San Juan Capistrano, CA – Emerald Expositions LLC announced two show acquisitions in March that beefed up the company’s design group portfolio.
Separate transactions added events and publications in the field of healthcare facility design and pizza to the Healthcare, Design, Antiques & Military Group headed by Executive Vice President Joe Randall.
One acquisition had Emerald buying the International Pizza Expo and the supporting publication Pizza Today from Macfadden Communications Group. The other deal was with Vendome Group LLC, and included three brands in the area of building design for healthcare and senior living centers.
David Loechner, CEO of Emerald, said the acquisitions enabled the company to start at the top as it branched into new areas. “We have said that we planned to supplement our organic growth with tuck-in acquisitions that met our strategic criteria,” he said. “I’m delighted that we were able to add these two growing businesses, each of which has the leading brands in their respective markets.”
Vendome
The transaction includes three Vendome brands that are focused on the design and construction of healthcare and senior living facilities.
Randall said the mix of complimentary events and publications made the Vendome properties “a natural addition to Emerald’s Design portfolio.” Vendome Vice President Ron Lowy, former director of publishing at Penton Media, will join Emerald and report to Randall.
Berkery Noyes represented Vendome Group in the negotiations. Terms of the deal were not revealed.
The sale includes Healthcare Design Conference and Expo; Environments for Aging; and Construction SuperConference, along with a number of smaller specialty conferences. Healthcare Design Conference and Expo is the largest event, although statistics on exhibit space and attendance were not immediately available for the upcoming November 15-17 edition at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland.
Macfadden
International Pizza Expo is billed as the largest trade show for pie purveyors in the U.S. This year’s show at the Las Vegas Convention Center on March 23-26 had 475 exhibitors and 12,000 attendees signed up.
“This is Emerald’s first trade show acquisition in the food service industry, so we are exceptionally pleased that International Pizza Expo is such a strong and growing show,” Randall said. “We look forward to supporting the team in the continued building of the business.”
The Pizza Expo/Pizza Today management team in Louisville will join Randall’s group at Emerald.
Reach David Loechner at (949) 226-5777 or david.loechner@emeraldexpo.com; Joe Randall at (770) 291-5454 or joe.randall@emeraldexpo.com; Ron Lowy at (216) 373-1232 or rlowy@vendomegrp.com; Bill Oakley, executive vice president/show manager for International Pizza Expo, at (502) 736-9500, x520, or boakley@pizzatoday.com
