o matter who you talk to, whether it’s an account executive, an exhibit designer, or a fellow exhibit manager, almost everyone has an intriguing tale about how they came to be a part of our charmingly odd exhibit-marketing family. This bizarre reality struck me at a recent industry event while chatting with Stephen Benedetti from Heilmaier GmbH
Messedesign. As our circle expanded, and we randomly invited others to share their stories of how they became involved in the industry, we realized that not only was every story unique; every story was downright fascinating.
Editorial Advisory Board member Judy Volker, for instance, segued
directly from a position as food-service manager for Steelcase Inc. into a role with the company’s trade show and events department. How? When a co-worker mentioned he was looking for a way to encourage attendees to stay in the company’s booth longer, she suggested serving espresso and biscuits in the morning and soft-serve ice cream in the afternoon. Then she amped up her strategy to include a conversation area with some soft jazz, fostering a coffee-house atmosphere she thought would encourage attendees to linger longer. But this was back when in-booth hospitality included little more than a pot of stale coffee, so her idea was initially met with a sense of “What does a food-service manager know about trade shows?”
When the event director finally decided to take a chance, Volker’s hospitality-centric exhibit won the Best of Show award, attracted a record number of attendees, and more than doubled the amount of time visitors
spent in the booth, compared to previous years. Oh, and Volker was promptly offered a position in the company’s event department. The rest, as they say, is history, and Volker is currently the marketing manager for Iatric Systems Inc.
Then there’s Bob Milam, who has come to be known, affectionately, by the moniker “Trade Show Bob.” But even Trade Show Bob had humble beginnings. After being laid off from his job, he became the owner of a deli business that went belly up. He then took on some odd jobs to make ends meet, and was fired twice. While in Utah for a family wedding, Milam did a little job hunting and arranged an interview for a position in marketing communications. When the potential employer asked him if he had any trade show experience, Milam thought of his wife, five daughters, and two dogs who were depending on his income, and said, “Oh, sure. Lots of experience. No problem.”
The next thing he knew, he had a part-time job, and was responsible for a 20-by-50-foot exhibit at a major international trade show only seven weeks away. At about the same time, a copy of EXHIBITOR magazine came across Milam’s new desk, promoting EXHIBITOR Show. He snuck away from work — and spent his own money — to attend EXHIBITOR Show for two days. The knowledge he acquired helped him exceed his company’s expectations for the show, and he was offered a full-time position. “I fell in love with the industry,” Milam says. “And thanks to my lie of desperation, I’ve made a pretty good living ever since.”
Stories like these aren’t the exception; they’re the norm in the trade show industry. Unlike doctors and lawyers who, for the most part, followed a relatively pre-defined path to get where they are, exhibit managers and their various suppliers seem to be called to this industry in relatively mysterious ways. Because we’re riveted by these stories, we’re inviting readers to join our Facebook page and tell us their own stories. Click here for our page on Facebook, become a fan, and post your story on our wall. And just for sharing your story, we’ll enter you in a drawing for a free one-day passport to EXHIBITOR2010 this March.
So what’s your story? I can hardly wait to hear it.e
o matter who you talk to, whether it’s an account executive, an exhibit designer, or a fellow exhibit manager, almost everyone has an intriguing tale about how they came to be a part of our charmingly odd exhibit-marketing family. This bizarre reality struck me at a recent industry event while chatting with Stephen Benedetti from Heilmaier GmbH
Messedesign. As our circle expanded, and we randomly invited others to share their stories of how they became involved in the industry, we realized that not only was every story unique; every story was downright fascinating. 
