New Shepard Partnership With Soles4Souls Encourages Positive Change at Expo! Expo! and Beyond
November 24, 2021
As the excitement builds to be reunited once again for “The Show of Shows” in Philadelphia Dec. 7-9, full-service event production company Shepard is making notable strides for the greater good, while inviting IAEE Expo! Expo! attendees to do the same as well as share their next steps for the future during this pivotal time.
As part of its Shepard GO (Go Outwardly) philanthropic initiative, the company believes Expo! Expo! is the ideal place to unveil its new alliance with Soles4Souls. The organization turns unwanted shoes and clothing into opportunity by putting them to good use—providing relief, creating jobs and empowering people to break the cycle of poverty.
Kicking the Soles4Souls partnership off at Expo! Expo! was the perfect timeline and synergy for the initiative, according to Lauren Bauer, director of sales, West region for Shepard.
The purpose is to focus on, support and create a dialogue around everyone’s next steps in this new era of events and at the same time do something great by stepping into Shepard’s booth, according to Lauren Bauer, director of sales, West Coast region for Shepard.
“Expo! Expo! is the place where people come to share ideas and learn about future opportunities, so what better place to start?” she said.
Shepard is inviting attendees to lend a hand by visiting its booth (#738) and sharing how they plan to move forward in the next generation of events in 2022 and beyond. By sharing their success tips and strategies with the community, they will be helping to make a contribution to Soles4Souls and be entered to win a pair of one-of-a-kind celebrity artist-designed shoes.
“As a longstanding supporter of Shepard’s philanthropic efforts, I am so pleased to be able to provide a platform for our Expo! Expo! community to get involved with Soles4Souls,” said Steve Basch, CEO of Shepard. “As event industry professionals, we know the incredible power of lifting people up, and providing them with resources can be the key to taking that step towards a better life.”
Attendees will also learn how Shepard can support their mission and needs and the ways they may work together for the future.
“We want to be able to guide that conversation about how attendees are approaching the future, and as they step into our booth, just continue that discovery with current clients, prospective clients and partners in the industry,” Bauer said.
Meanwhile, the Shepard booth will feature fun new activations by PopShap, a digital partner that creates compelling experiences with interactive technology. At the Shepard booth, PopShap will offer pre-loaded, engaging content for attendees to explore Shepard’s offerings, and they can even spin a wheel to win a prize.
“The goal with Shepard is to help trade shows move into the digital age by becoming more interactive with their presentations,” said Eitan Magid, CEO of Popshap.
“We also want to bridge the digital gap for exhibitors, especially for Shepard’s clients.”
Located just across the aisle from Shepard in booth #743, TSNN is also looking forward to helping support Shepard’s Soles4Souls initiative in creative ways as their show neighbor and partner. TSNN’s very own Rachel Wimberly and Arlene Shows, for example, will donate their own shoes at the Shepard booth.
“This will be two amazing women giving up their shoes so that somebody else can now take the next steps in life—but it’s more than just the shoes,” Bauer said. “It’s what they represent—an industry that is fortunate to have survived and able to come back together to make a big impact.”
The TSNN booth will be packed with free resources to help attendees connect and perform their jobs with the highest level of excellence. The company will also feature a social media wall and snapshots of attendees to Tweet out their brand and message to TSNN’s industry audience of more than 300,000 event professionals. In addition, TSNN is hosting an Ugly Sweater Contest during the IAEE chapter receptions and offering a $100 Amazon gift card for the winner. The winner will be announced during the general session on Dec. 8 and can come to the TSNN booth to take a picture with their prize to be Tweeted out.
Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!
The Shepard booth at Expo! Expo! is #738, and the TSNN booth is #743.
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
Add new comment