Oceanside, CA – In a city known for elegant events, Trade Show Executive aims to set Washington, DC on its heels as the industry’s most influential organizers gather October 3-5 at the 5-star Ritz-Carlton for TSE’s Fifth Annual Gold 100 Awards & Summit. The event will honor the biggest and best shows in the nation ranging from the triennial CONEXPO-CON/AGG, which willclaim the title as the largest of the mega-shows, to the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers Fair, which edged out other contenders to rank No. 100. The organizers of these and other Gold 100 shows are expected to be among the 200 exhibition industry stars at the event. [Scroll down below for a list of show organizers registered for the Gold 100 event as of September 21.]
Fifteen show organizers will take home a crystal trophy next week as Trade Show Executive also honors those who rose above the “best of the best” in key categories including “The Greatest Show on Earth,” “The Marketing Genius Award,” “The Best Use of Social Media,” “The Greenest Show,” and more. The winners will be announced next Thursday during a black tie awards dinner, the most anticipated and festive part of TSE’s Fifth Annual Gold 100 Awards & Summit.
“The 100 trade shows that make up the ‘Gold 100 Class of 2012’ made notable gains in exhibit space, exhibitors and attendees over the previous year, and outperformed TSE’s Composite Index of Trade Shows as well,” said Darlene Gudea, president of Trade Show Executive Media Group. “It is important to celebrate their victories not only in size and growth but also their remarkable achievements in innovation, social media practices, green initiatives, global participation and economic impact.”
Diane Bjorklund,Vice President of Events for Trade Show Executive Media Group, noted that registration for the Gold 100 Awards & Summit is tracking 18% higher than last year and nearing capacity. Only 10 registrations remain, she noted, and late registrants will be wait-listed. “The Gold 100 Gala is drawing many participants who never had the opportunity to attend before due to conflicts with the timing of their show or location. We are also very pleased that some new faces will be joining the event — the new leaders that have moved into executive roles with some Gold 100 shows and associations. We are looking forward to presenting the most dynamic Gold 100 event ever.”
The Gold 100 Summit
Keynote speaker Scott McKain, author, commentator and former CBS anchor, will get the creative juices flowing at the Gold 100 Summit with tips about how to develop differentiation and distinction in your marketplace — regardless of the economic climate. “In today’s Facebook/Twitter/social media world, a dissatisfied customer has a platform to broadcast his or her opinions about your show instantaneously to the world,” McKain said. “In this environment, it is even more important to create customer experiences that are so compelling, your customers’ loyalty is assured.”
Gary Shapiro, President & CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, will slice and dice the burning issues of the day with panelists Peter MacGillivray, VP of Events & Communications for SEMA; Roger Dow, President & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association; Kerry Gumas, President & CEO of Questex Media Group; and Britton Jones, President & CEO of Business Journals, Inc. With an outspoken audience of organizers in sectors such as automotive, medical, retail, food, technology and sports, this interactive session is sure to generate a variety of opinions about taxes and government regulations, travel policies, labor issues, the inadequate technology infrastructure at convention centers, and more.
What ideas can you adapt from leading consumer show organizers? Dynamic duo Rod Alberts, Executive Director of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), and Greg Topalian, Senior VP of Reed Exhibitions, and producer of NY Comic Con, will share their strategies for creating a continuous cycle of excitement and surprise to keep attendees coming back year after year.
David Ingemie, President of SnowSports Industries America (SIA), will be the guest of honor at Power Lunch, the live version of TSE Columnist Bob Dallmeyer’s monthly magazine feature of leaders and legends. Ingemie will trace his steps and core strategies for building the annual SIA Snow Show into a premier event in the snow sports sector.
The economy will be front and center in the upcoming presidential election, and TSE’s Exposition Forecasting Board will provide its own take on where the economy is headed in the Trending & Spending Forecast session. Panelists will share the latest economic data, forecasts from the recent CEIR Predict conference, trends with attendee registration and exhibitors, and TSE’s new Blue Chip Index of Trade Show Performance, patterned after the Dow Jones Industrial Index. Speakers include Darlene Gudea, President of Trade Show Executive Media Group; Frank Chow, Chief Economist, Trade Show Executive Media Group; Chris Brown, Executive VP, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and Chairman of CEIR; Aaron Bludworth, President & CEO of Fern Exposition & Event Services; and Pat Fallon, VP of Business Development for CompuSystems, Inc.
Jochen Witt, President of JWC in Köln, Germany, and a past Chairman of UFI, will moderate a panel on new business models that will challenge the conventional wisdom on established business practices. Joining him are panelists Nancy Walsh, Executive VP of Reed Exhibitions, and Gene Sanders, Senior VP of Trade Shows & Conferences for SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association.
In “Around the World in 45 Minutes,” Cherif Moujabber, President of Creative Expos & Conferences, will channel his “inner Phil Donahue” to facilitate audience interaction and draw out the most interesting strategies for boosting international attendance and exhibitor participation.
And the Winner Is….
During the Gold 100 awards dinner, the Gold 100 sponsors will “open the envelopes” and present the Gold Grand Awards, honoring organizers in 15 categories, including the largest show; the show with the highest global participation; the show generating the highest economic impact; the “Marketing Genius Award;” the “Greatest Show on Earth;” and others. [Check out the full agenda for the Gold 100 Awards & Summit at www.tradeshowexecutive.com]
Registration is complimentary to Gold 100 honorees. Other attendees that may register include C-level executives, group show managers, show directors and other VIPs from independent organizers and associations. TSE is holding a few discounted hotel rooms for late registrants.
For more information, contact Darlene Gudea at (760) 889-8585 or dgudea@tradeshowexecutive.com or Diane Bjorklund at (630) 312-8915 or dbjorklund@tradeshowexecutive.com
Who’s Coming to the Gold Gala? [Note: this list excludes sponsors and staff]
Rod
Alberts
Executive Director
Detroit Auto Dealers Association
Kim
Althoff
Director of Conventions & Meetings
ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America
David
Audrain
President & CEO
Clarion Events North America Inc.
Charlie
Baisley
Show Director
Nielsen Expositions Military Group
Marian
Bossard
VP Meetings & Events
Toy Industry Association, Inc.
Jim
Bracken
Show Director Emeritus
Nielsen Expositions Military Group
Howard
Britt
President & CEO
Premiere Show Group
Stefanie
Brown
Senior Director, Conferences
American Wind Energy Association
Chris
Brown
Executive VP, Conventions
National Association of Broadcasters
Rochelle
Burt
Vice President
LIGHTFAIR International
Tony
Calanca
Executive VP, Exhibitions
Advanstar Communications Inc.
Lori
Campbell
Senior Director, Sales & Marketing
Solar Energy Trade Shows, LLC
Thomas
Carbott
Senior VP of Exhibitions
Material Handling Industry of America
Margaret
Cassilly
VP, International Programs
National Association of Broadcasters
Karen
Chupka
Senior VP, Events & Conferences
Consumer Electronics Association
Dan
Cole
VP, Sales & Business Development
Consumer Electronics Association
Darel
Cook
Director of Expositions
Promotional Products Assn. Intl.
Andrew
Darmohraj
Senior VP
American Pet Products Assn.
Kara
Dickerson
Senior Director, Events
Consumer Electronics Association
Roger
Dow
President & CEO
U.S. Travel Association
David
DuBois
President
Intl. Assn. of Exhibitions & Events
Doug
Ducate
President & CEO
Center for Exhibition Industry Research
Tara
Dunion
Senior Director, Event Communications
Consumer Electronics Association
Sharon
Enright
VP, Tradeshow Division
Business Journals, Inc.
Karin
Fendrich
COO
National Trade Productions, Inc.
Claudia
Flowers
Vice President
ABM
Leslie
Gallin
VP of Footwear, FN PLATFORM [MAGIC]
Advanstar Communications Inc.
Tracy
Garcia
Director of Exhibits
Institute of Food Technologists
Kerry
Gumas
President & CEO
Questex Media Group
Robert
Harar
Chairman & CEO
National Trade Productions, Inc.
Kimberly
Hardcastle
President
Marketing Design Group
Tracy
Harris
VP, Expositions
Advanstar Communications Inc.
Brandon
Hensley
VP, Trade Show & Marketing
International Sign Association
Cindy
Hoag
Senior Director, CES Projects
Consumer Electronics Association
David
Ingemie
President
SnowSports Industries America
Britton
Jones
President & CEO
Business Journals, Inc.
Carter
Keithley
President
Toy Industry Association, Inc.
Edward J.
Krause
President & CEO
E.J. Krause & Associates
Patrick
Langdon
Senior Manager, Exhibit Sales & Marketing
Solar Energy Trade Shows, LLC
Susan
Littleton
VP, Marketing
Consumer Electronics Association
David
Loechner
President
Nielsen Expositions
Laurie
Lutz
VP, CES Operations
Consumer Electronics Association
Robbi
Lycett
VP, Conventions
Biotechnology Industry Organization
Peter
MacGillivray
VP, Events & Communications
Specialty Equipment Market Assn.
Iain
Mackenzie
Director, Meetings & Events
International Sign Association
Tony
Maiorino
VP, Meetings & Conventions
Scherago International
Ken
McAvoy
Senior VP
Reed Exhibitions
Christopher
McCabe
Senior VP
Nielsen Expositions
Rick
McConnell
President
Hanley Wood Exhibitions
Charlie
McCurdy
CEO
GLM
Jason
McGraw
Senior VP of Expositions
InfoComm International
Tim
McGuinness
Staff VP, Global Trade Expositions
Intl. Council of Shopping Centers
Philip
McKay
President & CEO
nGage Events, LLC
Bob
McLean
Executive VP
Promotional Products Assn. Intl.
Meg
Meyer
VP, Marketing
National Assn. of Home Builders
JoAnn
Miller Marshall
Executive VP
LIGHTFAIR International
Gail
Mutnik
Director of Meetings
American Assn. for Clinical Chemistry
Chris
Nemchek
VP, Exhibition Management
Natl. Assn. for the Specialty Food Trade
Stephen
Pitt
VP Conventions & Expositions
National Automobile Dealers Assn.
Jim
Pittas
VP of Trade Shows
PMMI/PACK EXPO
Vinnie
Polito
President
VP International
Jeff
Portman, Sr.
President & COO
AMC, Inc.
Gene
Sanders
Senior VP
SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Assn.
David
Seckman
President & CEO
Food Processing Suppliers Assn.
Warren
Sellers
Director
GIE+EXPO
Gary
Shapiro
President & CEO
Consumer Electronics Association
Tom
Shimala
Director of Technical Exhibits
Radiological Soc. of North America
Dennis
Slater
President
Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers
John
Starkey
President
U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
Ryan
Strowger
VP, Exhibitions, Conferences & Sales
IAAPA
Megan
Tanel
VP of Exhibitions & Events
Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers
John J.
Toner V.
VP, Convention & Industry Relations
United Fresh Produce Association
Greg
Topalian
Senior VP
Reed Exhibitions
Brian
Tully
Principal
Brian Tully & Associates
Mike
Turnbull
Senior VP, Strategic Relations
LIGHTFAIR International
Sandy
Voss
President of Exhibitions
Penton Media
Nancy
Walsh
Executive VP
Reed Exhibitions
Jochen
Witt
President & CEO
JWC
Jim
Wulfekuhle
Director of Marketing
International Woodworking Fair
