PHOTO: LIVE MARKETING INC.

Soon after portraying the "boy who wouldn't grow up" at the 1973 Supermarket Institute (SMI) Convention for Swift & Co.'s Peter Pan Peanut Butter, Elaine Cohen grew to become a giant in the exhibiting industry. Working for Kellogg Co. at the SMI show in 1974, she realized that blending customized entertainment with a client's promotional efforts could create a unique hook for attendees. So in 1978, Cohen founded Chicago-based Live Marketing Inc. and quickly went from working for peanuts to pioneering live presentations and integrated event programs for industries from caskets to computers.