Schuldenfrei Out, Weisgal In at TSEA

Stephen Schuldenfrei's sudden announcement that May 15 would be his last day as president of the Trade Show Exhibitors Assn. and the appointment of longtime member Margit B. Weisgal as executive director pose a number of challenges for the exhibitors association. The leadership shift was a few days after the layoff of three of TSEA's five staff members and an acknowledgement by Schuldenfrei that times were tough.

E. Jane Lorimer, managing director of the Lorimer Consulting Group, said that, despite TSEA's activities, many in the tradeshow industry, herself included, have long thought there was a gaping need for a non-profit organization to represent the exhibitor segment of this industry.

"The operative words here are 'to represent the exhibitor segment,'" she said.

Lorimer said she hopes TSEA's new leadership will listen more closely to its members rather than force feed management-driven activities. She said TSEA currently has little sense of focus and needs to create a formal strategic plan and stick to the course it decides on.

Lorimer noted that her company conducted several pro bono surveys for TSEA that provided information on what its members wanted.

"Unfortunately, TSEA didn't heed the results," she added.

Robert Harar, chairman of Natl. Trade Productions, producer of TSEA's tradeshow TS2, said "TSEA definitely has challenges ahead of it, as do other associations."

He said TSEA will need a stronger strategic direction to service and maintain its current membership and to grow.

"Lots of effort by Margit and the board will be needed, and we will help them out," Harar said. "Members demand more services and benefits, and TSEA will have to step up to the plate and deliver."

Both a strong marketing plan to attract new members and a strong Web site to supply better information to current members are needed, he added.

Weisgal, who has been with Sextant Communications for almost 20 years, has plans — but she also knows she has her work cut out for her.

"As a long-time member of TSEA, a firm believer in the benefits of exhibit marketing and a marketer, I appreciate this opportunity to be the spokesperson for the association," she said. "We offer so much to exhibitors, from beginner through veteran, that I'm proud I'll be carrying our programs to a wider audience."

Weisgal said TSEA's Certified Manager of Exhibits certification will be strengthened and expanded overseas, teaming first with European groups; the association's resources will be made more user-friendly for newer, younger members; and it will offer more education on demand.

"I'm also honored to be the first woman executive director of TSEA," she added.

Harar said he will meet with Weisgal this month to discuss specifics, but he didn't foresee any immediate changes to TS² because of the change in leadership. He said NTP had already been looking at how the show could be positioned better to address exhibitors' responsibilities. There are new educational tracks, he said, as well as alliances with such organizations as the American Marketing Assn. and the Corporate Event Marketing Assn.

Schuldenfrei said retirement for him means relocation with his wife Joan to Tucson, Ariz. He said he also wants to continue to give back to the profession, imparting what he's learned over 30 years to the generations that will propel face-to-face marketing forward, perhaps through teaching at the college level, he said.

"I came to TSEA to help exhibitors advance their programs, their professionalism and their careers," Schuldenfrei added. "My goals were to build a strong, respected association, which I think we accomplished.

For now though, he said, he's looking forward to focusing on his hobby of wildlife photography and traveling with his wife.