EACA News
EACA Board Meets at EDPA ACCESS – Elects New Directors. The EACA Board met in Bonita Springs, FL at EDPA ACCESS on Wednesday, November 29 to review results from 2023 and make plans for 2024. The 2024 budget was approved and elections were held to renew/replace 3 Board Directors, and to approve the Officers for the coming year. Here is the make-up of the EACA Board for 2024.
President Durl Jensen, CDI USA
Vice President Rick Bellerjeau, Momentum Management
Treasurer Matthew Little, Nuvista
Secretary Bob Dobinski, Corporate Events I&D
Immediate Past President Ben Power, Nth Degree
Executive Director Jim Wurm, EACA
Directors Elected to New 5 Year Terms
Bill Muller, Nth Degree
Patrick Lancaster, Lancaster Management
Steve Riches, Laguna Displays
Directors Continuing on Board
April Hurley, The Expo Group
Bruce Green, Coastal International
Chris Casconi, Willwork
Jason Eisenhut, Employco USA
John O’Shea, Czarnowski
Noelle Webster, Willwork
Scott Roemer, Eagle Management
EACA Services RSNA in Chicago. EACA serviced RSNA for the 19th time in Chicago this year.
“The new hanging sign/tie off safety initiative for exhibitors added to the challenge of communicating with exhibitors and their EACs a this year’s show,” said Jim Wurm, EACA Executive Director who was onsite at NBAA. “We worked with facility management, Freeman, and all onsite contractors in a collaborative fashion to make it work,” said Wurm.
EACA Unveils New Job Board. There is a new Job Board on the EACA web site to assist members identify, locate and hire key personnel needed for company growth. Features of this new Job Board include email alerts to job seekers when new jobs are posted to the site. Employers can also have their listing prioritized and advertised.
One piece of important advice from our friends and EACA member, Employco USA. All job listings must begin to include pay ranges for the position posted.
Check out the new Job Board at https://eaca.careerwebsite.com/
EAC Registration Schedule EACA is supporting the following events with our EAC registration services:
Winter Fancy Foods Jan. 21-23 Las Vegas
The Plastics Show May 6-10 Orlando
BIO Int’l Show June 3-6 San Diego
EACA Member News
Sandra Braun, Nth Degree Wins EDPA Ambassador Award. The EACA congratulates Sandra Braun on being the 2023 recipient of the prestigious EDPA Ambassador Award. Sandra leads the EDPA SE Chapter and organizes the annual Get Out of the Gutter on behalf of The Randy.
Additionally, Sandra has been one of the leaders and key members of the Board of the annual Randy which has provided emotional and financial support for more than 200 exhibit industry families over the past 29 years. As those that work with Sandra know if something needs to get done be sure that Sandra has her hands on the wheel.
Exhibit City News Celebrates 30 Year Anniversary <Exhibit City News> In an era when the tradeshow industry was still finding its voice, Don Svehla was already shaping its narrative. Three decades later, Svehla’s creation, Exhibit City News, continues to be the paramount print and digital news resource since its inception in 1994.
“My vision was always to celebrate the people and companies behind the scenes,” explains Svehla, Founder & Publisher of ECN. “We are ‘True to the Trade,’ capturing stories about news makers from various sectors like labor, general contracting, shipping, exhibit-event agencies, talent, hospitality, and beyond. It’s a vast network of independent and interdependent specializations that converge to bring events to life.” Exhibit City News has transformed from its modest origins as an eight-page newsletter, born from Svehla’s insights gained while working as an I&D worker at McCormick Place, Chicago.
ECN also recently announced a strategic partnership with The Experience Builders Podcast. This collaboration aims to deliver high-value business content to companies and small businesses operating within the dynamic event space. “We are excited to join forces with Exhibit City News to amplify our reach and impact within the trade show and event community,” said Chris Griffin, founder and President of www.Crewxp.com, the producer of The Experience Builders Podcast. Griffin is also the incoming President of the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA). “This collaboration enables us to share valuable content and stories that inspire and inform professionals in the industry, ultimately contributing to their continued success.”
CORT Events Announces Leadership Moves <Exhibit City News> Gearing up for a busy trade show season in 2024, CORT Events is pleased to announce two important leadership moves with the promotions of Derek Argo and Sarah Mainhart.
Derek Argo, now the Strategic Business Development Manager, brings an extensive background working with the company’s General Contractor and Exhibit House partners. In his 20-year tenure at CORT, he has consistently demonstrated leadership skills in various roles, including his recent position as a strategic account manager.
Sarah Mainhart, the newly appointed National Trade Show Manager, will leverage her in-depth understanding of General Contractor and Exhibit House partnerships from her prior role. She is poised to expand CORT Events’ presence and revenue in these segments. Sarah’s expertise, collaborative spirit, and business skills will undoubtedly contribute significantly to the company’s success.
Freeman Names Janet Dell as CEO. <TSNN> Freeman has revealed its CEO succession plan. Janet Dell, currently serving as the company’s president and COO, is set to step into the role of CEO, effective July 1, 2024, succeeding Bob Priest-Heck, who will retire after a remarkable 15-year tenure. Priest-Heck will continue as a member of Freeman’s board of directors.
Industry News
Marsha Flanagan to Lead IAEE <TSNN> IAEE has tapped Marsha Flanagan to serve as its newest president and CEO. She takes the helm on Dec. 1, just before Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting and Exhibition opens on Dec. 5 in Dallas.
Focused on leading innovative strategies and fostering purposeful collaborations, Flanagan will lead IAEE into its next era of service to the global exhibitions and events industry while upholding the association’s core pillars of advocacy, sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, according to IAEE officials.
In her previous role as IAEE’s senior vice president of events and learning experiences, Flanagan spearheaded all events and learning initiatives, overseeing leading industry designations including Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM), Certified in Exhibition Management – Advanced Professional (CEM-AP) and CEM Fellow (CEM-F).
EventWorks and Quest Events Merge. EventWorks, the Southeast’s premier event rental provider, and Quest Events, the nation’s leading drape and scenic elements provider, proudly unveil their strategic combination, marking a significant milestone in the event industry. The merger brings together two esteemed organizations to fortify strengths, broaden reach and deliver an unparalleled full-service experience to event professionals. EventWorks and Quest Events will seamlessly integrate their offerings, providing expanded selection and services to a broad clientele across multiple locations.
“The merger enhances our capabilities in a growing number of markets and allows us to provide an expanded service and product selection to our clients, offering an experience unlike any other in the event industry!” stated Lee Dunlap, Founder and CEO of Quest Events.
ECA and IFES Partner on Global Education & Advocacy <TSNN> The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) and International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) are partnering to collaborate on educational efforts, issue and policy forums, advocacy support and other joint opportunities to serve the needs of the broader community.
Based in Washington, DC, ECA is a coalition of professional, industry and labor organizations dedicated to the advancement of the face-to-face business events industry while IFES, based in Brussels, is a global association with national associations and individual member companies, active in the design, conception, production and services used at exhibitions.
IFES President Phillipe Beille, who is also president of modular exhibition and display company DUO, said, “Together, we will raise awareness of the exhibition and events industry through a single, powerful voice. At IFES, we believe in the strength of working together and recognize that partnerships like this one can help more people understand how valuable our industry is. We’re looking forward to what this partnership will bring and how it will help us make a bigger impact.”
ECA Vice President Tommy Goodwin said that ECA is looking forward to working with IFES and its international members to share best practices and identify solutions that could be brought to policymakers in support of the industry’s advancement in the U.S. and globally.
Star Group Acquires Exhibit Edge <Exhibitor> STAR Group, a leader in experiential marketing and trade show exhibits, announces the acquisition of Exhibit Edge, a prominent exhibition and events company based in Washington, DC. This acquisition is a key next step in STAR’s ongoing business and growth strategy, further solidifying its position as a top-tier industry leader.