ST. LOUIS —Ungerboeck, a trade show industry leading event and venue management software company, announced the passing of Co-founder Dieter K. Ungerboeck Aug. 16 at the age of 80.
Dieter and his late wife Catherine co-founded Ungerboeck Systems, Inc. (USI); Catherine led software development and Dieter headed up client relations. Dieter’s vision was to create a single software system connecting all event stakeholders and easing financials for businesses. The company gained recognition with its Event Business Management Software (EBMS) in 1989.
“The event software industry has lost a pioneer, but the trend of using technology to drive events will continue, and for that this industry will be forever grateful to Dieter,” Manish Chandak, President and CEO of Ungerboeck, said. “His legacy lives on in most large event spaces across the world.”
Over the next three decades, USI grew and evolved into one of the most prominent brands in the event industry. In 2021, Ungerboeck acquired Event booking, Priava, ShoWorks, and Risk Sense Technologies, integrating the products and teams into the Ungerboeck family. Ungerboeck currently serves customers in more than 50 countries and employs almost 500 people in the U.S.
Related. Ungerboeck Launches Fully Integrated Payment System for Events Businesses
Dieter, who was born in Vienna, moved to St. Louis in his 20s and went on to raise a family and found two companies in his adopted hometown.
“Dieter built an incredible business,” Steve Mackenzie, Ungerboeck Executive Vice President, said. “He had amazing vision for this industry and could predict where technology needed to go to suit the market. His whole concept of one unified system from booking to balance sheet was fundamental to the way the product evolved. Dieter was a true pioneer in the event management industry and very passionate about building a global business in the city he loved, St. Louis.”
Though Dieter retired from Ungerboeck in 2009, went on to found the Ozark Yacht Club in Lake Ozark, Mo., that same year.
“He built a very successful marina business when he was supposedly ‘retired,’” Mackenzie said. “But that was Dieter. He could never sit still. I know he would want us all to remember him as someone who cared deeply about his family, his business, and his sailing – probably in that order.”
Reach Manish Chandak at manish.chandak@ungerboeck.com; Steve Mackenzie at steve.mackenzie@ungerboeck.com
