The same day that the Center for Exhibition Industry Research launched a new support campaign to ensure the annual CEIR Index continues to be the essential source and predictive tool for the exhibitions and events industry data, Shepard Exposition Services donated $75,000 to the organization.

“While Shepard has relied upon CEIR’s strategic reports on trends and industry predictions for the past 18 years, this crucial data has become even more valuable to organizers in recent years,” said Shepard Vice President of Sales Richard Maples.

He added, “We encourage everyone in the industry to participate and support this integral organization, participate in the research and take advantage of the results.”

The funds raised will directly support the unbiased, uninfluenced and trusted publication that the Index has become. This critical initiative will allow the Index to grow into a more robust and predictive tool which thousands of industry professionals use to organize and plan their exhibitions and events.

CEIR President & CEO Brian Casey said, “We are pleased to see Shepard’s willingness to help underwrite CEIR’s Index. In addition to the donation, Shepard’s support of CEIR and funding the research is most welcomed.”

The mission of CEIR is to ensure the success of the exhibitions and events industry as the premiere marketing medium by supporting research, promotion and education, and the CEIR Index is the annual report counted on by industry organizations, associations and corporations who plan, manage and value events as part of their portfolio.

Each year, CEIR invests thousands of dollars to produce the Index to help organizations better understand and forecast market conditions for their events.

The CEIR Index not only provides historical data but also provides the information needed to understand what the sectors and the industry as a whole may see over the next three years.

Chairman of the CEIR Board of Directors and President for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Dennis Slater said, "AEM is proud to be a partner of CEIR and support the development of the CEIR Index on an annual basis.”

He added, “There is no doubt that the Index helps drive the smart decisions we make for CONEXPO CON/AGG, and we consistently see growth based, in part, on the strategies we've implemented as a result of the hard data in the Index."

More information about CEIR, the Index and the foundation can be found at www.ceir.org. Individuals and organizations wishing to confirm their support for the CEIR Index may contact Brian Casey at bcasey@ceir.org.

Additionally, an outreach campaign to former supporters and exhibition industry professionals will be made by CEIR's Fundraising Council in the coming weeks.