlok’s Acoustical Graphic Panels have been created with beauty and function in mind,” says Mike Wilson, account executive. “These panels meet NRC standards for noise reduction, are lightweight and can be constructed almost any size or configuration to retrofit an existing area or implement into a new area.”

In addition, the panels offer schools the option to generate revenue by sell ad space to companies, parents or groups and clubs. “The possibilities are endless to create usable message space,” says Wilson.

Freeman received the award for Best Overall Staging for a Corporate or Association Event with a budget of $50,000 - $199,000 for the Miller Brewing Annual Distributors’ Conference. Its work in staging the Microsoft Management Summit won the award for Best Overall Staging for a Corporate Event with a technology budget over $200,000. Freeman also received the award for Best Use of AV Technology for the AETN exhibit at the 2008 National Association of Cable Television trade show.

“We are proud that our work has gained the recognition of our peers in this dynamic industry,” said Ken Sanders, president of Freeman’s U.S. audio visual division. “AV technology and production performance standards are continually advancing. We are committed to providing the very best AV solutions available to clients in the face-to-face marketing arena.”

The annual awards are sponsored by Lighting & Sound America magazine and InfoComm International.

Most recently Mr. Marler has served as Moss’ Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for approximately two years. In his role Mr. Marler streamlined the Finance and Information Technology functions of Moss.  Additionally, he was instrumental in the acquisition and integration of the former Nichols Company based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Prior to joining Moss, Mr. Marler was Corporate Senior Vice President-Central Operations for Exhibitgroup/Giltspur. In this position Vince directed the company wide operations and manufacturing functions including production, estimating, logistics and workflow improvements.

For the last eight years, Mr. Ollinger was Chief Financial Officer of K&K Screw Products LLC in Carol Stream, Illinois, a $64 million firm owned by a private equity fund. Mark was responsible for overhauling financial control and reporting systems resulting in significantly improved earnings. Prior to Mark’s last post, for ten years he served as Vice President-Corporate Controller for Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, a $457 million company.

Charlie Corsentino, Chairman, President and CEO of Moss said, “With the aggressive growth plans Moss is expecting to implement over the next several years, Mr. Marler will most definitely provide excellent operations leadership and he will add value to the entire team with his knowledge and business acumen.” Speaking of Mr. Ollinger, he said, “Mark brings to Moss a wealth of financial leadership and knowledge, as well as extensive experience in the Trade Show industry. I am very confident that he will add value to Moss and help bring our company to a higher level within our served markets.”

Heidi Maschmann, VP of Information Systems and Green Program Manager said, “The environment is something each of us has to take responsibility for. We understand that shipping and the carbon emissions it produces have a tremendous impact on the planet. In order to slow down or reverse the negative effects we have on the environment we all have to do what we can. It is a great undertaking and we are working each day to add components to our Green Program that will make a significant change.”

“We chose American Forests because it was a meaningful, tangible way to implement an action that has a real impact on the environment that we at ELITeXPO could see and touch,” said David Mihalik, CEO. He added, ”A carbon credit to us is really vague, but planting a tree, we believe, transcends government regulation, unclear carbon crediting and green washing. We wanted our dollars to get someone’s hands on a shovel and plant a tree. It’s easy and simple, and if you want to know where that dollar went, American Forests will show you the forests that they are planting. We can’t see a carbon credit, but a tree…lives.  Book a shipment, plant a tree.”

Moss recently introduced a new Event Market product line with over 30 new products for the Event and Experiential Marketing Markets. The new Moss Events line includes columns, walls, arches, photographic backdrops and functional décor. All products from the line are available for rent or purchase. Charlie Corsentino, Chairman, President and CEO of Moss said, “This new event line is innovative and exciting and will offer the Event Market even more choices from Moss for event décor.”

With operations in Chicago, Maine, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas, Moss is the world's premier provider of tensioned fabric structures, display hardware, and printed graphics to the Event, Exhibit, and Retail Interiors markets.

Kong will be working remotely from his home office in Orlando and can be contacted toll free at 800.341.1557 ext.2108

“Philadelphia is a good market for us,” said Jeff Price, chief operating officer of Freeman. “We have had an office in the city since 1994, and we have many good customers there. When the convention center completes its expansion, we will likely re-evaluate the need for a more full service branch in the city. Meanwhile, we can operate more efficiently with a local presence for sales and sales service, and with event production and operations handled through our New York location.”

Freeman’s New York branch has historically provided all equipment and most production for Philadelphia events. For the past year, however, the New York branch has produced all events in Philadelphia. Closing the Philadelphia branch merely formalizes this arrangement, and few Freeman employees are affected by the closing.

Freeman produces a number of sizeable events in the city’s Pennsylvania Convention Center, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the American Society of Cell Biology and AIIM / OnDemand, among many others.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

That’s what Exhibit City News is setting out to determine. Who are the young hotshots primed and ready to carry the industry banner into 2015 and beyond? Who are the 40 under 40? Exhibit City News is gathering nominations to find the industry’s most dynamic young business leaders, entrepreneurs, managers, marketers, designers, engineers, vendors, exhibit and event managers, and sales and account executives.

Nominees must have at least five years’ experience in the industry while also demonstrating ingenuity, creativity, and leadership in their careers. The publication is looking for innovative marketing ideas, design creativity, sales successes, unique personal stories, tales of triumph, and leadership in their profession and their lives.

Full details can be found at http://tinyurl.com/40-under-40-honors.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Her talents and professional achievements include the development of distribution networks in both the US and Europe for exhibit products, as well as overseeing numerous distributor training programs. Because of her interest in the definition and implementation of client advertising and marketing programs, MaryBeth’s addition to Hamilton Exhibits is an exciting partnership.

Ms. Gieser’s commitment to the exhibit industry is manifest in her numerous awards and distinctions. She is the past-president of the Exhibit Designer & Producers Association (EDPA) and has served six years on the EDPA Executive Board. In addition, MaryBeth has served on the Board of Directors of the Business Marketing Association of Colorado as well as its Vice President of Events.

Lynne Damer, Vice President, Hamilton Exhibits, said “We are thrilled to have MaryBeth as a part of the Sales and New Business Development team. MaryBeth brings a commitment and tenure rarely found in our industry and will bring that expertise to the table as she manages client’s exhibit and event programs.”

Hamilton Exhibits, LLC, based in Indianapolis, IN, is an internationally recognized, full-service, face-to-face marketing resource, providing exhibit, event and visual media design, production and program services to a broad range of clients. Hamilton also provides integrated tools to facilitate efficient execution of events with the purpose of creating measurable marketing solutions to effectively promote their client’s brands and products.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

First Place: Winner, Youngkyu Kim

“This design explores the use of the literal from nature in the tree, and transforms it into a great sculptural story on the companies products . . . It is successful in the poetic segue of form as a draw on the floor to engaging the attendee wanting to know more about the companies products.”

“This designer took the assignment to metaphorical and aesthetic places that were not only well-conceived, but executed in a beautiful manner giving attention not only to the practicalities of the project but to the visual impact of the presentation itself. I was impressed with the graceful interplay of organic and geometric shapes with the thoughtful attention to lighting and atmosphere.”

“The unconventional nature of this exhibit is certainly an attention grabber, and would be a visual draw on its aesthetics alone.”

Second Place: Winner, Juan “Joem” Sanchez

“In paying attention to the environmentally conscious portion of the RFP, this solution delivers the big focuses of the green movement; recyclable, sustainable and reduced CO2 emissions.”

“Here the designer married engineering and art in a way that is technically impressive and visually startling. I enjoyed his/her interpretation of the interdependence of ecosystems and technology represented by the connectivity provide by the cabling.”

“The exhibit structure is also aptly setup as a canvas for brand messaging and communication. Very well done.”

Third Place: Winner, Dan Maurer

“This choice is a risky one as it potentially challenges the company’s market with its play on Natural and Urban elements. With that said, this market could use a refreshing step away from the green-washing that is so prevalent in the building industry.”

“I loved this designer’s audacity, taking on the philosophical concept of chaos and order; it’s almost Biblical . . . The “get Green” topiary graphic was a brilliant counterpoint to the stark geometry of the overall exhibit concept.”

“The simplicity in the exhibit structure, the placement of the product—appropriate in this case—combine to make this design noteworthy. Aesthetically eye-catching and one that draws you into to exhibit to see what else there is to experience.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Third Annual MOD Awards, March 24, 2009, honored the best portable modular designs of the past year for trade shows, events, indoor, outdoor, retail and museums. The awards spotlighted leading designers of portable modular structures. Inter-Global Exhibitions was selected as a finalist in the category Best 20X20 for the Toyota exhibit at the Jeddah Motor Show.

The overall design objective and for each modular element in the Toyota Motor Exhibit was to exceed the client’s goal of attracting show attendees, re-introduce them to the Toyota line of autos, extend guests’ stay and deliver Toyota’s message to show attendees. The final design purpose of this exhibit was to create three different Toyota product line areas within one corporate exhibit.

At the 2009 MOD Award Presentation, Inter-Global Exhibition was chosen the Best 20X20 winner by the audience with an instant audience response tabulation provided by Padgett Communications along with a distinguished panel of judges including Dan Hanover, Derek Gentile, Armen Gharabegian and Mitchell Mauk.

Inter-Global Exhibitions was then selected as the Best of MOD winner by the audience.

Out of 301 participating exhibitions, only four were recognized for their overall excellence of their booth design or staff at Exhibitor2009, the world conference and exhibition for trade show and corporate event marketers, March 22-26, 2009, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Inter-Global Exhibitions wowed judges with its “unique utilization of a small space” of its own exhibit space winning the category of Best of Show in the category of 200 sq. ft. or less.

The awards are judged by a panel of industry peers.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

With the successful launch of this program six years ago, the Chapter is again asking for industry support through sponsorships and participation. Monies collected will go directly to the Foundation’s scholastic efforts for the children. The proof of their success has been in awarding of eleven scholarships thus far and the goal is to award at least two new scholarships each year.

EDPALV is offering several levels of sponsorship, ranging from $100-$5,000, providing a variety of affordable ways to support this most worthy cause.

Committee members will be contacting potential donors to ask for their support. They hope others believe enough in the program to give back to local industry members who have given so much over the years.

To sign up as a sponsor or player, contact Rebecca Thompson at (702) 505-2321 or Dalene Threeton (702) 604-7791.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Vantage Point initiative is led by The Expo Group Studios VP of Branding and Innovation, Costas Varkarotas. Exhibit managers will have a choice of 10 new exhibit lines representing 30 new looks.

“For me, it’s about value engineering. We are all doing more with less for less,” Varkarotas said. “Vantage Point provides diversity, flexibility, creativity and style at the right price point, while maximizing trends toward environmentally friendly materials, open spaces and creative use of audio visuals.”

The Expo Group has worked diligently with its vendors to promote reuse, recycling and reduction in exhibit materials. Vantage Point exhibits consist of Octanorm aluminum extrusions with hybrid custom materials. All come with options for “green” carpet, countertops and graphics materials.

The Expo Group is a Single Source® general service contractor, custom exhibits house and marketing design studio fulfilling the needs of show organizers, corporate planners and exhibitors. The Dallas-based company also has offices in Las Vegas, San Jose, St. Louis, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Carrie Freeman Parsons, Freeman's chief marketing officer and vice chair, said, “Every function within Freeman’s marketing program today — as well as many other roles within the corporate office — has a thread to Ellen. Her experience and unparalleled devotion to the company, unquestioned ethics and institutional knowledge are the cornerstones of why she has been such a valued member of the Freeman family.”

Beckert has a diverse background. A graduate of Cornell University with a bachelor of arts degree in English and a minor in psychology, she taught high school English and psychology in Michigan. In the mid-seventies, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked in sales for Marriott and Hyatt. In 1977, she moved to Dallas and joined AVW, Freeman's audio-visual division, to launch her career in the face-to-face industry.

Her initial challenge with AVW was to develop the Dallas in-house hotel market, where was successful in signing two of the area's leading properties. Soon Beckert was working as a trusted resource with many of the company's national customers as national sales manager.

Beckert was transferred to the corporate office in Dallas in1983 to launch Freeman's corporate communication and training programs. She took a major step when she was tapped as the project coordinator on Freeman's Republican National Convention project in 1984.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Beckert assumed more responsibility for Freeman as the company's meeting planner, corporate communications manager and marketing manager. In 1998 she helped create the company's more formalized marketing department, where she has pioneered numerous projects for the growing and increasingly successful company.

Beckert has had very active roles in industry and professional organizations. She was president of the Dallas chapter of MPI, served on MPI’s international executive board and was recognized as Supplier of the Year in 1991. Beckert has served on Richland College's Travel, Exposition and Meeting Management program advisory board since 1993, and has worked with CIC and the APEX committee on the industry Glossary of Terms as well as standards for industry RFP.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ms. Eng will be announced and honored as the Ohio Small Business Person of the Year during National Small Business Week May 18-22 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington D.C. Ms. Eng was selected out of more than 26 million small businesses in the United States and nearly one million small businesses in the State of Ohio.

Specific criteria for the SBA Small Business Person of the Year include: staying power, growth in number of employees, increase in sales and/or unit revenue, current and past financial performance, innovativeness of product or service offered, response to adversity, and contributions to community-oriented projects.

Also announced is that Abstract Displays has received designation in the Top 100 Women-Owned Businesses in Ohio and Top 100 Diversity-Owned Businesses in Ohio for 2009, as awarded by DiversityBusiness.com.

“Our company has been focused on nothing but growth over the past few years,” said Ms. Eng. “Most importantly, we know that our growth leads to job security for our current employees and opportunities to hire new employees, which all feeds back into our struggling economy. Everything we do impacts our employees and our economy and we want to keep doing our part to sustain it for as long as we can. These awards are proof that we are heading in the right direction as a company.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

In making the announcement, Joe Popolo, Freeman’s CEO, said, “This structure is a natural progression of the strategy we have been working toward for several years, as our customers’ needs continue to evolve. Although we have previously seen exposition, exhibitor and corporate clients as being different in their needs and resource requirements, they are more inter-dependent now than ever before. As our industry continues to evolve, we need to provide all our customers with greater access to the strategic, creative and logistics resources across Freeman’s enterprise.”

Bob Moore has been named the new chief sales officer for Freeman, with both corporate accounts and exposition services sales teams reporting to him. Moore joined Freeman in 2004 as executive vice president, corporate accounts, and has since applied his previous proven experience in executive roles with both Hilton and Starwood to this growing segment of the face-to-face events industry.  Moore is past chairman of Meeting Professionals International and the Travel Industry Association of America, and a past board of director for the American Society of Association Executives. In 2007, he was inducted into the Convention Industry Council Hall of Leaders, the meeting and tourism industry’s highest form of recognition for a lifetime of contribution to the industry’s growth and success.

Several new key leadership roles will report to Moore:

Martin Moggré will be leading Freeman’s exposition services sales teams as senior vice president sales, exposition services. Since joining Freeman more than 20 years ago, Moggré has developed many long-term national client relationships and provided management leadership within the Freeman sales organization. His most recent position was vice president, national sales group, exposition services.

Steve Anderson has been promoted to senior vice president, business development.  Since joining Freeman in 1999, Anderson has maintained major national accounts and developed sales teams to work with such clients as the National Association of Broadcasters.  He was most recently vice president, national sales group, and will continue to work out of Freeman’s Las Vegas operation.

Darren Temple has been promoted to senior vice president, branch sales.  Temple will oversee all Freeman branch sales efforts to provide cohesive support for exposition, corporate and exhibiting customers at the local level. With 20 years’ experience, Temple is a proven sales leader in his previous roles heading up the company’s audio visual sales team and his most recent position as senior vice president, sales administration, for Freeman.

Reporting to Moggré, and managing Freeman’s national exposition services sales teams, will be Dan Steenstrup, Joyce Rosinski and Mike Bruley, who have been promoted to senior vice president, national sales group. All three have extensive experience in leadership roles within the Freeman sales organization spanning more than 25 years, and are well respected by many of Freeman’s largest exposition services clients and in the face-to-face event industry. Steenstrup and Rosinski will continue to be based out of the Chicago national sales office, where they handle many of Freeman’s longest-standing and most complex accounts, with Bruley based in the company’s Dallas corporate office.

As a result of Moore’s new position, Dan Hoffend will assume overall responsibility for the company’s corporate accounts sales groups in his new role as senior vice president, corporate accounts. Since joining Freeman in 2001 when the company acquired Hoffend Exposition, he has developed one of Freeman’s fastest-growing divisions that delivers face-to-face event marketing services for major corporations such as McDonald’s, Microsoft, and 3M.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Financial flexibility was identified by 49 percent of the voters at the recent EXHIBITOR2009 in Las Vegas as the number one issue in the exhibit, events and environment industry. Voters (36 percent) said design innovation, or the ability to build a brand through architecture and technology, was the second most-pressing issue.

Rounding out the top industry concerns were the ability to manage and grow a truly global exhibit program (6 percent) and the use of recyclable architecture and lightweight material in an integrated sustainable program (5 percent).

“The industry has told us what’s important to them and EXPOTECHNIK is responding,” said Philip Soschinski, Chief Executive Officer of EXPOTECHNIK America Ltd.

The survey is part of EXPOTECHNIK’s “What moves you?” campaign, a data-gathering project that began at EXHIBITOR2009 in Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Voters spent about three minutes with an EXPOTECHNIK team member during the three-day show discussing in detail what issue moved them the most and why. The results of their questionnairea were tallied and posted in real-time on a 60-inch plasma screen embedded within the booth wall. The interactive booth also allowed visitors to light one of four pillars, each matching one of the four important topics: Design innovation, financial flexibility, integrated sustainability and truly global.

The live data was broadcast on EXPOTECHNIK’s Web site, www.whatmovesyou2009.com, where show-goers continue to provide testimonials and interact with one another.

“We became the barometer of the industry during the show,” Soschinski said. “Our booth reflected what exhibitors were thinking and saying. Ultimately, the industry said financial flexibility is most important in these tough economic times.

“Our team responded by providing solutions to meet the various financial concerns — whether it meant using a hybrid rental-custom program or creating branded architecture,” Soschinski said.

The survey also found that a majority of exhibitors (52 percent) are doing more work with fewer resources.

“Exhibitors need a program that has 100 percent flexibility and scalability to meet this demand,” Soschinski said.

Despite the difficult economic climate, the number of exhibitors doing more shows (43 percent) is nearly the same as the number of exhibitors doing fewer shows (46 percent).

“People recognize that shows are still the best way to market your business, develop new leads and plan for the future,” Soschinki said. “EXPOTECHNIK has the experience and talent to make sure each show is a success.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“We’re extremely proud of all our winners and the work they produced,” said EDPA Executive Director Jeff Provost. “It bodes well for our industry to know we have so many bright and talented newcomers ready to join our ranks.”

The project, sponsored by Star Exhibits, 3D Exhibits and Hamilton Exhibits, had the students design new tradeshow booths for a fictional client, “Get Green, Inc.” The students were required to incorporate a “green theme” into their efforts, reflecting the industry’s move to more sustainable products in their work.

“The judges were particularly challenged by the students’ split decision to approach the solution with two disparate approaches,” said Alan Cordial, CEO of calan communications, and chairman of the competition. “Some saw the solution in the creation of a ‘wow’ factor, while other embraced the eco-friendly quality of the exhibits materials. Both camps were represented by very impressive entries making the judge's decision all the harder this year,” he said. “The judges were pleased by the end selections’ professional quality and impressed by the overall effort from all the entries.”

The winners were selected by design directors from top design studios (and EDPA member companies) Hamilton Exhibits, Stevens Exhibit Design Group (Canada), 3D Exhibits and Star Exhibits.

First Place went to Youngku Kim, cited for his “…poetic segue of form as a draw on the floor to engage the attendee”; second place was awarded to Juan Sanez, whose solution “…delivers the big focuses of the green movement”; third place went to Dan Maurer for his  “…play on Natural and Urban elements”; and fourth place was awarded to Karina Carlson whose entry “…covered all of the key areas associated with the program needed by “Get Green.”

The Student Design Competition is sponsored by the EDPA (Exhibit Designers and Producers Association) to give aspiring designers a chance to showcase their work to prospective employers. The top winners’ work will be presented to sponsors, who may extend an opportunity to interview for a paid internship.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

In his new role, Craig will continue to handle some of ELS’ largest exhibit clients and corporate shows. His responsibilities include designing and scoping projects, coordinating technical drawings, providing detailed bids, setting creative expectations, managing budgets, and providing value-added services.

“I’m thrilled to be taking on this new role,” said Teague. “It is always an exciting challenge to provide our clients with new and creative lighting solutions. ELS attracts the best and brightest in the lighting industry, and I am looking forward to mentoring our growing staff.”

Craig began his tenure with ELS 15 years ago. He started with the company in December 1994 when he was first hired as a shop technician. In 1995, he was promoted to Rental Associate, and was then named Assistant Rental Manager four years later. In 2000, Craig was promoted to Senior Account Manager and was given the task to grow and expand ELS’ exhibit and corporate markets.

“Craig’s dedication to excellence, along with his extensive experience in both technical and theatrical lighting allows him to truly partner with his clients,” said Andy Pepper, Senior Vice President at ELS. “Craig has been a valued member of the ELS family for years, and we welcome his continued hard work as Vice President, Production Rentals.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dallas — John K. Sweeney has joined Freeman’s U.S. audiovisual division as vice president, hotel sales. In making the announcement, Ken Sanders, president, Freeman’s U.S. audiovisual division said, “John's in-depth experience in the hotel market is a key element in our focus on growing hotel and facilities audiovisual services,” said Sanders. “Adding John’s capabilities to Freeman’s recent acquisition of AVT Event Technologies gives us a strong position in an important segment of the face-to-face industry.”

With more than 20 years’ industry experience, Sweeney joined Freeman from his most recent position as national sales director for Audio Visual Innovations. Prior to that, he was president of Teledata Systems, as well as 11 years of executive sales and management career with Carabiner International.

Sweeney is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, with a B.S. in finance. Based in Philadelphia, he is active in numerous civic and professional organizations, where he was a board member of the greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, a member of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, a past president of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization and a member of Meeting Professionals International, among others.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“While operating in one of the most difficult economic environments of our lifetime, these finalists have exemplified the true spirit of American enterprise,” said Thomas J. Donahue, the U.S. Chamber’s President and CEO. “It is an entrepreneurial drive like this that will rebuild our economy to be stronger than ever.”

Abstract Displays was selected to represent the Great Lakes region from more than four million small businesses in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania.  One of seven nationwide finalists, Abstract Displays will next compete for Small Business of the Year, which will be announced at America’s Small Business Summit May 11 - 13 in Washington, D.C.

“When our company was named one of the seven regional finalists and attended the Summit in Washington last year, we were inspired by the other small business owners we met, which provided even greater focus for our company and where we wanted to be,” said Abstract Displays President, Carla Eng. “Even during these tough economic times, our company is thriving because we are committed to all the ideals the US Chamber recognizes. It’s a thrill to be honored again this year.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tischer brings more than 11 years of liquid lamination experience to the position. Prior to Drytac, he was with Neschen Accutech as their Liquid Coating Technical Supervisor and Liquid Coatings Sales Specialist at Neschen Americas. Tischer has also provided technical training for organizations such as SGIA and DPI and participated in numerous trade shows worldwide.

Tischer will work closely with Nate Goodman and James “Jim” Tatum, which will enable Marc to hit the ground running. To meet Marc, visit Drytac’s booth at ISA # 5758 in Las Vegas or Fespa in Amsterdam. Marc can be contacted directly at marctischer@drytac.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Marty and Jim join the company with more than 32 years of experience in marketing communications and exhibit sales.

“Marty’s and Jim’s long-standing relationships with Fortune 500 companies, developing integrated marketing programs, and client interfacing, will bring a wealth of new opportunities to Exhibit Concepts,” said Gerry Hyzy, General Manager, Chicago.

“Despite the financial climate, Exhibit Concepts is proud to be enjoying strong growth,” said Colin Langley, Director of Marketing. “This growth allows us to bring exciting new individuals to the Exhibit Concepts’ team and to reward and promote our existing staff for their award winning creativity and delivery.”

Exhibit Concepts is an award-winning event marketing agency and innovative custom exhibit fabricator recognized for creativity, global execution, and program management.

For additional information contact Colin Langley, Director of Marketing at clangley@exhibitconcepts.com
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Brumark also launched a new green Website, http://brumark.com/Sustainable2/sustainable.html. The site includes information to help customers learn about and select green and sustainable flooring.

In addition, the company’s new pricing programs include low-cost product options, reduced pricing on key items, and advice from Brumark’s team of experts to help companies select alternative flooring products to meet their budget requirements.

“These initiatives just further strengthen our commitment to being the Total Flooring Solutions provider for our customers,” said David Walens, president of Brumark. “We believe that green initiatives are very important, so we’re proud to continue introducing new green flooring products and to launch a dedicated green education Website. The site makes it easy for our customers to find and understand the green solutions they need, and our pricing programs help customers meet their budget without compromising on the quality or design of their event and exhibit flooring.”

You can see Brumark’s products and learn more about the company’s new programs at Booth 1247 during EXHIBITOR2009.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A 15-year industry veteran, Mr. Carter will manage Access professionals in the roles of account management and field services. Mr. Carter will focus on providing various services to clients, including planning, communications, and program review and measurement. He will also be responsible for implementing SNAP, Access’ fully integrated asset and project management tool, for Access clients worldwide.

“Mark has done a fantastic job for us over the past two years. He is a perfect fit, and his appointment comes at a critical time of growth for Access,” said Rich Silton, Access’ president and COO. “Mark has performed virtually every role in the experiential marketing process, from design to sales to measurement. He possesses the talent and versatility needed to lead the account services team, a group that interfaces with our clients on a daily basis.”

Mr. Carter is a member of the Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association (HCEA) and the Healthcare Communication & Marketing Association (HCMA). He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The appointment of Holladay as president came from 16 years of dedicated service and leadership. With a marketing degree from Auburn University, Holladay began serving at ExpoDisplays in 1993.

As president of ExpoDisplays, Holladay has a vital role in developing new products, overseeing production and marketing, and planning new outlets to better serve the trade show exhibitors and dealers. 

The 2008 “Top 25” recipients were judged by a panel of senior industry executives for their recent work based on the following criteria: creativity and innovation; cutting edge sales or marketing campaigns; triumph in challenging situations; and sales efforts that resulted in dramatic gains.

Upshaw-McClenny joined Freeman in 2008 as a sales training manager, with her objective to spearhead the development of a comprehensive sales training process for its 500+ salespeople. Inspired by the forward-thinking sales and marketing vision of Freeman’s leadership team, Upshaw-McClenny eagerly made the transition from outsourced consultant to employee when she joined the $1.3 billion industry leader full-time late last year.

Prior to joining Freeman, Upshaw-McClenny headed up Achievers International U.S., which she founded in 1995, a very successful sales training and consulting firm with clients as varied as Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Harrah's Entertainment, Super Bowl XXXVIII, and numerous independent hotels, resorts and conference centers around the world. Prior to that, Upshaw-McClenny had more than 13 years’ experience in sales and marketing management with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

In addition, CEP International will create a booth and handle all the logistics for sunglass manufacturer Maui Jim at March's Optic India Show in Mumbai. This adds to CEP's list of successful exhibits with Maui Jim at shows in Copenhagen, Dubai, Marseille, Milan, Munich, Paris, Poznan, Stockholm, Birmingham and Brno. The booth for the Mumbai show was designed in the U.S. and created in collaboration with CEP's Indian partner. CEP managed the full range of exhibit logistics for each fair including build-up, dismantling and on-site exhibit coordination.

"Our global exhibit-building expertise is contributing significantly to the growth of our clients regardless of where they are located," said Werner Koos, President and CEO of CEP. "We are proud to be working with such well-known global brands in the U.S. and around the world."

For more information about CEP International, visit www.cepexhibits.com. About CEP
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

PKF expects a 7.8 percent drop in revenue per available room in 2009. The company also predicts U.S. hotels will not see a year-over-year quarterly increase in RevPAR until the second quarter of 2010. "We are forecasting 2.5 percent fewer occupied rooms in 2009," said Mark Woodworth, president of PKF. "This follows an estimated 1.0 percent decline in demand for year-end 2008." The expected 2.5 percent drop in demand, combined with a 2.9 percent increase in supply, will result in a 2009 year-end occupancy level of 57.6 percent, a 5.3 percent decline.

— Courtesy Meetings & Conventions Midweek News
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Company leaders Justin Hersh of Delphi and Michael Parrott of ICON remain actively involved, with Hersh serving as President and CEO and Parrott as Chairman of the combined businesses.

“We’re thrilled to bring our two companies together, increasing the geographic coverage of the combined organization and adding services to both customer bases,” said Hersh. “ICON’s expertise in exhibit systems and custom rentals, and their unbeatable service, blend perfectly with Delphi’s creative, marketing, fabrication and media strength. We are confident that our existing and potential customers will find our combined entity the right company, at the right time, with the right services. It is Delphi’s 20th anniversary this year and I can think of no better way to celebrate this fact than to shape the company for the next 20 years.”

“Real synergies exist in bringing together our two companies — it is a clear case of 2+2=5 because the companies have sufficiently different strengths,” said Parrott. “This merger takes us years into the future, allowing us to accomplish things we always envisioned for our company. We’re delighted with this exciting development and the positive impact it will have on our combined customer base and the marketplace.”

The new enterprise will be headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area — Alameda, the current headquarters of Delphi — and will maintain the production, sales and service operation at ICON’s Ft. Wayne, Indiana, campus where ICON has been for 64 years, as well as Delphi’s offices in Los Angeles and Berlin, Germany. Each entity will retain its current structure and name for the foreseeable future.

Delphi and ICON serve national and international customers in a wide range of industries and organizations including aerospace and defense, automotive, broadcast, consumer products, electronics, food and beverage, healthcare, manufacturing, museums and technology. Delphi and ICON are affiliated with the following industry organizations: Exhibit Designers & Producers Association (EDPA), Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA), Healthcare Exhibitors Association (HCEA), Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), Event Marketing Institute (EMI) and the American Association of Museums (AAM).
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

With more than 25 years’ experience in the trade show industry, Burkette began serving with ExpoDisplays in 1984, most recently as the Director of Dealer Development. With a degree in Design Technology from Brewster Technical Institute, Burkette has been active within ExpoDisplays, developing a network of sales dealers, maintaining product training initiatives and aiding in the design of new products.

As VP of Sales for ExpoDisplays, Burkette will oversee the dealer network, providing training, sales support and customer service. Burkette currently serves on the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association Board of Directors as a part of his commitment to serve the trade show industry. Burkette has authored numerous articles for industry publications and has worked to obtain greater exposure and training to enhance the industry representation as a whole.

“The thought behind this promotion is that we have many customers interested in our liquid UV coaters, laminators, and other equipment but are hesitant to commit because they are afraid they may have slow months in which they may have difficulty making payments,” said a Drytac’s representative. “This lease gives them the ability to forecast and skip up to two payments in a row and a total of five.”
According to the company, the new leasing program also gives the customers time to build up business for any new equipment they purchase from Drytac.
Rates for the program will vary depending on lease term and other qualifications. The customer will have the option to buy out their lease at the end of the term for only one dollar.
The lease program is scheduled to run from now till March 31, 2009 and is administered through a third party; not everyone will qualify. For details on this special lease contact Jason Durgin, Relationship Manager, Greystone Equipment Finance, at 978-835-3983.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Freeman said the purchase follows its corporate strategy of continuing to invest long-term in the face-to-face industry where there is opportunity for growth. According to industry reports, with the recent change in the economy and some reduced travel to national events, there is an upswing in holding regional meetings, often at hotels.
         
“In today’s turbulent times, all companies are doing what they can to reduce short-term business impact, but at the same time, we continue to look for opportunities to add value for our clients,” said Joe Popolo, chief executive officer of Freeman. “AVT has demonstrated they are the technology and creative leader in their space. With the addition of AVT to Freeman’s resources, we are positioning Freeman for additional growth in an important segment of the face-to-face industry.”
         
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

AVT’s business model and culture are a good match for Freeman, Popolo added.
         
“Like Freeman, AVT is privately owned,” Popolo said. “They are regarded as leaders in their field, and also have a reputation for outstanding customer service. Their employees understand the value of partnering with customers.”

As part of Freeman, AVT will be known as AVT Event Technologies, a Freeman Company. AVT’s executive leadership team will remain in place to manage operations and customer relationships independently of Freeman. Within the Freeman organization, AVT will report to Ken Sanders, president of the U.S. audiovisual division.

“AVT has a strong executive team under the guidance of Martin Kwitschau, the company founder and a 30-year veteran of the hospitality meetings industry,” said Sanders. “AVT is recognized both for innovative products and the five-star service that distinguishes the company from others in the field. The acquisition brings additional depth to Freeman, and likewise, AVT’s clients will now have seamless access to the vast event resources that Freeman can provide.”

“Becoming a Freeman company is a wise move for AVT,” said Kwitschau, chief executive officer of AVT Event Technologies.  “Freeman is viewed by its customers as the premier supplier in the face-to-face industry. As part of Freeman, AVT will leverage its own premium reputation and service offerings to expand Freeman’s reach into the hospitality marketplace. We are very excited to be part of a team with the industry experience and depth that Freeman has,” he said.
         
Longtime AVT customers believe the Freeman and AVT combination will be a winning one.

“We have worked with Freeman in many capacities through the years, as well as on a large scale with AVT. Having a company of Freeman’s stature invest in hotel event services to this extent is a very positive sign for the hotel industry,” said Michael Robertson, hotel manager of the Beverly Hilton.
         
Prior to AVT, Freeman’s most recent acquisition was the purchase of ProActive Inc. in April 2007.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

According to Greg Beach, President and COO of Atlantic, “While Atlantic will continue to service those product lines we provided in the past, the company has expanded its capabilities to meet customer and market demands. In addition to offering the best and most cost-effective portable and modular products in the industry, Atlantic also provides design services, custom exhibit fabrication and graphics for all manner of branded trade show and permanent environments. We also manage assets and trade show programs, including show services, logistics, and installation & dismantle services.”

Atlantic’s core purpose is to help organizations effectively convey their identities. With more than 20 years of experience in designing and building exhibits for small to Fortune 100 companies in the Mid-Atlantic region, they will continue to bring this expertise to a global audience. Atlantic will do so via well-established and expanded product vendor relationships and newly developed internal capabilities with a focus on unparalleled customer service.

Atlantic is a full service firm specializing in exhibit design and build, graphics and custom manufacturing, corporate interior and museum build-outs and show logistics, program management and I&D field services. Since 1988, they have served clients from offices in the DC Metro (HQ), Baltimore, Philadelphia and Richmond/Tidewater areas as well as from their newly completed 80,000 square foot Operations Center in Front Royal, Va.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Mary Ann has a reputation that is unequaled in this industry," said John Moyes, GGE principal. "She is energetic, innovative and probably one of the hardest working people I know. We're thrilled to have her be part of our team."

"GGE gives me a sense of family," Mary Ann said. "It's a unique company with an amazing story. I feel as if I’m home."

GGE (gge.com) is a midsize, value-oriented company employing artisans and craftsmen, as well as designers and project managers. For more than 40 years, GGE has served the convention, museum, and creative markets with unprecedented attention to detail and to customers' needs.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kulchawik was honored for the compilation of contributions he has made to the exhibit and event industry throughout his 36-year career. He has been a member of EDPA for 14 years, and served as president in 1997. As an EDPA board member, he provided strong leadership and initiated new programs including a college degree program in exhibit design, the development of safety standards for exhibit building (with Underwriter Laboratories), and was instrumental in growing the association's international participation. On an international level, he has been a board member of the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Service (IFES) for ten years and served as IFES President for three years. Recently Kulchawik was keynote speaker at Exporama, an industry event held in Athens, Greece.

Asked about the future of this industry, Kulchawik said the biggest challenge is to keep trade show participation affordable. "Our customers are not against the concept of trade shows, they are against the high cost of participation. The creative minds within our industry are making it a priority to find a way to do manage these costs," said Kulchawik.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Freeman and BDMetrics - EventMatch
Freeman and BDMetrics have announced the launch of EventMatch, a suite of event-centric media products designed to extend the marketing value of live, face-to-face expositions before, during, and after the event. EventMatch is the first proprietary, jointly produced product as a result of the partnership agreement formed between the two companies in February of this year.

EventMatch is a suite of digital media tools made available to show organizers, who in turn provide digital media services through their event’s existing Web site to connect buyers with sellers before, during and after the show. When an exhibitor leases space at the event, they complete a detailed profile of their products, services, what new items they will be featuring at the event, etc., which becomes part of the overall database EventMatch will use to activate its functions. When an attendee registers for the event, they use EventMatch to search the show for their individual interests, types of products and services they need, as well as other pertinent solutions.

Freeman’s First White Paper
Freeman has initiated an effort to share its knowledge of the face-to-face event industry with newer exhibitors by releasing its first white paper. “Tips for First-Time Exhibitors” is aimed at providing insights to help newcomers transition to the exhibition industry with the basics of effective face-to-face marketing.

To download a complimentary copy of “Tips for First-Time Exhibitors,” go to www.freemanco.com, then click on the “First-time Exhibitors” link at the bottom.

Freeman’s IAEE Green Booth
For the second year, Freeman teamed up with IAEE’s Green Committee to design and construct an eco-friendly demonstration booth as an educational tool featuring innovative “green” ideas for show organizers to consider as they plan and produce events.

Following the three primary principles of environmental responsibility—reduce, reuse and recycle—the booth illustrated ways events can be attractive and functional while at the same time lessen the negative impact on the environment.

Concierge Services by Freeman
Freeman has added a new level to its popular Concierge Services by Freeman through the debut of Concierge Elite, which provides a new level of personal service to exhibitors on the show floor as well as providing a “bird’s eye” view of service response levels for show organizers.

Concierge Services staff are specially trained service representatives available on the show floor during show move-in days. Through the use of mobile PDA devices, they are able to assist exhibitors right in their booths with a full range of services, including tracking freight, changing or checking on the status of orders, or simply asking questions.

With Concierge Elite, the exhibitor will receive text alerts as to the status of their request, acknowledging that issues have been received and resolved. This feature further reduces the need for exhibitors to travel to the show service center to check on the status of their show site requests, regardless of the provider of that service.

2008 International Service Excellence Award
Freeman now has something in common with leading companies such as Jet Blue, Nokia and Bath & Body Works, their 2008 International Service Excellence Award from the International Council of Customer Service Organizations.

Freeman was presented the award at ceremonies in Anaheim in November. More than 175 companies were considered for the nine top awards.

The award is based on a thorough and rigorous examination of the company’s business practices with respect to customer service, an outline of goals and measured results compared to overall best practices, and a site visit including tours of customer-facing areas, and extensive interviews with a variety of stakeholders within each organization.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

This is the first time in the 52-year history of the Canton Fair that booth charges have been slashed, organizers said.

"Standard booths in exhibition halls A and B will be cheaper by 1,000 yuan ($146), while booths in hall C will be 2,000 yuan cheaper for the upcoming 105th session of the fair," Mu Xinhai, spokesman for the fair, announced last week.

He added that the organizing committee decided to provide space "free of cost to exhibitors from least-developed countries" as listed by the United Nations, and offer a 25 percent discount to other foreign exhibitors.

The rent for a standard booth, covering an area of 9 square meters, for the three-week fair will be 30,000 yuan, he said.

"Canton Fair is the biggest trade fair and most important export channel of general trade in the country. The move aims to reduce the burden on exhibitors during the global economic slowdown," the spokesperson said.

Additionally, the closing time of the fair each day will be extended by one hour to 7 pm, "so that buyers and exhibitors have more time for business".

Lin Zhongyong, the general manager of a firm in Chaozhou in the east of Guangdong province, said though price cuts are always welcome, reducing the price of exhibition booths by a mere 1,000 yuan or 2,000 yuan doesn't make much sense.

Lin said his porcelain firm generally applied for about five booths for each session of the fair, which came to about "180,000 yuan".

"It would make more sense to reduce the charges by 10 to 15 percent, or give Chinese exhibitors the same discount as the foreigners are being offered," he said.

According to Mu, the organizing committee of Canton Fair has budgeted over 10 million yuan for overseas promotions of the 105th session and plans to invite at least 800,000 overseas buyers.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“You cannot discount the value of face-to-face business interactions and the impact that meetings have on the overall economy in our country,” said Bruce MacMillan, CA, president and CEO of MPI, the leading industry association for meetings and events. “Every great accomplishment in business started with some sort of meeting.”

Las Vegas hosts approximately 22,000 meetings, conventions and trade shows annually, attracting 6 million visitors who account for an economic impact of $8.5 billion. The meeting industry directly employs more than 46,000 Southern Nevada workers, a figure that increases to more than 75,000 when indirect impacts are combined.

"The meeting industry is one of the most vital parts of travel and tourism in Las Vegas, and the destination has committed innumerable resources to ensuring the success of these events," said Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. "The perception that Las Vegas is merely a gaming and leisure destination is antiquated and uneducated. The meeting facilities in Las Vegas are among the best in the world, and the resorts represent major international companies, many of whom are publicly traded on Wall Street."

There has been a lot of recent media attention on the meetings and business industry because of events planned by some financial corporations that have received federal aid. However, it is unfair to punish an entire industry that generates billions of dollars in economic stimulus and jobs for the American public.

"We are extremely concerned about the unintended consequences of restricting corporate meetings, events and incentive travel programs. Business-related travel creates 2.4 million jobs, $244 billion in spending and $39 billion in tax revenue at the federal, state and local level," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

Travel and tourism, including meeting and business travelers, are a vital part of the national economy and will be a key element in stimulating its growth.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This design search allows users to easily search and view hundreds of trade show display designs by price range, size, and rental packages. In addition, there are now links to send more information on a specific display and to request a detailed design - all through an e-mail engine. Most of the displays found on the design search can be modified and priced as a turnkey rental, if required, making finding the type of trade show display needed for a trade show event with a specific price range budget quick and easy.

“Jack Morton is a leader among agencies providing strategic event marketing solutions for the world's largest brands. Their support and active participation in EMI will enhance the content and insights we will be able to provide to our growing membership,” said Kerry Smith, EMI's founder.

The agency joins an impressive roster of companies that have aligned themselves with EMI to provide guidance and insight to event marketers seeking the greatest impact and best return on their marketing investment.

“As a global leader in experiential marketing, we are pleased to be joining EMI as a Global Sponsor,” said Josh McCall, Chairman and CEO of Jack Morton. “We have always been committed to helping our clients enhance their marketing with the kinds of insights, research and best practices that are at the core of EMI's mission, and I know that our sponsorship role will yield great benefits for Jack Morton’s clients, EMI and its membership.”

EMI is an information resource that spans the many silos of events—trade shows, sponsorships, meetings, proprietary events, consumer events, and road shows. EMI’s mission is to provide key executives, event managers, agency executives and marketing professionals in organizations big and small with the newest ideas, cutting-edge resources, best practices, research, training, and numerous members-only benefits.

“With input from our board and membership, we have created a strong library of groundbreaking research including such topics as Viral Marketing Metrics, The Green Event Imperative, Reaching Gen Y and Best Practices in Event Measurement,” said EMI Managing Director Michael Westcott. “We are updating our research and insights on a weekly basis with the latest data and trends of value to B-to-B and Consumer brands, agencies and show producers,” Westcott added.

EMI’s member information hub is a content-rich website (www.eventmarketing.com) where members can access hundreds of articles, case studies, research reports, white papers, webinars, podcasts, discussion forums, market reports, company profiles, publications and other exclusive information products and services created by EMI’s dedicated staff of researchers and content partners.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This revised 2009 edition is a resource for exhibitions and event organizers to use in creating consistent and fair exhibiting standards for their events. It is the model for most domestic exhibitions and therefore recommended that exhibition organizers include a copy in the exhibition prospectus and/or exhibitor rules and regulations.

These guidelines afford exhibitors a maximum return on their exhibit investments. Compliance with fire, safety, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other state, federal or provincial government requirements has also been addressed. The 2009 edition includes updates to the following exhibitor categories: Linear, Peninsula and Split Island booths; Canopies and Ceilings; Hanging Signs and Graphics; Multi-story Exhibit; Structural Integrity; Flammable and Toxic Materials; Electrical; and Demonstrations. Advisory notes to exhibition organizers include new information regarding Fire Equipment; Hanging Signs; Full Cubic Content; Pipe and Drape; Vehicles; and Environmental Responsibility.

It is IAEE’s goal that the display rules and regulations, ultimately developed by each exhibition and event organizer, shall provide exhibitors with all the information necessary to properly design and build exhibits, as well as plan their booth’s layout and content. Show organizers should present the professional standards expected of exhibitors. Finally, they should assure all exhibitors, regardless of exhibit size or location, an environment conducive to successful interaction with their audiences.

The 2009 edition of IAEE’s Guidelines for Display Rules and Regulations was released at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2008 held December 9-11 in Miami Beach, Fla., and is available for purchase at www.tradeshowstore.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Miami Beach — The Board of Directors of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) has approved a cooperation agreement between IAEE and National Trade Productions (NTP), owner of TS² - Total Solutions Marketing for the Exhibit and Event Professional conference and exposition.

An important component of this collaboration is the creation of the International Center for Exhibitor and Event Marketing (The Center). The Center will be the principal, internationally recognized organization representing exhibitor and event marketing professionals and will be partially funded through TS². It will provide education, networking, data, research and an international platform for the exhibitor and event marketing professional community, primarily through a state-of-the-art Web site.

The Center will become a subsidiary organization of IAEE, as envisioned by the board’s strategic plan. The Center’s mission is to serve as a resource for all who are engaged in exhibition and event marketing. It will provide IAEE and TS² with rich program content that benefits attendees at their respective annual events. It will be directed by its own board of directors, and organizations directly related to the exhibition and event industry will be invited to have representation on the Center’s board of directors, including exhibitors, event managers, and individuals representing industry organizations.

“IAEE members represent a bridge to tens of thousands of exhibitors who will now have a strong voice and an educational platform with TS² and the International Center,” says Robert Harar, chairman of NTP.

IAEE President Steven Hacker, CAE adds, “We have been investigating the feasibility of resuming a mid-year event and this collaboration provides IAEE members with an ideal platform from which to deliver programming and activities during TS².”

In turn, TS² will benefit from the connections that will be made between organizers and their customers (exhibitors). Additionally, Expo! Expo!, IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition and TS² will be linked to each other through IAEE and The Center, with a coordinated effort of exhibit space sales, sponsorships and advertising.

All members of IAEE will have access to and be able to participate in activities of the Center, as they now have similar opportunities with CEIR and the Public Events Council. Industry organizations will also be able to become Affiliate Members of the Center, and the Exhibition Service Contractors Association (ESCA) is the proud first Affiliate Member. The official launch of the Center will take place at TS2 2009 July 20-23 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Within the 70 + in attendance were several Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau personnel as well as numerous first-time participants of a Chapter function. "What a great opportunity for recognition and potential for additional membership," commented Larry Crumlish, Membership Chairman.

The new proposed convention center hotel will cost around $500 million to build and will be funded by revenue bonds. According to Mayor Leppert, bookings have already been made for future shows, pending when the hotel is built. "A new convention center hotel will help revitalize the downtown area, attract more visitors to the heart of the city and bolster our existing hotel industry," stated Mayor Leppert.

"This was also a great venue for our chapter to forge new relationships with the local convention and visitors bureau as well as other businesses that stand to benefit from the building of the new hotel," said James Zacharias, Chapter President.

For more information on the new Convention Hotel plans and status, visit http://www.buildthehotel.com/how.htm.

We encourage members and associates to support the Mayor in his efforts, please join our efforts by visiting http://www.buildthehotel.com/support.htm

The South Central Chapter of EDPA is pleased to have ended the year with such a successful meeting. We intend to have even a better year in 2009. Keep your eyes open for our 2009 meeting announcements and our Third Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament.

For more information contact: James Zacharias, President, at james@brumark.com, or President-elect Bill Roozee at bill@billyraygun.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thousands of designers create exhibits each year, but only one is selected EDPA's Exhibit Designer of the Year.

Pellegrini was named 2008 Exhibit Designer of the Year at EDPA's annual conference and supplier showcase on December 4 in Miami. EDPA selected Pellegrini based on his passion for the exhibit industry, his creativity and his ability to mentor young designers.

Pellegrini's path to creating stellar exhibits is an interesting story. His design career began in Chile, but not in exhibit design. He designed furniture for his family business and it was by persuasion from a friend that he designed an exhibit that ignited his career in this industry. He began his exhibit design company in 1994 in Santiago and moved Inter-Global Exhibitions' headquarters to Denver, Colo., in 1996. His projects have taken him all over the world from Africa to the Middle East. His eye for clean, sophisticated and cultural sensitivities and the unique on-site demands each convention center brings has instilled a confidence in his domestic and international clients that their brand will shine in its best possible light.

"Gino's passion for design leads him to create pieces of art … which also happen to be trade show exhibits,” said Tom Walje, business development, Inter-Global Exhibitions.

EDPA announced the award by sharing testimonials from his clients and peers. "Gino is a true designer at heart and his designs reflect this,” Victoria Sun, graphic designer, Inter-Global Exhibitions, said. "As a young designer, I greatly appreciate the talent and insight he brings to every design and have learned so very much working with him."
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"GreenBuild is already an exemplary green event and a model of sustainability on many levels,” said Anah Corley, VP-Business Development for Stetson Convention Services, the show's general contractor and a leader in sustainable events. "As GreenBuild moves forward with their requisite sustainability guidelines, we want to support the exhibitor's efforts and resourcing by including Delivered GrEAn by EA Logistics as our preferred green carrier. By doing so, we're expanding our program and creating a legacy of improved environmental practices among event participants.”

Trade shows and conventions have been cited as a leading source of pollution and waste, prompting the meetings and events industry to develop new ways of reducing the potential impact of green exhibiting. Transportation of trade show displays and materials contributes significantly to an event's carbon footprint. A typical trade show can generate as much as 25 truckloads of freight, releasing hundreds of metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

"The environmental impact of show-related shipping can be enormous and the industry is just beginning to grapple with the need for eco-friendly transportation,” said Mike Ellis, president of EA Logistics. "As the preferred green carrier, we will have an opportunity to demonstrate how the Delivered GrEAn program can complement other greening efforts and make a real dent in the environmental impact of a major event.”

An established freight forwarder with a specialized Expo & Event Services division, EA Logistics developed Delivered GrEAn to help customers offset the carbon generated during shipping. "Although it's important to reduce carbon emissions to the greatest possible extent by reducing the amount of materials and buying locally, a certain amount of shipping is unavoidable. Bringing in Delivered GrEAn will help address this dirty but necessary aspect of the exhibition, said Ellis.

After the shipment has been Delivered GrEAn, the shipper gets a receipt documenting the amount of CO2 that has been offset, which can be addressed to the client or the client's customer. The program can be further tailored to fit the specific needs of booth builders, exhibitors, show management companies, general contractors and associations.

Because of their leadership in sustainable transport, EA Logistics recently served as the official freight carrier for the Wal-Mart/Quest Sustainable Solutions Showcase in Bentonville, Ark. This first annual showcase was held in conjunction with Wal-Mart and Sam's Club's Annual Sustainability Milestone Meeting hosted by their CEO, Lee Scott. EAL was also the green freight carrier for West Coast Green, which took place September 25 – 27 in San Jose, Calif., and continues to support the transportation needs of the celebrated "Cool Globes” exhibit, launched in Chicago in summer 2007. Since spring 2008, EA Logistics has been assisting with the "Cool Globes on the Road” project, helping pack, move and install dozens of globes for public viewing in Washington, DC, San Francisco and San Diego.

For more information or a free quote, visit www.DeliveredGrEAn.com or call 800.863.5948
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

As Director of Marketing & PR, Richards is responsible for developing and guiding the company's overall marketing communications strategy. This includes leading branding and messaging campaigns, as well as working with ELS executives to promote sales initiatives and develop thought leadership across the organization. Richards previously worked at ELS for 13 years, starting as the receptionist and then quickly advancing through the company with service in Rental Operations, Event Production, Sales, Purchasing and Marketing.

"As ELS continues to grow, it is vital that we have a solid marketing team here to support us,” said Andy Pepper, SVP, ELS. "We are happy to welcome Tammie back. Her years of experience here at ELS are an invaluable asset. ELS is committed to providing outstanding service, innovative technology and real-world solutions. We now have a seasoned, experienced team in place here to grow our presence throughout all aspects of the live events industry. Tammie arrives at an ideal time to reposition the ELS brand for increased company growth.”

Danica Stein joins ELS as Marketing Manager, and is responsible for developing and executing the company's electronic communications strategy. This includes Web site development, e-marketing outreach, and CRM implementation. Most recently, Stein served as Marketing Manager at Abex Exhibit Systems where she was responsible for managing the company's global marketing initiatives across their multiple business units including Studio Abex and the online PrivateLabel division. Stein managed all corporate marketing communications including online and print advertising, direct mail, e-mail campaigns, website development, and public relations. She also drove the company's relationships with key industry associations including EDPA and IFES. Details about the company are available at elslights.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"This year's AC&SS provided yet another opportunity to meet new faces (60 first time attendees), renew old friendships, get valuable industry insight—especially during interesting economic times—and experience quality education and superb networking opportunities,” said EDPA Board Member Jay Burkette. "EDPA equals great value in our minds!”

The trade-show floor served as the bustling hub of the conference, and contained a range of the best that the exhibition design industry has to offer. From ceiling-skimming fabric displays to the latest in graphics and services, the trade show floor brought suppliers and buyers together to do business.

"I believe this year's content at the EDPA Annual Convention was the best I've experienced in many years,” said outgoing President MaryBeth Geiser. "The Conference offers that unique balance of industry trends, inspiring keynotes, and the ideal atmosphere for peer-to-peer networking. The sideline conversations revealed invaluable insights and perspectives that are sometimes only shared amongst friends within a tight-knit community. In these challenging times, the EDPA conference provided the tools paired with shared knowledge to keep our businesses strong while leading the Exhibit & Event Industry into 2009 and beyond."

Her sentiments were echoed by her successor. "I can't imagine ever missing an EDPA Convention,” said incoming President Dan Cantor. "Many of my closest friends are my competitors, and mentors. I learn something new about our industry or my business literally every hour of the event, and have a great time in the process.” And, he added, "A word of advice to those who have never attended: stay the weekend after the Convention to rest and recover!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"The findings frankly revealed some challenges and some real opportunities that will serve as marching orders for the new HQ in 2009,” Provost said. According to the survey results, nearly 60 percent of members are "somewhat” or "very” satisfied with their EDPA membership, Provost indicated. "Honestly, that's not good enough,” he said.

The survey also revealed that members point at the ability to network with their peers as the most important part of EDPA membership (67%). They also appreciated access to industry studies (66%), their representation to the industry (65%), and access to the annual economic study and opportunities for education (both at 53%).

The survey results also found that 76% of respondents believe EDPA membership offers "moderate” or "strong” value to their organization's development. Another 76% were "very likely” or "somewhat likely” to recommend EDPA membership to a colleague, the research found.  The rather low response rate and some questions about value, however, suggest the association has some work to do in improving the engagement and benefits of the organization.

Chapter membership is also enjoying a growing role, chapter meetings being cited by 51% as an event they attended in the past 18 months. A full 21% also attended the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic.

Networking was also cited by respondents as helping their bottom line. Some 67% of those asked cited "long-term friendships” made as an EDPA member as contributing to their business activities; 64% said they gained new ideas through peer discussions, and 51% found new suppliers and products through their EDPA affiliation.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"GreenBuild is already an exemplary green event and a model of sustainability on many levels,” said Anah Corley, VP-Business Development for Stetson Convention Services, the show's general contractor and a leader in sustainable events. "As GreenBuild moves forward with their requisite sustainability guidelines, we want to support the exhibitor's efforts and resourcing by including Delivered GrEAn by EA Logistics as our preferred green carrier. By doing so, we're expanding our program and creating a legacy of improved environmental practices among event participants.”

Trade shows and conventions have been cited as a leading source of pollution and waste, prompting the meetings and events industry to develop new ways of reducing the potential impact of green exhibiting. Transportation of trade show displays and materials contributes significantly to an event's carbon footprint. A typical trade show can generate as much as 25 truckloads of freight, releasing hundreds of metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

"The environmental impact of show-related shipping can be enormous and the industry is just beginning to grapple with the need for eco-friendly transportation,” said Mike Ellis, president of EA Logistics. "As the preferred green carrier, we will have an opportunity to demonstrate how the Delivered GrEAn program can complement other greening efforts and make a real dent in the environmental impact of a major event.”

An established freight forwarder with a specialized Expo & Event Services division, EA Logistics developed Delivered GrEAn to help customers offset the carbon generated during shipping. "Although it's important to reduce carbon emissions to the greatest possible extent by reducing the amount of materials and buying locally, a certain amount of shipping is unavoidable. Bringing in Delivered GrEAn will help address this dirty but necessary aspect of the exhibition, said Ellis.

After the shipment has been Delivered GrEAn, the shipper gets a receipt documenting the amount of CO2 that has been offset, which can be addressed to the client or the client's customer. The program can be further tailored to fit the specific needs of booth builders, exhibitors, show management companies, general contractors and associations.

Because of their leadership in sustainable transport, EA Logistics recently served as the official freight carrier for the Wal-Mart/Quest Sustainable Solutions Showcase in Bentonville, Ark. This first annual showcase was held in conjunction with Wal-Mart and Sam's Club's Annual Sustainability Milestone Meeting hosted by their CEO, Lee Scott. EAL was also the green freight carrier for West Coast Green, which took place September 25 – 27 in San Jose, Calif., and continues to support the transportation needs of the celebrated "Cool Globes” exhibit, launched in Chicago in summer 2007. Since spring 2008, EA Logistics has been assisting with the "Cool Globes on the Road” project, helping pack, move and install dozens of globes for public viewing in Washington, DC, San Francisco and San Diego.

For more information or a free quote, visit www.DeliveredGrEAn.com or call 800.863.5948
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

This year, we are once again grateful for the opportunity to be of assistance to a New England-based individual or family. If you know of a person or persons that may benefit, please contact us today.

To submit a nomination, please send an e-mail with the following information:

-Name of Individual or Family
-Current and / or past industry employer
-Phone and e-mail address
-A brief description or outline of what circumstances led you to nominate them.

Please also be sure to include your name and contact information. All emails should be directed to sbingham@championboston.com.

For questions, comments or to request further information please contact Sharon Bingham for details at 800-342-1482.

The Rally at the Alley is proud to be an ancillary event of the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic, a 501.3.c charitable organization.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stepping up as Executive Director is Jeff Provost, formerly Membership Services Manager of the Event Marketing Institute. A graduate of Yale University, Jeff has a background in the business side of the performing arts, with extensive experience in member subscription marketing and retention programs.

Also named to the team is Kimberly Wilson, who will serve as Member Services Coordinator. Wilson was previously Office Manager of Red 7 Media.

Rounding out the new squad is Andrea Quirk, who will serve as Sales and Development Associate.

"I'm honored to be EDPA's new Executive Director,” Provost said in a statement. "I've worked with many nonprofit organizations before, but never have I seen the kind of dedication on the Board level that I've witnessed here over the last few weeks. Their energy and desire for new growth and rededication to EDPA's core values is more than impressive. I'm thrilled to be part of the administrative team here at EDPA's new headquarters helping to implement that vision.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"As a logistics member of the SmartWay Partnership, we agree to measure our environmental performance using EPA's Shipper / Logistics Performance Model, develop a three-year Action Plan to improve environmental metrics, and provide an annual report on Action Plan progress,” the company said in a statement. "Partners must benchmark their current freight operations, identify technologies and strategies to reduce our carbon emissions, track our emissions reductions and project future improvement. ELITeXPO is proud to have earned a Top SmartWay Score of 1.25 based on our initial model.”

By participating in the SmartWay Transport Partnership, ELITeXPO will have an opportunity to make important contributions to our nation's efforts to secure greater energy independence, protect public health, and safeguard the environment for future generations. Heidi Maschmann, Vice President of Information Systems, is heading up ELITeXPO's new environmental program. She stated, "We must take responsibility for the impact our business has on the environment. As members of both the shipping community and the trade show community our efforts must be twice as diligent to counter the effects both industries have had on the planet for so long. We're very committed to doing everything we can as a corporation and as individuals.”

Visit www.epa.gov/smartway for more information about the SmartWay Transport Partnership. For further information about ELITeXPO, visit their Website at www.elitexpo.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

As Exhibit Concepts celebrates its 30th Anniversary, it is time to honor a rich history and look forward to continued growth and success. What better way to be reminded of the company's beginnings while keeping our eye on the future than by launching a new brand in honor of this milestone?

"The new look reflects our reputation as an award-winning event marketing agency and innovative custom exhibit fabricator who is recognized for creativity, global execution, and program management,” Exhibit Concepts Kelli Glasser said in a statement.

Exhibit Concepts' new brand direction includes a number of new marketing tools, one of which is a dramatic new Website. "Our new site at exhibitconcepts.com is the best place to really see who we are today, understand our breadth of services, and see how we fulfill our customer's objectives.” said Colin Langley, Director of Marketing. The updated site can be seen at ExhibitConcepts.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Las Vegas Chapter has tentatively scheduled its 2009 golf outing. The Las Vegas Foundation Golf Tournament is set for June 10th. Location has yet to be confirmed, but there will be a 7:30 a.m. Shotgun start. More details can be had from Chapter President Rebecca Thompson at rthompson@dslgroup.com.

The Upper Midwest Chapter will have a tour and see a presentation of "MN150,” which celebrates 150 years of Minnesota statehood. The event takes place at the Minnesota Historical Society on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Prior to the presentation, Dr. Bonnie Higgins, Associate Professor, Dept. of Technological Studies at Bemidji State University, will discuss the student design program she runs at BSU, at 4:30 p.m. Then at 5:00 p.m., Dan Cantor, the National EDPA resident, will be discussing the new look and management of the EDPA with Red 7 Media. He will also present the results of the economic survey. The MN150 tour will then take place promptly at 6:00 p.m. For more information, drop a line to Chapter President Bob Ryan at BobR@bergerts.com.

The EDPA Southern California Chapter will hold an Educational Meeting for members on Feb. 18. Event Chair Gene Smith will host the topic "2009 Business Outlook—Strategies for Success,” at the Freeman Anaheim Building, starting at 5:30 p.m. Advance registration is $50 at the SoCal Website, and dinner is included in the price. For details contact Chapter President Wayne Laube at wlaube@octanormusa.com.

The EDPA Mid-Atlantic Chapter will host a "Founder's Happy Hour” gathering at National Harbor on Tuesday, Dec. 16. In an e-mail release, the chapter said, "It's official; the economy sucks! That means we need each other now more than ever. Our brave board figured we all need a happy hour to officially found this grassroots organization.” The event takes place at the Gaylord National Convention Center starting at 5:30 p.m. Contact is Hilary Howes at HHowes@transformit.com.

The Midwest Chapter will be hosting its first event of 2009 on Jan. 22. A panel of exhibit managers will be discussing their RFQ process and decision-making factors. It will be held at "Harry Carray's” in Lombard, IL at 4:00 p.m. Finalized plans will be posted on their Website soon.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

CEIR also welcomes its new directors: Stephen Pitt, executive director of Member Services, Convention Expo for the National Automobile Dealers Association and Teri Tinoli, CMP, regional vice president, North Central Region for Experient, Inc. Continuing directors are: Thomas Ackert, executive director of the Orange County Convention Center; Chris Brown, executive vice president of Conventions Business Operations for the National Association of Broadcasters; David Causton, general manager of McCormick Place; Steve Drew, assistant executive director of the Radiological Society of North America; and Mary Pat Heftman, senior vice president of conventions for the National Restaurant Association.

Other members include: Ex-officio Member Greg Ortale, president and CEO of the Greater Houston, CVB; CEIR President and CEO Doug Ducate, CEM, CMP; and Executive Director Cathy Breden, CAE, CMP.

Members of the CEIR board of directors are selected by a nominating committee chaired by the immediate past chair of CEIR. Any person or organization may submit a nomination. Members of the board serve three years in staggered terms to ensure continuity in the governance of the organization. For additional information, go to www.ceir.org.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capable of coating printed documents and photos up to 12 inches (304mm) wide, the DocuMate is compatible with photographic, litho and digitally printed output.

Its design features a removable supply canister and an enclosed, self-cleaning paper path to help ensure ease of use, even for inexperienced operators.

More details can be found at DryTac.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bringing more than ten years of experience to the agency, Ballenger offers expertise in exhibit design as well as Web marketing. He is actively involved with the North Carolina Sustainable Business Council as well as the Sustainable Triangle Community Action Group. A native of Greensboro, Ballenger received his Bachelor of Science degree in interior architecture from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He resides in Durham.

Exhibit Resources is a full-service exhibit design agency that provides total trade show management, including the design, construction and installation of trade show exhibits for local, national and international clients. The agency also creates custom corporate interiors and branded retail environments, and bolsters all of its custom capabilities with an extensive line of modular and portable display systems. Committed to a company-wide understanding of sustainability issues, Exhibit Resources continues to develop processes to deliver their extensive portfolio of products and services in a low-impact and more sustainable way. More information is at ExhibitResources.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Engineered to deliver a combination of performance and value unequalled in the industry, the popular JetMounterTM54SHA 54 inch (1375mm) electric laminator now includes two new features. The new Single Height Adjustment (SHA) allows the roller nip to be set more quickly, ensuring consistent roller pressure from side to side. A new LCD pressure gauge readout provides this versatile machine with far more process control than other laminators in its category.

In the three years since its introduction, the JetMounterTM 54 has established a new performance standard for mid-sized cold mount laminators. Compatible with pressure-sensitive laminating films and mounting adhesives, it is capable of one-or-two sided lamination, and is also widely used for permanently mounting graphics onto cardstock, foam board, MDF rigid and PVC board. In addition, the JetMounter offers variable speed forward and reverse electric drive, silicone rollers, all-steel construction, foot pedal operation and photo-electric safety stop.

The special offer is in effect until December 21. For more details, contact Drytac at 1-800-280-6013.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .