- With InfoComm wrapped the largest InfoComm show ever it would be easy to think the seminar/trade show event calendar is winding down. And with the corporate staging business itself a bit slower in mid-summer, I suppose some folks turn their attention to the boat, cabin, or vacation. But theres so much going on post-InfoComm; were gearing up for a second season of rental and staging initiatives.
- First things first: so much went on at InfoComm that its going to take a while to follow up on all the leads, ideas, and issues. In this issue, Tom Stimson highlights the always-lively goings-on at the Rental & Staging Forum at InfoComm. Stimson moderated a Whos Who industry panel that included Tom Alford, Alford Media Services; Steve Bury, AVW-TELAV; Josh Weisberg, Scharff-Weisberg; Jeff Studley of CPR MultiMedia Solutions; Wayne Vincent of MVP International; and VERs Ken Sanders. The topics covered at the Forum, from the use of HD in the corporate staging environment to employment contracts, highlighted the most urgent issues facing the industry today. Stimson had the audience in attendance at the Forum participate in the panel through the use of audience polling, so the expertise and insight of the industry stars on-stage was complemented by full and very precise audience participation and voting.
- And InfoComm was, of course, the scene for the unveiling of the InfoComm/Rental & Staging Systems New Product Awards. On June 18, at InfoComms annual AV Awards Ceremony, Rental & Staging Systems magazine and InfoComm International presented product awards designed for the rental and staging market. Products were entered by equipment manufacturers exhibiting at InfoComm 2007 with a record number of entries this year. Winners were decided on the basis of a readers poll conducted by Rental & Staging Systems. Details on the winners can be found in this issue and at www.rentalandstaging.com.
- But even as the InfoComm show wraps, the industry is abuzz with activity. Tops on our list is the marshalling of data for the annual Rental & Staging Services Guide & Product Directory. If you have not done so, dont forget to submit now your listing for the 2007 Directory by visiting www.rsdirectory.com.
- As I write this I am polishing up the training and seminar agenda for the first Rental & Staging Roadshow. The first event will take place July 25, in the New York City area. The event will enable attendees to get technical and product training, business planning, and management help, and will feature a special panel where staging services end-users offer tips on how to get on the fast-track to their best jobs. The event will be anchored by three industry pros Tom Stimson, Andre LeJeune, and Stas Ushomirsky. (And it wouldnt be a Roadshow if we were not planning more stops on the road. Stay tuned for more details on future events and venues.)
- So its no rest for the weary. The industry is humming with activity. The boom in InfoComm attendance can be attributed, in part, to a very healthy staging industry. New-generation projection, processing, display, and audio technology has now made great staged events and trade show booths accessible and affordable to a wider base of customers. So I dont know about you, but the boat may have to wait a while. The show goes on. And the audience just keeps filing in to the auditorium.
