This year’s Inc. 500/5000 list, a comprehensive list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, includes several tradeshow industry businesses, proving that the meetings industry is alive and kicking.
The list is published by Inc. Magazine, a print publication geared toward entrepreneurs and business owners. To qualify for the list, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2007. The list is then ranked according to revenue growth between 2007 and 2010. Companies must also be based in the
Among the many tradeshow-related companies are newcomers to the list, such as M2 Displays, an Anaheim-based printing company, and Ace Exhibits, a display manufacturer based in
Besides giving information on how much each company has grown in the last three years, the Inc. 500/5000 list also explains how many employees have been added and what the company’s ranking is in their industry. Most tradeshow-related businesses that made the list are categorized under industries like “Business Products & Services” and “Advertising and Marketing.”
For example, Meeting Tomorrow, a company that offers A/V rentals for the meeting and events industry, made the Inc. 500/5000 list for the first year after growing 174 percent and earned a ranking of #137 in the “Business Products & Services” category.
“This recognition reflects the hard work our team does every day to ensure the flawless execution of our clients’ most important events,” said Mark Aistrope, CEO of Meeting Tomorrow. “Our loyal customers have fueled our growth and enabled our success.”
For other convention-related companies, this was not the first time making the Inc. 500/5000 list.
Some companies, such as Skyline Exhibits, who grew 71 percent, are celebrating their second year on the list. Blue Sky Exhibits, who grew 22 percent, and Apple Rock Advertising, who grew 13 percent, are celebrating their third time on the Inc. list.
“We are very excited to be on the Inc. 5000 list for the second year in a row, especially as we celebrate our 10th year anniversary,” said Jeff Meisner, CEO of Skyline Exhibits. “To experience 71 percent growth during the tough economic conditions over the last three years is really a testament to the employees here at Skyline DFW Exhibits & Events.”
However, the 2011 list marks the fourth year for Convention Data Services (CDS), a tradeshow management company that has grown 15 percent and is currently ranked at #493 in “Business Products & Services.”
“We are pleased that our company has contributed to the economic vitality of our community and industry over these past four years through job creation and hiring,” said Doug Levinson, CEO of CDS. “CDS is honored to receive this recognition.”
Catch the Moment, a digital photo and video marketing service provider, has also been on the Inc. 500/5000 list the last four years.
“Catch the Moment is very proud to join an elite list of companies that have made the Inc. 5000 list four years in a row,” said Dick Didow, CEO. “The commitment to excellence exhibited by our employees has put us in a position to grow our client base and expand our event marketing services to planners and agencies from coast to coast.”
With 140 employees, Cincinnati-based Abstract Displays has been on the Inc. 500/5000 list for the last five years and has grown 30 percent in the last three.
“We are thrilled to be included in the Inc. 5000 again this year, especially considering the nation’s economic woes the past few years,” said Carla Eng, president of Abstract Displays. “We are proud to say that we are one of a very few companies in our industry to not have to downsize, as many have in recent years.”
Even Exploring.com, Brumark Flooring’s parent company, is getting in on the Inc. 500/5000 action. They’ve been on the list for the last three years and have grown 80 percent since 2007.
“We are extremely grateful for the honor of making the 2011 Inc. 5000,” said David Walens, president of Brumark. “We especially want to express our gratitude to our loyal customers who, for three decades now, have supported us and allowed us to reach this distinction for three consecutive years.”
Having new exhibit companies make the Inc. 500/5000 list for the first time is a sign that business in the tradeshow industry is flourishing. But seeing the same companies make the list year after year is a reassuring sign that this positive growth will continue in the future.
