FEATURE STORY
By Steve Noe
GIE+EXPO 2013
Special Preview
L
ouisville is home to the
Kentucky Derby, a race known
as "The Most Exciting Two
Minutes in Sports." The city will
also serve as host to the Green Industry
& Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO) for
three exciting days Wednesday, Oct. 23,
through Friday, Oct. 25, at the Kentucky
Exposition Center.
And outdoor power equipment
Craig Morgan
Three Dog Night
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O UT D OOR POWE R E QUI PME NT www. o u t d o o r p o w e re q u ip m e n t . co m
dealers and their employees should
come prepared to hit the ground
running like thoroughbreds for what is
shaping up to be a great show.
"This year's show is a must-attend
event for dealers who are looking to
move their stores to the next level,"
said GIE+EXPO Director Warren Sellers.
"Dealers want their own day, and we are
giving it to them! We based the 2013
program on what dealers and their
exhibitors asked for."
Yes, back by popular demand will
be Dealer Day on October 23. On that
day, dealers — along with retailers,
distributors and media — will be
treated to an exclusive preview of the
show. The Dealer Resource Pavilion will
be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the
indoor exhibits from 3 to 7 p.m. From
noon until 3 p.m., an inaugural Dealer
Summit will take place, giving dealers
the opportunity to learn strategies to
reach top contractors, as well as a chance
to listen to manufacturers express their
views on several hot topics. Those topics
will include how dealers fit into their
futures, online sales, compatibility of
electronic communications and billing
systems, and the challenges of E15.
This lunch-and-learn session will cost
$50 per person. Also on Dealer Day, a
welcome reception will take place on the
show floor from 5 to 7 p.m., with many
exhibitors hosting fun-filled festivities
in their booths, including a $5,000
giveaway sponsored by Stihl Inc. A free
beer and hot dog reception, sponsored
by ARI and Husqvarna, will take place in
the Dealer Resource Pavilion.
Speaking of the Dealer Resource
Pavilion, it will also be the place for
dealership owners and managers to go
for free educational seminars conducted
by Bob Clements International (BCI). In
the pavilion's showroom and parts and
service department, Bob and his BCI team
will share tips on how to improve sales,
parts profits and service efficiencies for
dealerships of all sizes.
Service technicians will have the
opportunity to receive hands-on
training and certification in the Kentucky
Exposition Center's East Hall on Dealer
Day. Offered through the North American
Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA)
