People News: MAD Event Management, The Toy Association, ConvExx and More Cultivate Growing Teams, Elevate Staff
August 16, 2022
While the trade show industry tends to slow down during the dog days of summer, that hasn’t stopped event-related organizations from welcoming established industry professionals to their teams while rewarding hard-working staff with elevated titles and responsibilities. Check them out!
MAD Event Management
Full-service event planning and management company MAD Event Management LLC (MAD) recently partnered with award-winning journalist Danica Tormohlen to drive content creation for UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and the wider business events industry. Tormohlen is taking on the role as part of the strategic partnership with UFI that MAD announced in June.
Tormohlen will assist MAD and UFI in further developing and enhancing UFI member services to North American members in an effort to create stronger links between the North American exhibition industry and the global industry, and to grow UFI’s North American membership base. In her role, she will manage content development, analyze research for the region and connect with the industry community on-site at events.
Tormohlen most recently served as content director, publisher and editor-in-chief for the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and prior to that, as editor-at-large for Trade Show Executive for 10 years. Before TSE, she worked as editor-in-chief and publisher of EXPO magazine.
The Toy Association
The Toy Association has welcomed global toy safety expert and 28-year industry veteran Jos Huxley as senior vice president of technical affairs. In his new role, Huxley will lead the continuing development of technical policies and strategies relating to toy safety, environmental sustainability, supply chain issues, factory processes and other related matters, as well as acting as a guide for member companies navigating these and other issues.
Huxley joins The Toy Association after more than 28 years at Hasbro, acting most recently as its principal QA engineer and regulatory specialist. He began his career at Hasbro in 1994 as a reliability engineer in the U.K. office, moving over to the corporate headquarters based in Rhode Island in 1998 and eventually assuming the role of principal QA engineer.
Over the next six to nine months, Huxley will work alongside Alan Kaufman, who recently transitioned to the role of senior advisor of technical affairs and who will then retire after more than 11 years with The Toy Association and more than 40 years in the toy industry.
ConvExx
Independent trade show and event management company, ConvExx, has promoted Regina Clark from sales administrator to director, exhibitor services, responsible for all exhibitor services, including sales administration, monitoring and validating booth assignments and closing of accounts receivables.
Clark began her career with ConvExx in 2003 as a sales department assistant. She works closely with the sales teams for the SHOT Show and Sweets & Snacks Expo, as well as the ConvExx internal teams for Mobile Tech Expo and the Southern Detailers Conference, and has interacted with thousands of exhibitors, helping them succeed and ensuring they have a positive show experience. Prior to ConvExx, Clark worked in human resources.
Visit Albuquerque
Visit Albuquerque has welcomed 20-year association leadership veteran Scott Craighead as its new vice president of sales, services and sports, effective Aug. 22. Craighead comes to Albuquerque most recently from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), where he served as vice president of exhibitions and events as well as the vice president for the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR). He brings extensive experience working with destination marketing organizations and has implemented many event- and marketplace-related initiatives.
In his new role at Visit Albuquerque, Craighead will oversee the sales, services and sports Division, responsible for generating qualified meeting, convention, sports and group tour leads that are distributed to Albuquerque’s hotels, the Albuquerque Convention Center and area event and sports facilities.
As part of his 14-year career with IAEE, Craighead was responsible for budgeting, show development and design, technology solutions, personnel, contracts and overall logistics for IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition Expo! Expo! and other IAEE-produced events. He previously handled logistics and exhibit sales for Global Semiconductor Alliance events and exhibitions held in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
American Pet Products Association
The American Pet Products Association (APPA), co-producer of Global Pet Expo, has made five staff promotions across its trade show operations and booth and membership sales departments. The announcement comes as Peter Scott prepares to take the helm as the organization’s new CEO Aug. 15.
- Kate Stewart has been promoted to vice president, trade show management, responsible for overseeing the Global Pet Expo trade show team, leading day-to-day operations and working closely with the show’s general service contractor. Since joining APPA in 2011, Stewart has received a Certification in Exhibition Management and recognition from IAEE, for which she serves on the NY IAEE Local Chapter Board and IAEE National Young Professionals Committee.
- Chris Bonifati has been named senior director, trade show development. Bonifati joined APPA in 2015 and is now responsible for overseeing trade show operations, including facilitating attendee registration, expanding programming and maintaining the Global Pet Expo brand. An expert in data analytics using a data-driven approach to drive APPA forward, Bonifati has completed a Certification in Exhibition Management and is a member of the IAEE Young Professionals Committee.
- Tracey Wilson has been promoted to senior director, trade show planning and operations, responsible for Global Pet Expo’s vendor and on-site staffing management, as well as coordinating meeting rooms for the Global Learning Series and exhibitors and overseeing the New Products Showcase. An employee of APPA since 2000, Wilson is certified in Exhibition Management and is a member of IAEE, ASAE and PCMA.
- Karyn Bennitt is now director, booth and membership sales, responsible for spearheading APPA’s membership growth through acquisition, engagement and retention efforts. Since joining APPA in 2008, Bennitt has developed its robust education program and other key membership benefits.
- Elizabeth Valencia has been appointed manager, exhibitor and attendee services. A member of the APPA team since 2019, she has contributed to advancing the organization’s trade show team and is working towards earning a certification in Google Analytics. In her new role, Valencia will assist with Global Pet Expo’s recruitment and retention of buyers and exhibitors, booth sales and assignments, and buyer and exhibitor services.
Visit KC
Visit KC, the chief hospitality sales and marketing organization for the Kansas City region, has welcomed 13-year hospitality and sales professional Kathryn “Kat” Taylor as national account manager. Working within the organization’s convention sales team, she will be based in and responsible for the Washington, D.C., market.
Taylor comes to Visit KC after more than eight years with Visit Baltimore, most recently serving as a senior national sales manager for the Midwest territory, a role in which she worked collaboratively with the Baltimore Convention Center and the hotel community to secure meetings with significant impact for her community. Prior to Visit Baltimore, Taylor spent five years with Hyatt Hotels.
American Rental Association
The American Rental Association (ARA), producers of the ARA Show, has named Erika Singleton its new workforce development manager. With a background in human resources management, employee training and program marketing, she will work to enhance the association’s current workplace initiatives as well as address the industry labor shortage by promoting careers in the equipment and event rental industry.
Singleton will also serve as a resource on additional topics, including rental industry public speaking, attending career and job fairs, workforce solutions and alternative funding programs.
Impact XM
Global experiential marketing agency Impact XM has appointed Marty Park vice president of international business development. With 27 years of experience in developing and managing international exhibits and events, he will play an instrumental role in continuing to expand the agency’s reach, continuing to form deep connections with the company’s present clients and driving forward new opportunities, particularly in the Korean market.
Park brings a vast portfolio of international work and deep expertise in supporting some of the world’s most well-known brands in developing custom-made events, exhibits and experiences. Prior to Impact XM, he drove Korean business for a Boston-based brand experience agency as vice president, Korean customer services, working with clients such as LG, Kia and Hyundai for 11 years. Park also spent 11 years at an exhibition stand builder and interior finisher in Germany, developing his repertoire of international business and communications efforts.
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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.
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