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This Just In

Brad Weaber to Oversee SmithBucklin Trade Show Unit

HIL ANDERSON, SENIOR EDITOR

Washington, DC – Brad Weaber was placed in overall charge of event services at SmithBucklin effective January 7 as part of a consolidation of the company’s three trade show management units. Weaber was named executive vice president of events and will oversee SmithBucklin’s convention and trade show services departments in Washington, DC and Chicago as well as Courtesy Associates in Washington, DC.

The former Experient executive will keep his title as president of Courtesy Associates and continue to work in the Washington office. Leslie Thornton, managing director of Courtesy Associates, will run the day-to-day operations at Courtesy. Julie Silverstein remains president and COO and Dave Weil remains senior director of event services.

Lise Puckorius, senior vice president of event services/Chicago, and Cele Fogarty vice president, event services/Washington, DC, will remain in their respective positions. Michael Payne will continue in his role as executive vice president with responsibilities for operations, client management, government relations and SmithBucklin + Worldwide Partnership.

Henry Givray, chairman and CEO of SmithBucklin, said Weaber’s newly-created position would streamline operations and give the company’s purchasing power greater clout. “This is a natural move that will strengthen SmithBucklin’s service delivery to its client organizations,” he said.

While the current economic climate has resulted in a higher level of uncertainty for meeting planners and show organizers, Weaber sees the timing of the reorganization as opportune. “We are already seeing an uptick within our association partners,” he told Trade Show Executive. “We are at a point where associations can ask themselves, ‘If we wanted to start an event from scratch, what would it look like?’”

Weaber said associations and event organizers have been increasingly enthused about adding the social-media spice to their events, particularly as more seasoned executives get their arms around the technology and strategies used to develop online communities and make events year-round focal points. “When I use Facebook these days, the majority of the other people using it are over 40,” he said.

Weaber came to SmithBucklin and Courtesy Associates a year ago following 18 years at Experient, Inc./Conferon and earlier experience in the hotel industry.

Reach Brad Weaber at (202) 331-2000 or bweaber@smithbucklin.com

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