Meeting Preview: NACS Is Ready to Rock

Blanket, insect repellent, lighter — better add these to your list of things to pack if you're one of the more than 200 people registered for the Natl. Assn. of Consumer Shows Annual Convention June 27–29 at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee.

In addition to the conference and expo typical to industry events, NACS is also offering attendees a chance to rock at Summerfest, billed as "the world's largest music festival."

The NACS Annual Convention starts Wednesday evening, the 27th, with an opening reception. Thursday will be filled with conference sessions, broken up by breaks and meals, when attendees can visit the 50 or so exhibits.

Thursday evening, venue management firm SMG is sponsoring a party and, afterward, giving conference-goers tickets to Summerfest on the shores of Lake Michigan. That night, the festival's multiple stages will feature Steely Dan, Violent Femmes and many other bands.

Friday, NACS wraps up its 20-session conference and sends everybody home a little smarter and "in time for dinner," the group's president, Jim Fricke of Colorado Garden Shows, said. "We realize how valuable people's time is, so we like to keep it compact and to-the-point."

Fricke said there would be three burning questions on everyone's mind at this year's meeting: how to cut business costs, how to increase sponsorship revenue and how to use the Internet as an effective sales and marketing tool.

To answer these questions, separate sessions will be tailored to beginners, hands-on managers and executives. For instance, newbies to the industry could attend the Consumer Shows 101 class, while managers go to the Cost-Cutting Opportunities session and executives to Keeping Your Place in the Market.

Thursday's keynote speaker is consultant Sylvia Allen, who will give her advice on sponsorships in "Where to Find the Money." TSW

Just before she goes on, Fricke will hand the gavel to incoming President Kristie Harrington of North East Expos, who will begin her two-year term.

Fricke said he was glad to be leaving the leadership position stronger than when he began his term, and that Harrington's job will be to continue improving what NACS offers its steadily increasing number of members.

"We're experiencing tremendous growth. We've grown more than 10 percent per year for the last several years," he said, adding that the attendance in Milwaukee is expected to break the record set last year in Philadelphia.

One thing the meeting won't have is an element of cooperation with the Intl. Assn. of Exhibitions and Events, according to Fricke.

In March, IAEE created its own Public Events Council to focus on advocacy, public policy and research for the consumer show sector. At the time, Fricke said he would have preferred that NACS be consulted first, and that such a council be a joint effort between the two organizations.

Both he and leaders of IAEE added that they hoped to work together in the future.