Upfront
Editor Steve Noe
snoe@m2media360.com
Dealers deserve plenty of praise
for successful debut of Dealer Day
would like to extend kudos to all of you dealers who took time out of your busy
schedules to attend the first-ever Dealer Day on the opening day of the 2012 Green
Industry & Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO).You certainly made an impressive
showing!
Although I didn't receive official attendance figures for Dealer Day, show planners, attendees and exhibitors were pleased with the attendance that day, and total
attendance for the entire show was up 6 percent. On Dealer Day, the Dealer Resource
Pavilion was open all day, and I was told that the education sessions taking place there
were filled to capacity. The show floor was open 3-7 p.m., allowing dealers/distributors to
hold face-to-face meetings with exhibitors. Many exhibitors — including Stihl Inc. and
Ariens Company — also hosted events in their booths during a festive welcome reception from 5 to 7 p.m.
"Dealer Day was a home run," said Todd Teske, president, chair and CEO of Briggs &
Stratton Corporation. "Everybody we talked to thought it was a tremendous success. It
gave me, personally, an opportunity to talk directly with dealers, which I love."
Teske's sentiments were echoed by many people, including Mike Williams, vice president, government relations, North American Dealers Association (NAEDA). "If you're a
dealer looking for new products and education, the new Dealer Day was your ideal
opportunity," said Williams. "We expected 150 people at the first dealership owners' and
managers' class, and more than 300 showed up. The room was filled to capacity. We are
already making plans for expansion and improvement next year."
Yes, thanks to your strong
showing, Dealer Day will be
back by popular demand on
the opening day of
GIE+EXPO 2013, which
will return to Louisville's
Kentucky Exposition Center
on Wednesday, Oct. 23,
through Friday, Oct. 25.
"By the end of the first
day, we had exhibitors asking for expanded booth
space for 2013," said Show
Director Warren Sellers. "It
looks like we have a success
on our hands."
For additional coverage
of GIE+EXPO 2012, please
Stihl Inc. President Fred Whyte, right, and Brad Sorgen, left, event
see the "GIE+EXPO 2012
marketing specialist at Stihl Inc, present a $5,000 check to Mary Alice recap," starting on page 15,
Gibson of Roanoke, Va., for winning Stihl's Oktoberfest drawing at
as well as at www.outdoor
the company's GIE+EXPO Dealer Preview Event on Dealer Day.
powerequipment.com. OPE
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