TBA Global Events Integrates PGI

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 10/10/2005

Two months after acquiring the Washington, D.C.-based PGI, TBA Global Events has reorganized into four new business units.

The combined entity will be comprised of units for strategic events and meeting planning services, destination management, consumer marketing, and fairs and festival entertainment.

Senior vice presidents were named to head each of the four divisions. Bob McCormick, former COO of PGI, was put in charge of strategic events and meeting planning services. Jill Liszewski will head up the destination management division, while Dennis Boyle, formerly a partner with STI Communications, will handle consumer marketing. Entertainment executive Fran Romero, meanwhile, will manage fairs and festival entertainment.

Senior vice presidents were appointed to oversee various other functions. PGI founder CB Wismar will spearhead international business efforts. David Kahn, previously head of PGI's Detroit office and automotive group, was promoted to TBA head of sales. TBA Global veteran Greg Anton, the former head of creative, will now be in charge of account management, and Leo Fitzpatrick will be responsible for creative.

PGI, established in 1990 to produce corporate and associations events, merged with TBA Global after attempting unsuccessfully to merge with another company. Its 15-person trade-show unit produces Destinations Showcase events in Chicago and Washington, D.C.

TBA Global Events, founded in 1984, has offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Salt Lake City and San Diego, as well as Omaha, Neb., and Nashville, Tenn.

The firm is owned by Irving Azoff, chairman of Azoff Music Management; former entertainment executive Robert Geddes; and JHW Greentree Capital, an affiliate of Whitney & Co.