The North American Trailer Dealers Association (NATDA) has been acquired by newly established trade show platform Trifecta Collective LLC, a partnership between leading private equity firm GreyLion and trade show industry veterans Rick McConnell and Jennifer Hoff. 

Nick Curci, president and founder of Corporate Solutions, served as NATDA’s financial advisor for the transaction, the terms of which were not disclosed. 

Founded in 2007 by Amy and Andy Ackerman, NATDA is the only North American professional business association serving light and medium duty trailer dealers. It comprises a member organization, a leading trade publication and the trailer industry’s largest national trade show, the annual NATDA Trailer Show, which boasted a sold-out exhibit floor at its August 2021 edition, despite the pandemic. Its next edition is set to take place Aug. 31-Sept. 2 at Music City Center in Nashville. 

“It has been incredibly rewarding to help build NATDA for the past 15 years,” said Amy and Andy Ackerman. “Trailer dealers needed access to the very best products, services and education, so we started the NATDA Trailer Show. It has performed even better than our highest expectations, and we are excited to be able to turn it over to Rick and Jen.”

With extensive experience building and leading industry events spanning numerous sectors, McConnell has previously held senior roles at Hanley Wood and Informa, while Hoff boasts a strong track record in show management, serving in numerous positions at National Tradeshow Productions and most recently founding full-service trade show and management company Taffy Event Strategies. 

“Amy, Andy and the entire NATDA team have built a world-class organization and trade show,” Hoff said. “I feel fortunate to be working with a group that is truly passionate about the community they serve and their commitment to excellence.” 

According to Trifecta Collective officials, the company will initially focus on gaining a better understanding of the needs of the association’s main membership base—manufacturer/vendor and dealer communities—as well as spending time with stakeholders to identify key initiatives. Top priorities will include growing membership, increasing sponsorship opportunities, expanding the NATDA magazine, investing in educational programming, enhancing the online experience, and building a broader network of dealer support. 

Meanwhile, McConnell and Hoff’s complementary skill sets will align to grow association membership through expanded benefit programs and value-building strategies, with McConnell focusing on revenue-generating initiatives and marketing investment, and Hoff on the operational and financial aspects of the business, day-to-day support of the NATDA team, vendor agreements and process improvements.

“Our relationship with Rick goes back more than 15 years,” said Ryan Anderson, partner at GreyLion. “Both he and Jen are highly regarded executives and have been instrumental in building successful industry-leading trade shows over the course of their careers. We are excited about our new partnership and expect NATDA to be the first of several trade shows we acquire over the next few years. 

Trifecta Collective officials added that the firm has been working closely with the full NATDA team to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. All current team members, including Executive Director Andria Gibbon and Sales Director Karen Anderson, will remain in their current roles. Additionally, the Ackermans will remain involved in a key consulting role.

“NATDA is a special organization that is very much in tune with the trailer industry,” McConnell said. “Our team will ensure that we remain close to the market, exhibitors, sponsors and dealers to build upon an already strong foundation. Amy and Andy have been great to work with through this transition. They have emphasized the fact that listening to customers is the key to success [and] we will continue this tradition!”

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