News
Sep 23, 2014
Summer hiring was brisk, and now with the busy fall season in full swing, suppliers and show organizers alike are hiring and promoting at an even faster pace than has occurred in the past few years.
Emerald Expositions has promoted three veterans of the trade show industry and long-time members of the NY NOW sales team. Randi Mohr and Scott Kramer have been appointed to the new positions of vice president, show directors for NY NOW, and Allison Garafalo has been promoted to sales director. These three internal promotions, all of which are effective immediately, include a restructuring… more
Sep 23, 2014
The fourth annual Content Marketing World (CMWorld), a Content Marketing Institute event, took place Sept. 8-11, 2014 at the Cleveland Convention Center and saw a huge 54 percent attendee uptick.
The event attracted 2,595 delegates from 50 countries, with 33 companies sending seven or more representatives. That is a significant jump in attendance from the 2013 event, which had just more than 1,700 delegates. The first CMWorld drew 600 delegates
The exhibit floor grew as well, with 80 exhibitors participating, which was up from 60 exhibitors last year. To accommodate start-ups, CMWorld created… more
Sep 22, 2014
With UBM confirming it’s in discussions to possibly buy Advanstar Communications and Questex Media Group being bought last week by Shamrock Capital Advisors, yet another trade show organizer, U.K.-based Clarion Events, also is rumored to be on the sales block, according to The Sunday Times.
Clarion, which currently is controlled by Veronis Suhler Stevenson, is the largest trade show organizer in the U.K., and the sales price is reported to be $327 million.
Clarion's Executive Chairman Simon Kimble and VSS Managing Partner Jeffrey Stevenson have not responded to a request for comment.… more
Sep 22, 2014
Newton, Mass.-based Questex Media Group, which has more than over 100 digital media products and over 50 conferences, tradeshows and events, was bought by L.A.-based Shamrock Capital Advisors for an undisclosed sum.
The company was acquired in partnership with senior management.
“Shamrock Capital is the perfect partner for Questex at this point in our evolution,” said Kerry Gumas, Questex Group president and CEO.
He added, “They have a deep understanding of the media, communications and entertainment sectors and the customers we serve. They support our ongoing business initiatives and they… more
Sep 21, 2014
Hit the ground running at your next industry event! Make contact and connections with others in your field before you arrive at the venue so that your face-to-face meetings are productive and not centered around “Who are you?” and “What do you do?” questions. New technology is popping up daily to address this very issue. Below are a few new and old, but good, ways to network prior to an event.
Event Web Site
Many events offer a web portal that requires a login and profile. This isn’t just an extra hassle put in place to annoy you. In most cases, this… more
Sep 21, 2014
Hit the ground running at your next industry event! Make contact and connections with others in your field before you arrive at the venue so that your face-to-face meetings are productive and not centered around “Who are you?” and “What do you do?” questions. New technology is popping up daily to address this very issue. Below are a few new and old, but good, ways to network prior to an event.
Event Web Site
Many events offer a web portal that requires a login and profile. This isn’t just an extra hassle put in place to annoy you. In most cases, this… more
Sep 18, 2014
U.K.-based UBM confirmed that it is in talks to acquire Advanstar Communications that “may, or may not, lead to a transaction.”
The statement was made after Reuters reported that UBM was in advanced stages to buy Advanstar for a $900 million pricetag. Representatives for Advanstar declined to comment.
Advanstar serves the fashion, licensing, life sciences and powersports industries with its portfolio of 54 trade shows, 100 conferences, 30 publications, and nearly 200 electronic products and Web sites, as well as educational and direct marketing products and services.
It runs the two largest… more
Sep 18, 2014
The 25th edition of Tarsus Group’s Labelexpo Americas, held Sept. 9-11 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., was the busiest one yet, with 16,029 attendees flocking to the showfloor to see the latest innovations in the labels and labeling industry.
This year’s attendance figure broke records and was up 12 percent, compared with the 2012 edition of the biennial event.
The showfloor also saw an increase of 10,000 net square feet this year to 195,000, and the number of exhibitors also increased to from 413 in 2012 to 441 at this year’s event.
On the second day of the… more
Sep 17, 2014
Global Experience Specialists has continued to expand its offerings by acquiring Blitz Communications, an audio visual (AV) services provider for the live events industry in the United Kingdom and continental Europe.
Blitz Communications has offices in London and Manchester, U.K. and is the in-house AV service provider at five major U.K. conference and exhibition venues – ExCeL London, Earls Court, Olympia, Manchester Central, and the NEC.
“The addition of Blitz Communications allows us to provide a full suite of AV services across the U.K., Europe and the Middle East,” said Steve Moster… more
Sep 17, 2014
The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) delivered on its theme, “come together, leave inspired” to more than114,000 attendees during the course of their show, which took place Sept. 8-13 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
Pre-registration numbers were at 98,169 attendees and by the close of the show registration was at 114,147 attendees, representing 112 countries. Those numbers are a 13.9 percent increase, compared with IMTS 2012.
IMTS covered more than 1.3 million net square feet of exhibit space and hosted 2,035 exhibiting companies.
Peter Eelman, vice president of exhibitions… 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.