SUMMER
2022
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Too much waste? Create a more sustainable show with these five no-cost initiatives.
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Check out the photos from the 33rd NACS Annual Convention held in June
show producer
NACS Show Producer is published by the National Association of Consumer Shows, a national organization committed to expanding the interests of consumer show producers and to demonstrate the economic impacts of consumer shows on the local and national economy.
Shows Are Back >>> LET’S NACS Show Producer
Summer 2022
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Les Gray Southeast Productions Jacqui McGuinness JBM & Associates Mark Concilla Erie Promotions Rachel Pepper IEM / The Peddler Shows John Bunge Iowa Show Productions Tammy Ridgeley Home Builders Association of St. Louis Jim Fricke Colorado Garden & Home Shows Bart Caple BAC Productions Cheryl Branz The Custer Shows Carolyn Alt ShowSpan Eric Johnson Solid Wood Promotions Marc McIntos Showcase Productions Bridal Shows Chris Grubbs Show Managers LLC Drew Wickham CNY Boat Show Lisa Hudson-Beale Spectra Productions
Email our CEO, Greg Bojko directly: GregB@Adstrategies.com | 888.456.2450 2
NACS Show Producer
Summer 2022
Show Promoting Is Like Living On A Tropical Island!
Producing consumer shows has been one of the most rewarding careers I have ever had. This gig has had many benefits and quite a few obstacles, but at the end of the day… I am proud to tell everything about our company and the results of our labor, consumer events.
Mark Concilla Erie Promotions & Expos, Inc.
The narrative has changed over the past several years with how others look at our business. In the past when I was out networking and was asked; “What do you do for a living?” I proudly stated, I produce events. Consumer events like Home Shows, Car Shows, Outdoor Shows & others. The response was always…” That sounds like fun, what do you do the rest of the months when you don’t have shows”. That response always took me to a tropical island sitting on the beach with a fruity umbrella drink waiting for the day I had to come back to reality and produce a show for that weekend. For those of you who often received the same question, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about and how far from reality that is. That has changed now when I am asked the same question. I get…” OH and WOW, that’s a tough business to be in!” The response now takes me to an empty convention center with stickers on the floor and signs everywhere saying, “Stay 6 feet apart, Social distancing and temperature check station”. We are very fortunate that this vision is somewhat in the past and things are looking to a more positive future for us, depending what State we produce events in, of course. Most of us have finally gotten back to business and produced events this year. Although they may not be at the point, they were prior to the Pandemic a few years ago, they are back on track and happening. It’s difficult to admit that the pandemic was, in a few Continued on Next Page 3
NACS Show Producer
Summer 2022 Continued From Previous Page
NACS 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President MARK CONCILLA Erie Promotions & Expos, Inc. Erie, PA • 814.790.5079 President Elect JACQUI McGUINNESS JBM & Associates, LLC Greenville, SC • 864.250.9713 Secretary JOHN DUBREVILLE Hale Northeastern Expo Services Buffalo, NY • 716.896.6170 Treasurer MELISSA MILLER Gulf Coast Shows Mobile, AL 251.478.7469 Directors JOHN BUNGE Iowa Show Productions Waterloo, IA • 319.232.0218 JIM FRICKE Colorado Garden Foundation Lakewood, CO • 303.932.8100 LES GRAY Southeast Productions, Inc. Greensboro, NC • 336.855.0208 YVONNE LERCH HBA of Portland - Portland Home & Garden Show Lake Oswego, OR • 503.684.1880 BART CAPLE BAC Productions Lake Charles, LA • 337.436.4355 Associate Directors GREG BOJKO Adstrategies, Inc. Easton, MD • 410.822.2450 ASHLEY BARTO JD Fulwiler & Co Insurance Portland, OR • 503.977.5707
ways, good for us. It gave us time to sit back and analyze everything we do as a company from floor plans to staffing. Like a forest that is burned to the ground new growth quickly start to appear. I feel that this is how our business, Erie Promotions & Expos, Inc, has become. We refined expenses where we needed to, we adjusted floor plans to better maximize the space for additional revenue, we cut the cord on some events that were a lot of work and a break-even scenario and at the end of the day, we are a company that is poised for the future. We recently held our annual National Association of Consumer Shows convention in Portland, Oregon, IN PERSON! The event for most of us is the opportunity to get together with like show producers, individuals that support our industry and building managers. I look forward to this convention every year as it is a great place to learn from your peers and experience new products. It was very refreshing to learn that everyone was in the same stage of recovery and rebuilding of their businesses. Everyone had similar issues and concerns, just at different levels of scale. The vendors that attended offered new solutions for our changing industry giving us the tools we needed to adapt & improve. I am already looking forward to next year’s convention that is going to be held in Des Moines, Iowa and hosted by one of our long standing NACS members John Bunge from Iowa Show Productions. It is going to be a great one! I encourage everyone to embrace this organization and get involved. We are an amazing group of industry professionals that are unique. If we produced events in the same cities, we would be competitors, some of us are, however we are so passionate about our events and their success that we want to share with everyone our ideas & successes. If you are not a member of NACS,. Join us! You will NOT be disappointed. If you are a member, get involved, It’s a rewarding experience! NOW is a great time to be in an industry that promotes bringing people together. Experiential marketing & consumer shows are here to stay, and I am looking forward to sitting on my tropical island sipping an umbrella drink. Will you join me?... Now that we can travel.
TERRI HARRISON, CMP, CEM Dulles Expo Center Chantilly, VA • 703.766.1306 ANNA NASH ASM Global West Conshohocken, PA • 513.276.7891
9600 SW Oak Street, Suite 565 Tigard, OR 97223 Toll Free: 800.728.NACS (6227) Local: 503.253.0832 Fax: 503.253.9172 Email: info@nacslive.com www.nacslive.com We welcome and encourage any news items of interest to our readers. Please direct them to info@nacslive.com.
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NACS Show Producer
Summer 2022
The 33rd NACS convention in Portland, Oregon was a great success! See you next year in Des Moines! Enjoy these photos taken at the NACS Annual Convention held on June 28 through June 30, 2022 at the Benson Hotel in Portland, Oregon, and Laurel Ridge Winery in Carlton, Oregon.
A smaller show—but what a punch it had, and learning something at every show still reigns as the King! My take away was ‘re-invented’ and it was apparent with everyone including us. It was a GREAT meeting. Bob and Brian Kames Touch-A-Prize
For more than 20 years I have been going to the NACS Convention and every year I always learn something from another producer that I didn’t know. It is always worth the time and money to spend a few days with other industry professionals! Jim Fricke - Colorado Garden Foundation
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NACS Show Producer
Summer 2022
I loved the camaraderie I experienced at the conference and how it feels the industry is motivated to move forward and bring public events back better. Consumer shows are here to stay and we are committed as venues and show producers to make that happen and even improve the process with learning from the pandemic. I’m excited to return to NACS next year!! Rachel McCoig, Knoxville Convention Center & World’s Fair Exhibition Hall
This year’s NACS gathering was small but potent; the larger-than-life people always make it great. Ed Bruno, EventsPass Creating relationships at a NACS conference goes far beyond a “Nice to meet you.” It instantly becomes ‘Can I call you sometime and get your thoughts?’ Every year I meet new people that I would not hesitate to pick up the phone to call. Les Gray Southeast Productions
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NACS Show Producer
Summer 2022
Working With Venues On Sustainability And Community-Impact Programs
5 Initiatives That Can Be Quickly And Easily Launched Without Costing You Or Your Customers A Dime At the recent NACS Annual Meeting, consumer show producers discussed steps they want and need to take to make their shows, like their B2B counterparts, more sustainable. B2C event organizers also want their shows to make a positive impact in the cities where they hold their shows. ASM Global, which manages 98 convention centers in its portfolio, is working closely with organizers to make this top of mind, and venues can be a valuable resource for achieving these goals. While many have been in survival mode during the pandemic, consumer show organizers recognize that rising demand for action will likely increase pressure from major exhibiting companies whose corporate boards are facing more accountability, greater regulatory scrutiny and credible disclosure backed by better data. To stay ahead of the curve, forward-looking organizers can begin to integrate sustainability into their policy and planning strategies with some help from venues where events are hosted.
By Bob McClintock EVP Convention Centers for ASM Global
“We’re very proud to be the industry leader in sustainability with more than 40 certified green venues in our portfolio, and we aim to continue growing that number and elevating the awareness and importance of a healthier environment and planet,” said ASM Global EVP Marketing Alex Merchan. “We have tapped industry-leading consultants Honeycomb Strategies to facilitate the right programs and initiatives to continue redefining this space and elevating the importance of corporate social responsibility.” From identifying immediate action plans to reaching long-term sustainability goals, Honeycomb Strategies, through its partnership with ASM Global, can work with you to implement impactful strategies that meet the current and future needs of your organization. Honeycomb has worked with industry leading B2B shows — including Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, WINDPOWER Expo and Specialty Coffee Association — to develop resources and best practices that B2C organizers can adapt. Continued on Next Page
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NACS Show Producer
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Where to start Engage with the venue team to discuss how to partner to incorporate sustainable and community-impact initiatives. While some show producers may be reticent because they think it will increase costs, there are numerous initiatives that can be quickly and easily launched without costing you — or your customers — a dime. Waste diversion from landfills 1. 1
Recycling. Make it easy for exhibitors to recycle cardboard boxes by having many containers available on the show floor. Remind exhibitors about recycling opportunities over the public address system every 30 minutes during move-in. “If you know you’re going to have a large quantity of a particular material, keep us updated, and we can make a plan for staff and containers available to capture all those items,” said Dan Hayes, GM of the ASM Global-managed Salt Palace Convention Center and Mountain America Expo Center. Communication is critical. “We would love to connect with your decorator and exhibitors,” he said. “This is key to maximizing zero waste and recycling opportunities.” Since 2017, the Salt Palace has also recycled over 2 million pounds of materials.
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Eliminate single-use plastic bottles. In April, ASM Global-managed Los Angeles Convention Center announced a ban on single-use plastic bottles throughout the facility. Levy Restaurants replaced singleuse plastic bottles with aluminum bottles throughout cafés and catering operations. Beverages sold in the center’s vending machines have followed suit. In addition to reducing plastic pollution, the newly-introduced aluminum bottles are easily refillable from one of the 21 hydration stations on-site. Through April, these water refilling stations saved an estimated 150,000 plastic bottles.
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Digital ticketing and payment. Using digital tickets instead of paper eliminates waste. Some organizers no longer offer paper tickets at all. Venues, like the ASM Global-managed McCormick Place and Wintrust Arena, have shifted to cashless operations for all food sales for over a year. “We use digital ticketing for events at the arena. We are not fully there yet for consumers shows at McCormick Place, but it’s just a matter of time before that occurs,” said Regional Vice President / GM David Causton. “For consumer events at the ASM Global-managed Colorado Convention Center, we have gone mostly digital,” said Regional Vice President / GM John Adams. “Two events, the Great American Beer Festival and FanExpo, utilize badges, so those are not digital.”
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Material and food donation. Plan for a drop location when the show closes. “When your show is over, you leave donation items behind, and we take care of the rest,” said Hayes. “Items left behind after move-out will be routed to our loading docks or into our storage cages until one of our community partners can pick it up and give your materials a brand-new life.” Since 2017, the Salt Palace has diverted nearly 750,000 pounds of trade show material and more 200,000 extra banquet meals away from the landfill by donating to our local community.
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Energy conservation. Is your venue conserving energy during setup and teardown? At the Salt Palace Convention Center and Mountain America Expo Center in Salt Lake City, escalators and AC/heating are left off for all move-in/move-out days. Show lighting is set at 50% or less for all move-in/move-out days, said Hayes.
Big picture: Sustainability initiatives don’t have impact your bottom line. Start a conversation with the venue to find out how they can assist and track key metrics. “Your participation in these programs can create a better event than ever before by inspiring your stakeholders, generating incredible stories to tell and improving many areas of your supply chain and event partnerships,” said Hayes.
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NACS Show Producer
Summer 2022
RECONNECTING THE WORLD
THROUGH LIVE EVENTS 98
CONVENTION CENTERS & EXHIBITION HALLS
18M+ ANNUAL ATTENDEES
23M+
SQUARE FEET OF EXHIBITION SPACE
CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF LIVE EVENTS AT ONE OF OUR VENUES ACROSS THE GLOBE, CONTACT CCSALES@ASMGLOBAL.COM OR VISIT ASMGLOBAL.COM 9