Urban Expositions Announces Sales Team, Exceeds Initial Sales Goals for New, Semi-Annual Windy City Gift Show
Atlanta, GA – Urban Expositions has announced the exhibit sales team for the Windy City Gift Show, its new semi-annual exhibition set to debut January 18-21, 2014 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Il. Led by Show Executive Director Marilyn Anderson-McGriff, the team will also include Show Director Stacey Barrett, who comes to Urban from Merchandise Mart Properties Inc.’s (MMPI) Chicago Market and Sales Associate Lindsey Anderson. The team will report to Joan Ulrich, Vice President of New Business Development for Urban Expositions.
“We have assembled the perfect team to help us achieve our goal of reestablishing the Chicagoland area as the premier trade center for gift retailers throughout the Midwest and surrounding areas,” explains Doug Miller, president, Urban Expositions. “Their extensive sales expertise and gift industry experience, coupled with a deep understanding of the specialized needs of the regional marketplace, ensure that they’ll bring together a broad and deep product selection custom-tailored to reflect the regional tastes and interests of the region – a factor that will also offer appeal to top national retailers as well.”
Since announcing the new semi-annual show in January of 2013, sales for the January 18-21, 2014 are already tracking significantly ahead of schedule. Urban anticipates the debut winter edition will open with more than 1000 lines in 4 well-balanced product categories, including Gifts, Handcrafted, Design Chicago and Treasures To Go (immediate delivery). The summer edition is scheduled for July 26-29, 2014.
As Show Executive Director, Marilyn Anderson-McGriff will oversee and direct all sales and operations for the Windy City Gift Show. Anderson-McGriff also oversees sales and operations for Urban Expositions’ Philadelphia Gift Show, a role she has held for the past 12 years. During her career with Urban, Marilyn has overseen and directed sales efforts for a number of the company’s other shows as well. Prior to joining Urban, Marilyn managed operations for Messe Frankfurt. Previously she served as sales manager for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
Stacey Barrett joins Urban Expositions as Show Director. In her new role, she will manage sales and operations for the Windy City Gift Show. Stacey comes to Urban from MMPI where she served as Director of Sales for the semi-annual Chicago Market temporary show for the past five years. She joined MMPI in 2008 as a sales associate for the company’s gift division. In addition to her solid sales/ industry wholesale side experience, Stacey also brings a keen understanding of retail to the new position as well. Before joining MMPI, Stacey worked for Fossil serving as the Territory Account Manager of specialty accounts for the Midwest region. Prior to that she was an assistant buyer for Claire’s Stores, Inc. She was graduated from Southern Illinois University.
Lindsey Anderson, Sales Associate, Windy City Gift Show, will provide sales support services to McGriff and Barrett, with a special focus on the Treasures To Go category. Anderson joined Urban Expositions in 2012 and most recently served as show administrator for the company’s West Coast Cash & Carry Shows as well as its Portland Gift Show. Prior to joining Urban she worked in sales and store management for tween fashion chain Justice Department Stores for more than eight years. She was graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Fashion Merchandising.
Because of its central location and easy accessibility – just minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and within a six-hour drive of 24-plus urban areas — the Windy City Gift Show is expected to attract retailers from throughout the region, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, and Kentucky. These retailers will represent every category, including gifts and decorative accessories, souvenir/resort, floral, boutique, hardware, apparel/women’s accessory stores, stationery/greetings, garden centers, jewelry stores, museums/zoos/aquariums, toy stores, specialty gourmet food stores, bookstores, hospital gift shops and more.
In addition to its full-scale sales efforts, Urban will launch an aggressive, targeted buyer marketing campaign designed to blanket the region with messaging about the new event and its opportunities. Pre-market promotions will be backed by a full roster of on-site programs and promotions designed to complement and enhance the new show’s extensive product selection, including money-saving hotel rates starting as low as $99/night, educational seminars, networking events, show hospitality and more.
For buyer information, visit www.windycitygiftshow.com or call 800.318.2238. For exhibitor information, contact the sales team members at 800.318.2238: Marilyn Anderson-McGriff at ext. 0362 | mmcgriff@urban-expo.com; Stacey Barrett, at ext. 4579 |sbarrett@urban-expo.com; Lindsey Anderson at ext. 0323 | landerson@urban-expo.com
ABOUT URBAN EXPOSITIONS
Urban Expositions is the largest gift, airport and resort/ souvenir trade show organizer in the U.S., hosting a total of 28 shows each year. In January of 1996, Urban Expositions launched the semi-annual Philadelphia Gift Show, which has become one of the largest and most successful regional gift events in the nation. Since then, the company has continued to grow through acquisitions and new show development. Based in Kennesaw, GA, Urban Expositions offers a complete roster of trade show management services, including exhibit sales and marketing, operations, exhibitor/ attendee promotions and services, media relations, seminar and event coordination, database development and management. For more information, visit www.urban-expo.com or call 800.318.2238.
