RES Exhibit Services Announces Leadership Transition to Accelerate Innovation and Growth
RES Exhibit Services (RES), a leader in custom exhibits and experiential marketing solutions, today announced a planned leadership transition designed to strengthen operations, accelerate innovation, and position the company for its next phase of growth.
Effective October 6, 2025, Mary Ellen Nixon has been appointed President of RES, assuming full responsibility for day-to-day operations, strategic growth, and creative direction. James Leonardo, Founder and CEO, will transition to a Board of Directors position, providing direct counsel to the President while ensuring the company remains at the forefront of experiential marketing priorities, including immersive storytelling, client-centric design, and next-generation engagement solutions.
“Mary Ellen is exactly the right leader for this moment,” said Leonardo. “She knows the heart of RES, understands our clients, and brings both operational discipline and creative vision. With her leadership, RES will be able to make faster decisions, strengthen accountability, and build on the talent and success already in place.”
Nixon, who previously served as Executive Vice President at RES during a period where RES doubled its gross revenue, brings extensive experience in strategic client development, cross-functional leadership, and business transformation. She emphasized that this transition builds on the strength of RES’s team while creating space for new opportunities.
“This isn’t just a change in leadership—it’s a renewal of our commitment to clients and employees,” said Nixon. “We are investing in smarter systems, sharper creative, and future-ready strategies that give our teams the tools to do their best work and help our clients lead in an increasingly complex landscape.”
Nixon’s leadership will initially prioritize:
Launching a refreshed brand and updated vision, mission, and values framework to reflect RES’s role as a forward-looking experiential partner.
Elevating creative strategy to deliver stronger audience engagement, more powerful storytelling, and measurable impact.
Expanding innovation capabilities through immersive technologies, data-driven design, and scalable content frameworks.
These initiatives will complement creative and operational innovations that improve execution, measurement, and storytelling at scale.
“RES has always been about delivering experiences that inspire,” Nixon added. “Together, we will continue to elevate our craft while ensuring measurable results for our clients.”
About RES Exhibit Services
Founded in 1995, RES Exhibit Services is an award-winning experiential marketing firm specializing in custom exhibit design, fabrication, and program management. RES serves global clients across more than 50 industries, supporting over 2,000 trade shows and live events worldwide. What makes RES unique is its fully integrated, single-source solution model—offering design, fabrication, logistics, and strategy in one seamless solution. This comprehensive approach fuses creativity, craftsmanship, and measurable strategy to help their clients thrive on the show floor and beyond. www.res-exhibits.com