SISO Seeks New Management Firm

The Society of Independent Show Organizers has issued a request for proposal for its management.

The Rebedeau Group, owned by Mary Beth Rebedeau, signed the current contract to manage SISO in 2000. It was initially a three-year agreement and has been periodically renewed. It now extends through the end of 2008.

According to SISO Chairman Carl Pugh, president of Radius Events, the SISO board of directors has been talking about putting the management contract out to bid for some time, as a regular course of business. He said it had not been a high priority, however, and the board had several other initiatives on the agenda before this.

Rebedeau and her team have done a fine job managing the association, Pugh added, but the board felt it should review the seven-year-old contract. "It's all a part of our broader 'perpetual review' of what role SISO should play in the industry and how best to serve our members."

The SISO board hopes to select finalists by the end of the year and award the contract in early 2008, he said.

Britton Jones, SISO's vice chairman and president and CEO of Business Journals, will oversee the search committee, which comprises SISO's current executive committee.

The board is asking for proposals that provide for full management responsibility, including executive directorship, membership development and services, financial and administrative management, sponsorship sales, member communications, organization of SISO events and educational programs (including its two major events, the CEO Summit and the Executive Conference), and coordination of SISO committees.