This year has gotten off to a roaring start, with event-related organizations far and wide forming new partnerships, signing new deals and renewing long-standing business relationships in preparation for brighter horizons. Here’s what’s been going on so far during the first quarter of the trade show industry:

eventPower 

Cloud-based software and conference management services provider eventPower has welcomed more than 60 new virtual clients, thanks to its Virtual Event Experience platform, which enabled the company to grow its business and staff as well as host more than 50 virtual events in 2020. 

They include: 

• American Hospital Association 
• American Meteorological Society 
• American Society of Military Comptrollers 
• American Translators Association 
• Association of American Law Schools 
• Association of Midwest Academic Anesthesia Chairs
• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians 
• California Cupa Forums
• California Life Sciences Association 
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
• Endocrine Society 
• Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference 
• Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply 
• Hatching Results 
• Hearth, Barbecue & Patio Association 
• Maxar 
• National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (Civica Management)
• National Investor Relations Institute
• Society for Radiologists in Ultrasound
• TMG
• TechNet Cyber Conference
• The University of South Florida 
• Windsor

“We transformed our business model to produce virtual events by developing a software solution that supports networking opportunities, education content and a virtual exhibit hall — all the necessary components that surround an in-person event,” said Laurie Powell, eventPower vice president of business development. “We are extremely happy and appreciative to continue our partnerships with many new and long-standing clients.” 

Albany Capital Center

The Albany Convention Center Authority has renewed its venue management contract with ASM Global for an additional five years. ASM Global simultaneously renewed its contract with catering, banquet and hospitality company Mazzone Hospitality as the venue’s exclusive food and beverage provider. 

“ASM proved its ability to market the Albany Capital Center, bring new business to Albany, and in so doing, significantly increase the economic benefits to the Capital Region from events held at the [facility],” said ACCA Board Chair Michele Vennard.

Unlike many convention venues nationwide, the ACC has remained open amid the pandemic. By following stringent health and safety standards via ASM’s VenueShield program, the facility has hosted an array of events ranging from socially distanced and in-person sporting events to hybrid and virtual. 

Xperiential Group

Merger and acquisition advisory services firm Xperiential Group, which specializes in events, media, tech and intellectual property, has teamed up with Chris Meyer Global. 

As a trade show and association industry veteran who has worked with many of the world’s largest and most successful trade shows, B2B media brands and associations, CEO Chris Meyer will build relationships with executive management teams and support the Xperiential Group team through the merger and acquisition process for clients. 

“This partnership with Chris reflects our strategy to attract the most accomplished professionals to serve our prestigious and growing client base,” said Waco Hoover, managing partner of Xperiential Group. 

Previously, Meyer served as vice president of global sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for more than two decades.

Centerplate

Convention center hospitality partner Centerplate will continue serving as the Birmingham (Alabama) Jefferson Convention Complex and Legacy Arena’s exclusive food and beverage provider. The renewed contract, recently approved by the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Authority’s board of directors, will extend through 2032 for all catering, food and beverage services. 

As part of the agreement, Centerplate will also service the new Protective Stadium under the terms of a 12-year contract to line up with the convention center and arena. 

“We are thrilled to continue working closely with the City of Birmingham, the BJCC, the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau and others to redefine the guest experience for all those who come to visit this thriving city center,” said Centerplate CEO Steve Pangburn.

Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group  

Restaurant and foodservice trade show producer Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group is expanding its partnership with education provider EventEd (formerly TechBytes) to develop educational content for its 2021 conferences. 

EventEd specializes in the development, implementation, coordination and management of thought leadership and networking experiences for the global foodservice, hospitality and retail industries by working in conjunction with industry-leading organizations, such as the International Food & Beverage Technology Association.

“Restaurant owners/operators, foodservice professionals, chefs, managers and more have relied on the education content at our events to gain important insight on marketing and social media, HR/labor, technology, operations and finance/leasing/development,” said Tom Loughran, vice president for the Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. 

EventEd will create five complimentary summits to serve the needs of independents, small to mid-sized chains, contract foodservice, retail and technology, as well as produce digital forums for restaurant and foodservice professionals.

Convention Data Services

Event registration, business intelligence and lead management provider Convention Data Services (a Freeman company) has been scooping up new business.

In February, microwave technology show management company, Horizon House, selected CDS to provide registration, lead management, session tracking and a contact center for IEEE’s International Microwave Symposium for the next five years. CDS will help implement attendee acquisition programs to grow the IMS audience as well as implement touchless registration on-site solutions.  

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers recently tapped CDS and cloud-based, data analytics technology provider, TurnoutNow, to provide registration, housing, lead management, beacon tracking, and data analytics for the 2021 and 2023 editions of Utility Expo. 

CompuSystems 

Event registration, data analytics and lead management services and solutions provider CompuSystems has renewed and extended multi-year contracts with a bevy of association clients to service their annual shows. They include:

• Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW)
• The American Association of Cancer Research (AACR Annual Meeting)
• The American College of Surgeons (ACS Quality and Safety Conference virtual event)
• The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA Illinois & Wisconsin Landscape Show)
• American Society of Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR Annual Meeting)
• Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC Supplier’s Day)
• American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE Convention and Engineered Plumbing Expo Annual Meeting)
• American Urological Association (AUA World Congress of Endourology Meeting)
• National Rural Water Association (WaterPro annual conference)
• United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA Annual Meeting)
• American Foundry Society (AFS Metalcasting Congress & Cast Expo)
• Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (InfoComm annual conference)

“We are excited and pleased to announce these renewals,” said CompuSystems President Chris Williams. “This is a testament to the high level of service we’ve been providing our valued customers [and] our team is excited for the opportunity to continue delivering first-class services to make their events the best they can be.”

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram!