Messe Frankfurt Reports Record Year for 2008
Frankfurt, Germany – Messe Frankfurt Group said June 30 that 2008 was its most successful year ever with a new sales record of €440 million and a consolidated net income of €36 million. The company hosted a total of 102 trade shows worldwide, including 42 domestic events that booked around 1.42 million net square metres of exhibit space.

Trade Show Executive Has Moved to New Offices
Oceanside, CA – Trade Show Executive completed its move this past weekend to new offices that will be large enough to accommodate future expansion of our event and web initiatives. We expect to be fully operational on July 1. For your records, please note our new address:

Trade Show Executive magazine
4167 Avenida de la Plata, Suite 114
Oceanside, CA 92056-6029
(760) 630-9105

Javits Expansion Given Green Light to Add 40,000 Square Feet of Exhibit Space
New York, NY – Plans to renovate and expand the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City by 100,000 square feet, including 40,000 square feet of exhibit space, have been given the green light to proceed. Gov. David Paterson announced July 2 that the Public Authority Control Board had approved the General Project Plan for the Manhattan Center and that construction would begin right away.

Access Intelligence Acquires Medical Publisher/Organizer Contexo Media
Rockville, MD – Access Intelligence LLC (AI) has acquired Contexo Media, a Salt Lake City, UT company that produces educational events as well as books and software for the medical billing industry. Contexo will become a separate division of Access Intelligence and will be overseen by Heather Farley, president of AI’s Business Information group.

Michigan Gets Cobo Expansion into Gear
Detroit, MI – Michigan lawmakers approved a plan to expand Detroit’s Cobo Center and prevent its marquee event, the North American International Auto Show, from relocating to a venue with more elbow room. A package of bills passed June 26 will turn the management of the city-owned downtown convention hall over to a five-member regional authority that will run the building for the next 30 years. The agency will also oversee an expansion and renovation that will be paid for with a $300 million revenue stream from existing hotel and liquor taxes as well as other development funds.

SISO, UFI Link Up
Santa Monica, CA – The Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announced they would work together for the betterment of the global trade show industry. The relationship announced jointly by the two organizations did not involve a merger or any formal ties, but would rather cultivate an exchange of research and ideas that would benefit organizers expanding their brands globally. “This agreement will offer our members an unprecedented opportunity to grow their respective brands outside of the U.S. with the knowledge and assistance of our international partners that will make their expansions efficient and cost-effective,” said SISO Chairman Britton Jones. “At the same time, SISO will act as the eyes and ears of the U.S. market as UFI members seek opportunities outside of their primary markets.” John Shaw, president of UFI, said the new relationship would lead to “synergies” that would increase industry networking and raise public awareness of the exhibition industry.

New Management Agency Possible for Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis, IN – Budget negotiations in the Indiana Legislature include a proposal that would turn the oversight of the Indiana Convention Center over to a different government agency.  Tuesday, June 30, is the deadline for passage of the spending plan, which also includes funding for operations at the center.

TSEA Opens Voting for Awards Honoring the Best Show Managers and Service Providers
Chicago, IL -- The Trade Show Exhibitor’s Association (TSEA) announced the nominees for the “Exhibitor’s Choice” Red Diamond Awards, which will be presented July 22 at the TSEA Foundation Gala at TS2 in Chicago. Margit Weisgal, president of TSEA, said the awards in nine categories will reflect the views of exhibitors and attendees of the best service companies, venues and show managers in the industry.

Paul Woodward Replacing Vincent Gérard as UFI Managing Director in 2010
Paris, France – Paul Woodward was named the next managing director of UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and will replace Vincent Gérard effective August 1, 2010. The UFI Board of Directors approved the appointment of Woodward, who is currently the association’s Asia/Pacific regional director, and announced that Gérard would step down July 31, 2010.

Poss, Green and Hanley Wood Part Ways
Dallas, TX – Industry veteran Galen Poss left his position as president of Hanley Wood Exhibitions on June 15 as did Executive Vice President Michael Green. Frank Anton, CEO of parent company Hanley Wood, LLC, confirmed that the two executives would be replaced but offered no details on the departure of Poss and Green. Poss and Green left Miller Freeman together in 2000 to take command of Hanley Wood Exhibitions. Senior Vice President Rick McConnell was named acting president of the exhibition division.

Hanley Wood Takes the Next Step in Integrating Events into Business Media
Dallas, TX – Hanley Wood, LLC changed its executive reporting structure to tie its trade show unit in more closely to its other business media functions. HW's Dallas-based divisional president will report to Peter Goldstone, the president of the Business Media division, who is based in Washington, DC.

Mike Cooke to Step Down as dmg CEO This Fall
San Francisco, CA – Mike Cooke will step down as CEO of dmg world media this Fall and leave the company altogether at the end of the year. A replacement was not immediately named, although dmg also announced June 1 that Suresh Kavan had been appointed chairman of the company.

Trade Show Executive Announces Winners of 2009 Innovation Award
Carlsbad, CA – Eight companies were named winners of Trade Show Executive’s 7^th Annual Innovation Awards for new products and services that will improve the efficiency and productivity of trade shows. The winners include:

• a2z, Inc.
• Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)
• Champion Exposition Services
• Exhibit Surveys, Inc. & Constellation Communication Corp.
• Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA)
• The Global Executive
• ITN International, Inc.
• Mingle360

New President Named at ENK International
New York, NY – Thomas Nastos, who has spent the past decade running a clothing manufacturing and distribution company, was named president of fashion trade show organizer ENK International. He and Elyse Kroll, chairman of the board and chief creative officer, will be directly involved in the day-to-day operations of ENK. ENK produces 22 fashion events annually in New York City, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

ABM Survey: B-to-B Trade Show Revenues Grew 4.3% in 2008, But Began Decline in Q4
New York, NY – Revenues from U.S. B-to-B media company trade shows grew 4.3% last year, although the Fourth Quarter was less encouraging with an 18.5% decline over Q4 2007, according to American Business Media’s 2009 Media Financial Survey. Overall, the B-to-B industry saw a 2.2% decline in revenues as growth in revenues from live events, online and data products offset declines in magazine revenues.

Quiet Crisis: CVBs Stick to Positive, Honest Communications as Economy Stumbles
San Diego, CA – While not as dramatic as a hurricane or disruptive as a broken water pipe, the recession has had enough of an impact on trade show venues that convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) should consider a crisis communications strategy for dealing with their local news media and anxious city leadership. As is the case when a convention center is disrupted by any crisis, the first rule is to present a complete and honest picture. Here are some tips.

Trade Show Industry Salutes the Present, Ponders the Future at TSE Gold 100 Awards Gala & Summit
Laguna Niguel, CA – It was the trade show industry’s rendition of the Academy Awards with the leaders, innovators and celebrities of show biz gathering to celebrate the success of the 100 top shows at Trade Show Executive’s Gold 100 Awards Gala & Summit September 17-19 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Resort in Laguna Niguel, CA.  Nielsen Business Media won a Grand Award as “The Top Show Organizer” of 2007. The Radiological Society of North America’s RSNA Scientific Assembly & Annual Meeting documented the “Highest Economic Impact on a Host City.” SEMICON was heralded as “The Leading Brand Worldwide” with eight shows bearing the SEMICON name. In the category, “Most Innovative Practices,” there was no competition once The SEMA Show entered.