The Expo Group Show Manager of the Year Awards were created in 2000 to honor show organizers who weren’t getting recognition from industry associations but were doing some amazing, creative things with their exhibition and in their marketplace community. The SMOTY Awards honor those who have great new ideas and carry them through, those who demonstrate creativity in problem solving or even decorating, those who pay attention to the little details that make shows a success, and those who practice The Expo Group’s own philosophy of providing premier customer service. Anyone responsible for the production of a trade show is eligible regardless of any affiliation with The Expo Group.
THE EXPO GROUP
SHOW MANAGER OF
THE YEAR AWARDS
RECOGNIZE GREATNESS
Awards are presented in four categories:
- Tier I: 1 to 200 booths
- Tier II: 201 to 500 booths
- Tier III: 501 to 1500 booths
- Tier IV: 1501 or more booths
2019

2019
Tier I – 1 to 200 booths
Lewis Shomer, 5Net4 Productions

2019
Tier II – 201 to 500 booths
Kevin Brown, CMP, American Hospital Association

2019
Tier III – 501 to 1500 booths
Emile Davis, CEM, Society for Human Resource Management

2019
Tier IV – 1500+ booths
Marc Acampora, Informa
2018

2018
Tier I – 1 to 200 booths
Kim McQueen of American Association of Dental Office Management
Charity: ALS Association – Greater Chicago Chapter

2018
Tier II – 201 to 500 booths
Liz Miller of Jd Events
Charity: Catherine Violet
Hubbard Animal Sanctuaryn

2018
Tier III – 501 to 1500 booths
Manolita Moore, MBA of North American Veterinary Community
Charity: No Child Hungry

2018
Tier IV – 1500+ booths
Mark Bogdansky of Auto Care Association
Charity: Children’s Hospital Foundation
2017

2017
Tier I – 1 to 200 booths
Jennifer Wishart of SmithBucklin
Charity: Girls Who Code

2017
Tier II – 201 to 500 booths
Stuart Ruff-Lyon, CMP, DES of The Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc.
Charity: PCMA Foundation

2017
Tier III – 501 to 1500 booths
Christine Salmon of Diversified Communications
Charity: Preble Street

2017
Tier IV – 1500+ booths
Tom Carbott of MHI
Charity: Holy Angels
2016

2016
Tier IV – 701 to 1500 booths
Lisa Allen with Informa Exhibitions
Charity: National Multiple Sclerosis Society

2016
Tier III – 301 to 700 booths
Amy Schwandt with AC Business Media
Charity: Annie’s Locker

2016
Tier II – 151 to 300 booths
David Heilbrunn with Coffee Fest
Charity: Café Femenino Foundation

2016
Tier I – 1 to 150 booths
Leslie Wiernik with National Association of Subrogation Professionals
Charity: St. Jude’s

2016
Tier V – 1501+ booths
Jo Ann Miller Marshall – AmericasMart Atlanta
Charity: St. James United Methodist Church
2015

2015
Tier II – 151 to 300 booths
Wayneston Harbeson of National Association of Television Program Executives
Charity: Nevada SPCA

2015
Tier III – 301 to 700 booths
Scott Craighead of International Association of Exhibitions and Events
Charity: Austin Street Center

2015
Tier I – 1 to 150 booths
Linda Trummel of SmithBucklin
Charity: A To Z Literacy Movement

2015
Tier IV – 701 to 1500 booths
Eric Z Horn of North American Beauty Events LLC
Charity: Q U Scholarship Fund

2015
Tier V – 1501+ booths
Bill Lynch of Specialty Food Association
Charity: The Specialty Food Foundation
2014

2014
Tier II – 151 to 300 booths
Katie Stern of UBM Tech
Charity: University of Central Florida – Rosen College of Hospitality Management

2014
Tier III – 301 to 700 booths
David Grindle of United States Institute for Theatre Technology
Charity: 1) United States Institute for Theatre Technology 2) Syracuse Vocal Ensemble

2014
Tier I – 1 to 150 booths
Katie Herritage, CMM, CMP, CSEP of Amazon Web Services, Inc.
Charity: Wounded Warrior Project

2014
Tier IV – 701 to 1500 booths
Jeffrey T. Ley of United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation
Charity: Wounded Warrior Project

2014
Tier V – 1501+ booths
Susan Newman of National Retail Federation
Charity: 1) So Others May Eat 2) Susan G. Komen
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Cheretta Clerkley, MBA, CASE, Director of Marketing and Corporate Relations, The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Shannon Burke, CMP, Director of Conference and Meetings, National Association for College Admission Counseling
Christy Jacobs, Vice President of Sales International Association of Venue Managers
Colette Fairchild, CEM, CMP Trade Show Director H.H. Backer Associates
Patricia Whitaker, Exhibits Manager American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
Molly Mérez, Executive Director, Ticket Summit, Inc.
Margery Palonis, CEM, Exhibits Manager, Academy of General Dentistry
Nancy Johnson, Event Director, Brewers Association
Deborah Swift, Owner and President, Swift Solutions
Gene Sanders, Sr. Vice President of Trade Shows, Society of the Plastics Industries
Michelle Roddie, Vice President of Operations, Mid-America Events & Expos, Inc. and Kocina Marketing
Jenn Kampmeier, Founder, Indy Baby Expo and Bebe Paluzza Productions
Crystal Lucas, Director, Event Operations & Services, UBM
Tyrone Curtis, Exhibits Manager, AARP
Gene Sanders, Sr. Vice President of Trade Shows, Society of the Plastics Industries
Kendra Nicastro, Co-Owner, KC’s Creative Events LLC
Paul Kent, Vice President and General Manager, IDG World Expo
Sandra Toms LaPedis, Area Vice President and General Manager,RSA Conferences
Robert Brice, Vice President, Cygnus Business Media
Larry Schur, President and Show Manager, All Baby & Child Inc.
Lori Riggs, CMP, Director of Conferences and Special Events,National Safety Council Greater Omaha Chapter
Nancy Jo Wiggen, Vice President of Sales, JD Events
Melinda Kendall, General Manager, IDG World Expo
Claire Kilcoyne, Vice President of Tradeshows, PSMJ Resources
Charles Olentine, Executive Vice President, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association
Joseph Gates, Senior Account Manager, 2Scale
Sean Guerre, President and CEO, TradeFair Group, Inc
Joyce Mockus, Show Manager, dmg world media
Scott Dominguez, Director, Operations and Event Services, CMP Technology
Karen Malone, Vice President of Meeting Services, HIMSS
Andrea Carrick, California Podiatric Association
Peggy Ruh, Full House Productions
Karla Little, KL Communications
Kevin Klipsch, Exposition Management
Jim Buckley, Reed Exhibitions
Nancy Hammervick, CMP Media Show: XChange Conferences
Cindy Ferguson, CEM, Association of Progressive Rental Organizations Show: APRO Convention & Buying Show
Jim Cohen, Unicomm Travel Shows Show: Adventure in Travel Expos
Nancy Janssen, Food Processing Machinery Association Show: FPM EXPO
Jennifer Hoff, National Trade Productions Show: Coverings
Kelly Wise, The American Society for Nondestructive Testing Show: ASNT Fall Conference and Quality Testing Show
Peter W. Nathan, PWN Exhibicon International LLC Show: U.S. Food & Agribusiness Exhibition
Camille Cimino, TLG, Inc. aka The Laurel Group Show: Museum Retail Conference and Expo
Mark Dineen, Hannover Fairs USA, Inc. Show: CeBIT America
Tom Cindric, Hanley-Wood Exhibitions Show: World of Concrete
Todd Davis, Davis Peterson Collaborative Show: Luxury Kitchen and Bath Collection
Ann Reneau, Georgia Nursing Home Association Show: IMAGE
Pamela Quinones, American Chemical Society Show: ACS Fall & Spring Annual Meeting and Expos
Christina Condos, CMP Media Show: PC EXPO/TECHXNY
Mary C. Upton, ASI Show Inc. Show: The ASI Show!
David Heilbrunn, Lifestyle Events Show: Coffee Fest
Diane Robinson, SPIE Show: Photonics West
Georgette Smith, American Society of Therapeutic Radiology & Oncology Show: ASTRO Annual Meeting
Rita Ugianskis, Primedia Business Exhibitions Show: WASTE EXPO
Libby Morley, AMC Inc.
Gale Luce, GL Meetings & Conventions
Marla Entrikin, International Society for Optical Engineering
Jeanette Winton, MarketPro Computer Shows
Joy Miccio, NJ Builders Association