by Rick Kostopoulos, CEO, NewGen Business Solutions
For decades, Nimlok Chicago has been a trusted leader in the tradeshow exhibit design and production industry, growing beyond modular display distribution to expand its services, inventory, and national customer base. But as the business grew in complexity, its legacy systems couldn’t keep up. Fragmented data, manual workflows, and a lack of real-time visibility for customers inhibited its growth.
That changed with the implementation of ConventionSuite by NewGen Business Solutions, an exhibit house management software platform tailored to the tradeshow and event industries and built atop Oracle NetSuite, the number one AI cloud ERP system.
Today, Nimlok Chicago runs its operations from one unified platform and credits ConventionSuite with meeting its rigorous demands for fueling future growth.
In this Q&A, we spoke with Josh Sirbu, CPA, Chief Financial Officer at Nimlok Chicago, to learn more about the company’s journey and the role ConventionSuite is playing in transforming their business.
Question: Can you describe the challenges your organization was facing before implementing ConventionSuite?
Answer: Before adopting ConventionSuite, our organization struggled with fragmented databases and time-consuming manual data entry processes. We lacked a unified system that could provide customers with the visibility they needed through an online portal. Additionally, our warehouse operations were hindered by inadequate systems for managing inventory, processing change orders, and overseeing production, highlighting the urgent need for a centralized data source to streamline these critical functions.
Q: What made you choose ConventionSuite’s Exhibit House Management Software over other solutions you considered?
A: We selected ConventionSuite’s Exhibit House Management Software because we were encountering opportunities with major clients whose complex requirements demanded a complete digital transformation of our business model. As our company was scaling rapidly, we needed a robust and flexible platform that could grow with us, and we saw ConventionSuite as a future-proof solution. It stood out as the only product that could meet all our operational needs within a single, integrated system. Moreover, its cost-effectiveness made it a smart choice that aligned well with our long-term growth strategy.
Q: What specific benefits have you seen since implementing ConventionSuite?
A: We’re a full-service exhibit house, servicing events big and small from large scale international exhibitions to tabletop hotel shows. ConventionSuite has given us the infrastructure to do both. From quick ship of portables through an ecommerce platform to the system flexibility needed for a custom house, it’s truly been an all-in-one solution. Additional benefits that our business has encountered are faster invoicing speed and financial closing processes, enhanced CRM and quicker follow-ups, giving us executive visibility for nimble decision making, and robust scheduling capabilities to keep our projects on track.
Q: What is your favorite feature of ConventionSuite and why?
A: Our favorite feature of ConventionSuite is the Customer Portal, which provides real-time information through a clean, calendar-based interface. It offers on-demand visibility into inventory levels and delivers a personalized experience tailored to each customer’s preferences. The intuitive design makes it especially appealing to clients transitioning from legacy systems, offering a seamless and user-friendly upgrade that enhances transparency and engagement.
Q: How has ConventionSuite impacted your overall business goals and future plans?
A: ConventionSuite has fundamentally shifted the way we think about our operations, enabling innovation across the entire organization rather than within isolated departments. It has empowered us to expand our in-house capabilities, particularly in areas related to infrastructure and product transformation, from raw materials to finished goods. We are more than just a dealer; we are a full solutions provider.
Q: Would you recommend ConventionSuite to other businesses in your industry facing similar challenges?
A: Absolutely, we would highly recommend ConventionSuite to other businesses in our industry facing similar challenges. It’s a tech-forward solution designed for a complex industry with countless variables and moving parts throughout the project and event lifecycle. Partnering with NewGen Business Solutions has been instrumental; they truly understand our needs and have delivered a tailored product experience that aligns seamlessly with our business model.
For more information about ConventionSuite, visit conventionsuite.com or email sales@newgennow.com. To connect with Nimlok Chicago, visit Nimlok-chicago.com or email
info@nimlok-chicago.com.
Image: Josh Sirbu, CPA, Nimlock Chicago (left) and Shane Ellison, NewGen Business Solutions (right)
This story originally appeared in the Q1 2026 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 58. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/exhibit_city_news_-_jan_feb_mar_2026/58.
