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EXPOSITION MANAGEMENT EXPERT GENE SANDERS IS NEW SPI VICE PRESIDENT OF TRADE SHOWS, WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR NPE 2009

WASHINGTON, DC (July 17, 2007) – The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) has appointed Gene Sanders as vice president of trade shows, it was announced today by SPI President and CEO William Carteaux. Bringing 26 years of experience in the management and marketing of industry shows and conferences, Sanders assumes responsibility for SPI’s triennial NPE international plastics exposition.

Sanders will oversee the work of SPI staff and specialized vendors in producing NPE 2009, which takes place June 22-26, 2009 in Chicago. He replaces Walt Bishop, who is now vice president of SPI’s Equipment Council, one of three councils formed by SPI to meet the specialized needs of the industry sectors represented by its membership: equipment builders, material suppliers and processors.

“Gene draws on a trade show background that is broad and deep, covering a wide range of executive and consultant responsibilities for the primary events in key industries,” said Carteaux. “He brings valuable experience producing several mega shows comparable to NPE, along with senior management responsibilities that have spanned multiple industries as diverse as concrete, construction engineering, meat processing, microbiology, and mining.”

Sanders is charged with carrying out SPI’s growth strategy for NPE, according to NPE 2009 Committee chairman Randy Pearson. “Gene will play a central role in our plan to expand the show by attracting even more international participation, showcasing new technologies, and creating more programs that appeal directly to designers, processors, and OEMs in end-use industries served by plastics,” Pearson said.

Sanders comes to SPI from SC&H Group, an international consulting firm, where he launched C4-Events, a specialized consultancy for trade shows, with clients such as the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. Previously, as a vice president for the Telecommunications Industry Association, he had overall responsibility for SUPERCOMM, an exposition with 30,000 visitors and 700 exhibitors on 300,000 net sq.ft (28,000 sq,m). Sanders was also senior director of sales and services for the National Association of Broadcasters, whose annual show covers a million square feet (93,000 sq.m) of exhibit space and attracts 100,000 registrants.

Two other veteran SPI officials have also been promoted to new council positions: Lynne Harris is now senior vice president in charge of the Material Suppliers Council; and Susan Howe has become vice president in charge of the Processors Council.

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The NPE 2009 international plastics exposition will take place June 22-26, 2009, at Chicago’s McCormick Place. NPE 2006 attracted 1,838 exhibitors on 942,524 sq.ft. (87,600 sq. m) of net space; 33% of them came directly from outside the U.S. Of 64,438 industry professionals who registered to attend, 23% were internationals from 114 countries. For details on NPE, visit www.npe.org.

Founded in 1937, THE SOCIETY OF THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY, INC., (SPI) is the trade association representing the third-largest manufacturing industry in the United States. SPI's members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw materials suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs 1.1 million workers and provides nearly $341 billion in annual shipments. Visit SPI on the Web at www.plasticsindustry.org.

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