Feb 17, 2016
At last year’s AAPEX, a show for the aftermarket auto parts industry that is held in November at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, decided to up their attendee engagement game by hiring a bevy of customer service staff members they called “Ask Joes” to help people out at the show.
The “Ask Joes” auditioned for their roles to demonstrate their ability to meet and greet attendees with enthusiasm, according to show management, and then they also received comprehensive training and were stationed at custom-designed Ask Joe Service Stations throughout the showfloor.
As a result of this effort and other… more
Feb 16, 2016
This year’s Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West conference at the Anaheim Convention Center not only saw more attendee, but also they were engaged in a variety of ways on the showfloor.
The leading medical manufacturer’s conference was held Feb. 9-11 and drew an estimated 22,000-plus attendees, more than 2,200 exhibitors and 380,000 square feet of exhibitor space at the Anaheim Convention Center.
“We have seen an increase on all three fronts from last year. We are ahead on number of attendees, number of exhibitors, and we sold out our exhibit space,” said Stephen Corrick,… more
Feb 16, 2016
The American Society of Association Executives is introducing a hybrid membership model, which will provide associations and Association Management Companies (AMC) the option of joining or renewing through an organizational purchasing model.
For one flat annual fee determined by staff size, every employee in any size association or AMC office can opt to join ASAE and reap all available member benefits.
“We’ve had tremendous success with our small staff organizational membership. ASAE wanted to engage more association professionals who are employed by more than 15,000 associations… more
Feb 16, 2016
It isn’t always easy to meet all the ‘right’ people at an event, but a new event app, SummitSync, takes some of the struggle out of networking onsite.
The app combines a fun, easy-to-use social networking and discovery frontend with enterprise-class features for data capture and CRM integration on the backend.
A user sign-ups by using their LinkedIn credentials, selects the conference they are attending and swipes right (interested) or left (not interested) when event attendees appear.
This upfront filtering system and inherent double-blinded opt-in nature of the app, makes it an easier… more
Feb 16, 2016
The National Restaurant Association announced that US Foods will collocate its traveling road show Food Fanatics LIVE March 15 during the 2016 New England Food Show.
“The National Restaurant Association is pleased to share the BCEC with US Foods during NEFS 2016,” said Mary Pat Heftman, executive vice president, Convention at National Restaurant Association.
She added, “Bringing these two events together provides a one-stop shop for New England foodservice professionals looking to explore new products, participate in robust educational and edutainment-type programming and connect with one… more
Feb 11, 2016
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has announced that its annual Fall Meeting, an event that regularly attracts more than 25,000 Earth and space scientists and other participants from around the world, will move to New Orleans in 2017 and in Washington, D.C. in 2018.
For nearly 50 years, the AGU Fall Meeting has been held in San Francisco.
During that time, it has grown from a gathering of a few hundred researchers to the largest Earth and space science event in the world.
In 2015, it included more than 23,000 poster and oral presentations; hundreds of networking,… more
Feb 10, 2016
With the North American International Auto Show officially wrapping up at Detroit’s Cobo Center recently, this marks the end of a $279 million, five-year transformation at the venue.
Highlights of the project includes adaptive reuse design of the old arena that incorporates 45,000 square feet of outdoor flex space, which includes a large terrace now called Cobo Square.
Starting this spring, the terrace will be used for programming that includes art fairs, exercise and yoga, biergartens and other elements designed to connect Cobo Center to the community and the downtown Detroit culture.
It… more
Feb 10, 2016
Last year was a good one for Global Experience Specialists, with the recent earnings report indicating that GES scored a 14.6 percent increase in Q4 revenues, from $213.4 million during the same quarter in 2014 to $244.5 million last year.
In addition, GES’ full-year revenues also saw a 3.4 percent increase, from $944.5 million in 2014 to $976.9 million last year.
“We had a very good 4th quarter for both of our businesses,” said Steve Moster, Viad president and CEO. He added that the 4th quarter beat expectations, and the full-year results were in line with expectations.
For the full-year,… more
Feb 09, 2016
Everyone’s talking about “big data” these days, but exactly what does that involve?
Thanks to a variety of technology tools, shows now have the ability to collect a wealth of information about attendees: demographics, interests, social media details, job title/role, number of years attending, buying authority, time spent on the show floor (and in what areas), reasons for attending, other shows attended and more.
Having all this data provides insight into who really is participating in the event and how to find others who are similar. It also offers the opportunity to make adjustments and… more
Feb 09, 2016
The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s (the Centre) 10th anniversary year in 2015 turned out to be a banner one for international high-profile events at the venue.
These included; the Global Food Safety Conference 2015; 18th Human Genome Meeting 2015; 26th and 27th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits; and the 128th International Olympic Committee Session, to name a few. These contributed to the Centre’s 2015 total of 1,230 events which attracted close to 1.8 million delegates.
Since its opening, the Centre has hosted 11,199 events, welcomed close to 19.4 million delegates and contributed over RM6… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.