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Creating the Communities
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 10/2/2006
Michael D. Gehrisch
President and CEO, Destination Marketing Assn. Intl.
CVBs that wanted more bang for their buck got it when Gehrisch assumed the leadership of their industry association in 2001. The organization, called the Intl. Assn. of Convention and Visitor Bureaus for the previous 91 years, became DMAI in 2005 to reflect the changing role of its members as true destination marketing organizations. Under Gehrisch's leadership, dues went up for larger CVBs and down for smaller ones.
Mary Beth Rebedeau
Executive director, Society of Independent Show Organizers
You'd have to own a good pair of running shoes to keep up with Rebedeau. When she's not playing her role as executive director of SISO, she's traveling around speaking at meetings of other industry groups, such as ASAE and IAEM. Beyond that, she's president of the Rebedeau Group, an independent show management company founded in 1948 that currently produces eight events and provides management services for two more.
Stephen Schuldenfrei
President, Trade Show Exhibitors Assn.
In 2005, TSEA's board unanimously voted to hire Schuldenfrei, a former SISO executive director, and you can see why. The 27-year-plus show management veteran in recent months introduced a new TSEA quarterly publication, About Face, and has advocated on behalf of and defended a constituency that doesn't always feel it gets the attention it deserves: the tradeshow exhibitor.
Deborah Sexton
President and CEO, Professional Convention Management Assn.
Sexton went to work leading PCMA in 2005 after 11 years with the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau, most recently as president. Prior to that, she ran a hotel consulting firm and was a hotelier. She also serves as president of the PCMA Education Foundation.
