More than 1,200 association executives, consultants and industry professionals converged at the 2016 ASAE Technology Conference & Expo for three days of networking, education, insights and information about the latest trends, technologies, and strategies needed to take their organizations in a more forward-thinking direction.

In a room last week at IMEX America in Las Vegas, 135 people gathered to learn about the official launch of the Exhibitions and Meetings Safety and Security Initiative (EMSSI), which was founded to address safety and security concerns at venues around the United States.

“Everywhere we go in (the trade show and meetings industry), safety and security keeps us up at night,” said International Association of Exhibitions and Events President and CEO David DuBois.

By Elizabeth Johnson

This week, the world’s largest mining equipment, products and services exhibition was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Sponsored by the National Mining Association (NMA), MINExpo INTERNATIONAL® 2016 covered more than 840,000 net square feet, showcasing the latest mining equipment and technology from 1,900-plus exhibitors around the world.

Rachel Wimberly

The Food Marketing Institute (FMI), an association for the food retail industry, has decided to shift its events strategy and cancel its annual trade show – FMI Connect.

The show was scheduled to run next June at Chicago’s McCormick Place and was held this past June along with United Fresh, Global Cold Chain Expo and the International Floriculture Expo.

Nearly 6,500 attendees and 491 exhibiting companies took part in FMI Connect in June 2016.

In the past few weeks alone, terrorist activities have wreaked havoc around the world at places ranging from an airport to a nightclub to an outside festival to even inside a church.

ICAST, which serves the sportfishing market, drew 15,000 attendees, making it the largest trade show produced by the recreational fishing industry’s trade association.

From exhibitors to buyers to outdoor media, representatives from the domestic and international sportfishing and boating community converged July 12-15 on Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center for the 59th International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST. 

The United Fresh Produce Association had a busy time during its show, United Fresh 2016, which was held June 20-22 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

First, the association made another substantial donation to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and second, it launched the Global Cold Chain Expo in partnership with the Global Cold Chain Alliance.

Besides the launch event, United Fresh is collocated with several other shows, including the International Floriculture Expo and FMI Connect.

“I can’t thank you enough for this opportunity,” and similar sentiments from SHOT Show exhibitors were repeatedly exchanged with National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) staff at the conclusion of the 3^rd annual SHOT Show Exhibitor Academy.

This year’s Academy was held June 20-22 at the Sands Expo  Convention Center and was attended by more than 100 SHOT Show exhibitors. The Exhibitor Academy is the brainchild of ConvExx, the show management firm who won the bid to manage SHOT Show beginning in 2014.

Despite polls indicating that the opposite result would be achieved, Britain has voted to leave the European Union, which it has been a member of since the mid-1970s.

The vote’s impact on the British pound and stock markets worldwide was swift, with the U.K. currency dropping to a 30-year low and the FTSE 100 also seeing steep declines.

As a strong backer of the ‘Remain’ campaign, British Prime Minister David Cameron also announced that he would be stepping down from his post in the next few months as a result of the ‘Leave’ campaign winning the vote.

Video gamers likely are rejoicing today, with the Entertainment Software Association, producers of the annual E3 Expo for the video gaming industry, unveiling a new event – E3 Live - that will be open to the public.

On tap June 14-16 at L.A. Live, the same time as E3 Expo next door at the Los Angeles Convention Center, video gamers will have the opportunity to enjoy video games, music, competitions and video game swag from some of the biggest names in the industry.