team and much more. All that he brings to the table requires a fastidious attention to detail. “I believe that I have a fiduciary duty to the Association and our members to produce a best-in-class trade show that delivers a positive and lasting impression on exhibitors, attendees and guests year over year,” Harris says. In a static world, where everything always goes according to plan, putting together such a large show would be a massive undertaking. But that is not how the world works. The event’s countless variables require planning, preparing, executing and reacting, and the team can never panic when it comes to the reacting part of the equation. The PPAI Expo 2022 was the industry’s in-person return to the event, but another COVID-19 variant popping up all over the country well after the event was planned and in motion forced the team The unsung heroes: Exhibitors Stop by PPAI headquarters near the holidays, and you’ll see an extra focus from the whole staff preparing for The PPAI Expo, but Vice President of Revenue and Expositions Ellen Tucker is also grateful for the work that the event’s exhibitors are putting in at this time. They are PPAI’s partners in making the event such a success. “Quarter 4 is a very busy time for our industry,” says Tucker. “The amount of work that our exhibitors are doing in Q4 includes not only getting their booths ready for the show, but they have the busiest time of the year getting catalogs out, whether that’s print or digital. Some of them are busy with awards and recognition. You start piling that stuff up, and you can forget how taxing this can be on them as well. “We have the show, and we do everything we do to connect our exhibitors and attendees. But without them and their extra effort, our show wouldn’t be what it is.” to make adjustments, prioritizing health and safety. The event went on, thanks to the team that Harris works with. The 17th century poet John Donne said, “Noman is an island.” Harris likes to say, “Noman or woman is an island. When the show is over, I can truly say we have done this together.” Melissa Massey Sales Manager and National Accounts, Business Development and Expositions Massey wears plenty of hats at PPAI, but in the lead up to The PPAI Expo 2023, she is encouraging the business development team in their sales efforts and working with leadership andmarketing on new ideas that could lead to revenue generation for the Association. More than a party or networking opportunity, The PPAI Expo serves a specific purpose for exhibitors. Making sure that each is put in a position to consider the trip a success requires plenty of planning. “I think people would be surprised to know the amount of thought and effort that is put into the initial space assignment of the show floor during the summer prior to the event,” Massey says. “The business development team spends several weeks taking great care to ensure that we maximize the use of space, make sure competitors are as far away from each other as we can and that we assign exhibitors to booths that are as close as possible to their choices.” Ashley Van Der Stuyf Account Manager, Expositions Van Der Stuyf works with the staff and vendors on all show management requests and orders, from structure, signage and furniture to electricity and internet service. Even scheduling and entertainment can fall under her responsibility. “All tasks are equally important to one another,” Van Der Stuyf says. Come December, Van Der Stuyf is spending just as much time working on the details of The PPAI Expo to be held more than a year in the future as she is preparing for the event coming up a few weeks later. Vicki Sypien Meetings and Registration Manager, Expositions Did you enjoy The PPAI Expo 2022? Sypien had something to do with that. The range of her responsibilities extends to working withMandalay Bay Convention Center’s service manager and catering team andmaking sure the meeting rooms and social events at The PPAI Expo are at the quality you would expect from the Association. “My most important role would be to ensure that our attendees have a seamless user experience when registering and booking housing for The PPAI Expo,” Sypien says. The PPAI Expo is built from the ground up, but it exists for the people who attend, and Sypienmakes sure that attending is not just enjoyable and valuable but painless throughout. “There are a lot of moving parts,” Sypien says. “It’s like a puzzle.” Auping is a news editor at PPAI. The PPAI Expo Team | DECEMBER 2022 | 21 INNOVATE
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