the June 2008 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive

Power Lunch
Bob: Congratulations on the birth of your
son.
Gary: Thank you so much.
Bob: You are a top spokesperson and
advocate for the trade show industry.
How did you get started?
Gary: I grew up in Wantagh, Long
Island and surfed at Jones Beach. As an
undergraduate at SUNY Binghamton, I
managed events and concerts for groups
including the Black and Latin Student
Unions. I really enjoyed handling the
soundboard and organizing parties —
particularly creating a sense of order and
taking charge of a big group. During the
Summer, I worked at Jones Beach Theater
and had a staff of 100 working for me.
Essentially, I started in the events world
while going to college and law school.
Bob: Where did you get your law degree?
Gary: I went to Georgetown University in
Washington, DC, and graduated in 1980.
At age 23, I believe I was the youngest
person ever to finish. As a student, I
worked on Capitol Hill and then for a
law firm. One of their clients was the
Electronic Industries Association, the
predecessor to the Consumer Electronics
Association.
Bob: How did you segue from law into
exhibitions?
Gary: Initially, I was the EIA’s outside
counsel and lobbyist. I became familiar
with their trade show and later organized
a one-day course about trade show law
with Jeff King, the attorney for NAEM
(now IAEE, the International Association
of Exhibitions & Events). I researched
everything on hotels, trade shows,
conventions and consumer shows. We
went around the country with this session,
whose written materials have been
incorporated into IAEE’s CEM (Certified
in Exhibition Management) modules.
That got their attention. When EIA
offered me the job to run the consumer
electronics sector including running the
CES, I accepted immediately.
Bob: What was the big attraction about
trade shows?
Gary: I get an emotional charge when
I walk into a hall and see competitors
showing their wares, each trying to be
smarter and better in attracting the
customer in a live environment. I imagine
people got this same feeling in markets
thousands of years ago, which is why I’m
so passionate for free markets. The trade
show is the most visible manifestation of
a free market in all dimensions: you can
taste it, see it, hear it, smell it and feel it.
I find this phenomenally exciting.
Bob: You recently were a guest on CNN’s
Lou Dobbs Tonight, which focused on
the issue of free trade. What was that
experience like, particularly with a host
who constantly interrupts?
Gary: I have a personal and business
view that is opposed to his. I think he
appeals to the worst in people and I felt
an obligation to speak out.
Bob: Will it help the CEA or your show
in the long run?
Gary: Since the Consumer Electronics
Association and the trade show industry
as a whole depend on free trade, I feel
it was worth my time. I had my Board
of Director’s support in doing this. We
also took a leading role in supporting
the Columbia Free Trade Agreement
with several advertisements. However,
Congress decided to put off their vote
until next term.
Bob: Did you ever think International
CES would become the largest annual
show in America?
Gary: We always dreamed of it, but I
personally don’t like the way it came about,
climbing over COMDEX’s corpse, so to
speak. It was disturbing to hear the senior
management of COMDEX stating publicly
at the Society of Independent Show Organizers
Executive Conference that their attention was
focused mainly on short term profit to get a
high sales price, rather than their customers
or the health of the event.
Lou Dobbs Meets his Match. It’s hard to get a word
in edge-wise when debating CNN’s Lou Dobbs, but
Gary Shapiro gave Lou a run for his money, scoring key
points about the importance of free trade.
Continued on page 26
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