Audrain Leaves ConvExx for Messe Frankfurt North America
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 10/17/2005
David Audrain, COO of Las Vegas-based show management firm ConvExx, has accepted a position as president of Messe Frankfurt's North American operations in Atlanta.
Beginning in late November, Audrain will replace Roland Bleinroth as president of Messe Frankfurt North America. Bleinroth, who has held the position for 10 years, will stay in Atlanta through December to see Audrain through the transition. On Jan. 1, 2006, Bleinroth assumes his new role on the board of management of Messe Stuttgart in Germany.
Audrain will oversee Messe Frankfurt's portfolio of nine North American events, the largest of which is ISH North America. The U.S. version of Frankfurt's kitchen, bath, plumbing and HVAC tradeshow fills more than 100,000 net square feet. It is next scheduled Sept. 28–30, 2006, at Chicago's McCormick Place.
Bleinroth said Messe Frankfurt found Audrain's international background and extensive tradeshow-industry experience to be "the ideal profile" for the job.
Audrain noted that it was difficult to leave ConvExx after more than four years as head of operations there, and that Chairman Chuck Schwartz and President Susan Schwartz were "extremely gracious and understanding."
Audrain leaves behind his role as manager of the SEMA Show, No. 4 on the most recent Tradeshow Week 200.
