New Year. New venue. New president. New initiatives. – That’s the best way to describe the atmosphere at the Exhibit Designers + Producers Association (EDPA) Las Vegas chapter’s first event of the year at the Foundation Room in Mandalay Bay on Feb. 4.
Not only is Las Vegas one of the more active EDPA chapters, but it also consists of several women leaders who are instrumental in its ongoing new campaign to boost membership.
This includes new chapter President Rhiannon Andersen, vice president of Steelhead; Secretary Kerry Snider, director of global accounts at PRG; board member Rebecca Thompson, account executive at MC2; chapter historian Lisa Abrams, sales and marketing consultant at Exposures Ltd.; Lara Davie, senior project manager at EliteXPO; and chapter Vice President Susan Medica, national account manager at AFR.
A major priority for the chapter is stepping up its social media game to attract new members. This is where Lara Davie comes in.
“I hope to see our Facebook and LinkedIn numbers go up,” Davie added. She further explained how she’s working with other members to cohesively decide what other actions they should take.
The chapter also plans to reclaim the Chapter of the Year (COTY) award. Snagged by the Midwest chapter, the COTY award previously was held by Las Vegas for three years in a row.
For the Las Vegas chapter, this means boosting the amount of events it holds and highlighting their year-long triumphs for the national EDPA chapter. Kerry Snider and Lisa Abrams collaborated on this endeavor.
While Abrams’ company, Exposures, is now the official photographer for all EDPA Las Vegas chapter events, Snider said she helps the chapter as a whole.
“We all pitch in to talk to builders, designers and creative agencies. I invite them to these events,” said Snider.
Hoping to see membership expand by 50 percent ideally, Snider said she thinks 10 to 20 percent growth would also be good.
Surrounded at the event by a contingent of Steelhead supporters, Rhiannon Andersen said she is looking forward to the diverse events that will be added to the schedule this year. Many of these events will provide networking opportunities and be family friendly, letting attendees bring their children along.
“This allows people to not only get to know each other professionally but personally as well,” Andersen explained.
The chapter will continue to host events that give back to the community, such as its annual blood drive, where volunteers have donated more than 100 pints of blood over the last five years, according to Rebecca Thompson.
Additionally, the chapter’s annual golf tournament to raise money for scholarships will enter its 13th year on June 10 at Revere Golf Course in Henderson, Nev.
“Our golf tournament is big. We raise over 10 grand each year,” stated Thompson.
For the chapter’s upcoming breakfast at EXHIBITORLIVE, Thompson invited the 2015 EDPA President Robert Campbell to speak to members. Campbell is vice president of Uniplan Group in Switzerland and Kaohsiung Exhibition Center in Taiwan.
Those who come to the breakfast and bring the pin they were given at the Feb. 4 event may win a special prize, according to Snider.
These pins, stating “I heart EDPA Las Vegas” were also created as part of the chapter’s new marketing campaign.
To learn more about what these pins could mean and what Campbell will discuss with attendees, join the EDPA Las Vegas chapter on March 4 during EXHIBITORLIVE at Mandalay Bay. Additional details are forthcoming.
To see more photos from the Feb. 4 event, visit
https://www.flickr.com/photos/exhibitcitynews/.
