February is a blur – the show is a blur. Many thanks to all our members –
and our Trade Show Advisory Council – for making February 7-9 in
Orlando so wonderful. It always amazes me that it takes 730 days to plan
a NAFEM show and 6 days to set it up, yet we can tear it down and make it
one for the history books in 10 minutes!
A few questions came up – and we thought we’d reinforce the answers
and maybe dispel some myths) about what’s ahead for the show.
- The most frequently asked question – Why Anaheim? Following the
2011 show, members – NAFEM members – asked us to do everything
we could to rotate the show between the east and west coasts as soon as
we could. The first opportunity was 2015, and, since there are very few
cities that have the convention center space and the infrastructure to
support a show the size of The NAFEM Show, we jumped on it. We’ll see
you in Anaheim in 2015, and then it’s back to Orlando for 2017 and 2019.
We’re hoping by 2021, the show will be on the west coast, and then will
rotate between east and west every other show.
- Why Anaheim? Why not New Orleans, Denver, New York, Chicago, San
Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Nashville, Louisville, St.
Louis, Miami, Las Vegas? Based on the requirements needed to produce
the show (contiguous floor space being obviously, the most important),
The NAFEM Show only fits in Orlando, Anaheim, Las Vegas, New Orleans and
Atlanta. Everything else is too small. Then, we need to insure we have
all the other supporting pieces, like consistency of dates, hotels, etc.
- I want to get more involved, how do I do that? On the “for members”
section of the NAFEM website, there are links to committee descriptions
and the sign-up sheet. Look them over, call us if you have questions
about the right fit for you, and send it in. As soon as we receive it,
we’ll get you engaged. Remember, your company earns priority points
toward future NAFEM show space selections for actively participating in
committee activities.
- Oops – did I miss something? I didn’t sign up for 2015 exhibit space
in Orlando and I want the same space. What do I do? You didn’t miss
anything – contracts for exhibit space will be available in early 2014,
and, you won’t select your space until the summer of 2014. Space
selection is based on priority point status, so you aren’t guaranteed
the same space. Plus, we’re going to Anaheim, so the floor layout will
be different.
- How long will The NAFEM Show app be available? As it exists now,
until fall 2014. Then it will be updated with 2015 show information.
- When is the next NAFEM meeting? The Annual Meeting & Management
Workshop takes place February 7-10, 2014, at the J.W. Marriott, New
Orleans. You get two priority points for participating – one for the
overall meeting; another for participating in the Annual Business Meeting (
Saturday lunch).
- Can I get a NAFEM member directory? We don’t publish a physical
directory anymore (and haven’t done so for about 15 years now). Contact
information for all NAFEM members is on the NAFEM website – www.nafem.org –
under the Find Members tab at the
top of the page.
Just a quick reminder – we’re combining the Operations/Benchmarking and
Wage and Benefits surveys we’ve done in the past into one operations
survey this year. You earn five (5) priority points for participating – which
goes a long way toward future booth selections. The more members we get
participating, the stronger the data and the more helpful it is to everyone.
Please take the time to participate.
Again, thanks for making 2013 such a banner year already!
NAFEM Executive Vice President