PMA’s Kent Allaway elected officer of Professional Convention Management Association; Fresh Summit ranked among top 100 trade shows

September 21, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACT: Julia Stewart , +1 (302) 738-7100 x3008

Newark, Del. — Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Director, Meetings and Trade Shows Kent Allaway, CMP, CEM, has been nominated secretary/treasurer of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). PCMA is the leading organization for meeting and event professionals, representing more than 6,000 individual meeting industry professionals.

Allaway manages PMA’s meetings and trade show staff and contractors, who provide exposition, logistical, food and beverage and other support to PMA events around the world. He joined PMA in 1997; his professional credentials include being a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and a Certified Exhibit Manager (CEM). PMA’s meetings and trade show staff support PMA events including the upcoming Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition Oct. 2-5 in Anaheim, PMA’s annual Foodservice Conference and Exposition and the Leadership Symposium.

As an officer of PCMA’s 18-member board of directors, Allaway will also sit on PCMA’s Executive Committee. His nomination is expected to become effective Nov. 1; the new board will take office in January 2010. This will be Allaway’s second term on the PCMA board, which is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the association’s strategic plan.

“We congratulate Kent on his appointment as an officer to the convention industry’s leading association,” said PMA President & CEO Bryan Silbermann. “I know he’ll bring the same expert advice and insight to their board’s activities as he has brought to the many regional and international events PMA holds. Kent and his team work diligently behind the scenes year-round to ensure all PMA events are exceptionally well executed, so that our attendees have an exceptional experience.”

Fresh Summit named among top 100 conventions

PMA’s Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition was recently named one of Trade Show Executive magazine’s 2009 “Top 100 Gold Shows in the Trade Show Industry.” Winners represent market leaders in their industry sectors selected from the 4,000-plus trade shows held in the U.S. annually as tracked by Trade Show Executive. Awards will be bestowed at the Gold 100 Awards & Summit to be held Sept. 23-25 at Terranea Resort and Conference Center in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.

In April 2009, Fresh Summit was also listed #100 on Trade Show Week’s Top 200 Trade Shows of 2008. Trade Show Week rankings are based on net square footage of paid exhibit space; in the magazine’s 2008 list of top shows of 2007, Fresh Summit was #116.

“PMA is honored to have the Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition recognized nationally for its high standards and unmatched professional development experience,” said Silbermann. “Given PMA’s 60th anniversary this year, the award underscores the convention’s longstanding commitment to value and is a credit to all PMA members, volunteer leaders and staff that have made it the strong, responsive professional meeting it is today.”