PHILADELPHIA - The Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association's (HCEA's) 2004 Healthcare Exhibit Marketing Summit reached a new attendance peak when a total of 158 attendees-58 more than the previous record-took part in the day-long event held Jan. 22 at the Renaissance Philadelphia Hotel Airport, Philadelphia. This follows a record-breaking attendance at the 2003 HCEA Annual Meeting in Palm Springs.

Highlights of the 2004 Summit included the opening keynote plenary session featuring Dr. Bill Trombetta, Professor of Pharmaceutical Strategy & Marketing at St. Joseph's University, who gave attendees an overview of the healthcare marketing mix and how convention marketing fits in.

Also, Sheva Sanders, Principal Senior Counsel Regulatory Compliance Services, Medtronic, Inc., presented an update on the revised AdvaMed "Code of Ethics for Interactions with Health Care Professionals."

Other interactive breakout sessions covered international exhibiting, advocating exhibits in an association environment, the latest methods for proving the ROI of healthcare exhibit programs and state laws addressing gifts to physicians from industry.

Special thanks go out to the Summit sponsors: The Gold sponsors included Poretta & Orr, Inc., who provided the continental breakfast and breaks; Sho-Aids, Inc., who sponsored the welcome reception; and Sparks Exhibits & Environments, who sponsored the networking luncheon. The President's Circle sponsors were 2eCreative, A. Fassano & Company, H.B. Stubbs Company, Live Marketing, Metro Exhibit Corp., PMSI - Professional Marketing Services, Inc. and Visual Communications, Inc.

HCEA is the only association solely dedicated to improving the effectiveness of all conventions, meetings and exhibitions for the healthcare industry. HCEA represents more than 700 member organizations involved in healthcare exhibitions and conventions.

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