Showfloor Buzz – January 5, 2026

EACA News

In addition the EACA Board will meet on March 29, the day before the Expo Hall opens.   Please feel free to forward any issue of concern or opportunity that you’d like the Board to review and discuss at that meeting.

We encourage all our members to attend ExhibitorLive in Tampa and we look forward to seeing you there.

LVCC Announces January Parking Schedule.  Kevin Aivaz with LVCC has shared the LVCC parking schedule for January.     He has noted that there’s a limited amount of parking in Bronze and Platinum, as CES and WOC exhibits occupy the lots throughout January.   Please note that parking on-site during February and March will be even more limited due to Conexpo in all our lots.

EACA Member News

Exhibitor Advocate Honors Industry Leaders.    The Exhibitor Advocate recently announced the recipients of its inaugural Exemplary Service Award: Dominique Cook, Sue Huff, and Glenda Brungardt. These three outstanding leaders are recognized for their exceptional contributions and unwavering commitment to advancing the interests of trade show exhibitors.

For the past three years, The Exhibitor Advocate has worked to amplify the voice of exhibitors within the events industry. The Exhibitor Advocate Exemplary Service Award was established to honor individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to this mission through their volunteer efforts on the Advocate Council.

Dominique Cook. For a decade, between the dissolution of TSEA and the creation of The Exhibitor Advocate, Dominique’s unwavering commitment kept our group united and focused on advocacy. Her leadership during that time left a lasting impact on our organization and the industry at large. Dominique is a passionate lifelong learner, evidenced by her achievement of the prestigious CTSM Diamond designation. She doesn’t just acquire knowledge for herself; she is dedicated to creating peer-to-peer networking opportunities, ensuring that we can all learn from one another and share expertise. Her leadership has left a lasting impact on our organization and the industry.

 

Sue Huff is recognized for her outspoken advocacy, which has been a powerful force in championing the needs of exhibitors. Even before The Exhibitor Advocate was incorporated, Sue was unafraid to speak out. She understood that for exhibitors to succeed, they needed access to valuable information about how the industry operated. She knew that transparency was key to helping them navigate the challenges they faced. In many ways, Sue defined the core challenges that The Exhibitor Advocate works to address today. Her dedication helped lay the foundation for our mission and has been instrumental in shaping the vital work we do.

 

Glenda Brungardt is a true champion of our community. Her passion for openly sharing expertise and providing unparalleled education has elevated industry standards and empowered our community in ways that are hard to quantify. For more than three decades, Glenda has dedicated herself to mastering every facet of this industry. Yet, she makes it clear every single day that her primary goal is to impart that vast knowledge to her peers. She is singularly focused on making this industry work for exhibitors and sustaining all of us who touch it. She understands that by giving back, she makes the landscape better for every exhibitor. Glenda has been particularly dedicated to the critical issue of sustainability. She doesn’t just discuss the concept; she finds concrete ways to make what we do more sustainable. By sharing those best practices and creating actionable tools, she helps exhibitors understand how to activate sustainable strategies within their own roles. Her work leaves an invaluable and inspiring impact on us all.

“These three individuals have been instrumental in the development of our organization,” said Jessica Sibila, Executive Director of The Exhibitor Advocate. “Starting up a new association is no small task, and these award winners have dedicated immense time and energy to ensuring our success. We are truly grateful for their contributions.”

 

Industry News 

CEIR Q3 Index Reports Modest Decline <IAEE News> The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released its Q3 2025 Index Report, revealing a modest pullback for the exhibition industry as broader macroeconomic headwinds intensified during the quarter. The CEIR Total Index registered 11.1% below Q3 2019 levels, a negligible difference compared to Q3 2024, when a 10.7% shortfall was recorded.

In looking at historical patterns, since 2023, the third quarter has been the weakest performing quarter each year. The first half of 2025 produced comparatively solid results, and even with the recent dip, the industry remains in a healthier position than it was two years ago. This suggests while recovery has paused, the underlying trajectory remains intact, and the industry appears to be settling into a more stable, though subdued environment.

LVCC Renovation is Completed for CES.  <Las Vegas Review Journal>  The Las Vegas Convention Center’s $600 million renovation project was ready for January’s CES trade show and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority executives will celebrate its opening with a ribbon-cutting event Jan. 5.    The finishing touches were put on the renovation that upgrades the standards of three convention center halls to the level achieved at the $1 billion West Hall that opened in 2021.    Work crews completed grading and paving of traffic lanes in front of the lobby between the North and Central halls, installing bollards to protect pedestrians in that area and adding interior flourishes to the building as CES exhibits move in for one of the year’s busiest trade shows.

The completed renovation signals the first time the Convention Center will be able to use its full 2.5 million square feet of indoor exhibit space. The Las Vegas Convention Center is now the second largest in the country behind Chicago’s McCormick Place, but ahead of Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center by indoor exhibit space.

Newark Int’l Airport (EWR) Named Most Stressful Airport <Travel & Leisure>  When taking a trip, the flight is usually the least memorable part, but there is one airport in the United States that continually stresses out travelers.   New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) was ranked the world’s most stressful airport, according to a study that was shared with Travel + Leisure from iSelect, an Australian-based travel insurance comparison company. The study found the airport lacking when it came to the ease of getting there, discovered one of the worst baggage claim scores, and saw one of the highest rates of canceled departures.

Pantone Names Its Color of the Year for 2026 <CNN>  Capturing the cultural zeitgeist and trends for the year ahead is a tricky business. But every year, the Pantone Color Institute chooses a color to do precisely that. And it has settled on a shade of white, “Cloud Dancer,” as its Color of the Year for 2026.