ASI Orlando Kicks Off 2012 With Record-Breaking Attendance

Politicos Bill O'Reilly and James Carville rock the house in boisterous debate

TREVOSE, PA – January 18, 2012 – The ASI Show Orlando kicked off the new year in grand style, posting record-breaking education, attendance and exhibitor levels, contributing to making it the fastest-growing show in the industry.

In a standing-room-only keynote, 1,438 industry professionals watched Bill O’Reilly and James Carville face off on the nation’s hottest political and business issues. The event was co-sponsored by Pepco Poms (asi/77280) and Showdown Displays (asi/87188).

Education participation set a record, with 2,410 distributors attending classes during ASI Orlando’s Education Conference on Monday, January 16. All sessions were eligible for credits toward BASI (Bachelor of Advertising Specialty Information) and MASI (Master of Advertising Specialty Information) certification. During a reception in their honor, 17 graduates of the ASI Certification Program were recognized in a pinning ceremony. To date, over 15,000 industry professionals have registered for classes necessary to obtain the industry certification.

“ASI Orlando has been fantastic,” said Jason Emery of Logomark (asi/67866). “The attendance is phenomenal. We brought seven people to the show and could have used another two. There were times when we couldn’t even get into our own booth. Distributors are having open conversations about their annual strategic plans versus only looking at individual products.”

Michael Leigh, of Calibre International (asi/43442), said: “This has just been an amazing show. We’ve spent a lot of time with quality distributors. This is not a ‘scan and go’ crowd. Everyone is interested in finding new products to help them do a great business in 2012.”

Lorenz Hassenstein, the new general manager and vice president of ASI Show, said, “ASI supplier members are reaping the benefits from this year’s Orlando event, and many already are planning to expand their presence at future 2012 ASI Shows, and certainly Orlando next year.” He indicated that the strong attendance was being viewed by exhibitors as a positive sign for the year.

American Solutions for Business (asi/120075), Brown & Bigelow (asi/148500), Geiger (asi/202900) and AIA (asi/109480) were among the Top 40 Distributors that hosted large sales meetings at Orlando.

“We are just delighted to be at ASI Orlando,” said Justin Zavadil, of American Solutions for Business (asi/120075). “We have about 230 people here and hope to have even more next time. Being able to meet face-to-face with suppliers, while seeing products up close, is really key.”

ASI honored more than 250 of the industry’s top-performing suppliers at the annual Counselor Distributor Choice Awards. Hub Pen (asi/61966), of Massachusetts, was selected as Supplier of the Year, securing the industry’s most-valued supplier status across 56 categories. For a complete list of winners and photos from the awards ceremony, click here.

“There’s a fantastic energy on the show floor,” said Mitch Emoff, from distributor Goldner Associates (asi/209800). “Seeing new products in person is critical to success, as is talking with suppliers. ASI Orlando is all about engaging the suppliers and finding out what’s new, what they think will make us succeed. We’re just hyped to be here.”

“ASI delivered a spectacular show in Orlando, setting the pace for what’s guaranteed to be an extraordinary show season,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president of The ASI Show and president and chief executive officer of ASI. “Everyone is pumped up for a new year, galvanized by super-high attendance and brighter economic prospects. In a rapidly-evolving world, it’s clear ASI Shows present superior business opportunities no one can afford to miss.”

Visit www.asicentral.com for full coverage of ASI Show Orlando.

Upcoming 2012 ASI Shows are Dallas (February 1-3), San Diego (April 2-4), New York (May 8-10) and Chicago (July 17-19).

To learn more about exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities for 2012, contact Karen DiTomasso, vice president of sales, at kditomasso@asicentral.com.

About The ASI Show
The ASI Show was created for active ASI member distributors and suppliers, and attracts more distributors than any other industry show – with 20,000 attendees. Offering a full education conference, networking opportunities and a manageable one-floor/one-hall layout, The ASI Show provides a complete trade show experience. In five host cities per year (Orlando, Dallas, New York, San Diego and Chicago), The ASI Show is ideal for advertising specialty businesses searching for new ideas and new business.

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