ECNY Supplier Showcase and VIEEW Meeting

New York City welcomed this annual supplier showcase, where attendees enjoyed catching up with one another and discussing industry news.

Arriving early to set up the Elevator World, Inc. booth, your reporter was impressed with the activity of the Elevator Contractors of New York (ECNY) Supplier Showcase, which took place on April 18. Machines and controllers were coming in and out, and food was being set up everywhere one looked. The Villa Barone Manor in New York City (NYC) was an excellent venue, with a large hall for exhibits and a smaller ballroom for food service, as well as meeting rooms downstairs. Registration was set up at the entrance, and ECNY had generously given nearby booth space to the National Association of Elevator Contractors, Elevator World, the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF) and the Vertical Initiative for Elevator Escalator Women (VIEEW). Beyond, 70 exhibitors displayed their wares, with some 40 of these from outside the New York/New Jersey area. A dozen booths were doubles (the largest available), featuring heavy equipment and occupied by such companies as GAL/Hollister-Whitney and Delaware Elevator Co. Other booths were 10-ft. X 10-ft. singles. Due to years of covering other industry events, only a few companies were unfamiliar to this writer.

ECNY Secretary Doug Gilman was manning registration and mentioned there were some 550 preregistered, but they expected many walk-ins, similar to the past two events. Promptly at noon, the entry area filled with visitors, and the pace rarely slackened. For EW, it was “old home week,” as so many familiar faces were there. Bobby DeFrancesco was master of ceremonies and clearly in his element. The many exhibitors who had come from well outside NYC environs were pleased with the turnout. ECNY President Kenneth Breglio explained that ECNY does not use the showcase as a moneymaker, but instead considers it a “membership service” – a way to introduce suppliers to the New York audience. Later, ECNY Treasurer Andrea Magaziner discussed how the association affords to provide so many free things for members, and she noted that the annual dinner dance, also at the Villa Barone, is its main fundraiser. From that and membership dues, the association provides scholarships, contributions to EESF, seminars and this event.

All exhibitors expressed pleasure at the attendance. Attendees continued to pour in all day, with the heaviest traffic during lunch and after 5:00 p.m. By closing, at 7:00 p.m., just a few stragglers were left. Several prizes were given away, including an Amazon Kindle from Elevator World to Rob Castellano of VDA and a Kindle Touch (donated by Electrodyne Systems, Ltd.) from EESF to Carl Faruolo of Magnetek. To keep abreast of future ECNY events, visit website: ecnyweb.com.

VIEEW Meeting

The Vertical Initiative for Elevator Escalator Women (VIEEW) meeting held during the Elevator Conference of New York (ECNY) Showcase had more than 25 attendees. Kenneth Breglio and Bobby DeFrancesco, representing ECNY, welcomed the group and said how pleased they were to have the first local meeting of the VIEEW at the showcase event. Jackie Mortman of Hub International started with introductions and apologies from Martha Hulgan of MMH & Associates, LLC, who had planned the meeting but was unable to attend. After lengthy introductions, Liên Randle of Mitsubishi Electric spoke about her work with the Building Owners and Managers Association and how much it taught her about dealing with customers, particularly those who know little about elevators but are very dependent on them for success. A conversation on the importance of women mentoring women, roadblocks to hiring and promoting women and how much the industry had changed from the early days when there were only a few women in the industry workforce followed, led by several women who had been in the industry for 30 years or more. The meeting went on for several hours and could have gone longer, but all were eager to get back to the ECNY show.