Emerald Expositions Acquires Digital Dealer Conference & Expo

October 11, 2016

Emerald Expositions continues its acquisition streak with the buy of the Digital Dealer Conference & Expo from Dealer Communications.

“This acquisition is truly a great fit for our business,” said Darrell Denny, Executive Vice President of Emerald Expositions.

He added, “Just as our IRCE (Internet Retailer) events serve the broader retail community with best-in-class e-commerce education and a strong expo platform, the Digital Dealer events provide the same formula for the thousands of owners, managers and employees at car dealerships in North America. With Internet auto sales being one of the fastest growing segments within the automotive industry, we’re pleased to expand the Emerald portfolio of markets into the world of e-commerce solutions for retail dealerships.”

Digital Dealer Conference & Expo is the retail automotive industry’s leading digital strategy conference and trade show focused on introducing, exploring and implementing the various digital components required to engage today’s modern automotive customer.

Twice a year, this three-day conference and exposition attracts more than 1,000 dealers and managers and over 100 exhibiting companies.

The next national expo will be hald in April in Tampa, Fla. 

The company also produces regional workshops that augment the national expos. These events are known for providing the most progressive educational content focusing on digital business building tools, according to show management.

Emerald also is acquiring Dealer Magazine, the complementary magazine for franchised automotive dealership owners and managers from small single point stores to the largest multidealership groups and public companies.

“While I’m so proud of where we’ve taken the Digital Dealer Conference & Expo and Dealer Magazine over the years, I know that the Emerald team has the capability to take the businesses to the next level,” said Michael Roscoe, owner and CEO of Dealer Communications. “

He added, “There is substantial opportunity for the show to grow and prosper under a leading group like Emerald, and I’m confident our attendees and exhibitors will start to see the benefits very quickly.”

Dealer Communications’ team will join the Emerald organization, and Roscoe will remain as a consultant to the Emerald team, according to Denny.

In August, Emerald also scooped up a few more trade shows with the acquisition of the Swim Collective and Active Collective events from their founder Shannon Leggett.  

Corporate Solutions, LLC of Westport, Conn., was the exclusive advisor to Dealer Communications in arranging and negotiating this transaction. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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