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Anaheim/OC “LEEDers” (starting at the back row left to right) 

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David Meek 

Convention Center Manager 


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Visitor & Convention Bureau 

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Maintenance Manager 


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Trade Show Executive 

Contents 

AUGUST 2011 

VOLUME 12 NUMBER 8 

COVER STORY 

52 Power Lunch 

Rafael Hernandez 

Rafael Hernandez is the face of Mexico’s 

trade show industry. He spoke with Bob 

Dallmeyer about his priority of promoting 

Mexico as an effective and safe venue for 

exhibitions and his goal of forging closer ties 

with international organizers. 

52 

EXPOSITION FORECAST 

21 Trending and Spending 

Disappointing job creation in the U.S. has 

economists concerned. The exhibition industry 

has so far been keeping its head above water. 

FEATURES 

Instant Replay 

34 46 Strange Bedfellows 

Keeping trade shows fresh and dynamic 

is more important than ever as the 

economy remains bogged down. Show 

organizers presented new strategies 

at the Exhibition and Convention 

Executives Forum. 

36 TSE’s Millionaires 

Club & Mega Facilities 

A look at the top 10 convention centers 

topping 1 million net square feet and 

the many mega centers that trade 

shows throughout North America call 

home. Five years from now, the list 

may be very different. 

Or are they? Show organizers and 

convention centers are forming closer 

partnerships in the production of 

events. Such ties may be the start of a 

new business model in the exhibition 

industry amid a changing economy. 

Trade Show Executive, The Gold Standard, Winner of: 

Copyright © 2011 by Trade Show Executive (ISSN Number 2151-7568) 

August 2011 issue, Volume 12, Number 8. All rights reserved. Trade Show Executive 

is published monthly by Trade Show Executive Inc., 4167 Avenida de la Plata, Suite 

114, Oceanside, CA 92056-6029. ® Trade Show Executive is a registered trademark 

of Trade Show Executive Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced, 

stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the 

written permission of the publisher. 

2005 

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POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Richard Magaña, Circulation Manager, 

Trade Show Executive magazine, P.O. Box 16435, North Hollywood, CA 91615. 

Periodicals postage paid at Oceanside, CA and additional mailing offi ces. Copying 

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4 August 2011 | Trade Show Executive

THAT’S THE 

BOSTON 

ADVANTAGE 

Arrange a site visit today. Call 877.393.3393 or visit www.AdvantageBOSTON.com 

BOSTON. MAKING CONVENTION HISTORY. 

The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority owns and operates the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the Hynes Convention Center.

8 Special Report – The Saga at McCormick Place 

The trade shows go on in Chicago amid unprecedented political and 

legal maneuvering over the labor environment at McCormick Place. Show 

organizers, contractors and exhibitors are all looking for clues as to what the 

future will bring. 

12 Month in Review 

Catch up on the most significant developments 

of the past month with TSE’s news digest 

• Associations announce summit on 

the industry’s best practices 

• U.S. airfares up 10% last year 

• IAVM launches venue portal 

16 News Briefs from Asia 

Crowds grow in Hong Kong and Singapore while Malaysia lands a prestigious 

science conference. Here’s what else is making news in Asia. 

26 TSE’s Dashboard of Monthly Trade Show 

Metrics for June 2011 

Growth in all three metrics exceeded 3% in June after modest declines 

the previous month. 

58 ZOOM – The Trade Show Locator 

Trade Show Executive presents the most important shows scheduled 

for October and lists them by industry. 

68 People in the News 

• Fore 

• Turner 

• Greco 

70 Parting Shots 

70 Index to Advertisers 

16 26 

• Konysz 

• Kidwai 

• CEIR releases White Paper on cost 

shifting, preferred pricing and other 

industry practices that have come 

under fire 

follow us on 

twitter.com/TradeShowExec 

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SPECIAL REPORT 

The Labor Saga in Chicago Continues… 

DANICA TORMOHLEN, contributing editor 

Chicago, IL - On July 11, the U.S. Court 

of Appeals for the 7th Circuit denied a 

request to keep the show-floor changes in 

effect temporarily at McCormick Place, 

but it granted a request for an expedited 

appeal process. Within days, U.S. District 

Judge Ronald Guzman issued a permanent 

injunction that reversed some of 

the state-imposed labor changes that had 

been in place since last August. (See sidebar 

for a detailed description of what’s changing and 

what’s not.) In March, Judge Guzman ruled 

that the Illinois Legislature’s action had 

What’s Changing and What’s Not 

“There’s been a lot of confusion surrounding 

what’s been reversed and 

what’s not,” David Causton, general 

manager for McCormick Place, told 

Trade Show Executive. “The judge’s 

ruling essentially impacts three areas.” 

These include: 

1. The Extension of Straight Time 

from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. “Show managers 

will need to be sensitive to this when 

determining the hours of operation,” 

said Causton. “Move-in and move-out 

times should be limited to 8 a.m.-4:30 

p.m. to avoid overtime charges.” 

2. The Automobile and Small Vehicle 

Policy. “Exhibitors can’t drive up to the 

dock anymore,” he said. “We will work 

with show managers and contractors to 

come up with alternative locations on 

the property where exhibitors will be 

able to pull up and unload materials. 

It just won’t be the dock.” 

3. The Exhibitor Bill of Rights. 

“Previously, any size exhibitor was able 

to set up his booth with power tools 

and ladders,” said Causton. “That’s 

been modified back to only allow 

exhibitors with 300 square feet or less 

to set up their booths with non-power 

tools. Bigger booths must use labor.” 

overturned collective bargaining rights in 

violation of the National Labor Relations 

Act. Since then, show organizers, contractors, 

convention center officials and 

exhibitors have been left scrambling to 

deal with the aftermath. 

With only two months to go before 

GRAPH EXPO runs September 11-14 at 

McCormick Place and almost no chance 

the appeals process will be resolved 

by then, Chris Price, vice president of 

Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), 

said he immediately began the arduous 

The ruling does not impact the 

following: 

1. Electrical. “We will continue to have 

an open electrical process in place,” 

said Causton. “Show organizers and 

exhibitors can choose their own electrical 

contractor and negotiate prices.” 

By law, McCormick Place is required to 

provide workers to contractors at cost 

with no mark-up on the labor charges. 

2. Food Service. “We will continue to 

provide food service for concessions and 

catering at cost,” he said. “The building 

no longer takes a commission.” 

3. Free Wi-Fi. As part of Phase II of the 

reforms, McCormick Place has been 

offering free Wi-Fi in the hallways, 

commons areas, meeting rooms and 

exhibit halls since last November. 

4. Riggers Union. In July, the Machinery 

Movers, Riggers & Machinery Erectors 

Local 136 agreed to a three-year 

contract to abide by the state-imposed 

labor rules, allowing exhibitors to do 

more of their own booth setup and 

limited overtime pay and crew sizes. 

5. Reduced Parking Rates. Parking 

rates for the McCormick Place surface 

lot have been reduced from $19 to $14. 

task of informing exhibitors to prepare 

for the worst. Last year, the show was 

able to take advantage of the labor 

changes, which allowed exhibitors to 

do more of their own booth setup, use 

the automobile or small utility vehicle 

ramp at the dock to load and unload 

their materials, and which limited labor 

overtime and crew sizes. 

Price’s team has begun personally 

calling the exhibitors impacted by the 

After nearly two 

years of working for 

major labor changes 

in Chicago, the 

effort seems to have 

completely fallen apart. 

I’m not sure where we 

go from here. 

Chris Price 

VICE PRESIDENT, GRAPHIC ARTS 

SHOW COMPANY (GASC) 

changes. GASC and its official service 

contractor, Freeman, have spent numerous 

hours revising their exhibitor order 

forms and rules and regulations. GASC 

sent out an exhibitor e-newsletter outlining 

the new rules and will host a webinar 

on the changes. In addition, GASC and 

Freeman have fielded hundreds of calls 

from anxious exhibitors. 

“After nearly two years of working for 

major labor changes in Chicago, the effort 

seems to have completely fallen apart,” 

Price told Trade Show Executive. “I’m not 

sure where we go from here.” 

Trade Show Executive interviewed the key 

players in this ongoing saga and explores 

the implications for shows at McCormick 

Place in the short and long term. 


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SPECIAL REPORT 

Short-Term Impact on Shows 

“Until the appeals process is completed, 

shows at McCormick Place through the 

end of the year could be impacted,” said 

David Causton, general manager for 

McCormick Place. (See sidebar for a list of 

major shows impacted.) While not all of the 

changes at McCormick Place have been 

reverted, most of the exhibitor-friendly 

provisions have been reversed. 

“This ruling directly impacts contractors, 

exhibitors and show organizers 

in the short term,” said Doug Van Ort, 

regional vice president for Freeman, who 

has been instrumental in getting labor reforms 

at McCormick Place. “We’ve had to 

re-educate our exhibitor services personnel 

on work rule changes and revise our 

Major Trade Shows at McCormick Place Impacted 

Despite the fact that the court granted an expedited appeal, David Causton, general 

manager for McCormick Place, said trade shows through December 31, 2011 

could impacted by the current ruling, which reserved some of the labor changes 

that had been enjoyed by trade shows since last August. Here are some of the 

largest events scheduled at the convention center for the rest of the year. 

• Graph Expo 

Producer: Graphic Arts Show Co. 

Dates: September 11-14 

Contractor: Freeman 

• Construct 2011 

Producer: Hanley Wood Exhibitions 

Dates: September 13-16 


• Assembly & Automation, 

MD&M, MidPack, PLASTEC, 

Quality, D&M MW, AeroCon 

and GMX 

Producer: UBM 

Dates: September 20- 22 


• NACS Show 

Producer: Association for 

Convenience & Fuel Retailing 

Dates: October 1-4 


• The Motivation Show 

Producer: Hall Erickson Inc. 


Contractor: GES 

• 2011 Remodeling Show & Deck Expo 

Producer: Hanley Wood Exhibitions 



• Anesthesiology 2011 

Producer: American Society 

of Anesthesiologists 


Contractor: Strategic Alliance Services 

• Process Expo 2011 

Producer: Food Processing 

Suppliers Association 

Dates: November 1-4 

Contractor: GES 

• Fabtech 

Producer: Society of 

Manufacturing Engineers 

Dates: November 14-17 


• RSNA 2011 

Producer: Radiological Society of 

North America 

Dates: November 26-December 2 


payroll systems. Show managers will need 

to clearly communicate these changes to 

all their exhibitors, who will be required 

to adjust their budgets to comply with the 

new work rules.” 

One of the Unions Will 

Abide By Work Rule Changes 

Since the judge’s ruling, one of the five 

major trade unions working at McCormick 

Place agreed to abide by the state-imposed 

labor rules that were invalidated by the 

federal court ruling. Under a new threeyear 

agreement, the Machinery Movers, 

Riggers & Machinery Erectors Local 136 

approved a decision to follow the plan laid 

out by the General Assembly last year. 

“The riggers union has incorporated 

the exhibitor rights into their Collective 

Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and we 

have had conversations with most of the 

other trades to see what we both can do 

with the CBA process,” said John Patronski, 

executive vice president for Global 

Experience Specialists (GES), who has 

also been involved in the labor reforms 

since 2009. “The decorators union has 

also been open to incorporating these 

changes into the current CBA, but that 

has not been finalized at this time.” 

GES and Freeman told Trade Show 

Executive they hope to come to the negotiation 

table with the Local 727 of the Teamsters 

and the Chicago Regional Council of 

Carpenters, who filed lawsuits to overturn 

the law, but that has yet to happen. 

Long-Term Implications for Chicago 

Some shows may wait until the issues 

are resolved before agreeing to come to 

Chicago, while other shows may decide 

to pull out of Chicago based on the 

uncertainty. In June, the Car Care World 

Expo reversed its decision to come to 

Chicago in 2013, citing legal uncertainties 

surrounding the new law. The 2013 show 

will now be held in Las Vegas. 

Shows scheduled at McCormick 

Place in 2012 and beyond, such as the 

International Manufacturing Technology Show, 

Healthcare Information and Management 

Systems Society (HIMSS) Annual Conference 

& Exhibition, and the National Restaurant 

Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel 

Show, told Trade Show Executive they are 


We have a contract 

and will abide by that 

contract, with the 

expectation that these 

issues will be resolved 

before our show. 

Stephen Lieber, CAE 

HIMSS PRESIDENT & CEO 

hopeful and confident these issues will be 

resolved before their events. 

“We held our show in Chicago for the 

first time in 2009,” said HIMSS President 

& CEO Stephen Lieber, CAE. “Based on 

data analysis, we knew Chicago would 

be a strong draw for us regionally, and 

we were not disappointed in terms of attendance. 

We had our highest percentage 

of first-time attendees at 40%, compared 

with our average of 30%.” 

But the cost to do business in Chicago 

was four to ten times higher than in other 

cities such as Las Vegas, Orlando and Atlanta, 

said Lieber. HIMSS rotates between 

several cities, and shortly after the 2009 

show, opted out of Chicago in 2012, citing 

exorbitant costs for electrical services 

at McCormick Place. Based on the labor 

reforms, HIMSS signed a contract in 

January to return to Chicago in 2015 

and is holding dates for its 2018 show. 

“We have a contract and will abide by 

that contract, with the expectation that 

these issues will be resolved before our 

show,” he said. “But we are not happy 

with the judge’s ruling. We would not 

have come back without those changes.” 

After some heated negotiation, 

the NRA Show, which has been held in 

Chicago since 1950, agreed in July to keep 

its 2012 show in Chicago. NRA decided 

to move its dates forward two weeks to 

avoid overlap with the G8/NATO Summit, 

despite the uncertainty surrounding the 

labor reforms. 

“Our exhibitors realized some huge 

savings in 2011,” said Mary Pat Heftman, 

executive vice president, conventions. 

“We are hopeful that the issues will be 

resolved by our May 2012 show, and we 

are confident that the legislators will work 

to get us the rights that are enjoyed in 

other cities.” 

Where Does the Industry 

Go from Here? 

The industry is in a holding pattern 

until the appeals process is complete. 

It’s anyone’s guess how that will turn out, 

but the prospects aren’t favorable that the 

judge will uphold the current legislation, 

according to most industry observers. 

“But it’s clear that the Illinois Governor 

Pat Quinn, Chicago Mayor Rahm 

Emanuel and our state legislative leaders 

are committed to change,” said Causton. 

“We cannot go back to where we were.” 

In fact, the group sent a letter this summer 

to customers pledging their commitment 

to not letting the issue rest. Mayor 

Emanuel, Governor Quinn, House Republican 

leader Tom Cross, House Speaker 

Michael Madigan, Senate President John 

Cullerton and Metropolitan Pier and 

Exposition Authority (MPEA) Trustee 

Jim Reilly met on July 26 behind closed 

doors to come up with a solution for 

cutting union costs at McCormick Place. 

Union leaders were not at the meeting. 

"There are three different options,” said 

Causton. “We can wait for the court to decide. 

We can legislate, or we can negotiate. 

Clearly, negotiation is the best option.” 

To that end, the governor, mayor and 

legislative leaders will continue to keep 

the pressure on unions and contractors, 

said Causton. “The tolerance for this will 

only last so long,” he said. “We would 

love to see the unions voluntarily abide 

by the rules set forth in the law. Our goal 

in the short term is to get clarity for our 

customers, but in the long term we want 

this resolved once and for all.” 

Reach Chris Price at (703) 264-7200 or 

cprice@gasc.com; John Patronski at 

(773) 284-5398 or jpatronski@ges.com; 

Doug Van Ort at (773) 379-5040 or 

dvanort@freemanco.com; David Causton at 

(312) 791-7000 or dcauston@mpea.com; 

Mary Pat Heftman at (312) 853-2525 or 

mheftman@dineout.org; Stephen Lieber at 

(312) 915-9225 or slieber@himss.org 

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www.TradeShowExecutive | August 2011 11

MONTH IN REVIEW 

U.S. Industry Associations to Hold 

Best-Practices Summit this Fall 

BY HIL ANDERSON, senior editor 

Vinnie Polito, 

IAEE Chairman 

Chuck Grouzard, 

President of ESCA 

Dallas, TX – The leading U.S. exhibition 

industry associations will convene in the 

Fall for a groundbreaking summit dubbed 

the All Exhibition Industry Summit. The goal 

is to develop a broad set of best practices 

for the trade show industry. An October 

date is being considered for the two-day 

summit, which will be hosted by the 

International Association of Exhibitions 

and Events (IAEE), the Society of 

Independent Show Organizers (SISO), 

the Exhibition Services and Contractors 

Association (ESCA), and ASAE, the 

Center for Association Leadership. 

Two elected leaders from other 

organizations will be invited to take 

part in what is being called the first 

gathering of such a broad range of 

stakeholders in the trade show industry. 

The dates and site of the meeting were 

not immediately announced. 

“We need to put our brains together 

to come up with guidelines to ease the 

many processes that guide the work 

of our industry,” said John Graham, 

president and CEO of ASAE. “The 

stresses of the Great Recession and the 

anemic economic recovery make it 

essential for all segments of the exhibition 

industry to consider how we might 

adapt ourselves and our industry to the 

new realities that lie ahead,” said SISO 

Chairman Sean Guerre. 

Chuck Grouzard, president of ESCA, 

said different industry segments and 

associations have been focused on best 

practices in their own sectors; however 

they are adding up to a “piecemeal” 

approach. “The fact remains there 

are too many troublesome issues that 

demand a common and agreed-to set 

of understandings,” he said. “We believe 

it is now time for the entire industry to 

come together.” 

The summit will provide such a forum 

for discussions on the specific interests 

of the different players and areas of 

compromise. “If all of the organizations 

in our industry set aside our respective 

organizational egos and devote our full 

attention to crafting real solutions that 

will withstand time and further economic 

stress, we will have contributed something 

very important to our members and the 

customers that they all serve,” said IAEE 

Chairman Vinnie Polito. 

Reach Vinnie Polito at (203) 500-1586 or 

vpolito@vpelevae.com; Sean Guerre at 

(832) 242-1969 or sguerre@accessintel.com; 

John Graham at (202) 626-2741 or 

jgraham@asaecenter.org; Chuck Grouzard at 

(773) 284-5240 or cgrouzard@ges.com 

U.S. Air Fares Rise 10% Over 2010, 

According to AMEX Survey 


New York, NY – Domestic and international 

air fares in North America increased as 

much as 10% in the First Quarter of 2011 

compared to the same quarter last year, 

according to a new survey by American 

Express Global Business Travel. 

The report revealed the average 

domestic fare increased 10% to $247, 

which topped the pre-recession average 

of $233 in 2008. International fares rose 

8% to $1,866 in the First Quarter of 2011 

compared to First Quarter of 2010. 

An increase in demand from business 

travelers, coupled with strong oil 

prices, contributed to the higher prices, 

said Christa Degnan Manning, director 

of eXpert insights research at American 

Express Global Business Travel. Airlines 

have limited their capacity which also 

added to the squeeze. As prices continue 

to increase and capacity levels remain 

tight, Manning advised companies to follow 

the market, review travel spend,and 

implement policies that facilitate optimal 

cost savings opportunities. 

Higher prices were also seen in the hotel 

industry. American Express said domestic 

hotel rates in the First Quarter averaged 

$150 per night, up 3% from 2010. International 

room rates moved up 4% to $238. 

San Francisco led the increase in room 

rates with a 16% gain to $206 in the First 

Quarter of 2011. Seattle was second with 

a 9% hike to $152. New York was up 8% 

to $290. 

Reach Christa Degnan Manning at 

christa.d.manning@aexp.com 


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MONTH IN REVIEW 

CEIR White Paper 

Adds Industry Context to 

McCormick Place Debate 


Chicago, IL – The Center for Exhibition Industry Research 

(CEIR) released a white paper July 26 that aims to set the 

record straight on the practices of the trade show industry not 

only at Chicago’s McCormick Place but at convention centers 

nationwide as well. 

Written by CEIR President & CEO Doug Ducate, the sixpage 

document entitled, “Are We a Troubled Industry?,” fills 

in the information gaps that have created unfounded criticisms 

of the exhibition industry’s business model, pricing issues and 

treatment of customers. 

Suspicions of price gouging by show organizers and service 

contractors were voiced by the unions serving McCormick 

Place, who floated the idea in the mainstream media that the 

lion’s share of the prices charged to exhibitors was the result 

of huge markups, not high union wages. 

“The purpose of this paper is to correct the record regarding 

our business model and to illustrate how our business practices 

are not unique and, in fact, are practiced by virtually every 

industry,” Ducate wrote. 

New light is shed on such factors as the significant up-front 

costs borne by show organizers, discounts for major exhibitors, 

“cost shifting” and the efficiency of having a single general 

services contractor running things on the show floor. 

The release of the white paper coincided with a July 26 meeting 

in Chicago called by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn to work out 

a solution to the deadlock in the labor reforms at McCormick 

Place. The meeting will include representatives of the industry 

as well as state lawmakers and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. 

Show organizers say the changes are vital to Chicago 

remaining a competitive trade show city. The Teamsters and 

Carpenters unions have thus far been able to block the changes 

in court based on their contention that federal law requires 

changes in union contracts to come from negotiation rather 

than legislation. 

However, an announcement from the Machinery Movers, 

Riggers & Machinery Erectors Local 136 on July 12 represented 

a potential turning point in the legal and political battle over 

the reforms that were instituted through state legislation. The 

Riggers union at Chicago’s McCormick Place reached agreement 

on a new contract with Freeman and Global Experience 

Specialists (GES) that includes the reforms to work rules that 

are being contested in court by two other unions. 

Reach Doug Ducate at (972) 687-9242 or dducate@ceir.org 

New Web Portal Enables 

Venue Managers to 

Compare Operations 


Phoenix, AZ – Convention center managers will soon be able 

to make an “apples to apples” comparison of their operations 

with other facilities using a software portal developed for the 

International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM).Venue- 

DataSource was unveiled July 26 at the IAVM VenueConnect 86th 

Annual Conference & Trade Show in Phoenix. “We did a member 

needs survey in 2007 and this was one of the overwhelming 

requests,” said Dana Glazier, IAVM director of education. 

VenueDataSource is based on a variety of statistics concerning 

the cost of day-to-day operations. The crunched numbers will 

provide benchmarks that facility managers can used to not 

only make improvements but also prove to their stakeholders 

that their costs are in line with competitors. 

Glazier told Trade Show Executive the changing economics of 

U.S. cities were putting a stronger spotlight on the bottom line 

of convention center operations. “Traditionally, venues were 

more focused on the economic impact on their communities 

rather than on the building’s profit,” she said. 

Rolling Stats 

The numbers that power VenueDataSsource come from member 

facilities and will be less than two years old. Glazier said building 

staff will punch in stats from different operational areas in 

quarterly “bite-sized surveys” batches, which will not only keep 

the service dynamic but will also not overwhelm the people 

entering the numbers. 

Rousing Reception 

The VenueDataSource project was the result of a $625,000 grant 

from the IAVM Foundation. A bevy of committees representing 

different types and sizes of convention facilities in different 

areas of the U.S. compiled the list of vital statistics. “We had 

several hundred members sign a form in Phoenix stating they 

will participate,” Glazier said. “That’s a great start.” 

Reach Dana Glazier at (972) 906-7441 or dana.glazier@iavm.org 


NEWS BRIEFS 

HONG KONG 

Crowd at ART HK Jumps 40% 

Hong Kong – More than 100,000 people 

poured into the Hong Kong Convention 

and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) for ART 

HK, an increase of nearly 40% over the 

attendance at the 2010 show. The show 

also had a record 260 galleries from 38 

nations exhibiting. 

The May 26-29 show was co-located 

with Christie’s Hong Kong Spring Auction, 

May 27-June 1. The sophisticated crowd 

showed its taste for the finer things by 

plowing though 2,080 bottles of wine 

and champagne in four hours during 

the May 25 show preview. 

Reach Monica Lee-Müller, deputy managing 

director, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition 

Management Ltd., at (852) 2582 7897 or 

monicaleemuller@hkcec.com 

UBM Asia Funds Rebuilding of 

Quake-Damaged Chinese School 

Hong Kong – UBM Asia recently rode 

to the rescue of an earthquake-battered 

elementary school in China far from the 

big cities that are the heart of the country’s 

trade show industry. UBM Asia donated 

HK$284,000 ($38,483) to the Salvation 

Army to rebuild Caoheba Primary School 

in Gansu Province, one of the areas hit the 

hardest by a devastating earthquake in 2008. 

“We are delighted to be one of the 

major donors of the project,” said Jimé 

Essink, president and CEO of UBM Asia. 

“We assisted the children in getting back 

to a normal life and are helping them to 

study and grow in a happy and healthy 

way.” The rebuilding project completed 

in May included a new playground, 

a gate and a wall around the property 

and a fully equipped restroom. 

Reach Jimé Essink at +852 2827 6211 or 

jime.essink@ubm.com 

KUALA LUMPUR 

Kuala Lumpur Wins Major 

2015 Genome Conference 

Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia was selected to 

host the prestigious Human Genome Meeting 

(HGM) in 2015. The selection of Kuala 

Lumpur will mark the third time in four 

years the international scientific conference 

will take in the Asia-Pacific MICE market. 

The 2012 HGM will be held in Sydney, 

Australia and 2013 will take place in Singapore. 

Geneva will host the 2014 meeting. 

Officials at the Human Genome 

Organization said Malaysia was a growing 

center of investment and research in 

genome sciences. 

The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition 

Bureau (MyCEB) said the HGM booking 

was the latest success of the nation’s 

Economic Transformation Programme, 

which seeks to expand Malaysia’s role in 

the international exhibition industry. 

Reach Zulkefl i Sharif, CEO of MyCEB, at 

+603 2034 2090 or zulkefl i@myceb.com.my 

SHANGHAI 

Wind Expo Shifts to Shanghai 

New International Expo Centre 

Shanghai – The Offshore Wind China 

Conference & Exhibition moved into a new 

venue this Summer to accommodate its 

growing crowd. The event was held June 

15-17 at the Shanghai New International 

Expo Centre with an estimated 800 

attendees and an exhibit hall reported 

at double the size of the previous event. 

The show was organized by Shanghai 

International Exhibition Co., Ltd. (SIEC) 

and the Chinese Renewable Energy 

Industries Committee. It was billed as the 

largest offshore wind energy event in Asia 

and the second largest in the world. Show 

management said China is considered 

the nation with the most offshore wind 

potential in the world. 

Reach Project Director Fei Jiayi at 

+86 21 62792828 or fjy@siec-ccpit.com 

SINGAPORE 

Singapore Amusement 

Park Show Eyes Record 

Singapore – The attractions industry is 

riding high on Asia’s economic boom. 

While final numbers are not yet in, The 

Asian Attractions Expo (AAE 2011) June 21- 

24 in Singapore featured a record show 

floor with more than 200 exhibitors and 

4,000 net square meters (about 43,055 net 

square feet) of booth space at the Resorts 

World Convention Centre. 

The International Association of 

Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) 

also featured four full days of sessions, including 

the daylong IAAPA Safety Institute. 

AAE 2011 covered a fairly horizontal market 

that stretched beyond amusement parks. 

Attendees came from museums, zoos, water 

parks and the growing casino sector. 

Reach Chip Cleary, IAAPA president and CEO, 

at (703) 836-4800 or ccleary@iaapa.org 

Marina Bay Sands Deploys 

Room Reservation System 

for Show Managers 

Singapore – Marina Bay Sands Singapore 

has deployed a new online reservation 

system for exhibition organizers. The 

convention destination, which opened 

in April 2010, went with Passkey 

GroupMAX, a system that allows 

incoming guests to book and review 

their own reservations online. Organizers 

can also manage room blocks, monitor 

reservation trends with the system and 

capture information about individual 

guests, such as meal preferences and 

travel schedules. 

The automation is a boon to show 

organizers and also streamlines the 

workload on the hotel staff, which 

accommodated more than 19 million 

guests from around the world in its 

first year of operation. 

Reach Mike Lee, vice president of sales, 

at +65 6688 3000 or 

mike.lee@marinabaysands.com 


Discuss, Debate, Discover 

at Trade Show Executive’s Gold 100 

Awards & Summit 

Come celebrate the success of the 100 largest trade shows in the 

United States and join in the high-level dialogue, debate and 

networking which are the hallmarks of the event. 

Trade Show Executive’s Gold 100 Awards & Summit will gather the 

sharpest minds in the industry for open and frank discussions 

about the burning issues plaguing our industry and the best new 

ideas for driving our business forward. 

Please join us in September to celebrate the 

people, the shows and the organizations that set 

the Gold Standard for the trade show industry. 

September 21-23, 2011 

The Ritz-Carlton • Half Moon Bay, CA 

Power Lunch 

Crisis Management Burning Issues Trending & Spending Compensation 2012 

David Levin 

CEO, United 

Business Media 

Bob Dallmeyer 

TSE Columnist 

Tad Ishizumi 

President, Reed 

Exhibitions Japan Ltd. 

Gary Shapiro 

President & 

CEO, Consumer 

Electronics Assn. 

Galen Poss 

COO of 

dmg::events 

Frank Chow 

Chief Economist, 

TSE Media Group 

Darlene Gudea 

President, TSE 

Media Group 

Skip Cox 

President & CEO 

of Exhibit Surveys 

Danica 

Tormohlen 

TSE Contributing 

Editor 

And the Winner Is... 

Register Now at 

www.TradeShowExecutive.com/Gold Gala 

What if Your Show is Not 

Among the Gold 100? 

There is a limited number of registrations available to 

senior-level executives of other leading shows. Apply at 

www.TradeShowExecutive.com/Gold Gala

Brought to you by Trade Show Executive and these Sponsors 

TITLE SPONSOR 

GOLD SPONSORS 

SILVER SPONSORS 

BRONZE SPONSORS 

SUPPORTING ASSOCIATION SPONSORS 

ESCA 

Exhibition Services & 

Contractors Association 

www.TradeShowExecutive.com/GoldGala

611M08TSE

TRENDING & SPENDING 

SPONSORED BY 

Where Have all the Jobs Gone? 

BY DARLENE GUDEA, president 

Darlene Gudea, 

PRESIDENT 

Frank Chow, 

CHIEF ECONOMIST 

Trade Show Executive’s 

Trending & Spending Forecast 

Fig. I: TSE Forecast of Net 

Square Feet of Exhibit Space 

3.8% OCTOBER 

3.5% 

4th Quarter 

3.2% 

2011 

Fig. II: TSE Forecast of Number 

of Exhibiting Organizations 

2.1% OCTOBER 

1.8% 

4th Quarter 

3.2% 


Fig. III: TSE Forecast of 

Professional Attendance 

2.5% OCTOBER 

2.4% 

4th Quarter 

3.2% 


Fig. IV: TSE Annual Forecast 

of Revenue 

5.6% 

Year Ending December 2011 

How Trade Show Executive Magazine’s Trending & Spending 

was compiled Trade Show Executive Magazine’s Trending 

& Spending Forecast aggregates information from 

numerous sources: government and business reports; 

interviews with industry experts and economists; and 

the TSE monthly poll of its 20-member Economic 

Forecasting Board. Unbiased, reliable data—whether 

positive or negative—is the foundation of solid 

business planning. 

Oceanside, CA – Just when it appeared U.S. 

employment was gaining some steam, the 

engine suddenly stalled. After escalating 

for the first four months of 2011 and 

reaching a job growth of 217,000 in April, 

the bottom dropped out in May when the 

U.S. economy produced a paltry 25,000 

net jobs. For June, the trend stopper was 

confirmed when employers increased 

payrolls by 18,000 workers, stunningly 

less than the most pessimistic economist 

forecast, which generally called for growth 

of above 100,000. Furthermore, the unemployment 

rate unexpectedly climbed 

to 9.2%, the highest level in nine months. 

“Private companies were responsible 

for all the job growth this year,” said 

Frank Chow, chief economist for Trade 

Show Executive Media Group. “The private 

sector had been creating over 200,000 

jobs a month but inexplicitly pulled 

back.” He noted that federal, state and 

city governments are mired in budget deficit 

woes and have been eliminating jobs 

at a rate of 24,000 to 48,000 a month since 

January. here are some factors that have 

been posited by economists as reasons 

for the huge drawback by companies: 

• Global supply disruptions caused 

by the disaster in Japan and rising oil 

and food prices. 

• Continuing foreclosures in the 

housing market. 

• The European debt crisis. 

• The inflation-fighting policies of 

emerging countries to slow growth. 

• Long-term structural problems 

from the Great Recession. 

• Uncertainty due to government policies. 

“There have been recent improvements 

in the first four factors,” said Chow. “We 

are already seeing Japan bounce back and 

energy prices fall back, but food prices 

are still a huge issue.” Chow expects jobs 

to rise sluggishly by September if these 

improvements continue. However, the 

last two factors need further explanation. 

Structural Problems in 

U.S. Jobs Market 

A hallmark of this recession has been the 

record rise of long-term unemployment, 

defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

(BLS) as being unemployed for 27 weeks 

or longer. Historically, the percentage of 

the long-term unemployed had remained 

well under 25% of the total unemployed 

population. “Today, the ratio is about 

44%, equating to more than 6 million 

people out of work for more than six 

months,” Chow pointed out. 

“Problems related to rising long-term 

unemployment are a serious hindrance to 

the economic recovery,” he said. “Skills of 

the long-term unemployed tend to atrophy, 

and they lose valuable connections 

Most major U.S. 

corporations have been 

reporting strong profits, 

but their hiring has 

lagged. So what's 

the problem? 

Frank Chow 

CHIEF ECONOMIST, TRADE SHOW 

EXECUTIVE MEDIA GROUP 

to the working world.” Chow said that 

people out of work less than five weeks 

have a re-employment rate of 30.7% vs. 

8.7% for those unemployed for more than 

a year. The average spell of joblessness 

now lasts almost 40 weeks – an all-time 

high since records began in 1948. Chow 

said the average had been rising since the 

1970s, but before the recession in 2007, it 

stood at a modest 18 weeks. More alarming 

is the percent of unemployed people 

looking for work for two years or more. 

That has skyrocketed to 11%, he said. 

“Higher long-term unemployment 

has the potential to reduce the economy's 



SPONSORED BY 


Trending & Spending Forecast 

Fig. V: Sector Performance 

BEST PERFORMING SECTORS 

• Apparel 

• Security 

• Business Services 

• Technology 

MIXED PERFORMANCE 

• Communications 

• Government 

SECTORS UNDER PRESSURE 

• Automotive 

• Housing 

• Construction 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS 

• Hospitality 

• Transportation 

• Medical 

• Retail 

• Food 

• Manufacturing 

• Home Furnishings 

Consumer Confi dence, which fell to a level of 57.6 in 

June, improved slightly in July, based on moderate 

improvement in the business outlook. Consumers 

were mixed about the labor market outlook. 

Corporate earnings remained strong in Q2. Analysts are 

projecting a 14% earnings growth in Standard & Poor's 

500 Index, led in part by energy and raw materials. 

Gross Domestic Product in Q2 increased a weak 1.3% 

over Q1, according to advance estimates from 

the Bureau of Economic Analysis. However, it is 

expected to be the ninth consecutive quarter of 

economic expansion. 

Housing Starts for single family homes in June reached 

a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 453,000, which 

is 9.4% above the revised May figure. 

Industrial Production edged up 0.2% in June, the third 

month of negligible gains. 

Core Infl ation, which omits volatile food and energy 

prices, rose 1.6% in June, the largest increase since 

July 2008. 

Interest Rates (short term) remained near 0% in June. 

Jobs increased by a paltry 18,000 in June. Most 

hiring was in the fields of energy, professional and 

business services, and health care. Government jobs 

continued to decline. 

The Leading Economic Index, a weighted gauge of 10 

economic indicators, increased only 0.3% in June 

to 115.3. Positive contributions came from building 

permits, the interest rate spread and money supply. 

Economic activity in the Manufacturing sector in June 

registered in at 55.3, an increase of 1.7 percentage 

points over May. It was the 25th consecutive month 

of expansion 

Retail Sales increased only 0.1% in June over May 

but climbed 8.1% over June 2010. The increase was 

fueled by gasoline sales and non-store retailers. 

Unemployment rose unexpectedly to 9.2% in June, the 

highest level in nine months. 

natural, noninflationary rate of growth as 

it becomes harder for job seekers and job 

creators to make a match,” said Chow. He 

provided some employment facts about 

this recovery: 

• Large companies, which employ 

nearly 18 million people, added only 

557,000 net jobs in 2010, based on a USA 

Today analysis of 444 Standard & Poor 

500 companies. Yet big companies were 

buoyed by record profits, while many 

small businesses, which employ half 

of the country’s private-sector workers, 

are still struggling to break even. 

• Major U.S. companies that are growing 

their workforces are doing it overseas. 

• A disproportionate share of low-paying 

jobs was eliminated in the recession. 

These workers typically have lower skills 

and will take longer to get re-employed. 

“These facts partially explain why 

CEOs complained about an emerging 

talent shortage in a recent survey by Manpower, 

even as millions collect unemployment 

checks,” Chow said. Some economists 

predict the unemployment rate 

may bottom out at 8% or higher without 

structural reforms. 

However, this recovery also has 

seen far fewer job openings than even 

the so-called “jobless” recovery following 

the 2001 recession. Economists from the 

Economic Policy Institute report that 

cumulative job openings during the first 

year of this recovery were roughly 25% 

lower than the same period following 

the 2001 recession – that’s 10 million 

fewer jobs. 

If Profits are Strong, 

Why the Delay in Hiring? 

Most major U.S. corporations have been 

reporting strong profits, but their hiring 

has lagged. “So what's the problem, 

besides the skills mismatch?,” asked 

Chow. Economic historian Robert Higgs, 

a fellow with the Independent Institute 

in California, attributes America's anemic 

job performance to uncertainty: not 

knowing what steps the government 

will take to get its fiscal house in order 

and what rules and regulations may 

be forthcoming. Several prominent 

corporate CEOs have recently voiced 

similar concerns. 

Uncertainty from Government Policies 

Chow has strong opinions on this subject. 

“First there is the new health care law. If 

it survives legal challenges, it will affect 

virtually every employer in the country,” 

he said. The regulations implementing the 

law are still a work in progress and then 

there will be a battle over how the regulations 

are interpreted. Taxes and costs will 

increase, but by how much? “It all adds 

up to great uncertainty,” he said. 

Additionally, companies are wary of 

the Financial Regulation Bill passed last 

July. “Many of the rules have yet to be 

written,” he pointed out. The McKinsey 

research found that uncertainty about 

potential regulatory changes has made 

some firms hesitant to invest or hire. 

Meanwhile, according to a new report by 

the National Federation of Independent 

Business, 70% of small businesses say 

they've delayed hiring due to economic 

uncertainties. About a third of businesses 

blame either “taxes” or “government 

requirements” for their current troubles, 

leading some economists to attribute the 

recent slide in overall business optimism 

to Washington’s protracted debates over 

tax policy, debt reduction, regulations 

and health care. 

After the almost $1 trillion stimulus 

bill failed to generate any significant 

jobs, Chow said business executives feel 

uncertain about government’s ability 

to deal with the challenges of the global 

marketplace. “I believe our government 

should not try to create jobs or pressure 

companies to hire. Instead, our nation’s 

leaders should promote a supportive 

environment for business by directly 

addressing the structural reasons for longterm 

unemployment,” Chow said. Simply 

throwing more money at the problem 

with such programs as extensions of 

unemployment benefits and QE2 is not 

the answer, he added. He feels strongly 

that sometimes it’s best for government to 

just get out of the way and let the markets 

find their own solutions. Until they do, it 

will be difficult for trade show executives 

and businesses in general to make reliable 

forecasts for the future. TSE 


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SPONSORED BY 

An Insider’s Perspective 

How is the economy impacting the 

exposition industry? This month, seven 

industry experts give you projections and 

early warning signs based on registration 

patterns, exhibit space commitments, 

long- and short-term bookings, and 

discussions with peers and customers. 

Together with the rest of Trade Show 

Executive’s Exposition Forecasting Board, 

they have insider knowledge about the 

true performance of the majority of U.S. 

trade shows. 

And just like economists, they don’t 

always agree. Their diverse opinions, 

however, provide valuable insights 

to help you formulate your plans. 

Darlene Gudea, 

PRESIDENT 


Frank Chow, 

CHIEF ECONOMIST 


Jack Chalden 

MANAGING DIR. 

The International 

Economic Alliance 

Different Scenario as Q4 Looms 

“Six months ago, we were optimistically celebrating the encouraging January 

event performance results. Across most sectors, the general conclusion was that 

recovery was finally beginning to surface. Now as the Fourth Quarter looms, 

domestic and global economic uncertainty paint a much different picture. While 

the face-to-face business model will continue to retain and expand its share of 

corporate sales and marketing spend, traditional event performance benchmarks 

will mirror the unstable economy. However, it is equally clear that our industry’s 

time-tested role of facilitating business development will continue to be an 

essential component of the ultimate recovery process. Stay strong!” 

Tom Caridi 

CFO 

Questex Media Group 

Nancy Walsh 

EXECUTIVE VP 

Reed Exhibitions 

Alan Steel 

PRESIDENT 

GLM 

Sponsorships Are Bouncing Back 

“Uncertainty seems to be driving behavior across the economy: 

governments at all levels are hesitant, business and 

the private sector is unsure; and consumers are cautious. 

The federal debt, spending, budget and revenue gridlock 

in Washington, DC, and the lack of sustained job growth 

across the country is draining confidence throughout the 

economy. All this translates into flat to sluggish growth 

for meetings and conventions for the balance if the year.” 

James Rooney 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

Mass. Convention Center 

Authority 

Aaron Bludworth 

COO 

Fern Exposition 

Event Services 

The Big Bounceback Remains Elusive 

“Due to the duration of the general economic situation, no one is looking at decisions 

the same way. We have gone from a negative cycle to a bit of an uptick and then 

to the realization that some gloomy times are ahead. It continues to cause people to 

pause. In the exhibition industry, we are not seeing one or two industries skyrocket 

while others stall. We’re seeing most of them climb back without much differentiation. 

Since the end of the Third Quarter, there has been some good year-to-year show 

growth. We are just not seeing those long-term commitments or rocket trajectories.” 

Colette O’Donnell 

GROUP CONTROLLER 

Advanstar 

Communications, Inc. 


SPONSORED BY 

Pat Fallon 

VP OF BUSINESS 

DEVELOPMENT 

CompuSystems, Inc. 

Strength in Q1 and Q2 

Gives Way to Signs of Weakness 

“The first half of the year was very strong in all categories. 

We saw results improve in the 3rd and 4th Quarters of last 

year and those strong numbers continued through the 1st 

and 2nd Quarters of this year. However, July and August 

numbers are up thus far, but not as significantly as the 

first six months of the year. Overall, we anticipate the 4th 

Quarter to be up from the 4th Quarter of 2010.” 

Chris Brown 

EXECUTIVE VP 

National Association 

of Broadcasters 

Skip Cox 

PRESIDENT & CEO 

Exhibit Surveys 

Joe Popolo 

CEO 

Freeman 

Events Increasing in Size and Per Capita Spending 

“Pretending for a moment that the Feds aren’t taking us to financial panic, I remain 

bullish on the state of the industry. While not steep, the steady increases in 

the association and trade show sectors in our venues still seem to be the trend. For 

venues and markets hosting corporate events – where spending and attendance is 

more centrally mandated – we continue to see major event bookings with heavy 

catering. Many events in this sector had been eliminated or drastically reduced in 

size and per capita spending in 2009 and 2010. If hotel rates are any indicator of 

business travel, the major cities on my personal itinerary are doing quite well.” 

Gregg Caren 

SENIOR VP, 

STRATEGIC BUS. 

SMG 

Cautious Optimism 

“In general, our metrics for meetings and exhibitions are up over 2010. 

Forecasted growth for 2012 is as much as 5%. Since the recession, more and 

more event planners are looking for overall value in destinations, venues, and 

pricing for hotels and ancillary services/items. I think our industry’s willingness 

to negotiate and become more flexible in our pricing structures has certainly 

contributed to this growth. I believe cautious optimism is the key right now 

as the current uncertainty in the debt ceiling and lack of a National Budget 

Agreement could potentially create another dip in the economy, eradicating 

our growth in 2010 and 2011.” 

Shura 

Lindgren-Garnett 

REGIONAL VP 

Global Spectrum 

Chris Meyer 

VP OF 

CONVENTION SALES 

Las Vegas Convention 

& Visitors Authority 

An About Face 

“Inconsistency continues to define where we are and where 

we appear to be going. Medical associations, which were 

strong the first half of the year, are currently trending 

down (3.0)% in attendees and down (4.0)% in number 

of exhibitors. Non-medical associations are running flat 

in attendees and are up 2% in exhibiting companies. 

For-profits, not strong the first half of the year, are now 

trending up 5% in attendees and up 3% in exhibitors.” 

Doug Levinson 


Convention Data Services 

Gary Sain 


Orlando/Orange County Convention 

& Visitors Bureau, Inc. 

Terence Donnelly 

VP OF SALES 

Experient 


TSE DASHBOARD 

SPONSORED BY 

Back in the Black; 

Dashboard Metrics Resume Climb 

BY DARLENE GUDEA, president, CAROL ANDREWS, editor-at-large and HIL ANDERSON, senior editor 

Oceanside, CA – A modest dip in attendance 

and exhibitors in May was quickly 

forgotten in June as the Summer kicked 

into high gear with solid gains in all three 

categories of the Trade Show Executive (TSE) 

Dashboard of Monthly Trade Show Metrics. 

The number of exhibitors and attendees 

resumed their upward trajectory after 

their improvement streak ended at nine 

months with slight declines of just over 

(1.0)% in May. Exhibit space continued 

its upward momentum for a 10th consecutive 

month. 

The 21 June shows surveyed for the 

Dashboard tallied an adjusted total of 

2,225,778 net square feet (nsf), an increase 

of 4.6% over last June. Attendance 

climbed 4.0% to 232,918 and the number 

of exhibitors was also up 4.0% to 7,896. 

The totals worked out to an average 

of 97,220 nsf per show with 376 exhibitors 

and 11,091 attendees. 

Only three events, all of them in the 

medical sector, reported declines in at 

least two metrics. Fifteen of the shows, in 

fact, had across-the-board improvements. 

Gold Duo 

Only two exhibitions held in June were 

large enough to be ranked on the TSE 

Gold 100 listing of largest U.S. trade shows. 

And both events reported good news 

in the form of larger exhibit floors and 

increased attendance. 

• InfoComm 2011. The Orlando event was 

the second-largest in the show’s history. 

Significantly, it came close to matching 

the record totals from the pre-recession 

heyday of 2008. Exhibit space was up 0.9% 

to 481,908 nsf and attendance rose 3.1% 

to 2,800. Exhibitors slipped (3.6)% to 

892, but organizers said the overall results 

showed InfoComm was the center of the 

audio-visual universe. “We continue to be 

the trade show where most AV service providers 

make their buying decisions for the 

year,” said Randall Lemke, executive director 

& CEO of InfoComm International. 

• Premiere Orlando. All 50 states and 40 

countries were represented among the 

50,343 beauty professionals who filled 

the Orange County Convention Center, 

an increase of 3.6%. The crowd count 

was impressive for an industry that tends 

to be more regional in nature. Exhibit 

space grew 10.8% to 271,500 nsf and the 

exhibitor count increased 2.6% to 780. 

More than 400 sessions were on the 

educational program. 

Trendsetters on Display. One of the many sessions 

at Premiere Orlando where local hairstylists 

from across the U.S. got the ‘how-to’ on the latest 

follicle fashions. 

InfoComm Close-Up. A bank of cameras records a session at InfoComm 2011. The audio-visual show 

nearly matched the record pre-recession performance of 2008. 


SPONSORED BY 

Trade Show Executive Dashboard 

MONTHLY TRADE SHOW METRICS – MONTHLY OVERVIEW 

10% 

NET SQUARE FEET 

10% 

EXHIBITORS 

10% 

ATTENDEES 

5% 

5% 

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0% 

0% 

0% 

(5)% 

(5)% 

(5)% 

(10)% 

(10)% 

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(15)% 

(15)% 

(15)% 

(20)% 

JUL 

AUG 

SEP 

OCT 

NOV 

DEC 

2010 2011 

JAN 

FEB 

MAR 

APR 

MAY 

JUN 

(20)% 

JUL 

AUG 

SEP 

OCT 

NOV 

DEC 


JAN 

FEB 

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APR 

MAY 

JUN 

(20)% 

JUL 

AUG 

SEP 

OCT 

NOV 

DEC 


JAN 

FEB 

MAR 

APR 

MAY 

JUN 

Growth Leaders 

• World Pork Expo. The estimated attendance 

in Des Moines was pegged at 

20,000, up slightly from last year thanks 

to a good showing of international attendees. 

Exhibit space took a healthy 8.3% 

move upward to 170,000 nsf. Exhibitors 

increased 2.6% to 400. The National 

Pork Producers Council (NPPC) said the 

international presence contributed to optimism 

that the industry would be living 

high on the hog in the near future. “The 

forward-thinking nature of NPPC members 

was evident "everywhere", said NPPC 

President Doug Wolf. “The interaction at 

Expo has never been better.” 

• Safety 2011 Exposition. Hall-Erickson, 

Inc., saw double-digit growth in all three 

metrics at the 100th edition of the show. 

Exhibit space at the McCormick Place 

show was up 18.9% to 75,000 nsf and exhibitors 

increased 18.3% to 472. An e-mail 

marketing campaign offering free passes 

to the exhibit hall helped boost attendance 

a whopping 30.1% to 8,545. One educational 

session offered basic Spanish lessons 

to help safety professionals interact with 

Spanish-speaking workers. 

10% 

5% 

0% 

(5)% 

(10)% 

(15)% 

(20)% 

CONSOLIDATED 

QUARTERLY OVERVIEW 

Q2 2010 Q3 2010 Q4 2010 Q1 2011 

NSF 

Attendees 

Q2 2011 

Exhibitors 

CONSOLIDATED 

ANNUAL OVERVIEW: 2010 

NET SQ. FEET 

EXHIBITORS 

ATTENDEES 

(2.7)% 

0.8% 

2.3% 

Lively Bounce. Dashboard metrics 

were back on an upward path in June 

following slight dips in exhibitors and 

attendance the previous month. Exhibit 

space has been up for nearly a year. 

© 2011, Trade Show Executive Magazine, Oceanside, CA (760) 630-9105. 

A modest dip in attendance and exhibitors 

in May was quickly forgotten in June 

as the Summer kicked into high gear 

with solid gains in all three categories. 


TSE DASHBOARD 

• Sensors Expo & Conference. Exhibit space 

at the show at the Donald E. Stephens 

Convention Center in Rosemont, IL was 

up 19.9% at 21,640 nsf and the number of 

exhibitors grew 30.3% to 185. Attendance 

was also up 6.1% to 4,459. Questex 

Media Group co-located the show with 

ESC Chicago and added new sessions to 

the educational program. “The content 

delivered in the conference sessions was 

compelling and very well attended,” 

said Sensors Event Director Beth Torrey. 

"We are thrilled that our attendees took 

advantage of the co-location with ESC and 

the new features on the show floor.” 

• BIO International Convention. It was 

another upper-crust crowd at the international 

conference for the biotechnology 

industry. Organizers said 70% of the 

crowd of 15,262 hailed from the C-level, 

and 5,400 attendees were from outside 

the U.S. Exhibit space in Washington, 

DC was 180,000 nsf, the same as the 2010 

show in Chicago. The number of exhibitors 

increased 5.9% to 1,800. 

Medical Malaise 

BIO was a bright spot in the healthcare 

and medical science realm, which saw 

three of five Dashboard shows reporting 

red ink in at least two metrics. 

The Association for the Advancement 

of Medical Instrumentation’s AAMI 2011 

Conference & Expo in San Antonio was also 

up across the board with a 5.9% increase 

in exhibit space to 25,100 nsf. 

But two other shows – The American 

Physical Therapy Association’s APTA 

Annual Conference and the American Diabetes 

Association 71st Scientific Sessions – were 

down in exhibit space and exhibitors. 

The American Society for Metabolic and 

Bariatric Surgery 28th Annual Meeting was 

lower in all three metrics, including 

(11.3)% in exhibit space. 

Big Month for Orlando 

By hosting the only two Gold 100 shows on 

the Dashboard survey, Orlando replaced 

perennial leader Las Vegas as the leading 

city in terms of combined exhibit space 

for the month. Orlando also hosted the 

Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Expo, which 

grew 20.3% this year to 37,300 nsf. 

Las Vegas ranked second. It had 

Clean 2011 at 184,150 nsf, and Licensing 

International Expo, which grew 11.4% 

to an estimated 205,000 nsf. 

Hams Across the Sea. A large number of international attendees fi lled out the ranks at the World Pork 

Expo. Exhibit space was up 8.3% as well. 

Washington, DC was third thanks 

to BIO International Convention. 

Next Month 

The trade show industry made it past the 

halfway point of 2011 in good shape. The 

next issue of the TSE Dashboard will see if 

a new winning streak has been established 

following May’s bump in the road. 

The shows highlighting July include 

Clinical Lab Expo, AWFS Fair and MrKet, 

the event that topped the TSE Fastest 50 

by more than doubling its exhibit space 

in 2010. ASD Las Vegas celebrates its 

50th anniversary in Las Vegas beginning 

July 31 with more than 45,000 attendees 

expected. TSE 

Methodology 

Survey questionnaires were sent 

to the organizers of shows held in 

June as listed in TSE’s ZOOM Trade 

Show Locator and Gold 100 directory. 

All responses were cross-checked 

by TSE editors for discrepancies. 

The Trade Show Executive 

Dashboard was created to give show 

organizers and CEOs a fast read on 

trade show performance at a time 

when up-to-date, quality information 

is paramount to making decisions 

in today’s business world. We 

recognize that simple statistics don’t 

tell the full story about a show, and 

year-over-year growth is not the 

key factor in a show’s value to the 

industry it serves. The TSE Dashboard 

still provides the traditional 

metrics of show growth but also lists 

other significant characteristics and 

accomplishments such as quality of 

attendees, international attendance, 

sales transactions and conference 

and sponsorship growth. 

Trade Show Executive’s next 

Dashboard will cover the month of 

June and will be published in both 

the August issue and online. 

We are grateful to the organizers 

who shared both quantitative 

and qualitative data. 



MONTHLY TRADE SHOW METRICS - JUNE 2011 

Dashboard 

BY CAROL ANDREWS, 

editor-at-large 

TOP 

MANAGEMENTS* 

TOP 

CITIES* 

GROWTH 

LEADERS 

TOP INDUSTRY 

SECTORS* 

BENCHMARKS: 

AVERAGE GROWTH 

FORECASTED 

GROWTH 

• InfoComm Int'l 

• Premiere Show Group 

• Advanstar 

Communications 

• Orlando 

• Las Vegas 

• Washington, DC 

• Florida Roofi ng & 

Sheet Metal Expo 

• Sensors Expo & Conf. 

• Safety 2011 Expo 

• Communications 

• Medical 

• Beauty 

• NSF: 4.7% 

• Exhibitors: 3.7% 

• Attendance: 3.5% 

• NSF: 4.6% 

• Exhibitors: 4.0% 

• Attendance: 4.0% 

* Based on total nsf 

Show Site Net SF of Exhibits Exhibitors Total Attendance Qualitative Data 

SHOW INFORMATION 2011/2010 2011/2010 VARIANCE 2011/2010 VARIANCE 2011/2010 VARIANCE 2011 VS. 2010 

27th Annual California Los Angeles 20,000 No change 120 No change 1,600 No change Special programs (cloud, social media and 

Accounting & Business Los Angeles 20,000 120 1,600 Web-based accounting systems) generated 

Show & Conference 

an audience for CPA and business systems. 

Flagg Management Inc. 

Attendees included accounting professionals 

www.fl aggmgmt.com 

who infl uence and purchase accounting, business 

and fi nancial services. 

AAMI 2011 Conf. & Expo San Antonio 25,100 5.9% 178 11.9% 2,592 18.3% There was record attendance at the 2011 show. 

Association for the Advancement of Tampa 23,700 159 2,191 Preliminary survey results show that more than 

Medical Instrumentation 

80% of attendees spent three or more hours on 

www.aami.org/expo 

the show fl oor, and more than 35% of attendees 

spent more than fi ve hours on the show fl oor. 

ADA 71st Scientific Sessions San Diego 84,300 (3.1)% 181 (1.6)% 17,686 est. 2.9% International attendance continued to grow 

American Diabetes Association Orlando 87,000 184 17,180 while domestic attendance remained steady. 

www.scientifi csessions.diabetes.org Some exhibitors have booths as large as 90x100. 

APTA Annual Conference National 31,200 (14.7)% 221 (13.0)% 2,759 1.6% CNN political analyst Paul Begala delivered the 

American Physical Therapy Assn. Harbor, MD 36,560 254 2,716 keynote address. Audience shared opinions and 

www.apta.org Boston challenged featured debaters in the Oxford 

Debate. Other highlights included an exhibit hall 

display that showcased poster presentations of 

original scientifi c data and a rally on Capitol Hill. 

ASMBS 28th Annual Meeting Kissimmee, FL 23,600 (11.3)% 120 (9.8)% 3,000 (14.3)% Leading researchers, scientists and medical and 

American Society for Metabolic Las Vegas 26,600 133 3,500 surgical professionals from around the world 

and Bariatric Surgery 

presented their fi ndings on obesity, morbid 

www.asmbs.org 

obesity, and bariatric and metabolic surgery. 

The exhibit hall was a vital extension of the 

educational experience of attendees. 

BIO International Convention Washington, DC 180,000 No change 1,800 5.9% 15,626 2.0% 70% of attendees were C-level executives. There 

Biotechnology Industry Organization Chicago 180,000 1,700 15,322 was a record number of partnering/business 

www.bio.org 

development meetings within the BIO Business 

Forum. There was also more than 5,400 

international attendees and 100 international 

public offi cials, including the Prince of Belgium, 

the Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and the 

Deputy Prime Minister of Malyasia. 

1 

Important consumer shows are listed in the Dashboard but their metrics are not included in the statistical analysis 



Dashboard – JUNE 2011 

SPONSORED BY 



Clean 2011 Las Vegas 184,150 4.0% 430 4.0% 11,200 13.1% Attendees were from all 50 states and included 

Riddle & Associates New Orleans (‘09) 177,067 413 9,902 1,978 representatives from 87 other countries. 

www.cleanshow.com 

Electronic Security Expo Charlotte, NC 28,830 7.1% 169 1.2% 2,206 15.1% SDM Magazine reported that the show had a 

AE Ventures Pittsburgh 26,914 167 1,916 large concentration of the top security 

www.esxweb.com 

integration companies. The keynote luncheon 

had a record-breaking audience of more than 

400 paid attendees. 

Florida Roofing & Orlando 37,300 20.3% 209 3.5% 2,800 27.3% The show ran for 10.5 confl ict-free hours to 

Sheet Metal Expo Orlando 31,000 202 2,200 encourage maximum participation over three 

Florida Roofi ng, Sheet Metal and 

days. The event received high praise from 

Air Conditioning Association 

attendees and exhibitors. 

www.fl oridaroof.com 

InfoComm 2011 Orlando 481,908 0.9% 892 (3.6)% 33,001 3.1% This was InfoComm’s second largest show in 

InfoComm International Las Vegas 477,500 925 32,002 terms of net square feet and attendance 

www.infocommshow.org (following the record-breaking show in 2008). 

It was the largest InfoComm on the East Coast. 

Int'l Floriculture Expo Miami Beach 60,250 (3.1)% 192 0.5% 1,752 0.1% The show serves all segments of the fl oriculture 

Diversifi ed Business Communications Miami Beach 62,200 191 1,750 process, and it featured live products and the 

www.fl oriexpo.com 

equipment, technology and education necessary 

for cultivating and retailing. Special features of 

the show included the Iron Designer 

Competition, the Best New Product Award, and 

a fl ower-naming ceremony in honor of Stan 

Pohmer, a pioneer in the fl oral industry. 

Licensing International Expo Las Vegas 205,000 est. 11.4% 420 est. 5.0% 19,000 est. 5.6% The show had 30% international attendance 

Advanstar Communications Las Vegas 184,000 400 18,000 est. and a 15% growth in international exhibitors, 

www.licensingexpo.com especially from China. There was an 8% 

increase in sponsorships. 

National Fire Protection Boston 73,900 7.6% 377 12.9% 4,400 est. 1.8% This was the largest event ever in terms of net 

Assn. Conference & Expo Las Vegas 68,700 334 4,323 square feet. 

ROC-NFPA, LLC 

www.nfpa.org/conference 

The NBM Show - Indianapolis Indianapolis 39,000 18.2% 175 11.5% 6,700 21.8% This was a well-attended, strong buying show 

National Business Media, Inc. Indianapolis 33,000 157 5,500 for the majority of exhibitors, indicating that the 

www.TheNBMShow.com 

economy is moving, if not improving, as small 

business America gets back to work. 

NRF Loss Prevention Grapevine, TX 36,500 12.3% 216 9.6% 2,768 7.7% Total attendance was up 7.7% and there was a 

Conference & Expo Atlanta 32,500 197 2,569 20% increase in retail attendance this year. 

National Retail Federation 

www.nrf.com 

Premiere Orlando Orlando 271,500 10.8% 780 2.6% 50,343 3.6% Attendees came from all 50 states and more 

Premiere Show Group Orlando 244,950 760 48,600 than 14 countries, and 90% of them either 

www.premiereshows.com 

make or recommend fi nal purchases. 




Dashboard – JUNE 2011 

SPONSORED BY 



Safety 2011 Exposition Chicago 75,600 18.9% 472 18.3% 8,545 30.1% Enhanced show promotion, including a 

Hall-Erickson, Inc. Baltimore 63,600 399 6,570 customized email campaign offering free expo 

www.heiexpo.com 

passes, helped boost attendance. The event 

featured an executive summit, key issue 

roundtables and executive track sessions. 

Sensors Expo & Conference Rosemont, IL 21,640 19.9% 185 30.3% 4,459 6.1% The program included new technical session 

Questex Media Group LLC Rosemont, IL 18,050 142 4,204 tracks on mobile sensing and cutting edge 

www.sensorsexpo.com 

applications and technologies. The show fl oor 

featured a technology update theater, which 

held the new Best of Sensors Awards Ceremony. 

SkillsUSA TECHSPO Kansas City, MO 76,000 No change 148 10.4% 16,000 No change There were 32 new exhibitors at the show. The 

SkillsUSA Kansas City, MO 76,000 134 16,000 event added approximately $10 million in 

www.skillsusa.org 

revenue to the local economy in one week. 

Southwest Foodservice Expo Dallas 100,000 No change 641 (3.6)% 17,681 (6.4)% The 2011 Expo sold out on booth space and had 

Texas Restaurant Association Houston 100,000 665 18,900 a wait list of exhibitors. While attendance was 

www.swfoodexpo.com 

down 6%, the number of qualifi ed buyers was 

up about 4%. The show had a record number of 

fi rst-time exhibitors with 125 new companies. 

World Pork Expo DesMoines, IA 170,000 8.3% 400 2.6% 20,000 est. No change There was an increase in the number of 

National Pork Producers Council DesMoines, IA 157,000 390 20,000 est. exhibitors relative to the state of the industry. 

www.worldpork.org 

Overall attendance went up slightly, with 

international guests representing the largest 

increase. The show continues to successfully 

draw in attendees who are decision makers. 

DASHBOARD ANALYSIS: Net SF of Exhibits Exhibitors Total Attendance 

Total: 2,225,778 8,326 244,118 

(Sum of all fi gures submitted by show management) 2,126,341 8,026 234,945 

Adjusted Total: 2,041,628 7,896 232,918 

(Excludes outliers and shows in which an 1,949,274 7,613 225,043 

apples-to-apples comparison is not possible) 

Averages: 97,220 376 11,091 

(Based on Adjusted Totals) 92,823 363 10,716 

COMING UP 

NEXT MONTH: 

A review of shows 

held in July 2011 

Percentage of Growth: 4.7% 3.7% 3.5% 

(Based on Adjusted Totals) 

1 

Important consumer shows are listed in the Dashboard but their metrics are not included in the statistical analysis © 2011, Trade Show Executive Magazine, Oceanside, CA (760) 630-9105. 


News, Views and Tools ols for Trade Show and July 2011 

Kathy 

Doyle 

Taking Corporate Events to the Next Level 

Subscribe online to Trade Show Executive Magazine! 

Have you completed the qualifi cation form for Trade Show Executive 

magazine in the past year? If not, here’s a quick and easy way to make 

sure you will continue to receive TSE each month. New subscribers 

or current subscribers can go to www.tradeshowexecutive.com 

to submit the required information. 

Note: Trade Show Executive magazine is audited by BPA. 

In order to receive TSE magazine free of charge, you must fi t 

TSE’s strict qualifi cation criteria as a trade show organizer or 

event manager. Service providers can order a paid subscription 

by emailing dbjorklund@tradeshowexecutive.com. 

PLUS 

>>Exhibitor and 

Attendee Stats Fall 

Slightly in the Red 

>>TSE’s Forecast 

Board Says Long & 

Tricky Road Ahead 

>>Eco Movement 

Triggers Deeper 

Shades of Green 

Subscribe to the industry’s leading magazine for news, views and tools that will help increase your business growth. 

www.TradeShowExecutive.com 


Parker and Vann Thomson Plaza. Photo by Robin Hill. 

Miami has revised, refreshed, and restored nearly every part of its user 

experience. Including a new performing arts center and New World Symphony 

campus directly across the street from our convention center. It all adds up 

to Miami’s record-breaking attendance for meetings, small and large. After all, 

Miami has every amenity your attendees are looking for — in all of our locations. 

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau meetings team can help 

manage your event. Learn more at MiamiMeetings.com or 800.933.8448 x3071. 

©GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU - THE OFFICIAL DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION FOR GREATER MIAMI AND THE BEACHES.

INSTANT REPLAY 

Creative Strategies for Growing your Show 

BY DANICA TORMOHLEN, contributing editor 

Washington, DC – Nearly 200 trade show 

executives gathered to discuss industry 

trends and strategies at the one-day 

Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum 

(ECEF), held June 1 at the JW Marriott 

in Washington, DC. 

At the opening keynote, Gary Shapiro, 

president & CEO, Consumer Electronics 

Association (CEA), discussed how 

innovation is promoted at the International 

Consumer Electronics Show (CES). He said 

the keys are hiring the best people and 

providing extraordinary customer service. 

To achieve that goal, CES staff is armed 

with cash on site to spend on resolving 

attendee issues on the spot. In addition, 

show staffers are trained using what CES 

You can predict 

your market size and 

growth with high 

confidence a year or 

more in advance 

at little or no cost. 

Hal Vandiver 

EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT FOR MATERIAL 

HANDLING INDUSTRY OF AMERICA (MHIA) 

calls the SURE (a Sense of Urgency and 

Response with Empathy) program for 

exhibitors. “We promise action within 

24 hours,” said Shapiro. 

Hal Vandiver, executive consultant 

for Material Handling Industry of 

America (MHIA), provided attendees 

with an overview of using business cycles 

to predict event outcomes. “You can 

predict your market size and growth 

with high confidence a year or more 

in advance at little or no cost,” he said. 

Vandiver explained how MHIA used key 

macroeconomic forecasting data and four 

industry-specific leading indicators to 

7 Key Takeaways 

#1. Introduce Three 

Major New Features 

at Each Show 

“We want to make sure this year’s show 

is not the same as last year’s,” said Shapiro. 

“We want provide another push 

and another reason to go each year.” 

#2. Run Your Show for 

Your Smallest Exhibitors 

“Only the paranoid survive, and we at 

CES are very paranoid,” Shapiro said. 

“Our vision is to run the show for our 

smallest exhibitors.” 

#3. Forecasting Your 

Show’s Business Cycle 

Doesn’t Have to be 

Difficult or Costly 

In addition to using general economic 

forecasting data such as GDP, Vandiver 

suggested choosing three to four 

leading indicators that are relevant 

for your show and industry to review 

monthly, quarterly and annually. 

#4. Investing in Sales 

Resources Can Have 

a Big Payoff 

After seeing a major decline in net 

square footage at the National 

Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in 

2009, Heftman began a two-year 

process to transform the exhibit 

sales team. “Before 2009, we didn’t 

have a deep relationship with many 

exhibitors,” she said. NRA increased 

payroll and offered big incentives if 

goals were achieved, and realized $1 

million in revenue. 

#5. Make Your Show 

More Attendee-Friendly 

“Trade shows can be overwhelming, 

especially for first-time attendees,” said 

Amy Nichols, CEO, Dogtopia, who has 

been exhibiting and attending trade 

shows since 2002. Among the attendee 

features she appreciates: pairing firsttime 

attendees with an ambassador, 

hosting cocktail hours on the show 

floor, offering small meeting rooms or 

areas to do business, and facilitating 

social events, such as sign-up sheets for 

dinner at local restaurants. 

#6. Understand all 

Costs Associated with 

Producing Virtual Events 

In 2010, ASAE: The Center for 

Association Leadership hosted a virtual 

event featuring 24 sessions with 33 

hours of programming over three 

days. The cost to set up each meeting 

room totaled $54,000, which included 

audio/visual, electrical, decorating and 

internet. “We were not warned upfront 

about the high costs associated with 

the internet drops at the convention 

center,” said Tammy Blosil, vice 

president, online learning, ASAE. 

#7. Create Marketplace 

Disruption in Your Industry 

to Grow Your Organization 

“Sustaining innovations create 6.7% of 

incremental revenue, while disruptive 

innovations create 85% of incremental 

profits,” said Hartung. For example, he 

cited Amazon.com’s introduction of 

ebooks, essentially making what they 

sell obsolete, as a disruption that has 

ignited growth. 


accurately forecast net square feet sold 

by +/- 3.5% one year out and +/- 6.0% 

two years out. 

ECEF conducted attendee polls on site 

and an online survey of registered and 

previous attendees before the event. Here 

are some of the key stats from the on-site 

attendee polls: 

• When asked about the greatest threat 

to shows, an overwhelming majority 

(63% of attendees) said the economy. 

• When asked what they are doing 

differently now to strengthen their shows, 

30% of attendees said they are focused 

on greater integration of educational 

programming on the exhibit floor in 

2011, compared with 26% in 2010. 

• When asked what department or 

function is most in need of staff upgrades, 

40% of attendees said attendee marketing, 

followed by 30% citing social media/ 

internet marketing. 

Here are some of the key stats from ECEF 

Pulse 2011, the pre-event online survey: 

• When asked about perceived threat 

events, exhibitors’ diversion of their marketing 

budgets to social media was cited 

at the greatest threat to events this year. 

• 36% of organizers polled have increased 

their attendee marketing and promotion 

spending in the last 12 months, while 

43% are spending the same and 21% 

are spending less. 

• 31% of organizers polled report 

increasing their spending for exhibit space 

and sponsorship sales in the past year, 

while 59% are spending the same and 

10% are spending less. 

During the closing keynote, Adam 

Hartung, managing partner, Spark Partners, 

challenged trade show executives 

to create marketplace disruption to ignite 

growth. “Plan for the future, not from 

the past,” said Hartung, author of Create 

Marketplace Disruption: How to Stay Ahead of 

the Competition, and a regular contributor 

to Forbes.com. “Obsess about fringe 

competitors to spark innovation.” 

To create new products and services, 

Hartung recommends using “white 

space,” dedicating at least one person 

who has the permission and resources in 

advance to create a new success formula. 

Reach Sam Lippman at (703) 979-4904 or 

slippman@comcast.net; Gary Shapiro at 

(703) 907-7610 or gshapiro@ce.org; 

Hal Vandiver at (704) 676-1190 or 

hvandiver@mhia.org; Mary Pat Heftman at 

(312) 853-2525 or mheftman@dineout.org; 

Amy Nichols at (240) 514-2243 or 

amy@dogdaycare.com; Tammy Blosil at 

(202) 326-9520; Adam Hartung at 

(847) 726-8465 or adam@sparkpartners.com. 

When you book your next meeting at the Austin 

Convention Center, we also throw in 300+ days of 

sunshine. Lady Bird Lake and the Hike & Bike Trail are 

just steps from our door, with the Highland Lakes and 

elite golf courses only a short drive away. Here in 

Austin, after the wrap-up, it’s time to wind down. 

(512) 404-4000 austinconventioncenter.com 


CONVENTION CENTERS 


Millionaire’s Club Steady While Mega Centers Expand 

BY CARRI JENSEN, manager of directories and HIL ANDERSON, senior editor 

Oceanside, CA - The ranks of the Trade Show 

Executive (TSE) Millionaire’s Club remained 

undisturbed for another year although an 

expansion in Philadelphia and the possibility 

of a huge breakthrough down the road 

in Los Angeles kept the picture interesting. 

The elite roster of convention centers 

with more than 1 million square feet (sf) 

of prime exhibit space was unchanged for 

another year at 10 buildings. 

McCormick Place in Chicago may have 

undergone some big changes in terms of 

exhibition economics, but its prime space 

remained the largest in the U.S. at 2.6 million 

sf followed by the Orange County Convention 

Center in Orlando at 2.1 million sf. 

The Las Vegas Convention Center 

was again just short of the 2 million sf 

threshold at more than 1.98 million sf. 

The Dallas Convention Center rounded 

out the big 10 at nearly 1.02 million sf. 

Together, the TSE Millionaire’s Club 

totaled 14,450,510 sf, or a quarter of the 

prime exhibit space in the U.S. 

In Canada, the Toronto Congress 

Centre and Direct Energy Centre/Exhibition 

Place gave the Ontario city two 

convention halls with 1 million sf. 

Expo Guadalajara’s 753,200 sf of 

prime space made it the largest facility in 

Mexico. Centro Banamex was the largest 

center in Mexico City with 365,973 sf. 

Philadelphia moved up in the ranks 

of Mega Convention Centers, those buildings 

with 350,000 square feet or more of 

prime space. The Pennsylvania 

Convention Center went from 33rd to 

21st on the list. The center completed 

a major expansion that increased the 

prime space from 440,000 sf to 679,000 sf, 

wedging it between No. 22, the Phoenix 

Convention Center, and No. 20 Cobo 

Convention Center in Detroit. 

Cobo is also looking at expansion. 

A $221 million renovation project 

announced this year is focused mainly 

on upgrades and reconfigurations, but 

it will also tack on another 40,000 sf of 


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dedicated exhibit space plus a ballroom 

that should be ready in 2014. 

The Donald E. Stephens Convention 

Center in Rosemont, IL undertook a project 

that does not add any actual floor space 

but opens up the lobby areas of Hall G to 

give it a roomier feel, which improves the 

attendee experience. 

While construction and renovations 

continue in Nashville, New York and other 

cities, the biggest potential splash comes from 

Los Angeles where the return of pro football 

could also give the convention center an 

extensive overflow area for the Los Angeles 

Convention Center sometime around 

2015. Los Angeles is currently 18th on the 

Mega Convention Centers list with 720,000 

sf of prime space. Adding a stadium to the 

mix has stadium boosters talking publicly 

about luring huge trade shows to the city. 

The idea to build a stadium adjacent 

to the center that could also be used for 

exhibit space follows the example set by 

the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas 

Oil Stadium, which is ranked 16th among 

Mega Centers with 749,100 sf, except on 

days the Indianapolis Colts play at home. 

Stay apprised of the progress of 

expansion plans around the nation by 

reading TSE’s monthly magazine, website 

and E-Clips Breaking News service. TSE will 

also provide a detailed look at projects 

that are either on the drawing board or 

underway in the annual Pardon Our Dust 

feature in the October issue. TSE 

The elite roster of convention centers with more 

than 1 million square feet (sf) of prime exhibit space 

was unchanged for another year at 10 buildings. 

Trade Show Executive Snapshot: 

The Nation's Top 10 Convention Centers 

Ranked by Amount of Prime Exhibit Space, August 2011 

Facility 

*Tied in amount of space 

Prime Exhibit Space 

1. McCormick Place (Chicago, IL) 2,600,000 sf 

2. Orange County Convention Center (Orlando, FL) 2,100,000 sf 

3. Las Vegas Convention Center (Las Vegas, NV) 1,984,755 sf 

4. Georgia World Congress Center (Atlanta, GA) 1,400,000 sf 

5.* Kentucky Exposition Center (Louisville, KY) 1,100,000 sf 

6.* New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (New Orleans, LA) 1,100,000 sf 

7. Reliant Park (Houston, TX) 1,056,213 sf 

8. International Exposition Center (I-X Center) (Cleveland, OH) 1,050,000 sf 

9. Sands Expo & Convention Center/The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino (Las Vegas, NV) 1,040,600 sf 

10. Dallas Convention Center (Dallas, TX) 1,018,942 sf 

Prime Exhibit Space at Top Ten U.S. Facilities 

14,450,510 sf 

Percent of Total Sf of Prime Exhibit Space at All U.S. Facilities 25% 

Trade Show Executive Snapshot: 

Convention Centers with more than 350,000 SF of Prime Exhibit Space 

Metric U.S./Canada/ U.S. Canada Mexico Share of Market by Country 

Mexico 

Total Number 53 41 7 5 

at Mega Facilities 

Total Square Feet 39,342,891 32,461,024 4,372,000 2,509,867 

of Prime Exhibit Space 

Prime Exhibit Space 

Mean (arithmetic average) 742,319 791,732 624,571 501,973 

Median (midpoint) 600,000 679,000 500,000 447,648 

Mode (most frequent) 502,000 502,000 1,000,000 none 

*Source: Trade Show Executive's directory of the World's Top Convention Centers 2011 

77.4% 

USA 

9.4% 

Mexico 

13.2% 

Canada 


Experience Orlando’s New 

Convention District Connections 

Free Wi-Fi is now available at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. 

This Free Wi-Fi service is easily accessible from any of the public space in both buildings 

to include the various OCCC restaurants, food courts and business centers. 

m.occc.net Once connected to the free Wi-Fi service, you will automatically be 

directed to the OCCC’s New Mobile App, m.occc.net, which you can download directly 

to your Blackberry, iPhone, or Android smart phone. You can then access facility 

information you may need while attending your event, such as floor maps, restaurant 

and food court locations, taxi and bus services and Airline information, which includes 

real-time flight status. 

EventPath, a new service offered by Smart City, OCCC’s 

Telecommunications Partner, provides show management, exhibitors 

and attendees a more effective way to conduct business by having 

their own network within Orlando’s Convention District. This network, 

known as EventPath, extends the convention center’s services to area 

hotels through direct high-speed fiber connections. Hotels, that are 

part of the network, provide the convention experience in their hotel, 

offering a wide range of convention services, such as remote registration, 

digital signage, integrated Wi-Fi, sponsorship opportunities, and more. 

To find out how your can benefit from EventPath, contact Smart City inside 

the OCCC at 1-888-614-2637 or visit www.eventpathorlando.com today. 

Participating Hotels 

Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista 

DoubleTree Orlando I-Drive 

Embassy Suites I-Drive 

Hilton Orlando 

Peabody Orlando 

Quality Inn International 

Rosen Centre 

Rosen Inn 

Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando 

Rosen Plaza 

Rosen Shingle Creek Resort 

Visit us at www.occc.net


Millionaire's Club 

CONVENTION CENTERS WITH ONE MILLION SF OR MORE OF PRIME EXHIBIT SPACE 

Convention Center *Tied in amount of space Location Prime Exhibit Space (sf) Web Site 

1. McCormick Place Chicago, IL 2,600,000 www.mccormickplace.com 

2. Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL 2,100,000 www.occc.net 

3. Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV 1,984,755 www.lvcva.com 

4. Georgia World Congress Center Atlanta, GA 1,400,000 www.gwcc.com 

5.* Kentucky Exposition Center Louisville, KY 1,100,000 www.kyexpo.org 

6.* New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans, LA 1,100,000 www.mccno.com 

7. Reliant Park Houston, TX 1,056,213 www.reliantpark.com 

8. International Exposition Center (I-X Center) Cleveland, OH 1,050,000 www.ixcenter.com 

9. Sands Expo & Convention Center/ Las Vegas, NV 1,040,600 www.sandsexpo.com 

The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino 

www.venetian.com 

10. Dallas Convention Center Dallas, TX 1,018,942 www.dallasconventioncenter.com 

Canada 


1.* Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place Toronto, ON 1,000,000 www.directenergycentre.com 

2.* The Toronto Congress Centre Toronto, ON 1,000,000 www.torontocongresscentre.com 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 



Mega Convention Centers 

CONVENTION CENTERS WITH 350,000 SF OR MORE OF PRIME EXHIBIT SPACE 


11. Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Las Vegas, NV 934,731 www.mandalaybay.com 

12. George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, TX 893,590 www.houstonconventionctr.com 

13. Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA 842,000 www.anaheim.net/conventioncenter 

14.* Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, NY 840,000 www.javitscenter.com 

15.* Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL 840,000 www.rosemont.com 

16. Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN 749,100 www.icclos.com 

17. The Moscone Center San Francisco, CA 738,092 www.moscone.com 

18. Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles, CA 720,000 www.lacclink.com 

19. Walter E. Washington Convention Center Washington, DC 703,000 www.dcconvention.com 

20. Cobo Convention Center Detroit, MI 700,000 www.cobocenter.com 

21. Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, PA 679,000 www.paconvention.com 

22. Phoenix Convention Center Phoenix, AZ 645,500 phoenixconventioncenter.com 

23. San Diego Convention Center San Diego, CA 615,701 www.visitsandiego.com 

24. Colorado Convention Center Denver, CO 584,000 www.denverconvention.com 

25. Dallas Market Center Dallas, TX 550,000 www.dallasmarketcenter.com 

26. Boston Convention & Exhibition Center Boston, MA 516,000 www.advantageboston.com 

12 

14 

16 

20 

22 26 


We’ll do everything but carry 

you around like Cleopatra. 

You don’t need us to tell you that planning an event is stressful. But the 

location you choose, and the staff that accompany it, can make a huge 

difference. That’s why we strive for friendly and accommodating service 

in addition to being professional and reliable. We’re ready and willing to 

do whatever it takes, right down to the smallest detail. Discover what 

Rosemont “Can Do” for you. 

TheCanDoAttitude.com


Mega Convention Centers 

CONVENTION CENTERS WITH 350,000 SF OR MORE OF PRIME EXHIBIT SPACE 

Convention Center Location Prime Exhibit Space (sf) Web Site 

27. Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Salt Lake City, UT 515,000 www.saltpalace.com 

Convention Center 

28.* America's Center St. Louis, MO 502,000 www.americascenter.org 

29.* The Atlanta Convention Atlanta, GA 502,000 www.atlconventioncenter.com 

Center at AmericasMart 

30.* Miami Beach Convention Center Miami Beach, FL 502,000 www.miamibeachconvention.com 

31. Atlantic City Convention Center Atlantic City, NJ 500,000 www.accenter.com 

32. Minneapolis Convention Center Minneapolis, MN 475,000 www.minneapolisconventioncenter.com 

33. Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center San Antonio, TX 440,000 www.sanantonio.gov/convfac 

34. Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH 410,000 www.columbusconventions.com 

35. Expo Square Tulsa, OK 400,000 www.exposquare.com 

36. Kansas City Convention & Entertainment Facilities Kansas City, MO 388,800 www.kcconvention.com 

37. Reno-Sparks Convention Center Reno, NV 381,000 www.visitrenotahoe.com 

38. Cleveland Convention Center Cleveland, OH 375,000 www.city.cleveland.oh.us 

39. Atlanta Exposition Center Atlanta, GA 366,000 www.scottantiquemarket.com 

40. CenturyLink Field Event Center Seattle, WA 353,000 www.centurylinkfield.com 

41. World Market Center Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV 350,000 www.lasvegasmarket.com 

27 32 36 

37 

41 Canada 3 


MAYO R MIC HAEL A. NU TTER 

TM 

LIF E L IBERT Y A N D Y O U 

Canada 


3. Metro Toronto Convention Centre Toronto, ON 600,000 www.mtccc.com 

4. Olympic Stadium Montréal, QC 500,000 www.rio.gouv.qc.ca 

5. International Centre Toronto Mississauga, ON 471,000 www.internationalcentre.com 

6. Northlands Edmonton, AB 401,000 www.northlands.com 

7. Calgary Stampede Park Calgary, AB 400,000 calgarystampede.com 

Mexico 


1. Expo Guadalajara Guadalajara, Jal 753,200 www.expo-guadalajara.com 

2. Centro Internacional de Convenciones Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta, Jal 538,000 www.cicpuertovallarta.com 

3. Poliforum Leon Leon, Gto 447,648 www.poliforumleon.com 

4. Feria Nacional Potosina San Luis Potosi, Slp 405,046 www.visitasanluispotosi.com 

5. Centro Banamex Mexico City, DF 365,973 www.centrobanamex.com 

THE PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION 

COMPLETE 

( AND COMPLETELY Magnificent ) 

“It has been an amazing convention and a really 

enjoyable experience for us in Philadelphia and at the 

expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center. Overall, 

the building is just magnificent and beautiful.” 

THAT’S MY PHILADELPHIA STORY 

—ARLENE KIDWELL 

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MEETINGS, NASPA * 

With 1 million square feet of usable space, the newly expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center has taken its 

place as one of the country’s premier meeting facilities. And to complete the package, we’ve put it in the heart 

of the country’s most dynamic, walkable and historic downtown. www.MEETPHL.com or 1.855.MEET.PHL 

* 

National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) 

City of 

Philadelphia 


FEATURE 

Strange 

Bedfellows? 

Convention Centers Collaborate with Show 

Organizers to Produce Events 

BY DANICA TORMOHLEN, contributing editor 


Over the last six years, New Orleans has 

faced some difficult challenges. Hurricane 

Katrina wreaked havoc on one of 

the country’s most popular convention 

destinations in August 2005. Some events 

relocated as the city began to rebuild its 

infrastructure. Then just as things were 

getting back to normal, the recession hit, 

causing contraction in most shows in 

New Orleans and every other trade show 

venue. Bob Johnson, general manager 

for the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial 

Convention Center (MCCNO), and his 

staff began to look for other opportunities 

to generate new business, fill holes in 

calendar during typically slow periods like 

January, July and August, and establish 

annual clients for repeat business. 

“Feeling the post-Katrina effects 

and the downward pressure during the 

recession, we decided to take the initiative 

and strategize on how to reverse the 

trend,” said Johnson. “We wanted to have 

some control over our business fortunes 

and not be so dependent on others. We 

looked at the European model and how 

we could adapt it here to establish some 

annual business.” 

Johnson tested and tried some consumer 

events during the Summer, which 

met with mild success. Then the perfect 

opportunity presented itself. Jimmy 

Mouton, president of Atlanta-based 

Imago Productions, held a show called 

the National Disaster Reconstruction Exhibition 

at the MCCNO in 2009. When Mouton 

was unsure about whether to continue 

the event based on limited support from 

government agencies, MCCNO management 

pulled out all the stops to come up 

with creative ways to keep the show going 

in its building. Beyond incentives and 

discounts, facility management sat down 

at the table last year with Mouton to 

determine what each could bring to 

the show to make it a success. 

“After dealing with the 2005 hurricane 

and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last 

year, we really feel that New Orleans is 

the perfect site for this type of event,” said 

Tim Hemphill, vice president, sales and 

marketing for MCCNO. “This show represents 

a vast market that impacts every 

state, every city and every country. Given 

our recent history with disaster relief and 

Feeling the 

post-Katrina effects 

and the downward 

pressure during 

the recession, we 

decided to take the 

initiative and strategize 

on how to reverse 

the trend. 

Bob Johnson 

GENERAL MANAGER, 

THE NEW ORLEANS ERNEST N. MORIAL 

CONVENTION CENTER (MCCNO) 

recovery, there’s no other city that’s as 

appealing to address the emerging needs 

of the private and public sectors.” 

Mouton, an industry veteran who 

has worked for Messe Frankfurt, Shepard 

Exposition Services, Georgia World 

Congress Center and United Business 

Media, realized that MCCNO could bring 

key federal, state and municipal players 

on board to make the retooled event 

a success. “The disaster and emergency 

management market is really different 

today than it was just a few years ago,” 

said Mouton. In 2012, the scope of the 

event will encompass disaster preparation, 

response, recovery and mitigation 

techniques. “The previous event had a 

narrower focus. Given all of the recent 

disasters around the world, the focus 

today is really on the unification of the 

public and private sectors.” 

The result: MCCNO and Imago 

Productions will co-produce The 

International Disaster Conference and Expo 

(IDCE), which will debut Jan. 17–19, 

2012. The projections: 20,000 attendees, 

500 exhibitors, and a direct annual impact 

of $20 million within its first five years. 

In 2012, show organizers are planning for 

180 to 200 exhibitors and 2,500 to 3,000 

attendees. “We are in it for long haul,” 

said Hemphill. 

While a number of public and private 

U.S. convention centers have produced 

consumer shows and events, MCCNO 

and Imago Productions are embarking 

on perhaps the first-ever convention 

center-show organizer partnership to 

produce a trade show. And the industry 

is closely watching to see how the unique 

partnership unfolds. 


FEATURE 

Like any business proposition, you have to explore exit 

strategies. What if you want to move to another city? What if 

facility changes the rules or increases costs? How long before 

either party can launch a similar competitive event? 

Lew Shomer 

PRESIDENT OF SHOMEX PRODUCTIONS 

A New Business Model? 

At the International Convention Center 

Conference (ICCC) last September, 

generating new revenue was the lead 

topic of discussion among members of 

the International Association of Venue 

Managers (IAVM). “With all the changes 

in the exhibition marketplace, convention 

center managers are developing several 

models to generate new revenue, and 

I believe a trend to develop shows and 

partnerships may emerge,” said Dexter 

King, IAVM president and CEO. 

One model that convention center operators 

are looking at is something similar 

to what arena and performing arts center 

managers have been doing for decades. 

“Instead of only leasing the building to 

regular tenants, entrepreneurial managers 

formed partnerships to co-produce events 

to fill dark days,” said King. “Then they 

started producing their own events where 

the building takes on all the risk.” 

“I think it’s a business model that can 

easily translate to the convention center 

world,” said King. “It’s being talked about 

a lot, but New Orleans is really the first 

example that I’m aware of to take the lead 

and test this model. We’ll all be watching 

very closely to see how the show does.” 

In the past, show producers have been 

skeptical about U.S. convention centers 

producing their own events, essentially 

competing with their customers. A few 

short years ago, controversy would 

have broken out over the idea of a U.S. 

facility even considering this option. But 

that attitude appears to be shifting, as 

industry leaders understand the pressure 

on all aspects of the market. “I think 

it’s a good example of innovation,” said 

Steven Hacker, CAE, president of the 

International Association for Exhibitions 

and Events (IAEE). “I would be surprised 

if others aren’t already involved in 

discussing similar ventures. It would 

be premature to make a judgment on 

whether this will become a trend, but I 

wouldn’t be surprised to see some other 

projects elsewhere in the near future.” 

Mark Zimmerman, general manager 

for the Georgia World Congress Center 

(GWCC) in Atlanta, agreed. “This 

particular show, IDCE, in this particular 

market really has the potential to be 

a win-win for the center and show 

organizer. Partnerships with producers 

are something we have considered, but 

usually in terms of incentives rather 

than sharing in profits and losses. If this 

model has legs, it’s something that many 

convention centers may look to in the 

future.” Zimmerman said GWCC has had 

several conversations with a public show 

organizer to launch a new event at the 

facility, but nothing has materialized yet. 

Supplier vs. Partner 

“One has to assume that the two parties 

to joint venture are not going to invest 

to recreate an event that’s already in 

the marketplace,” said Hacker. “If you 

are guided by forces of marketplace, 

you’re not going replicate an International 

Consumer Electronics Show. You are going to 

look at creating new events that fill a void, 

and it looks like this International Disaster 

Conference and Expo will be successful.” 

Other industry leaders agree. “It’s 

really just another way for company or 

show to raise money,” said Lew Shomer, 

president of Shomex Productions and 

executive director for the Society of 

Independent Show Organizers (SISO). 

“It may be a very viable option for a 

smaller show producer, but it may 

not work for a large company such as 

dmg::events. Smaller independents are 

looking at how they can launch new 

shows with lower risk. If someone 

throws money at you, you don’t duck.” 

“I have been approached by two 

convention centers about partnerships, 


and I’m talking to one seriously right 

now,” said Shomer, whose company 

produces the Abilities Expo.“If a small 

entrepreneur starting out with a great 

concept can’t afford to pay $40,000 

upfront to the rent the hall and pay for 

some other operational expenses, a joint 

venture may be a great solution.” 

As with any other joint venture or 

partnership, Shomer advises that each 

party consult with an attorney and make 

sure that all potential outcomes are 

investigated before entering into a deal. 

“Like any business proposition, you have 

to explore exit strategies,” said Shomer. 

“What if you want to move to another 

city? What if facility changes the rules 

or increases costs? How long before either 

party can launch a similar competitive 

event?” Most of these issues can be dealt 

with upfront during the negotiations. 

“It seems like a good move on New 

Orleans’ part,” said Greg Topalian, senior 

vice president for Reed Exhibitions. 

“There’s always going to be competition, 

and that’s a good thing. For buildings 

that have some occupancy and gaps to fill 

in their schedules, it makes sense. If they 

were going after a market that was already 

being served or had another competitor 

in the city, we’d be having a completely 

different conversation.” 

Topalian handles business development 

for Reed, and he admits he’s had some discussions 

with facilities about launching the 

company’s pop culture events in their cities. 

But joint ventures with convention centers 

aren’t really something that is part of Reed’s 

Producing Consumer Shows 

A handful of convention centers have 

found success with producing and purchasing 

consumer events to generate new 

revenue for their cities and buildings. At 

the Ontario Convention Center (OCC) in 

California, General Manager Bob Brown 

partnered with On the Edge Productions 

to launch the Inland Empire Auto 

Show (IEAS) in 2006. Last year, the show 

attracted nearly 19,000 attendees and 

featured 23 major car manufacturers. 

“After all the costs are covered, we 

split the profits 50-50,” said Brown. 

“We generated about $500,000 in net 

revenues last year. The revenue goes to 

the city, and that gives us the opportunity 

to increase our net value to the city. It 

enables us to meet or exceed our budget, 

as well as fill holes in our schedule.” 

The show has continued to grow 

since its inception, and in late March, 

DRIVEN Media Communications 

signed an ownership agreement with 

the OCC, which is managed by SMG, 

and On The Edge Productions to coproduce 

IEAS. 

“Our goal is to either create new 

events that have never existed before in 

our market or redefine events that have 

been here before,” said Brown. To that 

end, OCC launched the Employment 

Options Expo, April 30-May 1, 2011. 

The event featured not only a job fair, 

Ontario Convention Center (OCC) 

but also career and trade opportunities, 

entrepreneurial and work-from-home 

options, and business assistance. 

The center also produces The Big 

Train Show, which it purchased three 

years ago from a show organizer who 

held the event on the Queen Mary in 

Long Beach. That event is produced inhouse 

without a show organizer partner. 

“We’ve grown the show by 30% in 

net square footage and attendance since 

we took it over and moved it into our 

building,” said Brown. He told Trade 

Show Executive the hobbyist event generates 

about $50,000 in revenue. 

“We are even looking at spinning 

off the auto show and other programs 

to other second- and third-tier cities 

that don’t have one already,” said 

Brown. “We don’t produce any events 

that compete with clients or those who 

have expressed interest, but we won’t 

let anyone duplicate one of our existing 

events. For example, we have other job 

fairs, franchise shows, gift and craft 

shows, etc. in the building.” 

In addition, the International 

Exposition (I-X) Center, a privately 

owned facility in Cleveland, produces a 

handful of consumer shows. In its 22nd 

year, the I-X Indoor Amusement Park Show 

attracts 170,000 attendees over four 

weeks and features more than 25 pintsized 

rides for smaller children, more 

than 25 high-powered rides, a backyard 

circus, and other themed events. 

In 2006, I-X Center launched the 

Fabulous Food Show, which features celebrity 

chefs such as Giada De Laurentiis, 

Guy Fieri and Alton Brown. In November 

2010, the show attracted 30,000 

attendees over three days and featured 

about 225 exhibitors. In 2011, the 

center launched a second Fabulous Food 

Show in the Spring. 

“When the economy softened, we 

wanted to develop some new revenue 

streams,” said Eric German,vice president, 

marketing and business development, 

for I-X Center. “Since 2006, 

we’ve launched six consumer shows and 

purchased two.” The center handles all 

of the show operations, marketing and 

sales in-house, without a show organizer 

as a partner. 

Reach Bob Brown at (909) 937-3001 or 

bbrown@ontariocc.com; Eric German at 

(216) 265-2617 or egerman@ixcenter.com 


FEATURE 

strategy. “When we look to launch events 

in new cities, we are looking for the best 

markets at the best times, not necessarily 

the best deals or when there’s an open 

date,” said Topalian. 

Structuring their Partnership 

Imago will oversee the marketing, sales, 

and conference programming for the 

show while the convention center will 

assist with on-site operations, food and 

beverage, exhibit hall and meeting room 

space and audio visual. “It’s a 50-50 

partnership, where we will both share in 

the risks and the rewards,” said Mouton. 

Convention center officials were 

instrumental in working with the local 

government and educational institutions 

to get their participation and endorsement 

of the event. As of press time, participating 

Louisiana agencies include the Governor’s 

Office of Homeland Security and 

Emergency Preparedness, the New Orleans 

Mayor’s office of Homeland Security & 

Emergency Preparedness, and the Louisiana 

State University Stephenson Disaster 

Management Institute. 

In addition to an exhibit hall, the 

event will feature more than 50 conference 

sessions. Since the event was announced 

in January, the show has scheduled some 

big-name speakers, including: Louisiana 

Gov. Bobby Jindal, Craig Fugate, Federal 

Emergency Management Agency Administrator, 

and Tom Ridge, CEO Ridge Global 

and the former Director of the Department 

of Homeland Security. 

“So far, from a show organizer perspective, 

there haven’t been any challenges 

to working with the facility as a 

partner,” said Mouton. “The convention 

center has worked with us in a lot of ways 

to get around certain issues. We’ve been 

able to negotiate lower operating costs for 

food and beverage, audio-visual, meeting 

rooms, hall rental, and contracts for food 

and beverage.” 

Trend to Watch 

It remains to be seen if partnerships 

between convention centers and show 

producers will be the wave of the future. 

“I don’t know if it would work for every 

convention center, but it’s certainly worth 

consideration,” said Johnson. 

“In many parts of the country, there are 

some restrictions on what municipallyowned 

facilities can do in terms of risk, 

and some have set up authorities to 

get around these issues. Our mission is 

to generate economic activity through 

meetings, conventions and trade shows, 

and partnerships like this one will help 

us achieve that goal.” 

In fact, New Orleans has a handful 

of other ideas for exhibition partnerships 

I don’t know if it 

would work for every 

convention center, 

but it’s certainly worth 

consideration. Our 

mission is to generate 

economic activity and 

partnerships like this 

one will help us achieve 

that goal. 

Bob Johnson 

GENERAL MANAGER, MCCNO 

on the drawing board that it’s seriously 

considering. “We are only looking to 

launch new events that are appropriate 

for this region and that no one else 

is doing,” said Johnson. “We are not 

looking to compete with any customers. 

We have plenty of open dates available, 

and we welcome any opportunity 

to bid on bringing events to our city.” 

That may be easier in the coming 

months. Trade shows have posted growth 

for nine consecutive months, according 

to Trade Show Executive’s Dashboard of 

Monthly Trade Show Metrics (see the 

June 2011 issue online). 

“While the industry is bouncing 

back, most cities across the country 

are still facing budget crunches, and 

municipal leaders are looking to cover 

these shortfalls,” said Bob Balsam, 

general manager for the Miami Beach 

Convention Center, which is managed 

by Global Spectrum. “I think all facility 

managers are looking to branch out in 

terms of revenue. Personally, we are 

putting together packages outlining the 

financial risks, rewards, splits, etc., which 

are similar to what we do on the arena 

side of our business. We are looking at 

coproducing a couple of events with 

some European partners, but we aren’t 

ready to make any announcement yet.” 

Reach Bob Johnson at (504) 582-3001 or 

bobjohnson@mccno.com; Tim Hemphill at 

(504) 582-3023 or themphill@mccno.com; 

Dexter King at (972) 906-7441 or Dexter. 

king@iavm.org; Steven Hacker at 

(972) 687-9204 or shacker@iaee.com; 

Lew Shomer at (310) 450-8831 or 

lshomer@shomex.com; Mark Zimmerman, 

(404) 223-4000 or mzimmerm@gwcc.com; 

Greg Topalian, (203) 840-5485 or 

gtopalian@reedexpo.com; 

Jimmy Mouton at (404) 496-6257 or 

jmouton@imagotradeshows.com, and 

Bob Balsam at (305) 673.7320 or 

bbalsam@themiamibeachcc.com 

Contributing editor DANICA TORMOHLEN, who served 

as editor-in-chief and publisher of EXPO magazine, has 

covered the trade show industry since 1994. She has won 

numerous awards for outstanding editorial and design, 

including the Folio: Award for Editorial Excellence and Best 

Web Site Redesign from min’s b2b. Tormohlen is active in 

the trade show and publishing industries, serving on 

various committees for the International Association for 

Exhibitions and Events (IAEE). She is president of the 

Kansas City Chapter of the American Society of Business Press Editors. She can 

be reached at (816) 803-8103 or danicat@tradeshowexecutive.com 


POWER LUNCH

SPONSORED BY 

Rafael 

Hernández 

Young Dynamic 

Leader Emerges 

in Mexico’s 

Exhibition Industry 

BY BOB DALLMEYER, TSE columnist 

Rafael Hernandez is Director General/CEO of 

Latinamerica Meetings headquartered in Mexico 

City. He is the creative force behind several 

successful publications, serving as publisher & 

CEO of Másexpos Congresos & Convenciones 

magazine and the MEGAEXPO Annual Directory 

of Latin American Trade Shows and Events ® , 

Meet In TV ® and Meet In Special Supplements ® . 

The most important writers and industry professionals 

from Mexico, Costa Rica, Uruguay, 

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in these acclaimed publications. 

Rafael is highly proactive in the Mexican 

MICE sector, currently serving as Chairman of 

the Mexican Association of Trade Shows and 

Events (AMPROFEC), which is holding its annual 

meeting this month in Cancun. He is also 

active on the Mexican MPI board of directors as 

well as chairing several of its key committees. 

He frequently speaks on international forums 

for global trade shows and conferences. 

Rafael studied international business at 

Anahuac University and lives in Mexico City with 

his wife. We spoke in Baltimore, MD where we 

were attending the Convention Industry Council’s 

Hall of Leaders Gala. 


POWER LUNCH 

SPONSORED BY 

Our goals are 

twofold: to create 

more benefits for our 

associates and to 

adopt a global market 

perspective. 

Farias Graves consistently promotes 

Cancun as a safe destination, as does 

Juan Gabriel Tamez for Queretaro. 

Going Global. Rafael Hernández has his eye on the world as chairman of AMPROFEC. His goals for the 

association are raising the skill level and international profi le of Mexican show organizers. 

>> BOB: Rodolfo Lopez-Negrete, COO of 

the Mexico Tourism Board, complained that 

the travel warning issued by the U.S. State 

Department about the need for caution 

in visiting parts of Mexico was difficult to 

understand and misleading. What are your 

thoughts about this? 

RAFAEL: I agree with his response. If you 

visit the cities that are mentioned in the 

State Department report, you quickly 

realize that you can go there and never 

experience a problem. There are slums in 

all North American trade show cities and 

most of this type of crime is centered there. 

When you attend a trade show anywhere 

in Mexico, you seldom see or experience 

these crime areas. It is not fair or accurate 

to label an entire city, state or country for 

crimes committed in certain areas. 

>> BOB: Has the crime wave impacted 

foreign participation at Mexican exhibitions 

and conventions? 

RAFAEL: In some part, yes. Many Mexican 

trade shows traditionally attract global 

exhibitors and visitors, but many of 

these companies have instituted travel 

restrictions to Mexico. They listen to the 

news and react without carefully checking 

the facts. As a result, corporate travel is 

down and show organizers in Mexico 

cannot reverse this unfortunately. 

>> BOB: What is AMPROFEC 

doing in this regard? 

RAFAEL: We are doing a great deal. We 

work closely with the Mexican Tourism 

Authority and the Tourism Board, as well 

as our international allies, such as the 

International Association of Exhibitions 

and Events (IAEE) and the Internacional 

de Ferias de America (AFIDA), to 

disseminate accurate information that is 

timely and relevant to our industry. We 

have created a network to do this and our 

message is simple: “Our shows are being 

held with great safety.” We also work with 

our members to get them to use social 

media to post about safety and successful 

shows. Two good examples: Patricia 

>> BOB: That sounds quite positive. 

Switching gears, what are your plans 

for 2011 as the AMPROFEC chairman? 

RAFAEL: Our goals are twofold: to create 

more benefits for our associates and to 

adopt a global market perspective. The 

Mexican industry is the clear leader 

of the Latin American exhibition and 

events industry, so we are forming more 

global alliances to directly benefit our 

members. We expect this will add more 

international visitors and exhibitors 

coming to Mexico. We are also helping 

our members with social media and its 

implementation for their events. 

>> BOB: What are AMPROFEC’s challenges? 

RAFAEL: The biggest challenge is to 

provide more benefits to members on the 

local level. That begins with teaching our 

members how to network effectively. Last 

year, we tried speed networking at the annual 

meeting and it was a big success. Most 

of the members thanked me for doing this 

as they made good contacts. In the past, 

they would come to meetings and interact 

only with their friends, and when it was 

over, they would complain that they didn’t 

make any contacts for business. I am trying 

to change this, as an example. 

>> BOB: How is your membership trending 

in this difficult year? 

RAFAEL: Currently, we have over 250 

members and growing. We are now 

attracting good quality companies. I 

don’t want to have 3,000 companies that 

cannot conduct business, but rather 500 

that are focused on doing business in 

the exhibition, convention and meeting 


POWER LUNCH 

SPONSORED BY 

So many of our 

successful events have 

been focused on local 

and national audiences. 

I feel this will change 

and they will expand this 

focus to become more 

global in scope. 

industry. There are four membership 

categories: trade show organizers and 

meeting planners; convention centers; 

suppliers (hotels, airlines, audiovisual, 

etc.); and stand designers and builders. 

Hemispheric Connections. Rafael Hernández is a familiar face on both sides of the border. His knack 

for networking brings him together with Cherif Moujabber, president of Creative Expos & Conferences (L) 

and Hugo Rosas, CEO of T-Organiza. 

>> BOB: Your CEM Program is enormously 

successful. How many Mexican CEMs 

have graduated to date and how many 

are currently studying? 

RAFAEL: We have 92 Mexican CEM 

graduates so far and 65 are currently 

enrolled, expecting to graduate this year. 

I am one of these candidates. In fact, we 

decided that the next generation of AM- 

PROFEC board members should all have 

a CEM certification. If we are promoting 

it for professionalism of our industry, we 

should all support it personally. 

>> BOB: What role did Patricia 

Farias Graves play in this? 

RAFAEL: Patricia is the force behind 

this entire program. She convinced the 

Mexican government to support our 

program, which was very important. She 

also convinced our members to study for 

the designation. She got you involved, and 

the first generation that you and Patricia 

taught is now teaching our new students! 

It’s very exciting and it has raised the level 

of professionalism in our industry. 

Casual Professionalism. The AMPROFEC Annual Meeting last year in Rivera Nayarit, near Puerto 

Vallarta, highlighted the growing professionalism of Mexico’s exhibition industry. L to R: José Luis 

Saavedra AMPROFEC executive director; Gonzálo Novelo, Octadiseños CEO; Dario Flota, Riviera Maya 

tourism director; Patricia Farias, Cancunmesse operations director; Rafael Hernández, AMPROFEC 

chairman; and Luis Villalpando, CEO of Xposiciones. 

>> BOB: At the AMPROFEC annual meeting 

in Cancun, you are celebrating the success 

of the Mexican CEM program by inviting 

several U.S.-based CEM instructors. What 

you are your goals? 

RAFAEL: We want to listen to the U.S. 

CEMs about what the designation means 


SPONSORED BY 

to them and how it helps their career. 

This will be an opportunity to share 

stories and hopefully inspire us. We also 

want to discuss security at events and 

learn some of their best practices. We 

have created a specific program just for 

the CEMs that runs before the meeting. 

>> BOB: Tell me about your company, 

Latinamerica Meetings. What is your 

primary mission? 

RAFAEL: I started it 12 years ago with a 

single web page. It grew into a printed 

directory and then a monthly magazine 

for the meetings and exhibitions industry 

in Mexico. We focused on editorial from 

the point of view of show organizers and 

meeting planners. Now we have expanded 

into Central America. We are strategic 

partners with Trade Show Executive, IMEX, 

EIBTM and Reed Exhibition’s AIBTM. We 

are also finding hosted buyers for events 

in China and Uruguay. We currently 

have 12 people in the company, doing 

all this activity. We also publish printed 

supplements for Mexican pavilions 

around the world. 

>> BOB: What do you envision in 

the next five years for your company? 

RAFAEL: Our mission is to match more 

buyers and sellers in the marketplace. 

We understand what our readers need, 

so we are trying to fulfill this. 

>> BOB: What role does social media 

play in your marketing efforts? 

RAFAEL: Every day, we are using more and 

more social media. This has been “The 

Year of the Tablet,” so we are working on 

our mobile app. We know that this will 

be beneficial for our business, our readers 

and our planet. We are going to have an 

app for the AMPROFEC meeting. We 

are also heavily involved with LinkedIn 

and Facebook, which give credibility to 

our marketing efforts. We feel that in the 

long run, this may prove to be better than 

most other marketing efforts. 

>> BOB: Are green events in 

Mexico a priority? 

RAFAEL: The industry is taking the green 

challenge seriously. However, they are 

really slow to take action. That said, my 

company just produced a sustainable show 

in February, with the help of the Green 

Meetings Industry Council (GMIC), called 

Tourism & Events: Going Green Conference & 

Expo. We had 100 exhibitors and over 

750 attendees. We are also launching 

a GMIC Mexican chapter. 

>> BOB: What are you most 

excited about this year? 

RAFAEL: The AMPROFEC Annual Meeting. 

One of my goals is to enhance the content 

of the meeting. I always want to make a 

change for the better! 

>> BOB: What is the best business decision 

you have made during the past two years? 

RAFAEL: There were some real challenges 

a few years ago with positioning my 

company in the Mexican exhibition 

industry. I decided to redouble my efforts 

and made some changes to how we were 

operating and marketing. It’s paid off 

in our success. I also got more involved 

globally, so today I can go anywhere 

and I know a lot of people and can talk 

positively about Mexico. 

>> BOB: What do you value 

most in your associates? 

RAFAEL: Two things: commitment and 

creativity. These spell success for MasExpos. 

>> BOB: How did you get into this business? 

RAFAEL: Like everybody I know – by accident. 

I was in the promotional products 

industry when my uncle approached 

me about joining his company. He had 

a partnership that created a website for 

virtual trade shows, which at the time 

was totally unknown in Mexico. I started 

working part time, selling prospects on 

the concept of a trade show that was 

online. At the beginning, I had to explain 

what the world wide web is and how to 

create an email account. Slowly the clients 

came along and I started my own company 

to handle some of them. 

>> BOB: Who were your mentors? 

RAFAEL: Jose Antonio Rodriguez, the 

former head of AMPROFEC, helped 

me the most when I first came into the 

industry. I was so young, but I had a 

deep voice, so people assumed I was 

much older. When I showed up at my 

first AMPROFEC meeting eight years 

ago, people asked me, “Why couldn’t 

your father attend?” The other person 

who helped me tremendously was 

Patricia. She set up meetings with 

Darlene Gudea, Irene Sperling and 

Cherif Moujabber during the IAEE 

event in Atlanta and they proved to 

be very beneficial in my career. 

>> BOB: What do you predict 

for the Mexican exhibition industry’s 

future in this next decade? 

RAFAEL: So many of our successful events 

have been focused on local and national 

audiences. I feel this will change and 

they will expand this focus to become 

more global in scope. In particular, I’m 

referring to the oil and energy sector 

shows. There will also be more hosted 

buyer events in Mexico. 

>> BOB: What keeps you awake at night? 

RAFAEL: Sometimes, business challenges 

in general and thoughts on what road 

I should take to grow our company. 

However, I’m a night person, so when 

I sleep, great ideas come to me and 

I wake up to write them down. 

Reach Rafael Hernandez at + 52 55 2455- 

3545 or direccion.mcc@masexpos.com 

Columnist BOB DALLMEYER, CEM, has been chairman 

of both the International Association of Exhibitions and 

Events (IAEE) and the Trade Show Exhibitors Association 

(TSEA), as well as a former director of the Center for Exhibition 

Industry Research (CEIR). In 2006, he was inducted 

into the Convention Industry Council’s “Hall of Leaders” 

and received IAEE’s Pinnacle Award in 2008. Contact Bob 

at (323) 934-8300 or bdallmeyer@tradeshowexecutive.com 


TSE’s Trade Show Locator 

ZOOM Presents the Leading 

Shows Coming Up in North America 

BY CARRI JENSEN, manager of directories 

SPONSORED BY 

Whether you need a quick reminder of shows on 

the horizon or are studying the market for potential 

partnerships, co-locations or acquisitions, here is a list 

of 116 of the most important trade shows scheduled for 

October. Each show is listed by industry category and 

contains both a wide-angle and close-up view of the 

event, the organizer, the site and projected size. For a list 

of shows coming up in the next 12 months—searchable 

by field—go to www.TradeShowExecutive.com. 

To be considered for future editions of ZOOM in 

print and online, e-mail information on your show to 

me at cjensen@tradeshowexecutive.com. 

Show Name/Management/Web Address Show Manager Dates Venue/City/State Projected Size 

ADVERTISING & MARKETING 

DMA Conference & Exhibition Donna LoPorto 10/1/11 Boston Convention & NSF Not Supplied 

Direct Marketing Association Exhibit Manager 10/6/11 Exhibition Center 500 Exhibitors 

www.dma11.org 303-543-1164 Boston, MA 12,000 Attendees 

The Motivation Show Pete Erickson 10/4/11 McCormick Place 65,000 nsf 

Hall-Erickson Managing Director 10/6/11 Chicago, IL 500 Exhibitors 

www.motivationshow.com 630-434-7779 5,000 Attendees 

Shopper Marketing Expo Scott Easton 10/19/11 Navy Pier 29,000 nsf 

In-Store Marketing Institute National Sales Manager 10/20/11 Chicago, IL 160 Exhibitors 

www.shoppermarketexpo.com 847-675-7400 x119 4,000+ Attendees 

AEROSPACE & AVIATION 

ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition Deirdre Clemmons 10/16/11 San Diego Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

Airports Council Int'l North America VP, Meetings, Conv. & Education 10/19/11 San Diego, CA 200 Exhibitors 

www.aci-na.org 202-293-8500 2,500 Attendees 

NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention Linda Peters 10/10/11 Las Vegas Convention Center 950,000 nsf 

Trade Show Executive’s National Business VP, Exhibits 10/12/11 Las Vegas, NV 1,123 Exhibitors 

Aviation Association 202-783-9368 27,000 Attendees 

www.nbaa.org 

AGRICULTURE & FARMING 

Sunbelt Ag Expo Chip Blalock 10/18/11 Spence Field 117,000 nsf 

Sunbelt Ag Expo Executive Director 10/20/11 Moultrie, GA 1,200 Exhibitors 

www.sunbeltexpo.com 229-985-1968 100,000 Attendees 

AMUSEMENT, ENTERTAINMENT & GAMING 

G2E - Global Gaming Expo Courtney Muller 10/4/11 Sands Expo & Convention Center 250,000+ nsf 

Reed Exhibitions Senior VP 10/6/11 Las Vegas, NV 500+ Exhibitors 

www.globalgamingexpo.com 203-840-5426 25,000+ Attendees 

APPAREL, BEAUTY, SHOES & TEXTILES 

ASD New York John Banker 10/23/11 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 34,000 nsf 

Nielsen Expositions Show Manager 10/25/11 New York, NY 275 Exhibitors 

www.asdonline.com 323-817-2217 5,000 Attendees 

Atlanta Apparel Show Management 10/13/11 AmericasMart Atlanta NSF Not Supplied 

AMC, Inc. 404-220-3000 10/16/11 Atlanta, GA Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.americasmart.com 

Attendees Not Supplied 

IFAI Expo Americas Show Management 10/25/11 Baltimore Convention Center 98,000 nsf 

Industrial Fabrics Association International 651-222-2508 10/27/11 Baltimore, MD 475 Exhibitors 

www.ifaiexpo.com 

8,000 Attendees 

Los Angeles International Textile Show Chelsea Matthews 10/10/11 California Market Center NSF Not Supplied 

California Market Center Senior Trade Show Manager 10/12/11 Los Angeles, CA 200 Exhibitors 

www.californiamarketcenter.com 213-630-3638 Attendees Not Supplied 


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AUTOMOTIVE, TRUCKING & TRANSPORTATION 

Automotive Service & Repair Week - comprised of NACE - International Autobody Congress & Exposition, and CARS - Congress of Automotive Repair & Service 

Hanley Wood Exhibitions Ellen Pipkin 10/6/11 Orange County Convention Center 60,000+ nsf 

www.naceexpo.com Show Manager 10/8/11 Orlando, FL 275+ Exhibitors 

www.carsevent.com 972-536-6354 16,000+ Attendees 

ATA Management Conference & Exhibition Rebecca Driver 10/15/11 Gaylord Texan Resort 40,000 nsf 

American Trucking Associations VP, Conv. & Meeting Services 10/18/11 & Convention Center 250 Exhibitors 

www.truckline.com 703-838-1700 Grapevine, TX 3,000 Attendees 

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION 

DHI Annual Conference & Exposition Julie Walter 10/26/11 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

Door and Hardware Institute Associate Director, 10/27/11 New York, NY Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.dhi.org Meetings & Conferences Attendees Not Supplied 

703-766-7036 

Greenbuild Int'l Conference & Expo Noreen Burke 10/4/11 Metro Toronto Convention Centre 186,000 nsf 

Corcoran Expositions, Inc. Show Manager 10/6/11 Toronto, ON 900 Exhibitors 

www.greenbuildexpo.org 312-541-0567 20,000 Attendees 

ICUEE - The Int'l Construction & Melissa Magestro, CEM 10/4/11 Kentucky Exposition Center 1,117,000 nsf 

Utility Equipment Exposition Show Director 10/6/11 Louisville, KY 800 Exhibitors 

Association of Equipment Manufacturers 414-298-4145 Attendees Not Supplied 

www.icuee.com 

Nat'l Industrial Fastener & Mill Supply Expo Susan A. Hurley, CEM 10/19/11 Sands Expo & Convention Center 80,000 nsf 

Bannister & Associates General Manager 10/21/11 Las Vegas, NV 500+ Exhibitors 

www.fasternershows.com 614-895-1279 5,000+ Attendees 

Remodeling Show | DeckExpo Amy Allen 10/13/11 McCormick Place 80,000 nsf 

Hanley Wood Exhibitions Show Director 10/15/11 Chicago, IL 350 Exhibitors 

www.remodelingshow.com 972-536-6313 7,500 Attendees 

www.deckexpo.com 

Texas Society of Architects Annual Suzette Lipford 10/27/11 Dallas Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

Convention and Design Products & Ideas Expo Manager of Exhibits & Dvlp. 10/28/11 Dallas, TX 270 Exhibitors 

Texas Society of Architects 512-478-7386 x7745 1,500 Attendees 

www.texasarchitect.org 

COMMUNICATIONS & BROADCASTING 

Trade Show Executive’s COMPTEL PLUS Fall Conv. & Expo Roger Haisman 10/2/11 Gaylord Palms Hotel 13,000 nsf 

COMPTEL VP Membership & Conf. Services 10/5/11 & Convention Center 100 Exhibitors 

www.comptel.org 202-296-6650 Kissimmee, FL 2,300 Attendees 

CTIA Enterprise & Applications Robert Mesirow 10/11/11 San Diego Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

CTIA - The Wireless Association Show Dir. & VP, Operations 10/13/11 San Diego, CA 300 Exhibitors 

www.wirelessit.com 202-736-3221 15,000 Attendees 

TelcoTV Expo Carolyn Herr 10/25/11 New Orleans Ernest N. Morial 35,000 nsf 

United Business Media Show Director 10/27/11 Convention Center 175 Exhibitors 

www.lightreading.com 949-223-3614 New Orleans, LA 3,500 Attendees 

COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS 

IBM Information on Demand Bob Melton 10/23/11 Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino 100,000 nsf 

IBM Expo Manager 10/27/11 Las Vegas, NV 200 Exhibitors 

www-01.ibm.com/software/data/2011-conference/ 770-804-1162 


Interop New York Joylyn Tanner 10/3/11 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

UBM TechWeb PR Manager 10/7/11 New York, NY 200+ Exhibitors 

www.interop.com/newyork 415-947-6319 6,500 Attendees 




SPONSORED BY 


COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS continued 

Oracle OpenWorld Tom Geck 10/2/11 Moscone Center NSF Not Supplied 

Oracle Event Manager 10/6/11 San Francisco, CA 400 Exhibitors 

www.oracle.com/openworld 650-506-8913 42,000 Attendees 

CONSUMER GOODS & RETAIL TRADE 

APICS International Conference & Expo Show Management 10/23/11 David L. Lawrence Conv. Center NSF Not Supplied 

APICS The Assn. for Operations Management 773-867-1777 10/25/11 Pittsburgh, PA Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.apics.org 


ICSC Canadian Convention Kyle Tomlin, CMP 10/19/11 Metro Toronto Convention Centre NSF Not Supplied 

Int'l Council of Shopping Centres Inc. Senior Project Mgr./Team Leader 10/21/11 Toronto, ON 150 Exhibitors 

www.icsc.org 416-486-4511 2,500 Attendees 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America Kim Althoff 10/18/11 Las Vegas Convention Center 260,000 nsf 

The Worldwide Cleaning Idst. Assn. Dir. of Conventions & Meetings 10/21/11 Las Vegas, NV 650 Exhibitors 

www.issa.com 800-225-4772 16,000 Attendees 

DENTAL 

American Dental Association Annual Session Show Management 10/10/11 Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino 88,900 nsf 

American Dental Association 312-440-2388 10/13/11 Las Vegas, NV 379 Exhibitors 

www.ada.org 


EDUCATION, TRAINING, SCIENCE & RESEARCH 

California Science Education Conference Jessica Lewis 10/21/11 Pasadena Convention Center 21,000 nsf 

California Science Teachers Association Trade Show Manager 10/23/11 Pasadena, CA 160 Exhibitors 

www.cascience.org 916-979-7004 2,500 Attendees 

NJSBA/NJASA/NJASBO Workshop & Exhibition Lynn Anderson, CEM 10/24/11 Atlantic City Convention Center 90,000 nsf 

New Jersey School Boards Association Exhibits Manager 10/26/11 Atlantic City, NJ 550 Exhibitors 

www.njsba.org 609-278-5223 5,000 Attendees 

NSTA Area Conference - Hartford Richard Smith 10/27/11 Connecticut Convention Center 25,000 nsf 

National Science Teachers Association Managing Director 10/29/11 Hartford, CT 150 Exhibitors 

www.nsta.org 703-243-7100 4,000 Attendees 

PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference Brenda Askey 10/18/11 Hershey Lodge & Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

Pennsylvania School Board Association Statewide Events Coordinator 10/21/11 Hershey, PA 197 Exhibitors 

www.psba.org 717-506-2450 x3314 2,250 Attendees 

ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS 

AES Convention Chris Plunkett 10/21/11 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 175,000 nsf 

Audio Engineering Society Director of Conventions 10/23/11 New York, NY 400 Exhibitors 

www.aes.org 212-661-8528 17,000 Attendees 

Annual IEC Nat'l Convention & Electric Expo Rich Ryan 10/11/11 Kentucky International 20,000 nsf 

Independent Electrical Contractors Show Manager 10/14/11 Convention Center 150 Exhibitors 

www.ieci.org 703-549-7448 Louisville, KY 2,000 Attendees 

IMAPS - Int'l Conference & Exhibition Elizabeth Keller 10/9/11 Long Beach Convention & 25,000 nsf 

on Microelectronics Meetings Manager 10/13/11 Entertainment Center 200 Exhibitors 

Int'l Microelectronics and Packaging Society 202-548-8716 Long Beach, CA 2,500 Attendees 

www.imaps.org 

NECA Convention & Trade Show Show Management 10/23/11 San Diego Convention Center 55,000 nsf 

National Electrical Contractors Association 301-215-4506 10/25/11 San Diego, CA 300 Exhibitors 

www.necaconvention.org 



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irvingtexas.com 1.800.247.8464 


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EXHIBITION & MEETING INDUSTRY 

IFEA Annual Convention & Expo Sylvia Allen, CFEE 10/3/11 The Worthington Renaissance NSF Not Supplied 

International Festivals & Events Association Dir. of Partnership Marketing, 10/5/11 Fort Worth Hotel Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.ifea.com Ad Sales, Expo Booking Fort Worth, TX Attendees Not Supplied 

732-946-2711 

IMEX America Show Management 10/11/11 Sands Expo & Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

IMEX America Ltd. 44/1273 227-311 10/13/11 Las Vegas, NV Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.imexamerica.com 


FOOD & BEVERAGE 

CHFA Expo East Judy Sharpe 10/15/11 Metro Toronto Convention Centre 74,000 nsf 

Canadian Health Food Association Dir., Trade Shows & Conf. 10/16/11 Toronto, ON 500 Exhibitors 

www.chfa.ca 416-497-6939 x224 3,500 Attendees 

Grocery Innovations Canada Eden Minty 10/24/11 Toronto Congress Centre 165,000 nsf 

Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers Director, Events 10/25/11 Toronto, ON 250 Exhibitors 

www.groceryinnovations.com 416-492-2325 x224 5,000 Attendees 

IFDA Distribution Solutions Conference Scott Savodnik, CEM 10/24/11 Fort Worth Convention Center 29,000 nsf 

Int'l Foodservice Distributors Association Dir., Exhibits & Business Dvlp. 10/26/11 Fort Worth, TX 150 Exhibitors 

www.ifdaonline.org 703-532-9400 x9945 1,200 Attendees 

Michigan Restaurant Show Brian Starrs 10/18/11 Suburban Collection Showplace 30,000 nsf 

Michigan Restaurant Association Exhibit Sales Manager 10/19/11 Novi, MI 225 Exhibitors 

www.michiganrestaurant.org 517-377-3936 5,500 Attendees 

NACS Show Sherry Romello, CMP 10/1/11 McCormick Place 380,000 nsf 

The Association for Convenience VP, Meetings & Conventions 10/4/11 Chicago, IL 1,200 Exhibitors 

& Petroleum Retailing 703-518-4250 24,000 Attendees 

www.nacsshow.com 

Produce Marketing Assn. Fresh Jamie Hillegas 10/14/11 Georgia World Congress Center 245,000 nsf 

Summit Int'l Convention & Expo Director of Trade Shows 10/17/11 Atlanta, GA 800 Exhibitors 

Produce Marketing Association 302-738-7100 x3023 17,000 Attendees 

www.freshsummit.com 

SupplySide West Todd Berger 10/12/11 The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino/ 85,400 nsf 

Virgo Publishing, LLC Trade Show Sales Manager 10/13/11 Sands Expo & Convention Center 560 Exhibitors 

www.supplysideshow.com/west 480-990-1101 x1271 Las Vegas, NV 8,100 Attendees 

World Dairy Expo Mark Clarke 10/4/11 Alliant Energy Center 482,000 nsf 

World Dairy Expo General Manager 10/8/11 Madison, WI 775 Exhibitors 

www.worlddairyexpo.com 608-224-6455 68,000 Attendees 

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY 

AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition Michael Scanlan 10/10/11 Walter E. Washington 252,708 nsf 

Assn. of the United States Army Show Director 10/12/11 Convention Center 442 Exhibitors 

www.ausa.org 703-841-4300 Convention Center 35,836 Attendees 

GTEC Val Kelly 10/17/11 Ottawa Convention Centre 60,000 nsf 

UBM TechWeb Director of Operations & 10/20/11 Ottawa, ON 220 Exhibitors 

www.gtec.ca Exhibitor Services 7,000+ Attendees 

613-599-8880 x106 

NMSDC Conf. & Business Opportunity Fair Maureen Vialva 10/31/11 Georgia World Congress Center 85,000 nsf 

National Minority Supplier Exhibits Manager 10/31/11 Atlanta, GA 536 Exhibitors 

Development Council, Inc. 212-944-2430 7,000 Attendees 

www.nmsdc.org 




SPONSORED BY 


GOVERNMENT & MILITARY continued 

Annual Safe Symposium Show Management 10/24/11 Grand Sierra Resort & Casino 150,000 nsf 

SAFE Association 541-895-3012 10/26/11 Reno, NV 100+ Exhibitors 

www.safeassociation.com 

1,200+ Attendees 

TML Annual Conference & Exhibition Gray Gilson 10/12/11 George R. Brown Convention Center 89,700 nsf 

Texas Municipal League Exhibits Manager 10/14/11 Houston, TX 400 Exhibitors 

www.tmlconference.org 512-231-7400 3,000 Attendees 

HOME FURNISHINGS, INTERIOR DESIGN & LANDSCAPING 

ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo Daryl Brach 10/30/11 San Diego Convention Center 86,000 nsf 

American Society of Landscape Architects Senior Sales Manager 11/2/11 San Diego, CA 450 Exhibitors 

www.asla.org 202-216-2325 6,000 Attendees 

Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market Jo Ann Miller-Marshall 10/14/11 AmericasMart Atlanta NSF Not Supplied 

and The Atlanta Gourmet Market Senior VP Gift Trade Shows 10/16/11 Atlanta, GA 4,000 Exhibitors 

AMC/AmericasMart 404-220-2235 Attendees Not Supplied 

www.americasmart.com 

AVS International Symposium & Exhibition Yvonne Towse 10/30/11 Nashville Convention Center 100,000 nsf 

American Vacuum Society Managing Director 11/4/11 Nashville, TN 200 Exhibitors 

www.avs.org 212-248-0200 x222 5,000 Attendees 

GIE+EXPO Warren Sellers 10/27/11 Kentucky Exposition Center 800,000 nsf 

Sellers Expositions Show Director 10/29/11 Louisville, KY 600 Exhibitors 

www.gie-expo.com 812-949-9200 20,000 Attendees 

High Point Market - October Brian Casey 10/22/11 High Point Market Center NSF Not Supplied 

High Point Market Authority President 10/27/11 High Point, NC Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.highpointmarket.org 336-869-1000 Attendees Not Supplied 

JEWELRY 

JA New York Special Delivery Chris Casey 10/23/11 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

Nielsen Expositions Group VP 10/25/11 New York, NY 450 Exhibitors 

www.ja-newyork.com 646-654-7426 Attendees Not Supplied 

Jewelers International Showcase (JIS) Michele Carter 10/15/11 Miami Beach Convention Center 95,000 nsf 

Jewelers International Showcase, Inc. Show Director 10/18/11 Miami Beach, FL 550 Exhibitors 

www.jisshow.com 561-998-0205 x4 11,650 Attendees 

MANAGEMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES & NETWORKING 

Annual ARMA Int'l Conference & Expo Elizabeth Zlitni 10/17/11 Gaylord National Resort & 45,000 nsf 

ARMA International Exposition Manager 10/19/11 Convention Center 160 Exhibitors 

www.arma.org 913-217-6015 National Harbor, MD 4,000 Attendees 

Project Management Institute James McGowan 10/22/11 Gaylord Texan Resort & NSF Not Supplied 

Global Congress - North America Exhibit & Sponsorship Sales 10/25/11 Convention Center 200 Exhibitors 

A. Fassano & Company 856-232-2322 x18 Grapevine, TX 3,000 Attendees 

congresses.pmi.org/northamerica2011 

MANUFACTURING & PACKAGING 

Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Show Kim Apple 10/19/11 Dayton Airport Expo Center 35,000 nsf 

Dayton Tooling & Manufacturing Assn. Exhibit Sales 10/20/11 Vandalia, OH 160 Exhibitors 

www.daytonamts.com 937-512-4083 3,500 Attendees 

Canadian Manufacturing Nick Samain 10/17/11 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place 140,000 nsf 

Technology Show (CMTS) Show Manager 10/20/11 Toronto, ON 500 Exhibitors 

Society of Manufacturing Engineers 888-322-7333 x206 10,000 Attendees 

www.cmts.ca 



SPONSORED BY 


MANUFACTURING & PACKAGING continued 

Design-2-Part Show - Kissimmee Jeff Griffin 10/19/11 Gaylord Palms Hotel & NSF Not Supplied 

The Job Shop Company Director of Sales 10/20/11 Convention Center Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.designtopartshows.com 203-758-6663 Kissimmee, FL Attendees Not Supplied 

Design-2-Part Show - Pasadena Jeff Griffin 10/12/11 Pasadena Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

The Job Shop Company Director of Sales 10/13/11 Pasadena, CA Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.designtopartshows.com 203-758-6663 Attendees Not Supplied 

ISA Automation Week: Kim Gordley 10/17/11 Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile 100,000 nsf 

Technology & Solutions Event Events Manager 10/20/11 Convention Center 450 Exhibitors 

International Society of Automation 919-990-9349 Mobile, AL 13,000 Attendees 

www.isaautomationweek.org 

METALCON International Claire Kilcoyne 10/11/11 Georgia World Congress Center 80,000 nsf 

PSMJ Resources, Inc. Show Manager 10/13/11 Atlanta, GA 400 Exhibitors 

www.metalcon.com 617-965-0055 x134 8,000 Attendees 

Plastimagen Mexico Sergio Munoz Ortega 10/4/11 Centro Banamex NSF Not Supplied 

E.J. Krause & Associates, Inc. Project Manager 10/7/11 Mexico City, DF Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.plastimagen.com.mx 52/55 1087-1650 Attendees Not Supplied 

SOUTH-TEC Exposition Show Management 10/11/11 Charlotte Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

Society of Manufacturing Engineers 800-733-4763 10/13/11 Charlotte, NC Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.southteconline.com 


MEDICAL & HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS 

AABB Annual Meeting & CTTXPO Jean Bryant, CEM 10/22/11 San Diego Convention Center 60,000 nsf 

American Assn. of Blood Banks (AABB) Mgr., Exhibits & Corp. Services 10/25/11 San Diego, CA 200 Exhibitors 

www.aabb.org 240-333-6609 4,300 Attendees 

AAO Annual Meeting Debra Rosencrance 10/22/11 Orange County Convention Center 214,000 nsf 

Amer. Academy of Ophthalmology VP, Meeting & Exhibits 10/25/11 Orlando, FL 500 Exhibitors 

www.aao.org 415-447-0346 23,500 Attendees 

AAP National Conference & Exhibition Cindy Airhart, CAE 10/15/11 Boston Conv. & Exhibition Center 75,000 nsf 

American Academy of Pediatrics Director, Division of 10/18/11 Boston, MA 330 Exhibitors 

www.aapexperience.org Convention & Meeting Services 12,000 Attendees 

847-434-4000 

Academy Boston Betty Taylor 10/12/11 John B. Hynes Veterans 36,000 nsf 

American Academy of Optometry Dir., Exhibits & Special Events 10/15/11 Memorial Convention Center 220 Exhibitors 

www.aaopt.org 240-880-3085 Boston, MA 6,000 Attendees 

ACEP Scientific Assembly Stephanie Batson 10/15/11 Moscone Center 70,000 nsf 

American College of Emergency Physicians Exhibits Manager 10/18/11 San Francisco, CA 300 Exhibitors 

www.acep.org 972-550-0911 8,500 Attendees 

ACG Annual Scientific Meeting & Elaine McCubbin 10/28/11 Gaylord National Resort & NSF Not Supplied 

Postgraduate Course Director of Meetings & Exhibits 11/2/11 Convention Center 160 Exhibitors 

American College of Gastroenterology 301-263-9000 National Harbor, MD 4,000 Attendees 

www.acg.gi.org 

ACS Annual Clinical Congress Jacquelyn Mitchell 10/23/11 Moscone Center 71,200 nsf 

American College of Surgeons Mgr., Exhibits & Conv. Services 10/27/11 San Francisco, CA 225 Exhibitors 

www.facs.org/clincon2011 312-202-5000 14,000 Attendees 

AHIMA Convention & Exhibit Sarah Lawler 10/2/11 Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace 60,000 nsf 

American Health Information Mgmt. Assn. Exhibits Manager 10/5/11 Convention Center 225 Exhibitors 

www.ahima.org 312-233-1100 Salt Lake City, UT 3,200 Attendees 




SPONSORED BY 

We’re better, bolder, BEAUTIFUL 

call us to transform your next meeting 

PALM SPRINGS, ca 

800-333-7535 VISITPALMSPRINGSCC.COM 


MEDICAL & HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS continued 

Air Medical Transport Conference Natasha Ross 10/17/11 America’s Center 60,000 nsf 

Association of Air Medical Services Education & Meetings Manager 10/19/11 St. Louis, MO 150 Exhibitors 

www.aams.org 703-836-8732 x107 2,600 Attendees 

ANESTHESIOLOGY - The Annual Meeting of ASA Jeff Schulz 10/15/11 McCormick Place NSF Not Supplied 

American Society of Anesthesiologists Exhibits & Sponsorship Mgr. 10/17/11 Chicago, IL 300 Exhibitors 

www.asahq.org 847-268-9145 18,000 Attendees 

APHA Annual Meeting & Expo Lynn Schoen 10/29/11 Walter E. Washington 70,000 nsf 

American Public Health Association Exhibits Manager 11/2/11 Convention Center 500 Exhibitors 

www.apha.org 202-777-2479 Washington, DC 13,000 Attendees 

ASRM Annual Meeting Show Management 10/17/11 Orange County Convention Center 52,000 nsf 

American Society for Reproductive Medicine 205-978-5000 10/19/11 Orlando, FL 182 Exhibitors 

www.asrm.org 


ASTRO Annual Meeting Michele Donohue 10/2/11 Miami Beach Convention Center 100,000 nsf 

American Society for Director of Meetings 10/4/11 Miami Beach, FL 270 Exhibitors 

Therapeutic Radiology/Oncology 703-839-7384 12,000 Attendees 

www.astro.org 

CNS Annual Meeting Show Management 10/3/11 Walter E. Washington NSF Not Supplied 

Congress of Neurological Surgeons 847-240-2500 10/5/11 Convention Center 200 Exhibitors 

www.cns.org Washington, DC 2,300 Attendees 

HIDA MedSurg Conference & Expo Show Management 10/20/11 Charlotte Convention Center 40,000 nsf 

Health Industry Distributors Association 703-549-4432 10/21/11 Charlotte, NC 300 Exhibitors 

www.hidamedsurg.com 



International Congress of Human Genetics/Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics (ICHG/ASHG Meeting) 

International Federation of Carrie Morin 10/12/11 Palais des congrès de Montréal 22,000 nsf 

Human Genetics Societies/ Exhibits Manager 10/14/11 (Convention Centre) 200 Exhibitors 

American Society of Human Genetics 301-634-7311 Montreal, QC 7,000 Attendees 

www.ichg2011.org 

Medtrade Kevin Gaffney, CEM 10/25/11 Georgia World Congress Center 155,000 nsf 

Nielsen Expositions Show Director 10/27/11 Atlanta, GA 660 Exhibitors 

www.medtrade.com 770-291-5446 6,600 Attendees 

Nat'l Conference on Correctional Health Care Kim Simoni 10/17/11 Baltimore Convention Center 50,000 nsf 

Nat'l Cmsn. on Correctional Health Care Exhibits & Sales Manager 10/18/11 Baltimore, MD 140 Exhibitors 

www.ncchc.org 773-880-1460 x298 2,000 Attendees 

NSC Congress & Expo Bill Steinbach 10/31/11 Pennsylvania Convention Center 190,000 nsf 

National Safety Council Exhibit Sales 11/2/11 Philadelphia, PA 850 Exhibitors 

www.congress.nsc.org 630-775-2403 16,000 Attendees 

OMED - Osteopathic Medical Gregg Lapin 10/30/11 Orange County Convention Center 44,000 nsf 

Conference & Exposition Director, Division of 11/3/11 Orlando, FL 200 Exhibitors 

American Osteopathic Association Convention & Meeting Services 4,800 Attendees 

www.osteopathic.org 312-202-8019 

Pri-Med East Holly Irgens 10/27/11 Boston Convention & 65,600 nsf 

M|C Communications Marketing Specialist 10/30/11 Exhibition Center 215 Exhibitors 

www.pri-med.com 617-406-4214 Boston, MA 5,000 Attendees 


Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center 

Mobile, Alabama 

www.mobileconventions.com 


SPONSORED BY 


MEDICAL & HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS continued 

World Medical Tourism & Show Management 10/25/11 Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & NSF Not Supplied 

Global Healthcare Congress 561-792-6676 10/28/11 Convention Center 120 Exhibitors 

Medical Tourism Congress Schaumburg, IL 2,000 Attendees 

www.medicaltourismcongress.com 

PHARMACEUTICALS 

AAPS Annual Meeting & Exposition Grace Jones 10/24/11 Walter E. Washington 109,000 nsf 

American Assn. of Pharmaceutical Scientists Associate Director, Meetings & 10/26/11 Convention Center 600 Exhibitors 

www.aapspharmaceutica.com Expositions Department Washington, DC 9,000 Attendees 

703-243-2800 

NCPA Annual Convention & Trade Exposition Patrick Dougherty 10/8/11 Gaylord Opryland Resort & 40,000 nsf 

National Community Pharmacists Assn. Senior Dir. Meetings & Conv. 10/12/11 Convention Center 260 Exhibitors 

www.ncpanet.org 703-683-8200 Nashville, TN 3,600 Attendees 

POLICE, FIRE, SECURITY & EMERGENCY SERVICES 

IACP Gena Galbraith 10/22/11 McCormick Place 180,000 nsf 

Int'l Association of Chiefs of Police Exhibits Show Manager 10/26/11 Chicago, IL 750 Exhibitors 

www.theiacpconference.org 800-THE-IACP x353 15,000 Attendees 

Annual Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Expo Kelly Simon 10/5/11 Monroeville Convention Center 25,000 nsf 

Kelly Simon Trade Shows President 10/6/11 Monroeville, PA 150 Exhibitors 

www.kellysimontradeshows.com 800-747-5599 3,000 Attendees 

Security Canada International Security Steve Basnett 10/19/11 Toronto Congress Centre NSF Not Supplied 

Conference & Exposition - Central Director, Trade Shows & Events 10/20/11 Toronto, ON Exhibitors Not Supplied 

Canadian Security Association 905-513-0622 x224 Attendees Not Supplied 

www.securitycanadaexpo.com 

PRINTING, GRAPHICS, PHOTOGRAPHY & PUBLISHING 

LDI Zari Stahl 10/28/11 Orange County Convention Center 100,000 nsf 

Penton Media Group Show Director 10/30/11 Orlando, FL 400 Exhibitors 

www.ldishow.com 215-489-9556 13,920 Attendees 

PDN PhotoPlus Int'l Conference + Expo Melissa Kittson 10/27/11 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center NSF Not Supplied 

Nielsen Expositions Exhibit Sales Manager 10/29/11 New York, NY 300 Exhibitors 

www.photoplusexpo.com 703-488-2742 27,000 Attendees 

SGIA Expo Jean Lambert 10/19/11 New Orleans Ernest N. Morial 225,000 nsf 

Specialty Graphic Imaging Assn. Exhibit Logistics Manager 10/21/11 Convention Center 590 Exhibitors 

www.sgia.org 703-359-1379 New Orleans, LA 15,000 Attendees 

REAL ESTATE, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES & LAND DEVELOPMENT 

The Midwest Franchise Expo Leslie Lawrence 10/1/11 Donald E. Stephens Conv. Center NSF Not Supplied 

National Event Management Show Manager 10/2/11 Rosemont, IL Exhibitors Not Supplied 

www.nationalevent.com 800-891-4859 x237 Attendees Not Supplied 

SPORTING GOODS & RECREATION 

Club Industry Adam Andersen 10/13/11 McCormick Place 45,000 nsf 

Penton Media Show Director 10/14/11 Chicago, IL 150 Exhibitors 

www.clubindustryshow.com 303-998-9091 5,500 Attendees 

The Int'l BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conf. Carl Cramer 10/17/11 Kentucky Exposition Center NSF Not Supplied 

Professional BoatBuilder Show Co-Director 10/19/11 Louisville, KY 800 Exhibitors 

www.ibexshow.com 207-359-4651 6,000 Attendees 

TEAMS Conference & Expo Lisa Furfine 10/3/11 Las Vegas Convention Center/ NSF Not Supplied 

Schneider Publishing Company, Inc. Assc. Publisher, SportsTravel 10/6/11 Wynn Las Vegas 200+ Exhibitors 

www.teamsconference.com 310-577-3700 Las Vegas, NV 1,500 Attendees 




SPONSORED BY 


SPORTING GOODS & RECREATION continued 

WWA Annual Symposium & Trade Show Patty Miller 10/5/11 New Orleans Ernest N. Morial 36,000 nsf 

World Waterpark Association Director of Tradeshow & 10/6/11 Convention Center 350 Exhibitors 

www.waterparks.org Supplier Relations New Orleans, LA Attendees Not Supplied 

913-381-6734 

TOYS, HOBBIES & GIFTS 

Fall Toy Preview ® Marian Bossard 10/4/11 Dallas Market Center 150,000 nsf 

Toy Industry Association, Inc. VP, Meetings & Events 10/6/11 Dallas, TX 280 Exhibitors 

www.toyassociation.org 646-520-4853 3,000 Attendees 

iHobby Expo Jodi Araujo 10/20/11 Donald E. Stephens Conv. Center NSF Not Supplied 

Peak Management Solutions Show Manager 10/21/11 Rosemont, IL 250 Exhibitors 

www.ihobbyexpo.com 973-283-4680 20,000 Attendees 

Portland Cash & Carry Show Kelly McLoughlin 10/14/11 Oregon Convention Center 20,000 nsf 

Western Exhibitors, Inc. Show Manager 10/16/11 Portland, OR 200 Exhibitors 

www.weshows.com 415-447-3234 4,000 Attendees 

San Francisco Cash & Carry Show Kelly McLoughlin 10/28/11 The Concourse Exhibition Center 20,000 nsf 

Western Exhibitors, Inc. Show Manager 10/30/11 San Francisco, CA 200 Exhibitors 


Seattle Cash & Carry Show Kelly McLoughlin 10/21/11 Washington State Convention Center 20,000 nsf 

Western Exhibitors, Inc. Show Manager 10/23/11 Seattle, WA 200 Exhibitors 


VETERINARY 

Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference Dana Martz 10/10/11 Atlantic City Convention Center 24,000 nsf 

ACVC Conference Manager 10/13/11 Atlantic City, NJ 200 Exhibitors 

www.acvc.org 908-359-1184 2,000 Attendees 

CVC San Diego Tom Brown 10/28/11 San Diego Convention Center 23,000 nsf 

Advanstar Communications, Inc. Operations Manager 10/30/11 San Diego, CA 200 Exhibitors 

www.cvcwest.com 800-255-6864 4,000 Attendees 

Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show & Colette Fairchild, CEM, CMP 10/14/11 Donald E. Stephens Conv. Center NSF Not Supplied 

Educational Conference Trade Show Director 10/16/11 Rosemont, IL 750 Exhibitors 

H.H. Backer Associates 312-578-1818 9,000 Attendees 

www.hhbacker.com 

WATER, ENERGY & POWER 

Trade Show Executive’s Solar Power Lori Campbell 10/17/11 Dallas Convention Center 320,000 nsf 

Int'l Conference Senior Dir. Sales & Marketing 10/20/11 Dallas, TX 1,200 Exhibitors 

SEPA/SEIA 202-595-1141 24,000 Attendees 

www.solarpowerinternational.com 

SPE Annual Technical Conf. & Exhibition Joan Payne 10/30/11 Colorado Convention Center 100,000+ nsf 

Society of Petroleum Engineers Sales Manager 11/2/11 Denver, CO 400+ Exhibitors 

www.spe.org/atce/2011 972-952-9356 8,000+ Attendees 

WEFTEC Sacha Carey, CEM 10/17/11 Los Angeles Convention Center 285,000 nsf 

Water Environment Federation Assistant Director, Exhibition 10/19/11 Los Angeles, CA 950 Exhibitors 

www.weftec.org Sales & Operations 17,000 Attendees 

703-684-2466 

World Energy Engineering Congress Ted Kurklis 10/12/11 Navy Pier 100,000 nsf 

Association of Energy Engineers WEEC Exhibit Manager 10/14/11 Chicago, IL 350 Exhibitors 

www.energycongress.com 770-271-7869 4,500 Attendees 



Dedicated 

to the advancement of the exhibition, 

meetings and special events industry. 

Since 1970, ESCA has provided a unifi ed 

voice for service contractors and their 

partners in the exhibition industry. 

Through education, information exchange 

and the level of professionalism 

shared by members and their customers, 

ESCA promotes cooperation 

among all areas of the industry. 

With more than 185 members throughout 

the United States, Puerto Rico, 

Canada and Mexico, ESCA maintains 

alliances with ASAE, CEIR, CIC, 

DMAI, EDPA, IAEE, IAVM, ICEEM 

and SISO to promote the 

exhibition industry and our 

member benefits. 

5068 West Plano Parkway, Suite 300 Plano, TX 75093 

972.447.8210 www.esca.org

PEOPLE 

Scholarship Endowment 

Established for the 

Legendary Jimmie Fore 


New Orleans, LA – A scholarship 

fund has been established at the 

University of Houston in the name 

of the late Jimmie Dee Fore, who was 

an executive vice president of the 

Astrodome-Astrohall Stadium Corp. 

and began his career as a sales manager 

for the Greater Houston Convention 

& Visitors Bureau. He also served as 

general manager of the New Orleans 

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center 

and Chicago’s McCormick Place. Fore 

passed away March 19. 

The Jimmie Dee Fore Scholarship 

Endowment has been created to 

preserve Fore’s legacy and also help top 

students at the University of Houston’s 

Conrad N. Hilton School of Hotel & 

Restaurant Management who want to 

pursue a management career in the 

meeting, convention or facility management 

industry. Fore was a 1961 

graduate of the university. The curriculum 

includes such classes as planning, 

budgeting, transportation, exhibit sales, 

and contract and lease negotiations. 

Initial funding for the endowment 

was made by Fore’s family, friends and 

industry organizations. The Conrad 

N. Hilton Foundation will match all 

contributions, doubling the value of 

the endowment. 

Fore’s career spanned more than 

40 years in the convention industry. He 

received a Lifetime Achievement Award 

in 2007 from the International Association 

of Venue Managers (IAVM). 

“If there ever was a role model 

for the hospitality industry it would 

be Jimmie Dee Fore,” said long-time 

friend John Riddle, president of Riddle 

& Associates, which produces the 

biennial CLEAN show, and others. “He 

may have walked easy in his boots and 

spoken softly, but he carried a big stick 

of knowledge about this industry.” 

Riddle said Jimmie has been referred 

to as iconic. “Those of us who knew 

him well know that reference would 

make him blush, but he deserves that 

accolade. He listened to his customers 

and was not afraid to take the necessary 

action to get things done. He cared 

deeply about his employees and 

buildings, and willingly shared his vast 

knowledge derived from a wealth of 

experience and success. The hospitality 

industry lost a resource, mentor and 

huge asset, and I lost an irreplaceable 

friend whom I miss,” he said. 

Fore’s Defining Moment 

Fore’s career reached a pinnacle in 

2005 when he risked his health and his 

life to remain at the helm of the Morial 

Convention Center during Hurricane 

Katrina as the facility hosted thousands 

of New Orleans residents who were 

stranded, homeless, destitute and 

sometimes lawless. He oversaw the $60 

million cleanup and reconstruction of 

the battered facility, which was able to 

host events just six months after the 

storm. [see Trade Show Executive, April 

2011, p. 74 ]. 

Industry members who would 

like to know more about the Jimmie 

Dee Fore Scholarship Endowment 

can contact Wayne Chappell, vice 

president of tradeshow relations 

& portfolio sales at the Houston 

Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

Contributions may be directed to 

Miguel Cabrera, program manager for 

development, University of Houston, at 

(713) 743-1523 or mcabrera3@uh.edu 

Reach Wayne Chappell at (713) 437-5219 

or wchappell@ghcvb.org; John Riddle at 

(404) 876-1988 or john@jriddle.com 

CHARLIE GRECO stepped down as director 

of tradeshows for Asia at the Venetian 

Macau to pursue new opportunities. 

Greco has been an international trade 

show organizer for 25 years and recently 

received an award from the Event & 

Entertainment Management Association 

for his contributions to the globalization 

of India’s trade show and events 

industry. Greco will maintain an office in 

downtown Macau. The Venetian Macau 

did not immediately name a replacement. 

Reach Charlie at 853-8294-2245 or 

cgreco@uemanagement.com; Venetian 

Macau convention sales at 853-2882-8800 

or sales@venetian.com.mo 

Hannover Fairs USA, 

Inc., named LARRY 

TURNER interim CEO, 

replacing ART PARE- 

DES who will leave the 

company at the end 

of January. Turner 

will be based in New 

Jersey. He was most 

recently CEO of Roundhouse Advisors, 

a Colorado Springs business management 

consulting and coaching firm. His 

previous experience included corporate 

positions with Canon, Bell & Howell and 

other companies. Hannover Fairs USA is 

a subsidiary of Deutsche Messe AG, which 

organizes the IT communications show 

CeBIT. Hannover Fairs USA organizes 

exhibit marketing programs for Deutsche 

Messe shows in Germany, China and 

other international cities. Reach Larry at 

(720) 248-8220 or lturner@roundhouseadvisors.com; 

Art at (609) 987-1202, 

x201, or aparedes@hf-usa.com 

ASAE: The Center for Association 

Leadership named JAKUB KONYSZ senior 

manager of international development. 

He had been senior manager of public 

relations for ASAE and will now oversee 

the association’s international outreach. 

SABRINA KIDWAI was named senior 

manager of public relations. 

Reach Jakub at (202) 626-2831 or jkonysz@ 

asaecenter.org; Sabrina at (202) 326-9505 

skidwai@asaecenter.org 


Census of the Exhibition Industry, 2011 Edition 

Purchase the Census of the Exhibition Industry, 2011 Edition, including 

data on U.S. and Canadian exhibitions. A new addition to the Census 

is data on exhibitions in Mexico. 

The Census contains data on all exhibitions that occupy at least 

3,000 net square feet of space and include at least 10 exhibiting 

companies, including both business-to-business (B2B) and businessto-consumer 

(B2C) exhibitions. The publication provides the most 

accurate comprehensive, aggregate industry data available, with 

detail sections including: 

STATE/PROVINCE ANALYSIS 

Individual State and Province pages identify: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REGIONAL COMPARISONS 

Regions listed and ranked according to: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete, aggregate exhibition industry data, broken down and displayed for quick and easy reference. 

Complete this form and fax to +1 (972) 692-6020 or send to the address below. 

PRICE QUANTITY TOTAL DUE 

 

Grand Total: 

Name: 

Company: 

Address: 

City: State: Zip: Country: 

 

 

E-mail: 

Charge My: VISA Mastercard American Express 

Card Number: 

Expiration Date: 

Name on Card: 

Authorized Signature: 

Check # (payable to CEIR*): 

*If paying by check, please submit form and payment to: CEIR, 12700 Park Central Dr #308, Dallas TX 75251 USA

PARTING SHOTS 

Standing by their Man. Cliff Wallace’s family was out in full force for his 

induction into the CIC Hall of Leaders in mid-June. L to R: daughter Betsy 

Wallace; wife Susan; daughter Carrie Brown; and daughter Leslie Taylor. 

Class Reunion. Ten current and former employees of the Consumer 

Electronics Association, producer of the International Consumer Electronic 

Show, gather for a photo at the opening reception of the Exhibition & Convention 

Executives Forum, held June 1 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC. 

[L to R] Top row: Karen Howe, executive director, conventions & meetings, 

National Safety Council; Wayne Crawford, vice president, North America, 

Clarion Events; Robbi Lycett, vice president, conventions and conferences, 

Biotechnology Industry Association; Margaret Core, managing director, sales 

& marketing, Biotechnology Industry Association; Evan Shubin, president & 

co-founder, Exhibitor Invites; Laurie Lutz, senior director, Consumer Electronics 

Association. Bottom row: Rich Scarfo, director of strategic alliances, 

Foundation for NIH; Sam Lippman, president, Integrated Show Management 

& Marketing; Gary Shapiro, president & CEO, Consumer Electronics Association; 

Brian Moon, senior director, sales, National Restaurant Association. 

A Real Traffic Stopper. Nearly 50 showgirls from Donn Arden’s Jubilee 

at Bally’s Las Vegas shut down traffi c on the famed Las Vegas Strip on August 

1 to rally against hotels that charge hidden resort fees to hotel guests. Resort 

fees generate an estimated $17 million per month for Las Vegas hotel properties. 

Along with their feathers and beads, the show girls fl aunted the fact that all 

Caesar’s U.S. Entertainment properties have a “No Resort Fee” policy. 

Index to Advertisers 

Anaheim/Orange County Visitors & Conventions Bureau 

www.anaheimoc.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 3 

Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority 

www.atlanticcitynj.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 37 

Austin Convention Center 

www.austinconventioncenter.com. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 35 

Boston Convention Marketing Center 

www.advantageboston.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 5 

The Broadmoor 

www.broadmoor.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 15 

Carolina First Center 

www.carolinafirstcenter.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 58 

CEIR, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research 

www.ceir.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 69 

Colorado Convention Center 

www.denverconvention.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 62 

CompuSystems, Inc. 

www.compusystems.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 4 

Direct Energy Centre 

www.directenergycentre.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 65 

Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA) 

www.esca.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 67 

Freeman 

www.freemanco.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 2 

Global Experience Specialists, Inc. (GES) 

www.ges.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 9 

Global Spectrum 

www.global-spectrum.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 21 - 25 

Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium 

www.icclos.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 13 

International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE) 

www.iaee.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 51 

International Exposition Center (I-X Center) 

www.ixcenter.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 41 

Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas 

www.irvingconventioncenter.com . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 60 

Mexico Tourism Board 

www.visitmexico.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 52 - 57 

Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau 

www.miamiandbeaches.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 33 

Montego Bay Convention Centre 

www.mobaycentre.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 7 

Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau; 

Orange County Convention Center 

www.occc.net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 39 

Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center 

www.mobileconventions.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 64 

pc/nametag 

www.pcnametag.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 20 

Palm Springs Convention Center 

www.palmsprings.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 63 

Pennsylvania Convention Center 

www.metphil.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 45 

Production Transport 

www.prodtrans.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 11 

Reliant Park 

www.reliantpark.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Over Cover 

Rosemont Convention &Tourism Bureau 

www.thecandoattitude.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 43 

Savannah International Trade & Convention Center 

www.savtcc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 61 

SMG 

www.smgworld.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 58 - 66 

Trade Show Executive Gold 100 Awards & Summit 

www.tradeshowexecutive.com . . . . . . . . . . p. 18 & 19 

TWI Group 

www.twiglobal.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 17 

Ungerboeck Systems International 

www.ungerboeck.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 26 - 32 

United Service Companies 

www.unitedhq.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 3 


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the August 2011 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive

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