Laura Palker, 63, is the president and founder of the National Trade Show Alliance. She's also the CEO of Trade Show Solutions Center LLC, the vice president of New Normal Supplies, Inc., the advisory board chair of 100 Women Who Care About Long Island—a community group for which she also hosts a radio show—and the author of How to Create Your Future with Confidence, which debuts in September 2022. She's based in Melville, N.Y.
How I got here:
I started working in the tobacco field in East Windsor, Conn.—for anyone who smokes cigars, you will know that Connecticut wrappers were the preferred choice for a Cuban cigar. Once I graduated high school, I worked for United Technologies, inspecting the parts in the oil box of an airplane. It was here that I learned manufacturing specifications, quality control, and what is was like to be a member of the AFL-CIO Union.
I moved into the furniture industry in sales and customer service—and little did I know that learning about tongue and groove construction and logistics would be just what I needed to work in the live events industry. I also worked early on to lobby for hospice care and was a pioneer networker with the National Association of Female Executives.
It has been 30 years since I fell in love with live events, starting on the custom-build side working with the Exhibit Corporation of America. I was very lucky to have been taught by artisans in the field of exhibitions, conferences, trade shows, and meetings. During the pandemic, I experienced so many small businesses, gig workers, and independent contractors being left all alone and unconnected. So I founded the National Trade Show Alliance.
I am also very honored to be a judge for the Global Eventex Awards; it is absolutely thrilling to see the talent that our industry brings to brands around the world and the economic impact that our industry has.
Greatest career accomplishment:
With a dynamic board of directors from all aspects of the live events Industry, we created the National Trade Show Alliance—an organization focused on building awareness for our industry and connecting our workforce, no matter what area of the business you work in. The network provides resources for members who need to connect with skills, talent, and friends in the industry, plus exposure for anyone who is looking for work. We have a "member spotlight" that gets distributed to more than 6,000 people in the industry, and we have more than 40,000 connections through the board members' social media networks.
We have also launched the Invisible Industry Tour with the hard work of partners like Harry Kurtz from Triune Mfg, Brewco Marketing, and Captello, who donated the complete CRM, marketing automation, and gamification tools that powered the tour. It launched on Global Exhibitions Day (June 1) in Washington, D.C.
A specific improvement I’ve made:
In my role as president of the National Trade Show Alliance, we are working with the New York State Department of Labor to create a new Trade Show/Event Coordinator [category] for the DOL Apprenticeship Program. This will allow us to rebuild our workforce and help us to grow and be sustainable in the future. Our intention is to be recognized nationwide so that we can build a diverse workforce that is educated and as passionate as those of us with a number of years under our belt.
The biggest change I've observed in the industry:
Technology has helped us to expand our reach, build on our performance, and improve results for our clients. Virtual events and the metaverse will help us to create more value and open doors of opportunity for both new hybrid events and broader audiences.
What I do outside of work:
I like fine dining, the theater, and golf, and I enjoy family and my grandchildren.
My No. 1 piece of career advice I'd give my younger self:
Be present. Living in the past slows you down, and being too far ahead of yourself takes up too much space.
Connect with Palker on LinkedIn.
Connect x BizBash 15 Over 50 is sponsored by Zoom Events, a comprehensive virtual event platform with the power to create hybrid and virtual event experiences attendees will love. Learn more at events.zoom.us.
