We Know Trade Shows!

When you speak with our editors and sales/marketing staff, you will notice the difference immediately. We know trade shows! When you work with Trade  Show Executive magazine, you are working with experienced and knowledgeable professionals with deep roots in the trade show and publishing industry.

Darlene Gudea, VP/publisher & editor, is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience as a writer, researcher, editor and publisher in the trade show industry. She began her career in the trade show business in 1978 as managing editor of Tradeshow Week, published by Reed Business Information in Los Angeles. She rose through the ranks and was named VP/publisher & editor-in-chief in December 1986.    
     In March 2000, she joined Advanstar Communications in Santa Ana, CA as group publisher of the Call Center/CRM Group, responsible for Customer Interface magazine, the Customer Interface Buyer’s Guide, two show dailies, five exhibitor directories and five conference guides. In September 2001, she was named director of the Magazine Division of Hispanic Business in Santa Barbara, CA, overseeing its editorial, research, circulation, sales and production departments. 
     Gudea joined Trade Show Executive magazine in September 2002, expanding the bi-monthly publication to 12 issues per year; launched five directories including the World's Top Convention Centers and the popular Who's Who series; launched a website and E-clips Breaking News; added an event division to launch the Gold 100 Awards & Summit; and formed a strategic partnership with Simmons Market Research Bureau and Mark Rothman & Associates to conduct custom research projects for convention bureaus, convention centers and private equity firms. 
    Gudea is active in many trade show industry associations, and has served on the board of directors of the International Association of Exhibition & Events (IAEE), IAEE Education Foundation, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) Foundation, the Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA) and the Exhibit Designer & Producers Association Foundation (ED&PA). She was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE) as well as from the Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA). Gudea and the publications she directed have won over 56 awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors, the Western Publications Association, TABPI and APEX /Communications Concepts for excellence in the areas of design, feature-writing, “How-To” articles, newswriting, surveys and for the “Most Improved Publication." Darlene has a B.A. in Advertising from Michigan State University. Reach Darlene at (760) 929-9666 or dgudea@tradeshowexecutive.com

Irene Sperling, vice president and associate publisher, began her trade show career in 1978 as marketing coordinator for the seminars and trade shows of Security World Publishing, owners of the International Security Conference. After Cahners Exposition Group (now Reed Exhibitions) purchased the company in 1979, Sperling became show manager for CEG’s Kitchen and Bath shows. In 1980, she joined Tradeshow Week as advertising manager and moved up through the ranks to become publisher in 2000. Sperling retired from Tradeshow Week in 2003 and joined Trade Show Executive later that year as associate publisher. Sperling is a member of IAEE and PCMA and has served on several regional and national committees of IAEE. She has spoken at numerous industry events in the U.S., Mexico and Russia including IAEE, ICCC, TSEA and AMPROFEC. She earned a degree in communications from Ohio State University. Reach Irene at (818) 990-1080 or irenesperling@tradeshowexecutive.com

Diane Bjorklund is director of events for Trade Show Executive, a position that puts her at the high-profile helm of TSE’s Gold 100 Awards & Summit. Diane joined TSE in 2007 after building a solid reputation within the industry during four years as conference director and member services manager for SISO, the Society of Independent Show Managers. Prior to SISO, she was a human resources supervisor at Laventhol & Horwath. Reach Diane at (630) 312-8915 or dbjorklund@tradeshowexecutive.com

Carol Andrews is editor-at-large for Trade Show Executive, working on special projects and directories as well as feature articles for the magazine. Carol joined TSE in 2008, continuing in a successful career in the industry that began in 1986 when was hired by Gudea as assistant editor at Tradeshow Week. She rose through the ranks to editor-in-chief, and in 2003, left to join Ascend Media as editor of Clinical Lab Products.
     During her career, Carol has earned multiple writing awards from APEX and the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE). She has been active in the International Association of Exhibitions and Events as well as the Trade Show Exhibitors Association and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners. She is a graduate of Antioch College in Ohio and earned a Masters degree in Mass Communications from California State University, Northridge. Reach Carol at (562) 505-7903 or carolandrews@tradeshowexecutive.com

Renee Di Iulio, senior editor, news & directories, has had a prominent role in the trade show industry for more than ten years and from the perspective of an exhibitor, show organizer and journalist. She first started with an exhibitor, coordinating special events and trade show marketing for a printing and production company. In 1998, she joined Tradeshow Week magazine as an editorial assistant and quickly climbed the ranks to senior associate editor. In 1991, Di lulio advanced to become editor of Expotential magazine targeted to exhibitors. In 2002, she joined the editorial team of show organizer Key3Media Events. There, she oversaw the creation and production of publications for trade shows, such as BioSecurity and JavaOne, and was a writer and editor for COMDEX and Networld+Interop event previews and dailies. She is currently based in Los Angeles, where she manages the directories and special reports for Trade Show Executive magazine and writes feature articles. Di lulio has won four APEX and two ASBPE awards covering the trade show industry. She holds a B.S. from Cornell University. Reach Renee Di lulio at (310) 939-0197 or reneediiulio@tradeshowexecutive.com

Hil Anderson, Trade Show Executive’s senior editor, has over 20 years experience as a news writer and editor. He joined United Press International (UPI) in San Diego as its news reporter/bureau manager; moved up to international desk supervisor in Washington, DC; and then was promoted to West Coast news editor in Los Angeles as well as chief energy correspondent. Prior to UPI, Anderson was editor of Platt’s Oilgram News, published by Standard & Poor’s, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, where he wrote and edited articles on the oil industry for a daily newsletter and subscription wire service. He has a B.A. in History from Michigan State University. Anderson joined Trade Show Executive in 2006, and as senior editor, reports on breaking news, trends analysis and statistical research. As part of the Trade Show Executive team, Anderson has won six APEX awards. Reach Hil Anderson at (760) 929-9615 or handerson@tradeshowexecutive.com

Frank Chow is a highly respected economist with over 13 years experience as an economist, researcher and forecaster. He previously worked at Hispanic Business Inc. (HBI) in Santa Barbara as its chief economist and director of research. Prior to HBI, Chow served as policy advisor to Arizona’s Speaker of the House. He provided analysis and recommendations to the majority party of the Arizona Legislature in areas of commerce, budget/taxes, finance, technology, and the U.S. and state economy. Chow was also director of administration/finance at the Arizona Lottery for almost four years and senior economist at the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee for seven years. He authored the Arizona Tax Handbook, which became the definitive source of Arizona tax law information. He has a M.A. in Economics from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Mississippi. At CSULB, he was awarded “The Most Outstanding Master’s Graduate in Economics.”
     Frank Chow, along with Publisher Darlene Gudea, won an APEX award for their column Trending & Spending, and has won five other APEX awards with the TSE editorial staff. Reach Frank Chow at (760) 929-9666 or frankchow@tradeshowexecutive.com

Sandi Cain, news editor, is a highly experienced writer and editor, and has been a key member of the Trade Show Executive team since 2005. Over a span of 16 years, she has worked for the Orange County Business Journal as supplements editor, special reports editor and reporter. Before joining the OCBJ, she spent four years in the technology industry. Cain was previously a high school history and government teacher. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Kent State University in Ohio, where she majored in History and went on to earn a master’s degree in Education. As part of the Trade Show Executive team, Cain has earned four APEX awards including one for her report in 2005 entitled, "The Trade Show Industry Fights Back in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina." In 2004, she received the Visionary Award from the Orange County Chapter of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association. Cain is a member of the International Association of Exhibitions & Events, the Orange County Tourism Council and the Society of American Business Editors & Writers. She is also a contributing editor and advisory board member of the Annual Conference of the Southern California Tourism Safety & Security Association. Reach Sandi Cain at (949) 497-2680 or scain@tradeshowexecutive.com    

Bob Dallmeyer, monthly columnist for Trade Show Executive’s Power Lunch, interviews some of the world’s most influential and fascinating leaders -- those who do not traditionally grant interviews to the trade show press such as Ivanka Trump and Christopher Kennedy. Dallmeyer himself is one of the most accomplished leaders in the trade show industry, and was inducted into the Convention Industry Council's prestigious Hall of Leaders in August 2006. He began his career managing United Technologies' worldwide event and exhibitions program. He also organized B-to-C events for Warner Brothers and B-to-B events for Electronic Conventions and the California Restaurant Association. In 1983, he launched his own management firm, RD International, providing exhibition management and marketing services to the exposition industry. He is the past-chairman of both the International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE) and the Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA). He is also a former director of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).  Bob teaches CEM certification programs for IAEE in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe and China. He co-hosted the talk radio show Expo Today on KIEV in Los Angeles. His writings have appeared in The New York Times, Business Marketing, American Management Association Small Business Report and many others. Reach Bob Dallmeyer at (323) 934-8300 or bdallmeyer@tradeshowexecutive.com

Nicole Burnes is assistant editor of Trade Show Executive and handles a wide range of important behind-the-scenes tasks in the Carlsbad office. As a copy editor for all articles in print and online, she is a mainstay of the editorial and production departments. She also takes part in the painstaking, detailed process of compiling and editing monthly calendars and TSE’s annual directories and financial reports.
     Nicole is a graduate of California State University, Fresno and has previous editorial experience with Children’s Hospital Central California and Dennis Hodgins Architecture & Planning. Reach Nicole at (760) 929-9604 or nburnes@tradeshowexecutive.com 

Linda Braue, advertising manager, has over 18 years of sales experience in the trade show and technology fields. Prior to joining Trade Show Executive magazine, she had a very successful sales career in the technology field where she sold computers, optical character recognition systems and file management systems. She received her B.A. in Liberal Arts/Political Science from San Diego State University and her M.B.A. from the American Graduate School of International Management. At Trade Show Executive, Braue has made a strong contribution to the growth of the magazine by meeting or exceeding her sales quota every quarter and has been promoted three times since joining the company in 2004. She has been instrumental in bringing in many new advertisers and accounts that advertise exclusively in Trade Show Executive. Her territory includes the East, South and Midwest, as well as key categories such as registration firms, investment bankers and technology service contractors. She is also a member of IAEE.  Reach Linda Braue at (310) 379-2217 or lindabraue@tradeshowexecutive.com

Ricky Bello runs the IT side of Trade Show Executive's I-Show. He is the main contact for the convention centers, CVBs, service contractors and other companies that will make up the I-Show’s digital exhibitors. As technology and design manager for the I-Show, Ricky is well-versed in not only the latest in IT technology, but also in translating technical terminology and requirements into layman’s language. Ricky studied IT at Robert Morris College. He was trained in encryption and network security in the Marine Corps and is a veteran of the Iraq war. Reach Ricky at (312) 617-8675 or rbello@tradeshowexecutive.com