E2MA to honor George Wurm at The Boston Randy
Exhibit & Event Marketers Association (E2MA) staff and members gave a sad farewell to their director of EAC registration who passed away from congestive heart failure on April 30.
Gone, but George Wurm will always be remembered by his family, friends, colleagues and the EAC community. The Randy Smith Memorial Classic in Boston on July 20 will also keep his memory alive by designating him a recipient.
The exhibit services community especially will never forget George’s commitment to simplifying the process for Exhibitor Appointed Contractor (EAC) registration.
George often acted as the intermediary between show management and EACs. For many of the tradeshows he served, George reviewed and vetted up to 125 EACs. The EACs who passed his online review process received credentials to carry out move-in and move-out on behalf of exhibitors.
Additionally, the fact that George handled the notifications acknowledging exhibitors’ intent to hire an EAC saved show management from what E2MA Executive Director Jim Wurm called a “sometimes arduous administrative process.”
“George was ever the educator, and problem solver, in discharging his responsibilities to vet and credential EACs for E2MA’s client shows. He had great patience in explaining the registration requirements to exhibitors and EACs alike,” added Jim.
International service companies also benefited from George’s assistance. He helped them understand the operations of U.S. tradeshows in comparison to those overseas, such as different insurance requirements.
“In fact, through his efforts in partnership with the E2MA Affinity Partner, Employco, [George] helped develop a general liability policy that international service companies could purchase for the show in question,” Jim added.
Prior to the formation of E2MA, George started with Exhibitor Appointed Contractors Association in 2003. Once the association merged with Trade Show Exhibitors Association to create E2MA in April 2012, George became a known face of the new organization.
Not only was George a leader who served more than a dozen of the top 200 annual tradeshows for nearly 12 years, but he was also Jim’s older brother.
“George was not only my big brother, and all that conveys to me and my siblings, but he was the kind of person that many looked up to in that fashion. He was often the center of attention and commanded a real presence in any room he entered,” stated Jim. “There was no better evidence of how much and how widely he was loved and appreciated than the many comments and tributes that were posted on Facebook and emails sent to his family on the news of his passing.”
Jim provided a sampling of the messages shared with him and his family:
“The memories I have of George are the best and that says a lot about the man he was.”
“Just the best…so full of life….so funny…so loving…I miss him so much already.”
“He had so many great stories….the room would brighten with his presence….and the light he brought, and openly shared, will be sorely missed.”
A lover of golf and music, George was also described by Jim as often “telling tall tales in the company of his family and friends.”
George was born on June 17, 1950 to his late parents, George Sr. and Mary Jane. He received a B.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. and his MBA from University of Chicago.
In addition to his parents, George was preceded in death by his youngest brother, Rick.
He is survived by his daughters Erika (Kevin) and Krista. He also leaves behind his sister, Sue (Wally), and brothers, Jim (CJ), Bill (Jane) and Tom (Jill). Additionally, he is survived by 17 nieces and nephews who loved him and miss him dearly.
