The former Rental & Staging Network announced today that it has rebranded itself as the Event Production Network (EPN) to capture its evolution from contributor to a full-service event creator.
EPN’s members create 30,000 memorable event experiences annually—from concept to completion—with the latest AV technology that transforms any event into an experience. The invite-only, North American alliance helps meeting planners and event organizers deliver exceptional events that bring audiences together—even from afar. EPN’s award-winning members set the standard for immersive, dynamic, engaging events, producing in-person, virtual and hybrid events throughout the entire continent.
“For years, we had fought the notion that we are a commodity,” says EPN President Eric Newkirk, who is vice president of design and creative for CEAVCO Audio Visual, an AVFX Company. “During the pandemic, meeting planners and event organizers came to us for our service and expertise—not a bottomless pool of equipment and skilled labor. They had more problems, and we had more solutions. Our industry has changed dramatically, and we must keep up with the evolution.”
The evolution of EPN members becoming full-service, event production companies started about a decade ago, but the trend accelerated during the pandemic. In the last two years, EPN companies began adding new team members on the creative side and investing in new technologies to keep pace with expectations from a world that had quickly embraced high-end programming on streaming services. Earlier this year, EPN published a hybrid event guide for meeting planners and event organizers that shares their best practices for events amid the shift toward more events incorporating a virtual component.
EPN provides meeting planners and event organizers with peace of mind as experienced AV partners, who are current on the latest event technology trends. As an invite-only organization, the network has established the industry’s highest standard, which each member must match or exceed. The benchmarks include quality equipment, unmatched technical knowledge and ethical business practices.
EPN members—which have been strategically selected throughout the North American continent—share time, talent and solutions with other members to ensure that everyone succeeds. Event organizers can leverage the nationwide reach of the network’s member companies. Collectively, EPN members invest in continuous improvement through new training and shared best practices.
The network’s members offer services that run the complete gamut, which includes live event production, event management, video services, audio services, lighting services, networking, rigging, creative services and content services.
EPN’s predecessor, The Rental & Staging Network, was the brainchild of AVFX CEO’s Matt Emerson in December 2007. The six founding members created the association to help them find cross-country, vetted AV partners who could help them extend their reach, along with sharing best practices.
