WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Buyers will be introduced to scores of new companies and new introductions from established brands as they search for fresh resources at the 156th semi-annual New York International Gift Fair, which runs Sunday, Jan. 25, through Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 90, 92 and 94.

"There are highlights in each of NYIGF's nine divisions this winter, offering retailers a wealth of new products as well as even more cross-category buying opportunities," said Dorothy Belshaw, GLM senior vice president and NYIGF director.  "Along with our efforts to refine product categorization, the new companies and new resources make it easy — and exciting — to shop both deeply within vertical categories and horizontally for complementary lines."

Accent on Design Offers Full Spectrum and Introduces Blog Awards_Accent on Design, a dynamic juried collection of 200 exhibitors, offers access to the full spectrum of contemporary design resources - from established design leaders to emerging design talents - in one easy-to-shop location.  Returning standard-bearers, such as Alessi, Artecnica, Chilewich, Dwell, Design House Stockholm, Jonathan Adler and Wabnitz, will be positioned alongside "A+TM: The Young Designer's Platform," a design "incubator" showcase area which showcases designs, prototypes or finished products from students, recent graduates and new companies. In partnership with editors from alternative media outlets, new "Bloggers' Choice" Awards will be presented to select Accent on Design exhibitors this winter, with special recognition for top gift, home and lifestyle resources.

At Home Expands Home Textiles at Javits & Refines Hard Goods at Piers_At Home, which is presented at both the Javits Center and Piers 92 and 94, will continue to coalesce and expand mid-to-high-end home textiles resources at Javits while refining hard lines at the Piers.  Between the three locations, At Home presents some 500 exhibitors with a full range of soft goods and hard lines for the home.

Within the home textiles arena, Sferra will increase its exhibit space at Javits and bed linen manufacturers SDH and Zoeppritz, will move into Javits from Pier 94. Notable changes at the Piers include expansion and relocation of Global Views and Zentique, expansion of Outdoor Designs and the addition of Made Goods (handmade mirrors and trays) and other newcomers to market.

NYIGF is the nation's premier gift and home accessory marketplace, with 2,900+ exhibitors featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. NYIGF is held concurrently with Home Textiles Market Week at NYIGF (at the Javits Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 90, 92 & 94), 230 Fifth Avenue and 7 West 34th Street.  Some 36,000 buyers from around the world are expected to attend.  Additional information, registration and on-line advance planning tools are available at www.nyigf.com.

MILFORD, Conn. — Unicomm LLC, the creators of the largest series of travel events in the United States, recently announced the launch of the Green Travel Summit which will take place at the Fairmont Hotel in Newport Beach, Calif. , March 23-24, 2009.  The event is the first fully dedicated forum focused on exploring green travel strategies and their impact on business travel and corporate meetings.

American Express Business Travel has joined the event as Presenting Sponsor along with co-sponsor National Business Travel Association (NBTA), the Association of Travel Marketing Executives as Association Sponsor, Business Travel News, Successful Meetings and Meeting News as Media Sponsors, and Fairmont Hotel, Newport Beach as Official Hotel sponsor.

The launch of the Green Travel Summit comes at a critical time in the travel industry. Companies are accelerating their efforts to create enterprise-wide sustainability strategies not only to address the climate change issue, but to realize cost savings and position themselves for competitive advantage. To date, Corporate Social Responsibility has been predominantly a "top down" initiative - but it has now fallen to the operational level.  A "Green-to-Green" approach is being adopted across the business supply chain and sustainable travel policies have now become an important part of the CSR mix.

The Summit will assemble 400 executives from a cross-section of the travel industry including: corporate travel, buyers, managers, meeting and incentive planners as well as travel marketing executives, corporate travel suppliers and destination marketing organizations.

Attendees will hear best practice overviews and successful case studies, and leading experts on Green Business Travel will provide actionable, non-hyped, real and responsible travel information that will have a positive impact on the bottom line for organizations.

"Organizations are realizing that reducing their carbon footprint can help them reduce their travel expenses and improve their bottom line.  By being a part of the Green Travel Summit we are helping to create a forum for the ongoing dialogue and best practice sharing in this vital area of the business travel and meetings industry. We hope everyone will join us for this open exchange and sharing of the latest technologies, tools and approaches, because by working together, we can have a greater impact on our industry," said  Frank Schnur, Vice President Consulting, American Express Business Travel Advisory Services.

As Presenting Sponsor, American Express Business Travel will among other things, contribute to creating content for the summit based on the company's global business travel and CSR expertise.

NBTA President & CEO Kevin Maguire, CCTE, GLP, said, "Environmental considerations form a central component of any corporate travel CSR initiative. NBTA is proud to co-sponsor the inaugural Green Travel Summit as a forum to address the latest developments in green travel. NBTA's support of this new Summit expands on our ongoing CSR initiatives, including the recent launch of a corporate CSR Toolkit and a benchmarking tool."

The format will contain discussion-in-the-round plenary sessions plus interactive workshops to provide an innovative exchange of ideas and sharing of best practices underscoring the idea that a new "green travel" business strategy is critical to addressing the business and meeting needs of customers and prospects.  Sessions scheduled will focus on topics such as: 

• How to measure green efficiencies and show real ROI
• Green Meeting Guidelines & Checklist
• How to leverage green travel initiatives with employees and other stake holders
• Carbon Offsets
• Virtual Meetings & the green business travel and meetings plan

For more information on the Green Travel Summit, please visit the event Web site at www.greentravelsummit.com.

CHICAGO — After being relegated to the exhibition center’s basement level for years, the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) show moved up to McCormick Place’s newly opened West Hall last September.

For longtime exhibitors like Schunk, specialists in toolholding, workholding and automation, moving on up was a welcome opportunity to reach new heights — figuratively and literally. And, it gave them the chance to put into action what it takes to be successful at a show — a great booth and a great marketing plan working together.

“Exhibiting in the lower level of McCormick place always presented a challenge for us because there were height limitations and columns all over the place that interrupted booth space,” explains Milton Guerry, Schunk’s vice president and general manager of North America Operations. “Moving to the West Hall opened new doors and literally shattered the ceiling of our exhibit.”

[CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE]

CHICACO — In order to help its international customers gain access to the North American market, Messe Düsseldorf will organize the first "Global Technologies" pavilion at GlassBuild America 2009. Messe Düsseldorf is renowned as the organizer of glasstec, the leading international trade show for the glass industry. The German trade fair organizer has had a long partnership with the National Glass Association (NGA) who is responsible for the organization of GlassBuild America.

The pavilion will feature global technologies such as solar panel technologies, refractory and hollow/container glass equipment and supplies. It will provide the ideal platform to present products and services to the North American glass industry market. A full service package offer will make the participation easy and cost-effective.

For further information on exhibiting within the "Global Technologies" pavilion at GlassBuild America 2009, visit www.mdna.com.

CHICAGO — A total of 4,299 visitors from 36 countries came to the recent staging of OS+H Asia 2008, 6th Occupational Safety + Health Exhibition for Asia, in Singapore. This marks the highest visitor participation ever since the show's premiere in 1998 and the number of attendees almost doubled compared to the first event where 2,157 visitors took part. This clearly indicates the growing need for an event dedicated specifically to the occupational safety and health sector.  OS+H Asia 2008 featured the latest equipment and technologies presented by 112 exhibitors and brands from 17 countries. The event was supported by the National Safety Council of Singapore and the Workplace Safety and Health Council. As in the past, MEDICAL FAIR ASIA — International Exhibition on Hospital, Pharmaceutical, Medical & Rehabilitation Equipment & Supplies, was held concurrently.

"The choice of Singapore as the Asian venue for OS+H Asia shows that we are well poised to play a key role in the region's safety and health development and movement. Positioning Singapore in a regional leadership role goes hand in hand with our goal to achieve one of the best safety records in the world by 2018.  The Workplace Safety and Health Council counts on our partnership with many organizations — including Messe Düsseldorf — to engage more groups to work towards this goal. OS+H Asia is an important platform that will continue to play a strong role in our efforts," explained Samuel Tso, Executive Director of the Workplace Safety and Health Council.

"We are pleased to provide all involved in occupational safety and health in Asia with the most comprehensive and influential platform, and we expect even greater growth in the future in connection with creating a safer and healthier workplace," said Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf Asia, the organizer of the event.

OS+H Asia 2008 received positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors. According to a survey, 84 percent of the attendees were pleased with the range of products and services on display. About 70 percent were likely to place an order and 66 percent indicated that they will place their orders at the exhibition or within one year.

Geneva Chin, Assistant Marketing Manager at Brady Corporation Asia Pte. Ltd., was very pleased with the show's results: "OSH Asia is a good platform for brand awareness and meeting new customers. We received a lot of inquiries from Thailand and Malaysia. There were also many inquiries from the government agencies in Singapore."

Tammy Lee, General Manager of LSH Solutions Pte. Ltd., agreed: "There was more publicity for OS+H Asia 2008 than in previous years.  As a result, there was a visible increase not just in the quantity but also in the quality of the visitors. LSH Solutions' main objectives in exhibiting at OS+H Asia were to introduce new product developments and to meet new customers.  We have achieved our objectives and are very pleased with our participation."

"The turnout was much better compared to the previous exhibition two years ago and it was also better organized. We saw more visitors at our booth and had more inquiries," added Barry Sim, Sales Manager of MSA S.E. Asia Pte. Ltd.

OS+H Asia will return to Singapore in 2010. For more information on visiting or exhibiting at OS+H Asia 2010, visit www.mdna.com.

ST. LOUIS — Daniel Trail, with McCollister’s Transportation Group, Burlington, N.J., an agency of United Van Lines, has been honored as a United Van Operator of the Year.  Announcement of the recognition, conferred as part of the van line’s annual awards program, was made by United CEO Richard H. McClure.

Trail was one of eight honorees among more than 8,000 eligible van operators. Trail was recognized for achievement in United’s special services dedicated fleet, which transports high-value shipments, electronics, trade shows and special commodities. He operated a total of 109,827 miles during the qualifying period.

According to McClure, Trail qualified for the award by meeting a wide range of criteria, including claims prevention, adherence to van line policies and procedures, achievement of an exceptional safety record, and overall superior performance, as reflected by compliments received from customers. In the past year, Trail drove with no cargo claims, no preventable accidents, and no safety violations.

As Van Operator of the Year, Trail received a cash award, an engraved plaque, a ring denoting his accomplishment, and a specially designed jacket.

United Van Lines, with headquarters in Fenton, Mo., maintains a network of 1,000 agencies in 135 nations around the world.  More information about United and its services can be obtained through the company’s Web site at www.unitedvanlines.com.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The national sales office of Gaylord Hotels has added Russell D. Porter to its northeast region team as director of national accounts. The announcement was made by Mike Mason, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Gaylord Hotels.

In his new position, Porter will be responsible for the financial and insurance sectors, which is his area of expertise.  Prior to joining Gaylord Hotels, he was the assistant director of sales, financial/insurance at the Hilton New York in New York City. His 10 years of hospitality sales experience has spanned the spectrum to include conventions, incentives and technology/communications at such prestigious properties as the Four Seasons Resort Nevis in St. Kitts, Nevis, the Hudson Hotel and The Algonquin, both in New York City. 

"We are thrilled to have added Russell to our team in the northeast," said Mason. "His extensive background with such high-quality properties will not only benefit us, but our clients, as well.  And his expertise in insurance and finance will help us support clients who have special needs in those areas."

Porter will continue to be based in New York City. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Center Connecticut State University.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Hospitality veteran Dan Shaughnessy has been named the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa. Shaughnessy began his career 20 years ago as a front desk associate before moving into the Sales and Marketing discipline where he has held numerous management and leadership positions with Marriott. Most recently, Shaughnessy held the position of Director of Sales for the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.

"We're very happy to add Dan to our team," says General Manager Bruce Gorelick. "His wealth of experience will be a great addition to our current operation and his marketing and sales record really speaks for itself."

 Shaughnessy brings more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, having worked in a variety of markets from airport and suburban properties to destination hotels and convention resorts.  Shaughnessy has been Director of Sales for the Marina Del Rey Marriott, Marriott's Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa and Director of Market Strategy for Marriott's California Desert Resorts. Shaughnessy has been an active member of MPI (Meeting Professionals International) for the past thirteen years and has served on the Board of Directors for the Southern California Chapter.

Shaughnessy sees the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel and Spa Luce as an embodiment of the new 24/7 Hollywood lifestyle. "This is the entertainment capitol of the world and we are seeing a true renaissance here, artistically, culturally, and economically.  This hotel — a major focal point to stay at, relax, hang out, shop, eat, drink and celebrate — is a large part of new Hollywood.  Following in the Renaissance brand tradition, we treat every guest like a celebrity by providing exceptional service, exciting environments, and surpassing all expectations of our guests.  As the hotel embarks next year on its newest upgrades to guest rooms and public space, the renaissance of new Hollywood will continue."

Born in New York, New York and raised in Los Angeles, California, Shaughnessy attended California State University at Northridge. Shaughnessy currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife Nicah and daughter Amarah and will soon be relocating to Los Angeles California.  His hobbies include music, golf, tennis, hiking and biking.

By Barry Siskind

One pet peeve of visitors at trade shows is pushy booth staff. These are people who think everyone is interested in hearing about their newest product or service. They wait in their booth with the eye of the tiger for an unsuspecting booth visitor to accidentally make eye contact or ask an innocent question. Then they pounce.

The booth staff, on the other hand have difficulty working in a trade show booth when their manager is demanding so much and giving so little to work with.

The quandary is finding a happy balance between being aggressive enough to produce the desired results and being the kind of person visitors want to do business with. The answer is all a matter of attitude. The right attitude at a booth is not as a hard-core sales person but rather as a host.

[CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF SISKIND'S COLUMN…]

GRAPEVINE, Texas — Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, a leading experiential marketing agency known for creating meaningful and memorable brand experiences, today announced the addition of four new members to its global account management team. Account managers Lauren Lengle, Diane Noes, Leandra Nicolo, and Josh Faris will provide counsel and service support to local and international clients from EG’s Boston, Cincinnati and Dallas client care centers.

“With a 26 percent increase in third quarter growth versus 2007 coupled with the demand for our new marketing services, it was clear that we needed to add more firepower across all our client services,” said John Jastrem, president and CEO, Exhibitgroup/Giltspur. “These new additions prove that EG is committed to bringing on the best talent in the industry to support our ever-growing client roster.”

Joining the EG team is:

Lauren Lengle, joining EG’s Cincinnati client care center, brings extensive experience developing and executing events for clients of all sizes, coupling traditional marketing and promotions with strategic online initiatives. Her former account service experience at Hyatt Regency and Downing Displays, an Ohio-based exhibits company, helped provide creative solutions for brands such as Fifth Third Bank and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Diane Noes also joins the Cincinnati client care center as a part of the account management team, and brings more than 14 years of experience managing marketing and trade show programs. As a marketing services project manager at Formica Corporation, she managed $6.8 million of the marketing budget and 20 to 30 simultaneous projects. At eInstruction Corporation, an interactive educational software company, Diane worked as a senior marketing consultant and was responsible for managing all day-to-day marketing activities including sales promotions, collateral, fulfillment, and trade show support for more than 125 resellers and multiple product lines. She will bring a great deal of expertise in large-scale project management and integrated marketing.

Leandra Nicolo joins the Boston client care center, and will apply her skills and expertise in event management for an array of customers. With previous project management experience at Convention Data Services and Vision Events, Nicolo has implemented successful campaigns for top clients including Nielsen Business Media, Penton Media and Cygnus Expositions.

Josh Faris will be based in EG’s Dallas client care center supporting clients such as ServiceMaster. An expert in managing regional and national trade shows, Faris’s work as a trade show and marketing manager for Armstrong Cabinets shaped his strategic approach to account management, advertising and point-of-purchase displays. There he spearheaded a strategic analysis report which proved crucial in the largest product launch in the division’s history.

“Each of these new account managers brings forward thinking and fresh perspective to the table, and I’m confident that they will generate great results for our clients,” said Jastrem.

CHICAGO — On Location, a leading full service nationwide labor and management company for events and trade shows, has announced that Kristi Tassone has joined their team in the role of Business Development. Based in the On Location facilities in Las Vegas, Tassone will be responsible for developing new business and servicing clients on a national basis.

Tassone is a 10 year veteran of the trade show service industry, having previous business development experience for labor services, exhibits and furniture rentals. She holds a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.

“Kristi’s enthusiasm, drive and strong relationship building skills will be great assets to our business development efforts,” said Michael Mulry, On Location’s General Manager. “Kristi embodies On Location’s culture of professionalism and industry savvy that will make her a great partner for corporate clients with challenging exhibit and event programs.”

On Location has earned its reputation as one of the industry’s best by continuously delivering the highest level of professionalism, personalized service and great depth of resources to its clients. On Location clients are assigned dedicated on site personnel who are responsible for their account throughout a trade show. The company has offices strategically located throughout North America, enabling it to meet clients’ needs in every convention city.

On Location is a nationwide full service labor and management company that specializes in event and trade show support. For more than 15 years, On Location has been a leader in program and event management, nationwide labor management and resources, total rental solutions, and warehousing. Through On Location’s philosophy of “return on experience”, the company utilizes its expertise in the trade show and event industry to ensure an efficient and positive experience for every client.

AUSTIN, Texas – Dolce Hotels and Resorts, a unique global hospitality company, has appointed Michael Swyney to regional area director of sales and marketing. A 20 year hospitality veteran, Swyney has created a formula for success at one of Dolce’s original properties, Lakeway Resort and Spa, in Austin, Texas.

A legendary resort on the shores of Lake Travis, Lakeway Resort underwent a $15 million redevelopment that debuted in the spring of 2007. Joining the staff only a few months later as the director of sales and marketing, Swyney was able to utilize a spectacular new product to define a fresh brand for the property and build a customer experience unlike any other in Texas. He will now be responsible for bringing that same ingenuity to other similar destinations and development projects. Formally, Swyney will be charged with overseeing new business development initiatives for Dolce properties and projects within the US resorts region.

“Working closely with Michael, I have become familiar with his creative spark and canny sense of customer expectations” says Scott Huntsman, General Manager at Lakeway Resort and Spa. “Along with corporate directives and initiatives, I look forward to the support he will provide to growth and innovative concepts on both the property and corporate levels.”

Broadening his scope, Swyney will begin to implement on multiple levels a standard for sales and marketing initiatives that is rooted in the new corporate brand standards set out by Dolce Hotels and Resorts. Being “part of the solution” and pushing the accepted wisdom is the focus that leads his management style. He will champion a vision that looks to enhance the guest experience from the initial call to arrival, with an emphasis on initializing unique interactivity between the sales team and clients, as well as clients with the property and corporate brand.

Prior to joining Lakeway Resort, Swyney was the vice president of sales and marketing at Pacific Palms Resort, helping California’s leading business destination establish itself within the leisure market. Swyney spearheaded the resort’s double-figure growth that included a revitalized Industry Hills Golf Club and gained recognition for innovative concepts and creating quality standards based on responsive and flexible customer service.
 
 “Michael is a formidable presence in the conference center industry. His previous contribution to our Venue Partner Advisory Council has greatly to our growth and success,” said Jody Wallace, president and CEO of EMC Venues, a global network of conference centers, and board member for the International Association of Conference Centers.

Since 1992, Swyney has held hospitality sales, marketing and management positions for International Conference Resorts/Tiburon Hospitality and various national properties within the Dolce Hotels and Resorts portfolio. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in communications and minor in hospitality management.

CHICAGO — Creative marketing agency MG Design Associates is pleased to announce Sam Marino has joined MG Design as a senior account executive. Sam will be sharing MG Design's strategy, structure and service capabilities to the expanding security, broadcasting and gaming industries.

Sam has more than 26 years of experience in the trade show industry. He began his career shortly after high school operating a forklift. Since then, he has held sales director positions at national companies, trained and mentored new account executives and maintained long-term client relationships.

"Sam has a diverse background in the industry. From rental properties to custom builds and permanent installations, Sam has helped his clients find the right solution matched to their marketing goals, exhibit requirements and budgets." said Mike Grivas, President, MG Design. "His ability to tailor services and products for his clients is a perfect fit for MG Design, where we put the client first and stay creative and innovative in meeting their needs."

Marino added, "It was Mike Grivas' vision of the industry and MG Design's client-based mission that led me to this position. Mike understands the industry and sees where it is going. It is a vision I am proud to present to prospective clients."