EDPA ACCESS 2023 Recap
After a day of fishing, golf, and catching up with old friends, a record number of EDPA ACCESS attendees (325) entered the world of motorcycles. It’s not a trip to Sturgis but a fascinating kickoff address by Paul Teutel Jr. on how he designs and builds motorcycles that promote brands. In other words, in keeping with our theme, how he CUSTOMIZES THE EXPERIENCE! With some of his bikes behind him on the stage, Teutel explained his process and how he incorporates brand assets into every cycle. Frankly, the audience was astounded when he explained that there was no ongoing approval process for his work.
Finishing up photo ops with Teutul and the bikes, the group moved to the outdoor patio for the opening dinner, anticipating the next full day of content. First up, Jonna Mendez, the former Chief of Disguise with the CIA, did not disappoint. Her anecdotes and insights were riveting, including her pursuit of her career despite gender bias. Her place in the CIA, where she originally hoped to work as a photographer, earned the CIA’s Intelligence Commendation Medal for her operational disguise work from Havana to Beijing to Moscow and ultimately into the Oval Office. “I stopped trying to be one of the boys,” she said at the end of her presentation.
Next up was Dr. Tracey Wilen, a researcher and speaker on the impact of technology on society, work, and careers. She described our “VUCU” work environment--short for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, or a catchall for, “Hey, it’s crazy out there!” Taking the group into lunch was Jane Gentry’s presentation that focused on transitioning, training, and empowering people to develop leadership skills to enable successful change initiatives.
At lunch, attendees listened to the annual State of the Association, and the outlook is very positive. During breaks, they could visit the Engagement Zone, where exhibitors shared information on their latest products.
Han Leehouts delivered an introduction to AI, a topic that attempted to shed light on the technology. Following the presentation, he joined a panel on AI and design. This latter was part of the agenda’s Future Focus, which included a workshop by Tracey Wilen and a Thursday session from Teresa Freeman on maximizing your potential using insights from the Gallup organization. Although not restricted to the Future Leaders, the Future Focus offerings were designed to meet the interests of EDPA’s Future Leaders.
The annual Gala and the silent auction were unqualified successes, and additional funds were collected for the efforts of the Future Workforce committee. EDPA’s current president, Dan Serebin shared his farewell address and incoming president, Chris Griffin was welcomed to his new role.
The highlight of the gala is always the presentation of awards—the coveted Eddies, Chapters of the Year, Future Leaders, and individual awards for the Designer of the Year, EDPA Ambassador, and the Hazel Hays award. This year, the awards went to:
Hazel Hays:
Rob Cohen - Display Supply & Lighting
Ambassador of the Year
Sandra Braun - Nth Degree
Designer of the Year: Amanda Lembke - Star Exhibits
Large Chapter of the Year
EDPA Midwest
Eddie Award
International Collaboration
Happy Projects & The Inside
Eddie Award - Best Large Exhibit
Von Hagen Design
Eddie Award
End-to-End Experience
Deckel & Moneypenny
Small Chapter of the Year
EDPA Texas
Eddie Award
Best Sustainability
Moss
Eddie Award – Best Small Exhibit
Access TCA
Eddie Award
Best Online/Multi-Media:
EEI Global
Eddie Award - Best Printed
Deckel & Moneypenny
Future Leaders Class of 2023:
Krystal Hanvold - Hill & Partners
Alec Pierson - Brumark
Erika Plata - Hamilton
Carla Ramos - MSM
Sharla Robertson - Exhibit Concepts
Ethan Taylor - Apogee Exhibits
Jan van de Weijer - Cialona
Expo B.v.Joe Wilush - Moss
Walt McCreary - beMatrix USA
Nolan Bratt - Derse
Caleb Brininger - Stamm Media
Jenny Chang - Deckel & Moneypenny
Mark Condon - Allstates WorldCargo
Michelle Davis - Live Marketing
Joseph D’Alessandro - Sho-Link
Vaughn Ellis - CenterPoint Marketing
Jillian Fafard - Aluvision
Jessica Gifford Diamantopoulos -
Access TCAKayla Gott - Agam
Thursday was data-focused. Women in Exhibitions met for breakfast, after which Jeremy Bess spoke to the entire group, attempting to demystify economic terminology and offer strategic financial insights to drive fiscal wellness. Amy Sondrup, president of Access TCA, and Kerry Smith of Event Marketer shared data from surveys exploring the relationships and expectations of end users and experiential partners, focusing on budgets, factors in decision-making, and other areas that influence collaboration. Joe Federbush presented the EDPA Compensation and Economic Survey findings, while Glenn Hansen, CEO of Reduce 2, introduced the new sustainability standards specific to the exhibition industry that EDPA has developed in partnership with ESCA. The event wrapped up with the Chapter Challenge which produced smiles and a winner’s belt for the Texas division.
Be sure to save the dates for ACCESS 2024 being held December 3rd- 5th, 2024 in Palm Springs, California at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells. We hope to see you there!
Thank You ACCESS 2023 Sponsors!
FIT & BSU - EDPA Foundation University Affiliations Scholarship Recipients
The EDPA Foundation is proud to continue their support of the University Affiliations Program. The EDPA Foundation is awarding $10,000 ($5,000 each) to Bemidji State University (BSU) and Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in scholarship funds. This year’s student scholarship winners include:
Claire Caverly- FIT
Carlos Hernandez – FIT
Kaitlyn Kalstad – BSU
Kaylynn Kuehn - BSU
Ella Lewandowski - BSU
Michael Snaza – BSU
Ellen Walters - BSU
Congratulations to these deserving students. Thank you EDPA Foundation for your continued support of the University Affiliations Program.
ENGAGE 24 – Tickets Now on Sale!
If you enjoyed ACCESS 2023, make sure you join us for our next national event happening Sunday, February 25th from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm in Nashville just prior to the opening of ExhibitorLive. Come aboard Nashville's General Jackson Showboat for an evening of fun including dinner, casino games and live music.
ENGAGE Tickets are $185 each for EDPA members and $225 each for non-members. Includes dinner, drink tickets, entertainment and transportation to and from Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Don't miss this must-attend event for EDPA members.
There are limited sponsorship opportunities for ENGAGE 2024. If you are interested in helping support the event and promoting your brand, contact Nick (sales@edpa.com) to learn more.
EDPA Midwest
Event Title: Exhibit 4 Smiles
Date: Monday, December 18th
Location: UIC Hospital Chicago
Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm CST
Event Description: Give the gift of a smile to children facing life threatening illnesses this holiday season through the annual Exhibit 4 Smiles event. If you're based in the Chicagoland area, and able to purchase/wrap gifts to be picked up by an EDPA Midwest representative, please register using this link and Rick Pierson will send you the sponsored children's wish lists. If you're unable to purchase/wrap gifts for pickup, or not local to Chicago and still want to donate, then you can make a monetary donation ($50/child) using this link and the EDPA Midwest will purchase and wrap gifts on your behalf.
Sponsorship Link: https://www.edpamidwest.org/event-details/exhibit-4-smiles-2
EDPA Texas
Event Title: Trivia Night
Event Date: Wednesday, January10th
Event Location: Zoom
Time: 4:00 - 5:00pm CST
Event Description: SPONSORED BY CLASSIC EXHIBITS - Join us for a fun evening and test your trivia skills aiming to win a $50 Amazon gift card. ALL ARE WELCOME!
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89866997446?pwd=Vzk1M1l6N3BhT1BOVjZNS0ZlVFJFZz09
Meeting ID: 898 6699 7446/Passcode: 478062
Free for all, email Noelle Webster at noelle.webster@willwork.com for additional information and a calendar invite
