Convention Data Services Focused on Building Relationships for 30 Years

December 17, 2016

Attendee registration was an incredibly manual and time-consuming process back in 1986 when Doug Fletcher saw the need to modernize it. So, he created Convention Data Services to benefit show management, exhibitors and attendees.

Fletcher worked with a business partner who built the software that eventually led to the CDS registration platform. Yankee Dental Congress, Metalcon, Build Boston and SPIE were some of the early clients.

The company grew from two to 15 employees within a few years. Working at the Cape Cod office in those early days had the feel of a start-up company — everyone participated in generating ideas, consistently trying new ways to improve on existing products and services. Fletcher met regularly with clients and prospects, actively listening, learning and adapting to meet their needs.

He also strongly believed that in the face-to-face industry the key to success involved more than just mailing badges, but in providing complete customer service before, during and after an event. Through the years, the focus has remained on building partnerships and delivering innovative solutions to enhance the event experience.

John Kimball began working with Fletcher as a financial consultant in 1995, then joined CDS full-time as Director of Finance in 1996. He was promoted to CFO in 2006.

“At CDS, we focus on building relationships with our clients,” Kimball said. “The onsite environment of a trade show is a unique opportunity for our team to bond with our clients and we travel to their events to
both support the event and build on these relationships. We are not afraid to pitch in anywhere there is a need to help our clients. This also allows [employees] to see how their role supporting our clients’ events in advance impacts what takes place onsite.”

CDS also has a legacy of making employees feel like they’re contributing to something much bigger than just one event, celebrating each success.


Some of those major milestones include:

   - Completing the SFN event in 1997, their first “large” event
   - Delivering their first truly online event with live registration
sites for ICE in 2000
   - Acquiring IMTS in 2009 and delivering on the event in 2010

The company faced a significant challenge in 2006 when founder Doug Fletcher died suddenly. Doug Levinson, COO, stepped in as CEO.

“We knew we needed to reassure our clients and the industry that CDS was built on a strong foundation and we had the leadership in place that would keep it running and on track,” Kimball said. “Our clients gave us the biggest compliment when they assured us they would stick with us and that ‘they believed in the CDS team.’"

When Levinson retired as CEO in 2011, Kimball was selected as his successor and Levinson became Chairman of the Board.

The company has continued to grow over the past 30 years and now employs a staff of 165. This team of employees provides products and services for 95 business and association clients and 250 events worldwide in a variety of industries, many of which have been clients for more than 20 years.

Along the way, the CDS office moved from Hyannis to Bourne (both located on Cape Cod), and a new 30,000-square-foot headquarters is under construction near the current location. The company also has satellite or virtual offices in Austin, Orlando and Washington, D.C.

“Working at CDS for the past 20 years has given me a deep understanding of the trade show industry and the value of relationships,” Kimball said. “I am very thankful for the experience of leading an amazing organization like CDS. Our employees are the most passionate and loyal group of professionals I could ever ask for in a team. I am not surprised at how far CDS has come in 30 years and attribute this success to our people and our unwavering commitment to always be improving.”

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.