Greetings to readers (and WOMEN) everywhere!
If you haven’t checked out Exhibit City News’ July/August print edition in person, there’s still time to visit it virtually at https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/ecn_flipbook_0716?e=16962537/37028635.
While we here at ECN have tried through the years to keep a neutral stance on political items — we’ve been highlighting “Women in the Industry” for some 20+ years — one thing has become strikingly apparent… the glass ceiling, the issue as we knew it in the ’70s and ’80s, is gone.
I’m not saying that “all is equal” and “we no longer need to follow it as an issue.” But the pay gap has drastically diminished (male & female union workers make the exact same scale) and an increasing number of management positions are being held by women.
As some of the great content put together by Arthur Bloberger, our associate editor, points out, “There are still certain types of professions and industry segments that still are proportionally out of balance when it comes to the sexes. Those segments, however, are very few and becoming fewer.”
It is interesting to note that over our 22+ years of covering our niche industry, ECN has highlighted more than 300 of our industry’s brightest and most interesting women, from powerful leaders responsible for hundreds of employees to shop workers and point of contact show floor workers in the field.
On behalf of the entire ECN staff (many of whom are women), join us in saluting all the women that work in our industry.
In addition to our tribute to women, this issue is packed with informative and exciting content on the companies that make up our industry… and “YOU,” the people that make it all happen! Be sure not to miss our Q&A with Tectonics’ Tony Helfman. Tony is an expert in his field and comes from a family of fabric pioneers (page 44). Plus, Amber Johnson reports on the successful staging of the Inaugural Global Exhibitions Day (page 60). And, also on the international side, Larry Kulchawik, provides coverage of the recent meeting of IFES in Istanbul, Turkey (page 54).
Wishing everyone a safe and happy rest of summer. See you on the showfloor somewhere soon!
-Don Svehla, Publisher, Exhibit City News
