Carlsbad, CA – Cindy Sample, operations director for Nielsen Expositions, will take over leadership of The NAMM Show as director of trade show operations for the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). Kevin Johnstone, former director of trade shows, left the association this Spring after 18 years.
The NAMM Show in Anaheim was ranked No. 28 on Trade Show Executive’s most recent Gold 100. This year, exhibit space grew 0.8% to 520,412 nsf, and attendance slipped slightly (1.9)% to 93,908. NAMM also organizes NAMM Russia and the NAMM Summer Show in July, which will be among the first events held at Nashville’s new Music City Center. NAMM will also launch its TEC Awards event in 2014.
“The NAMM Show is such a well-established event and I’m so grateful to be a part of it,” Sample said. “I look forward to this opportunity to help support the future of the industry through NAMM trade shows and events with continued innovation, process improvements, and exciting new events like the TEC Awards.”
For nearly two decades, Sample worked on Nielsen’s Gold 100-ranking shows including Outdoor Retailer, ASD, Interbike and many others.
Sample will have oversight of The NAMM Show and the planning of other events, including venue selection. “My focus will be to help bring the industry a show that they absolutely cannot miss,” she said.
Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM, said Sample, who was already based near NAMM’s Southern California headquarters, has developed the skill set to keep The NAMM Show a “must attend” event in the music industry and to expand the NAMM brand at the same time. “Cindy’s reputation as a creative, innovative and visionary professional, as well as her 18 years of trade show operations experience will bring real value to our global membership and the industry,” he said.
Nielsen had no immediate word on a replacement for Sample. The company was acquired this Spring by Onex Corporation for $950 million, but there has been no indication of any changes pending in the current Nielsen executive ranks.
Sample joins NAMM May 29.
Reach Cindy Sample at (760) 438-8001 or cindys@namm.org
