Galen Poss Joins Drake Star Partners to Serve the Association Sector
October 13, 2016
Drake Star Partners, an international investment bank focusing on the technology, media and communications sectors has brought on industry veteran Galen Poss as Senior Advisor.
Poss will focus specifically on the not-for-profit association-owned trades how market and will work closely with Kathleen Thomas, managing partner at Drake Star Partners.
“The association sector comprises more than 60 percent of the U.S trade show market, and an ever increasing number of association executives are exploring options relative to selling or partnering with for-profit organizers,” Thomas said.
She added, “I am delighted to be working with Galen, one of the most respected operators in the tradeshow sector, in serving a community that we believe is underserved. Galen has worked with many associations in his career guiding them and effecting outcomes that have benefitted their constituency greatly. I look forward to providing the platform, team and technical expertise to enable us both to serve this important community more broadly.”
Galen A. Poss, CEM, is vice chairman for dmg events, which owns and operates events globally in the construction and oil/gas sectors.
“In many cases, an association’s annual convention and trade show are not part of the organization’s core mission but are vitally important to funding its initiatives,” Poss said.
He added, “This provides a unique opportunity for the not for profit sector and for-profit organizers to work together in a mutually beneficial relationship. I look forward to working with the team at Drake Star Partners to facilitate these relationships and to serve both portions of the marketplace.”
Previously, Poss was president of Hanley-Wood Exhibitions, a division of Hanley-Wood, LLC from its inception in January 2000 until June of 2009.
Poss was responsible for managing and growing the company's exhibition activities, which are concentrated in the building and construction industry.
During his tenure with Hanley Wood, the Exhibitions Division grew from one show and $11 million in revenue to seventeen events and over $70 million in revenues.
Poss will continue his current duties with dmg in addition to the new responsibilities with Drake Star Partners.
Prior to joining Hanley-Wood Exhibitions, Poss spent six years with the Dallas Division of Miller Freeman, Inc. in Dallas, Texas.
As group president, he had overall responsibility for the real estate, design, decorated apparel, sewn products, building, association management and equine markets, as well as the company's South American division and corporate exhibition central services.
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