Like a Tiger

More than 220 exhibitors and nearly 4,000 attendees come together to make the 2024 United Convention & Exposition — a joint effort of NAEC, CECA, IAEC and Elevator U — the best one yet. 

photos by John DiMaio, Angie C. Baldwin and Kaija Wilkinson

“Atlantic City. Alcohol.” This was Kings III Emergency Communications’ response to the question, “What inspired your fabulous tiger-themed tradeshow outfits?” at the 2024 United Convention & Exposition on September 23-26 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. All jokes aside, the Kings III team were among hundreds who worked as hard as they partied to make United — a joint event of the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC), the Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA), International Association of Elevator Consultants (IAEC) and Elevator U held every four years — a resounding success. The event also marked a milestone for NAEC, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

Kings III Chief Revenue Officer Tod Spooner and Partner Channel Director Kevin Rippentrop were among Kings III employees wearing bright blue and gold satin jackets emblazoned with orange and black Bengal tigers. Worthy of the most stylish gopnik, the jackets were complemented by large Flava Flav clock-style gold rope necklaces with a picture of a Kings III emergency operator and a mini-Bengal tiger with the company logo. A large plush toy tiger hung out with the team at the Kings III booth.

The efforts behind the team that also conceived the “99 Problems But an Elevator Phone Ain’t One” drink huggers a few years ago earned them the Spirit of the NAEC Booth Award. Additional booth award winners were:

• Best Single Booth: ElevatorZip
• Best Multiple Booth: Webb Solutions
• Best First-Time Exhibitor Booth: Custom Industrial Products
• Best Island Booth: SnapCab

Counting the booth awards, individual association awards (notably, NAEC’s) and ELEVATOR WORLD’s Ellies Awards, more than 60 recognitions were bestowed during what NAEC Executive Director Rená Cozart said was the largest United show ever. This year’s United had nearly 4,000 registrants. “Looks like we surpassed past United shows by more than 1,000 attendees!” Cozart said.

Over two days (Wednesday and Thursday), the 500,000 ft² of tradeshow floor at the Atlantic City Convention Center (ACCC) was abuzz with more than 220 exhibitors showing off their latest offerings, not to mention an impressive slate of educational sessions, meetings (both business and pleasure), parties and a very well-received charity event. Attendees hailed from more than 28 countries, including Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Switzerland and the U.K. As always, the U.S. and Canada had a strong presence. 

The United host hotel was the Sheraton ACCC, which houses a Miss America pageant collection with sparkling gowns, crowns and scepters displayed in shadowboxes surrounding a grand spiral staircase in the lobby. (Atlantic City hosted its first Miss America pageant in 1921 and its last in 2004 before the pageant departed for Las Vegas.)^[1] A short walk from Atlantic City Boardwalk action and within view of white caps rolling in off the ocean, the hotel is connected to the ACCC via a skywalk. 

Monday, September 23

A good time was had by all who participated in the sold-out golf tournament starting at 9 a.m. at the Seaview Golf Club in nearby Galloway Township. Registration opened in the ACCC lobby at 7:30 a.m., with easy-to-use self-registration kiosks manned by ushers on hand to answer questions and provide directions. Chilliwack, B.C.-headquartered (shout out, your author’s childhood hometown!) Lustre Products Ltd. sponsored the United “Rejuvenation Station” offering essentials such as Tylenol, Emergen-C, Alka-Selzer, mints and stain remover wipes.  

From 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., the first-ever United In Deed charity event took place in Hall B of the ACCC. Cozart said NAEC members had frequently asked about opportunities to give back. Then, MEI Total Elevator Solutions reached out to NAEC about sponsoring a partnership with Feed My Starving Children — a nonprofit organization empowering volunteers to pack meals for malnourished people in nearly 70 countries^[2]. It was an ideal way to get involved and give back, Cozart thought, and she was proven right. 

MEI Director of Outreach & Engagement Coralyn Musser explained the rules and process of the operation, which involves systematically packing bags of rice, soy, vitamins and dried vegetables and loading them into boxes. As upbeat music like ABBA played over the speakers, teams of six to eight erupted in cheers as they completed each box. “Giving back to the community is a very important part of our culture instilled by our founder,” Musser said. “In places like Honduras, this might be the only meal a child gets in a day. Efforts like this have a ripple effect, inspiring hope, health and a positive future.” With 102 participating in United In Deed, Cozart told those in attendance that their “generosity is unsurpassed.” 

The afternoon brought two association’s women’s groups — NAEC’s Women in Motion (WiM) and CECA’s Elle-evator — together for an ice-breaker exercise in the Sheraton’s Pearl Ballroom. More than 100 women (and men) grabbed glasses of wine and formed two concentric circles around the room’s perimeter. Participants introduced (or re-introduced) themselves to a new person every 5 min as the moderator asked a different question (what’s the greatest piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?; how do you like to unwind after work?) and moved a few places to the left or right. “So, even if you don’t meet someone new, you at least learn something new about someone,” WiM Committee Chair Kelly Oberhardt of KONE Spares said.

Oberhardt provided an overview of WiM’s latest activities, including meetings at the Elevator Conference of New York Supplier Showcase in Bronx, NY, and the NAEC Spring Educational Conference in Miramar Beach, Florida. Deneen McIvor of Elevator One spoke about CECA’s Elle-evator group, which started about a year ago and now has approximately 100 members. A recent retreat to Briars Resort & Spa in Ontario sponsored by FIELDBOSS was great for relaxation and team building, she said. 

A reception for new members/first-time attendees at the Sheraton’s Boulevards Café preceded the Welcome Reception hosted by United partner IAEC in the hotel’s 3,913-ft² Crown Ballroom. Cuisine such as chicken wings, jumbo fried shrimp, ribs and clams were complemented by cocktails from several open bars situated around the room’s perimeter. Performers dressed to look like 1850s Daguerreotype photographs — harkening to Elisha Otis’ famous safety elevator demonstration at the Crystal Palace as part of the New York World’s Fair in 1854 — mingled with the crowd, and a magician performed card tricks. So many great conversations going on at once made it difficult to hear, but everyone was in festive spirits. 

Tuesday, September 24

7:30 a.m. arrived sooner than many would have preferred, but it was a big day, kicked off by the Welcome Breakfast (including changing of the guard for the NAEC Board of Directors [BoD]). Cozart thanked all United sponsors and outgoing NAEC President Sean Madden — who has an elevator career spanning 30 years and roots in Florida — for their support and hard work. NAEC Treasurer Landon Scott gave the 2024 financial report, observing that the books are in good order and the association continues to exercise prudent expense control.

Madden said he is excited about the new NAEC education portal and growth of NexGen, which has approximately 250 active members divided almost evenly between contractors and suppliers. Its recent educational retreat in Florida following the NAEC Spring Educational Retreat, was “a sold-out event,” he said.

Madden then called incoming NAEC President Bill McGrath of South Jersey Elevator to the podium. McGrath said he is “humbled and honored” to serve as the 2024-25 president as he presented Madden with the crystal gavel — an NAEC tradition. Fellow outgoing board members joined Madden and McGrath onstage for a hearty round of thank-you applause. Past NAEC President Gary Schuette then swore in McGrath and the incoming BoD members: Teru Irvin of Executive Elevator, Veronica Querales of Kohtler Elevator, Dennis Lotter of Jersey Elevator and Matthew Hollis of Kencor. 

Wednesday, September 25

Four sessions were held between the Welcome Breakfast and the United Luncheon hosted by Elevator U from 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. They were the NAEC General Business Session, NAEC Contractor Member Session, NAEC/CECA/IAEC Joint Supplier Session and the NAEC/Elevator U/CECA Joint Associate Session. 

To open the luncheon, Elevator U President Eddie Morris welcomed attendees and Vice President James Dowell introduced keynote speaker EW Historian Dr. Lee Gray, always a captivating and dynamic presenter. After sharing the interesting story of how he — an architectural history professor at University of North Carolina-Charlotte — got hooked on elevator history, Gray gave a fascinating presentation about the first college campuses in the U.S. to get elevators. They were, incidentally, both women’s colleges — Vassar in 1865 and Wellesley in 1876 — and both were steam-powered systems. His presentation was followed by a lively Q&A session, with Gray exiting the stage to Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out.” 

Education sessions, the IAEC General Business Meeting and the CECA Annual General Meeting (AGM) followed. Also held was a joint meeting of the CECA/NAEC Accessibility and Residential Committee. During the IAEC meeting, Nick Montesano of DTM Drafting & Consulting Services and IAEC “president in perpetuity” shared that IAEC continues to make money with strong registration for events including United. He announced that the next IAEC Forum will be held in New Orleans in May 2025. The consensus was that IAEC should be doing more outreach, encouraging members to fill out their website profiles (a member benefit that too few are taking advantage of), reading books covering technical issues, design and code by authors such as Zack McCain and George Strakosch and communicating more with the next generation such as through NAEC’s NexGen group. “We want to stay active and visual,” Montesano said. 

IAEC meeting attendees applauded Rich Blaska, who observed the team is working on updating and finalizing association bylaws. There are six new IAEC members this year, and it was agreed upon that any new member may attend the Forum in New Orleans free of charge (excluding hotel fees). 

At the afternoon CECA AGM, the new BoD was sworn in and a membership report revealed slightly more than 300 members — roughly half based in Canada’s Central Region. Companies were recognized for their years of CECA membership: Global Tardif, 30 years; Qualified Elevator, 20 years; and Delco, AVT and OKG, 10 years.

To close out the day, NAEC’s NexGen and CECA’s Club 19-39 hosted a mixer at the Steel Pier amusement park. 

The exhibit hall bustled from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., with six education sessions taking place from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The day was punctuated by the always-popular Ellies Awards (p. ??) and back-to-back receptions that evening: a major reception hosted by CECA featuring CECA members in hockey gear; Canadian music including Rush, Nickelback and Men Without Hats; and poutine — the famous (or infamous) French fry, gravy and cheese curd concoction. The big bash was followed by a slightly lower key — but no-less-festive — reception hosted by the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation in the ACCC’s Galleria featuring food reminiscent of old Atlantic City — popcorn, corn dogs, funnel cakes and saltwater taffy. 

Thursday, September 26

An emotion-filled awards breakfast was capped off by Kencor’s Rick Kennedy presenting the “Oscar of the elevator industry,” the William C. Sturgeon Distinguished Service Award, to his son-in-law John Dodds. Dodds thanked Kennedy for giving him a chance and enough guidance and freedom to learn through trial and error and educate himself. Dodds mentioned colleagues, peers and mentors, speaking directly to his children when he said, “Be consistent, determined and willing to work hard. Be willing to find a passion.” Dodds recalled that Kennedy didn’t think he would last a week at Kencor when he applied in 1998. Roles he has held at the company since include service manager, director of field operations, chief operating officer and — for the past five years — president. Dodds said: 

“To be honored in this way is truly amazing. I learned there are a lot of ways to complete a task in this industry. I watched others and took pieces of knowledge from each of them. I try to always be like a sponge and soak up knowledge. Know that you have influenced me in more ways than you can imagine.”

With all the different associations, the United Awards Breakfast was rich, and included:

• The CECA Teammate Award presented to Cozart by CECA President Don Sanchez of Garaventa Lift. It included a professional hockey jersey like the ones CECA members wore at the Wednesday evening reception. 
• The President’s Award presented by Sean Madden to his wife, Susie. “I’m blessed, and she always has my back,” Madden said.
• Lifetime Honorary Memberships presented (for the first time) by incoming NAEC VP Amy DiPaolo to Don DeFilippes, Ray Downs, Kennedy, Bobby Schaeffer and Bobby DeFrancesco
• The Legacy of Excellence Award — another first — accepted by EW President T. Bruce MacKinnon on behalf of his mother, EW Publisher Ricia Sturgeon-Hendrick

Those in the know summoned the last bit of energy they had to attend the Dregs Party hosted by NAEC at Caesars Wild Wild West. Shuttles ferried attendees to and from the venue located right off the boardwalk, and a few brave souls even rode the mechanical bull!

References

[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_America

[2] fmsc.org