IAEM nearly doubles its membership

The International Association for Exhibition Management (IAEM) began the year 2006 with 3,333 individual members. The association welcomed member representative number 6,000 – Chris Wright, executive director of SMG, national booking & general manager, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum & Expo Center in Long Island, N.Y. “I am very pleased to not only to become a new member of such an important organization to our industry, but to also be named the 6,000th member is quite a bonus and speaks directly to the strength and influence that the IAEM has across the many facets of public assembly facility management, booking and operations,” exclaims Wright. “I look forward to contributing to IAEM`s goals and programs in the future.” Sandy Angus, chairman of IAEM`s Board of Directors, attributes the surge in membership to the organization`s new trade association structure and to the “extraordinary support IAEM is receiving from its members.” Implemented on 1 January 2006 as part of its Strategic Plan, the new dues structure shifted IAEM from an individual-based organization to one that recognizes the company/organization as the IAEM member and its eligible employees as “member representatives” of that company/organization. “We are gratified that the change in the membership system results in nearly twice as many individuals now having the chance to benefit from IAEM,” says IAEM President Steven Hacker, CAE. “We can only become a stronger, more vital industry as a result of their involvement.” Michael Verikios – Tuesday, November 21, 2006