FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 7, 2007

CONTACT:
Frank Skinner
Jennifer Palcher-Silliman
(404) 252-3663

HCEA Summit Unveils Landmark Industry Research, Critical Issues Discourse Between Associations and Industry, and Much More

ATLANTA — Understanding comprehensive ten-year trends in the healthcare convention marketing industry, new healthcare marketing laws and the effect of exhibits on personal selling were highlights of this year’s ninth annual Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association (HCEA) Healthcare Convention Marketing Summit, held January 18. 

A record breaking 210 attendees participated in the one-day educational event, which was held at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore.

The meeting was kicked off by a presentation of landmark research conducted by HCEA on the state of the industry. The research analyzed over 15,000 healthcare meetings over the last decade and was presented by James Hladnik, Manager, Medical Convention Marketing, Abbott, and Eric Allen, Executive Vice President, and F.R. Skinner, Market Research Analyst, HCEA.

The program then moved on to two morning breakout sessions — The Complementary Effect of Exhibitions on Personal Selling, presented by Srinath Gopalakrishna, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing, College of Business, University of Missouri, and the lively Critical Issues Discourse - Association/Industry Exchange, moderated by Randy Bauler, CEM, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and Cynthia Holloway, Director of Marketing Communications, Tyco Healthcare.

The afternoon included sessions on the impact of both federal and state healthcare marketing laws and a session featuring new qualitative research on how physicians would redesign the exhibit experience.

HCEA thanks its 2007 Summit sponsors: Gold Sponsors:  Sho-Aids, Inc. and National MicroRentals.  Silver Sponsors:  3D Exhibits, Inc.; Ascend Media; Sparks Exhibits and Environments; and Photosound, Inc. Bronze Sponsors: Live Marketing, PMSI-Professional Marketing Services, Inc. and Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel.  President’s Circle: EXTRAS - Division of TWI Group; Marketech, Inc.; Nimlok; Elements; Nichols Display; Willwork Events and Exhibit Services; and ELITeXPO Cargo Systems. Honorable Mention: Selliquest.

HCEA is the only association solely dedicated to improving the effectiveness of all conventions, meetings and exhibitions for the healthcare industry.