Pri-Med Appoints Melinda Lindquist as Director of Continuing Medical Education and Accreditation alt
May 25, 2014
 Pri-Med, the leading provider of professional medical education to a community of more than 260,000 clinicians, named Melinda Lindquist as director of continuing medical education (CME) and accreditation for pmiCME. pmiCME is the accreditation division of DBC Pri-Med, LLC.  In her new role, Lindquist will help lead Pri-Med’s collaborations with medical schools and associations nationwide to build CME curriculums that are tailored specifically to improve patient outcomes. “We are thrilled to welcome Melinda to our team as we continue to build out the next phase of… more
CEIR’s Brian Casey Unveils Trade Show Industry Trends alt
May 24, 2014
At the recent Shepard Exhibition Services’ three-day client event, Sandbox, which recently was held in Atlanta, Brian Casey, the president and CEO of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, presented trade show industry trends occurring now and into the future on the final day. Casey began his session by talking through the latest CEIR Index Report numbers, which tracks the overall health of the trade show industry by looking at 14 different industry sectors. The good news is; the industry still is growing, albeit at a slow and steady pace. Casey then broke down the trends into… more
Commercial Real Estate Show RECon Continues to Climb Out of Recession alt
May 21, 2014
Focused and busy would be one way to describe the vibe at RECon 2014, a trade show and conference for retail real estate that took place May 18-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Spanning approximately 1 million square feet, it featured about 1,100 exhibitors and brought together 33,500 industry professionals who were ready to capitalize on the improving real estate market. While square footage remained the same as last year, attendance and exhibitor count saw a slight uptick. “During the recession, the bottom fell out, and since then, it’s been a steady climb for us that… more
Brisk Traffic Reported at This Year’s ASAE Springtime Expo in D.C.  alt
May 20, 2014
Just less than 1,500 meetings professionals attended American Society of Association Executive’s annual Springtime Expo at the Walter E. Washington (D.C.) Convention Center May 15, with both attendees and exhibitors reporting strong activity on the showfloor.  Springtime is the largest one-day trade show in the meetings and events industry. “Traffic was excellent and exceeded our expectations,” according to the Rose Bowl’s Jens Weiden, who participated with the Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau.  “When I was walking around the showfloor, booths… more
May 18, 2014
John J. Toner V, vice president, convention and industry relations at United Fresh Produce Association, may spend up to 100 days on the road every year promoting his organization and its trade show, but the time on planes, in hotels and on showfloors is worth the return on investment. “The trade show is the primary revenue generator here and (promoting the show on the road) is the only way I know how to really drive revenue,” Toner said. He added, “I can sit here in D.C. until I am blue in the face sending e-mails or even have people cold call, but it’s not the same.… more
May 17, 2014
Hosting not only 58 world leaders, but also 5,000 other delegates and 3,000 journalists took about 2,000 employees, 8,000 military staff and 13,000 police when the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) 2014 was held March 24-25 in the World Forum at The Hague, Netherlands. Besides all of the support personnel, the event  - organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – took a plethora of other entities to plan and run successfully, such as The Hague Convention Bureau, Tourist Information Office, Schiphol Airport, Ministry of Defense and the National Coordinator for Security and… more
Two Retail-minded Shows Set to Debut in New York’s Javits Center CC alt
May 15, 2014
New York City is one of the global epicenters of retail and fashion and two new shows, one geared towards enhancing a company’s brand and the other serving the women’s luxury apparel market, are set to launch in the Big Apple. Emerald Expositions, through its IR Events Group division, is launching IRCE Focus: Brands & B2B May 18-20 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. At the show, attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with their peers, hear from industry-leading experts who are trailblazers in the business-to-business and business-to-consumer arenas, and… more
May 14, 2014
For the fifth year in row, Trade Show News Network is holding its prestigious and original TSNN Awards program that honors the top fastest-growing shows in attendance and net square footage Nov. 14-16 in Cleveland, Ohio. The list of 50 shows that will be feted during the three-day, celebration-filled weekend can be found below and HERE. “The Top 50 fastest-growing show winners were chosen by their show’s growth rate between 2011-2013 in attendance and net square footage,” said TSNN President and Editor-in-Chief Rachel Wimberly. She added, “We are really excited to fete… more
May 12, 2014
With 23 years of hospitality and tourism experience under his belt, Ronnie Burt has been tapped as the new president and CEO of the Kansas City (Mo.) Convention & Visitors Association. Burt’s most recent position was vice president of sales and marketing for Destination DC, the bureau for the Washington, D.C., market. "The search committee was pleased that an extensive search for a new president and CEO yielded numerous qualified candidates,” said Brenda Tinnen, KCCVA Chair and general manager and senior vice president of AEG/Sprint Center. She added, “Ronnie’… more
Housewares Show Gives Back to Five Chicago-based Charities alt
May 12, 2014
When the International Home + Housewares Show packed up at the end of their show, held March 15-18 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, they encouraged their exhibitors to donate products to five local charities.   At this year’s show, 225 exhibitors took part in the donation program, a 29 percent increase, compared with donations the previous year. The charities use the products for various activities, ranging from auction items at their annual fundraising galas to merchandise in their resale shops. Charities participating in the product donation program this year were: Cystic… more
Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact