Showfloor Buzz – June 30, 2022

EACA News

EACA Publishes Updated Billing & Collections Best Practice. The EACA recognizes that its members have a need to be vigilant about billing & collections practices in the trade show industry, particularly after industry slowdowns and shutdowns.   In 2022, there is no greater time for this vigilance as we emerge from the COVID pandemic.    The first version of this Best Practice was published after 9/11 and the resulting industry shutdown.  It was updated again after the recession of 2008.

The EACA Executive Committee of 2022 formed an Ad Hoc Committee and have reviewed, modified and published the 2022 Billing & Collections Best Practice.

Upcoming CBA Renewal Dates.    There are a number of CBAs up for renewal through the rest of 2022.    Please be sure to contact the local in question where you’re signatory if you haven’t received the request for a re-opener letter.   Please note that the EACA is willing and interested to help coordinate the EAC bargaining team.

  • Miami                                                   IUPAT District Council 78                         Expires 8/31
  • Anaheim/SoCal                                    IUPAT Local 831                                      Expires 8/31
  • Denver                                                 IATSE Local 7                                          Expires 8/31

Please reach out to Jim Wurm ([email protected]) for any local agreement where you would like to volunteer to be involved.

EAC Registration Schedule. EACA is supporting the following events with our EAC registration services:

  • Black Hat                                              Aug. 10-11                               Las Vegas / Mandalay Bay
  • IBIE                                                      Sept 18-21                               Las Vegas / LVCC
  • WEFTEC                                              Oct  10-12                                New Orleans
Save These Dates for the RSMGC. The RSMGC Board has announced the dates for their charity events in 2022.   All EACA members and industry colleagues are encouraged to note the following on their calendars as we endeavor to provide assistance to our colleagues who have suffered personal or family tragedies:
  • Chicago Randy                                           Aug 1, 2022                       Seven Bridges Golf Course, Woodridge, IL
  • Get Out of the Gutter                                   Aug 18, 2022                     Bowlmor, Atlanta, GA
  • Atlanta Randy                                              Oct 7, 2022                        Stone Mountain Golf Course, Stone Mountain, GA

EACA and Employco USA Hosted Reception at ExhibitorLive.   The EACA extends its thanks to Employco USA and all the members who joined us for a reception at ExhibitorLive on June 21 when the show closed for the day.   Convening at a private space in the Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay those in attendance enjoyed the ability to connect once again with their industry colleagues and took part in good conversations, an assortment of passed hors d’oeuvres and adult beverages.

EACA Member News

Kevin Trainer is Condit Exhibits new President <Exhibit City News>  Condit Exhibits is excited to announce the promotion of Kevin Trainor to president. Kevin recently celebrated his 25th anniversary with the company; hired first as a designer, later advancing to design director, and for the last three years, serving as president of the Chicago division. He brings a wealth of design experience coupled with expertise in sales, marketing, and business development to his new role as Condit’s president. Since the 2019 acquisition of the Chicago facility, Kevin has been instrumental in leading that location, first through the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently to record levels of growth in revenue, staffing, and clientele as well as significant diversification toward new vertical markets. Condit looks forward to him bringing the same level of energy, experience, and confidence to the entire enterprise.

In other news, Condit’s Chicago office welcomed Rick Flood as director of 0perations for their Midwestern facility in early May. With more than 20 years in the events and exhibitions industry, including positions at 2020 Exhibits and Skyline, Rick brings a strong network as well as a wealth of information and experience to his new role at Condit.

Employco USA Provides Info on Minimum Wage Changes    Several state and local governments have set the minimum wage to increase effective July 1, 2022.    See Report.

States with increases: California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Washington DC.

CCC is EACA’s Newest Affinity Partner. EACA recently signed an agreement with Commercial Collection Corp. of NY(CCC) to provide discounted collection services to our members.   Not only will CCC provide collection services to EACA members but they will also provide credit check services to members on new or existing accounts.  Best of all, the main contact at CCC is well known to many members who have worked with Lisa Puckett in the past.   If you have an account that you’d like to check on their credit worthiness, or if you have a collection you’d like to place with CCC you can reach Lisa by email at [email protected].

Industry News

Exhibitor Media Group Acquired by Mark Johnson of The Star Groupe.   <TSNN> Mark Johnson, chairman and CEO of Minneapolis-based The STAR Groupe, has acquired leading trade show and corporate event marketing education company Exhibitor Media Group, publisher of the award-winning EXHIBITOR magazine and producer of EXHIBITORLIVE, the national conference and exhibition for trade show and corporate event marketers.

As far as the near future of plans with the show, he said EXHIBITORLIVE may not run in 2023, instead possibly partner with Euroshop, and then return to Las Vegas in 2024.

“We want to move (the show) out of the the first quarter (overall),” Johnson added.

Workers Protest Hynes Sale.  <Boston.com>  Wearing red shirts and carrying signs, members of UNITE HERE Local 26 recently marched from Copley Square to the Hynes Convention Center to protest Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposal to sell the landmark.

Protesters argued that the potential loss of a large meeting space in the Back Bay, which they say has fueled the local hospitality economy for decades, would devastate workers in the community.