The 2015 NAMA OneShow 2015 delivered a high-value and high-impact experience for attendees, according to LyNae Schleyer, NAMA Vice President of Events.
The industry’s premier event provided attendees with vital business growth and relationship-building opportunities through 40-plus hours of peer-to-peer education, networking and exposure to hundreds of new products and services.
OneShow 2015, NAMA’s sixth annual OneShow and third to take place in Las Vegas, hit record numbers in overall attendance and size, as well as general session and education session attendance.
More than 4,600 industry leaders and key decision-makers convened at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the “Expeerience of the Year,” including operators, suppliers, brokers, distributors and industry specialists.
Record numbers of 263 exhibitors, a 3.5% increase over 2014, and 75 first-time exhibitors, a 24% increase over 2014, contributed to the largest OneShow floor to date at more than 70,000 square feet, showcasing new products, services and the latest industry innovations.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the success of this year’s OneShow and hope it was a wonderful ‘expeerience’ for all who attended,” said Schleyer.
“The show’s success goes far beyond the numbers and records we set. It’s evident in the variety of new products and services that were introduced to industry members, the networking and personal interactions that took place on the show floor and the ideas that attendees were able to take home and apply to their own businesses,” she continued. “That is what OneShow is truly all about.”
The 2015 education lineup resulted in some of NAMA’s highest-attended education sessions in OneShow history, including a full house in Tuesday’s Research Triple Play session and several other sessions with attendance ranging from 160 to nearly 300 participants.
The opening general session drew an unprecedented 2,700 audience members and featured a presentation by NAMA President and CEO Carla Balakgie and Board Chair Pete Tullio, the 2015 Industry Awards and headliner Jay Leno.
Other education highlights included a special presentation by The Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s CEO Howell Wechsler on the power of partnership in working to be part of the nutrition solution.
In addition to peer-to-peer education, attendees enjoyed several hours of networking opportunities beginning with Tuesday evening’s joint reception hosted by NAMA’s Women of the Industry (WIN) and the Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) with 175 attendees, and Thursday’s OneShow Network Reception and Foundation Live Auction which drew a large crowd and raised $25,000 for the NAMA Foundation.
Closing out the week was a new show floor element, “The Friday Wrap,” which featured in-booth entertainment and drawings, attracting strong participation during the final show floor hours Friday morning.
Wrap prizes included an Apple Watch, a Kindle Fire, CTW passes and a variety of gift cards.
“We thank everyone who helped make OneShow the premier industry gathering it is designed to be, and look forward to seeing you next year at the seventh annual OneShow, April 13-15, 2016 in Chicago,” Schleyer concluded.
Founded in 1936, NAMA is the association representing the $42 billion U.S. vending and refreshment service industry. With more than 1800 member companies – including many of the world’s most recognized brands – NAMA provides advocacy, education and research for its membership. Visit NAMA on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
