Oct 02, 2024
CompuSystems, a registration and lead-retrieval provider for a number of the largest U.S. trade show organizers, is back online after taking its systems offline in response to a network disruption, impacting major trade shows like SEMA, AAPEX, and PRI. These show organizers alerted their exhibitors and attendees about the outage via their websites.
CompuSystems acknowledged the disruption on its website: “We have identified a network disruption that is affecting some of our systems.”
We reached out to CompuSystems with several questions about when the disruption started, what shows are… more
Oct 02, 2024
UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, is welcoming a new CEO on Jan. 1: Chris Skeith, OBE, who is the current CEO of the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), an association for organizers of trade and consumer events in the UK, which he has led for 10 years. He will assume the UFI helm from Kai Hattendorf, who has served as the organization’s CEO since 2015.
With his extensive events industry leadership experience and excellent business track record, Skeith is uniquely qualified to take on UFI’s CEO role, said UFI President Geoff Dickinson.
Context: UFI directly… more
Oct 01, 2024
Ask most trade show industry professionals why they chose their line of work, and most will tell you that they “fell into” the business rather than intentionally chose it as a profession. Jenn Heinold is no exception to this story. After graduating with a journalism degree with the intention of becoming a newspaper reporter, Heinold’s first job out of college was at a local non-profit handling media relations for her hometown of Cape May, NJ, where she still lives to this day. A National Historic Landmark city, Cape May hosts numerous events for visitors and locals such as Food & Wine… more
Sep 30, 2024
As the flagship event produced by global B2B e-commerce platform Alibaba.com, Alibaba CoCreate bought together more than 2,000 e-commerce and supply chain industry experts, celebrity entrepreneurs, Alibaba.com users, manufacturers, and small to mid-sized e-commerce businesses to explore current trends, including the new developments in artificial intelligence (AI) that are driving the e-commerce space. The Chinese technology company’s event grew attendance by 53.8% year-on-year. For the quarter that ended June 30, Alibaba generated revenues of $33.5 billion--a 4% year-over-year increase. … more
Sep 27, 2024
The top three global exhibition organizers by 2023 revenue remain unchanged from 2022, with Informa and RX holding firmly onto the first and second spots while Clarion maintained its presence in third place, according to the annual Top 20 Ranking of Exhibition Organizers released by Stax on Sept. 6.
The combined 2023 revenue from the Top 20 increased 51% compared to the previous year, a clear sign of the continuing recovery of the industry in 2023, according to Stax. Most organizers achieved double-digit growth, except for a few of the European organizers due to biennial show cycles. … more
Sep 26, 2024
Making a big impact with a smaller exhibit space can be a formidable challenge. Recently, we discussed a solution for this challenge with MaryBeth Gieser, account director at Hamilton Exhibits, an experiential and event marketing agency with a 75-year legacy.
Our conversation centered around the iNTERFACEWARE booth at the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition, held March 11-15 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
The project exemplified a masterful balance of innovative design, digital integration, and strategic planning. Here are highlights from our… more
Sep 25, 2024
Selling an events business is one of the most significant and complex decisions a trade show industry entrepreneur can face, particularly after investing years of passion, creativity, and hard work into building an event that deliver value to attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and stakeholders.
Whether one is the founder of a trade show, conference series, or virtual events platform, the event sale process requires careful planning, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of the industry’s unique challenges to maximize value and ensure continued success under new ownership.
To assist… more
Sep 24, 2024
Creativity might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of convention centers, known for their cavernous, utilitarian spaces. But these meeting meccas have long promoted public artwork. In the last decade especially, convention center designs have aimed to be more than just functional and now strive to inspire and reflect cultural values. Their expansive lobbies, atriums, and outdoor plazas also make prime locations for large-scale works. Below, we highlight a few standout pieces and collections from convention centers around North America, from British Columbia to Miami.… more
Sep 23, 2024
IMTS, the International Manufacturing Technology Show returned Sept. 9-14 to McCormick Place for its biennial five-day conference and trade show that brought 1,700 exhibiting companies and 89,020 registrants to Chicago. Attendance was up from 86,307 registrants while exhibiting companies were down from 1,816 for its last show in 2022, according to IMTS data.
In its 97th year, the show—originally called the International Machine Tool Show until 1990—has been calling the iconic Chicago venue its home since 1972, when it only occupied the first floor of Windy City convention center, back when… more
Sep 23, 2024
Sponsored by Visit Tampa Bay
With cutting-edge upgrades to the Tampa Convention Center, modern hotels and award-winning dining, all steps from one another, Tampa Bay offers a dynamic, easy meeting experience. And it’s all amid a long-standing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion that makes every guest feel welcome. The result is an unforgettable meeting with an easy, stress-free vibe. It’s something we like to call The Tampa Bay Effect, and it’s how we’ll make your meeting shine.
Plus, there’s so much to experience that guests will want to bring their families, extend their… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.