Photos by PADGETT & CO.
the Unlimited Material Handling initiative. This initiative reduces fees for moving freight from dock to booth and back via a fixed rate of $3.85/sq.ft. that covers any or all items an exhibitor brings into the show regardless of quantity, weight or volume. Instead of receiving an invoice for material handling after the show, exhibitors simply pay for the service up front when they purchase their booth space. While some exhibitors who previously didn’t use the service will now pay a minimal fee, the initiative has resulted in an overall average savings of nearly 40 percent and up for some of the larger exhibiting companies. But of course, it wasn’t all work and no play, as Access attendees chose between an Everglades airboat ride, an inshore fishing expedition or the annual EDPA golf open scramble. They also enjoyed the Supplier Showcase, the President’s Gala and Not-SoSilent Auction and the Chapter Challenge of cornhole, jenga and Hammershlagen games (the Midwest chapter took first, the Las Vegas chapter came in second). IAEE Expo! Expo! Celebrated Its 90th Anniversary in New Orleans IAEE held their highly successful 90th anniversary Expo! Expo! Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Dec. 11-13. The event attracted more than 2,300 attendees representing 26 countries to the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “I cannot think of a better way to celebrate IAEE’s @ExhibitCityNews
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90th anniversary than with the Expo! Expo! we had last week,” says IAEE President and CEO David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA. “The diversity in learning experiences offered, combined with one of our largest tradeshow floors ever and outstanding networking events in wonderful locations, provided attendees with information and resources that will serve them well in 2019 and beyond.” Strategic futurist Nancy Giordano gave audience members a glimpse into the future of technology and business practices during her keynote presentation, followed by members being led to the tradeshow floor in true New Orleans style by a second line jazz band featuring Dancing Man 504. This year’s Expo! Expo! exhibition was the largest in 17 years, featuring a sold-out show floor with 298 exhibitors in 41,400 net sq.ft. of sold exhibit space and more than 15,000 sq.ft. of on-show floor education and networking activations. Attendees closed the evening at the Krewe Party Opening Reception where they enjoyed the spirit of New Orleans at Mardi Gras World dancing to Dixieland bands featuring Tom Hook and Kermit Ruffin. The General Session on Dec. 12 featured entrepreneur Mandy Rennehan, who energized and inspired audience members with her “respectfully uncensored” message of staying true to one’s creative and professional passions. That evening, attendees, along with founding sponsor GES, helped raise $16,000 at the 10th annual Humanity Rocks: A Celebration with a Cause, held at the
Stopping by the ECN booth at Access were (L-R) Debbie Parrott from Highmark, Alejandro and Alex Escalante from The Omega Group/Lago and Bob Dobinski from Corp. Communications, who had all been featured in the May 2018 ECN story on Fathers and their offspring in the business.
House of Blues New Orleans. Proceeds benefit Kingsley House, an organization that has served New Orleans since 1896 through its commitment to ensuring that individuals
and families have the supports necessary to be successful at all stages of life. Next year’s event will be held Dec. 3-5 in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Resort.
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