Showfloor Buzz – November 1, 2026

EACA News

EACA Board to Meet @ ACCESS.  The EACA has scheduled its annual end of year meeting to address updates on current EACA initiatives but also to elect new Directors to the EACA Board.    There are 2 Directors positions that are open to a member whose company doesn’t currently have a seat on the Board.   If you would like your name to be considered for the Board’s vote at ACCESS on December 1 please email [email protected].

EACA’s “Event Community in Your Pocket”.   The EACA announces launching the EACA App, a new mobile platform designed to put the power of the event community directly into the hands of the people who make events happen.  The idea behind the app is simple – What if you could put the event community in your pocket?   

For exhibitors and event professionals, some of the most difficult challenges happen at the worst possible time—during show setup.   Something is missing. An unexpected problem develops. A local resource is needed. Or someone simply needs advice from a person who has dealt with the same situation before.  The EACA App provides a new way to ask for help.   Read More.

EACA Member News

EDPA Great Lakes Supports Reid Sherwood  EDPA Great Lakes has announced that this year’s funds will benefit our friend, colleague, and industry veteran, Reid Sherwood.

To know Reid is to love Reid — and that’s exactly why the EDPA Great Lakes Chapter has named Reid Sherwood our 2026 Kingpin recipient.  Without getting too far into the details, Reid experienced some significant health challenges beginning in December 2025, including two lengthy hospital stays of more than 10 days each, along with countless appointments with specialists. His road to recovery isn’t quite finished, but thankfully, he is moving in the right direction — and that’s what matters most.

While insurance has helped cover a significant portion of the expenses, it hasn’t covered everything. And as anyone who knows Reid can attest, he is far more comfortable helping others than asking for help himself.   So, naturally, they have decided to ignore that particular Reid rule.   They’re asking our friends, colleagues, and industry family to come together and help support someone who has spent a career supporting others. Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ease some of the financial burden and remind Reid that he has an entire community standing behind him.  Reid is a great friend, a true industry veteran, and, most importantly, a genuinely great human being. He has given a lot to our industry and to the people around him. Now it’s our turn to give a little back.

Obermeyer Wrap Up Article on The Randy.    If you missed the 2026 Randy at Chateau Elan you missed one of the best events ever in The Randy’s 32 year history.   To learn more about how the industry’s largest charity event brings our community together be sure to read Jim Obermeyer’s article in Exhibit City News.   

Las Vegas Parking for October.   The LVCC has shared its PARKING PLAN for November.   Please share with your work crews.

In the Corner Office With Pat Alacqua
Pat Alacqua had a very successful career as founder and executive with I&D/Nth Degree.   This new Buzz section shares insights he learned on the job.

When the Show Gets a New Owner Who Speaks for the Floor? <Exhibit City News>

It’s move-in day. The hall lights are halfway up. A forklift is beeping somewhere behind a wall of crates, and your crew lead is walking the aisle with a floor plan in one hand and a coffee in the other.  Someone from show management stops by, the same person who’s stopped by for years. The two of you sort out a power drop before the exhibitor’s flight even lands.   That small exchange is how a lot of this industry has worked. People who know each other, solving problems on the floor before they become the exhibitor’s problem.

Now picture that same morning two years from now. Same hall. Same show. A new owner at the top, new policies coming down, and maybe a different name on the badge of the person walking toward you.

If you lead a company that serves exhibitors, you may have caught yourself wondering about some version of that over the past few months.

• Will the people I’ve worked with at this show for years still be there?
• Will decisions about my work get made by someone who’s never walked this floor?
• Will someone who’s never seen my work decide what my rates should be?
• Am I big enough to matter to them anymore? Should I be thinking about selling?

Those questions don’t tend to come up in a meeting. They come up on the drive home.  Read more