Expo! Expo! Kicks Off

The Intl. Assn. of Exhibitions and Events’ annual Expo! Expo! Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Dec. 8-10 in Atlanta, promises to be packed with plenty of educational sessions, networking events and a one-day showfloor.

Even with all of the IAEE-related activities in store, attendees also will have the opportunity to check out the city and its Southern hospitality.

Back at the show, though, undoubtedly there will be a lot of talk not only inside the sessions and outside in the hallways, but also at the social gatherings and everywhere in between about the downturn in the economy and how that impacted people’s shows.

To kick off all of the meet-and-greets, new attendees to Expo! Expo! will have the opportunity to attend IAEE’s First Timers’ Experience 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Dec. 8.

The event is sponsored by Shepard Exposition Services, and newbies to the meeting will be able to hobnob with each other, as well as IAEE staff and members.

From 4 to 6 p.m. the same day, IAEE chapters will get together and go toe-to-toe in a heated competition at which they will be asked questions that will challenge the contestants and inform audience members.

The winning chapter will receive a $1,000 donation to its chapter education fund.

After the general session that evening, scheduled 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., meeting attendees will head to the opening reception at the world-famous Georgia Aquarium, home to more than 100,000 animals of 500 different species, with five galleries depicting different habitats.

Beluga whales will dance in large tanks in the background, as attendees have the opportunity to sample acclaimed chef Wolfgang Puck’s delicacies.

The next evening, from 6 to 8 p.m., people will be able to do two things at once – eat and talk – at the Dine-Amic Networking event.

Participants will gather at Sear Restaurant, located in the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, and be able choose from several mouth-watering dishes, complemented by a selection of 140 wines, while networking with others.

Later that night, beginning at 9 p.m., IAEE and GES Exposition Services have collaborated to host “Humanity Rocks: A Celebration with a Cause at The Tabernacle.”

Camp Sunshine, offering programs for children with cancer, will benefit from the proceeds of the event.

Dec. 10 is the date of IAEE’s annual luncheon from noon to 1:45 p.m., sponsored by the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau and emceed by Dale Irvin, the “professional summarizer.”

That evening, Expo! Expo! will come to an end with the Chairman’s Closing Party, where attendees will have one last chance to network for business and spend time with friends. The party will be at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, which recently completed a $138 million renovation.

In uncertain times, people seek all the education they can get to help meet some of their challenges. Fortunately, the sessions lined up at Expo! Expo! cover a broad range of topics, everything from saving money to building a stellar Web site.

Here is just a sampling of the sessions available at the meeting:

• “Strategies for Saving, Rescuing & Recovering Business” – A common challenge faced by every event organizer at any time, but especially in this era of economic distress, is how to deal with exhibitor cancellations, downsizing and nonrenewals. This session will review policies, strategies and specific tactics organizers are able to employ to maximize the retention and recovery of exhibitor business. Panelists include Daniel McKinnon, executive vice president of Messe Frankfurt USA, and Chuck Schwartz, chairman of ConvExx.
• “Leveraging Corporate Events for Profit” – With the growth of corporate events, a number of exhibition organizers are adding production of these events to their business portfolio. In this session, attendees will hear from large and small for-profit producers about the opportunities, benefits, requirements and potential pitfalls involved. Panelists include John Galante, president of AE Ventures; Paige Cardwell, president of Natl. Trade Productions’ Creative Services Group; and John Folks, president of Minding Your Business.
• “Selling Exhibit Space for Public Shows During These Tough Economic Times” – The economy is affecting both consumer shows and tradeshows. Exhibitors have more choices for their marketing dollars than ever before. This session will offer the opportunity to learn some new ideas from a few of the brightest minds in the consumer show industry. Panelists include Patrick Buchen, president and CEO of Adjuvant Expos; Jeffrey Haughton, president and CEO, Industrial Expositions; Paul Schweitzer, vice president of business development for Marketplace Events; and Eric Udler, president of FSI.
• “Twenty Ways to Go Green and Save Money” – Participants will learn 20 practical ways to green their events and leave the session with concrete ideas that they immediately can implement with their own event or exhibition. They will view the products in a showcase in the room and learn about each one and how it could be used at their next event to help achieve ecologically sensitive goals without sacrificing commercial concerns.

Carol Ingersoll, vice president of national accounts for GES Exposition Services, will moderate the panel, and panelists include Jami Leveen, director of marketing for Aramark; Michelle Pittman, assistant director of building services for Georgia World Congress Center; and Sandy Voss, director of tradeshow operations for New Hope Natural Media.