Water Environment Federation Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference
Sept. 26–30, 2015
McCormick Place
Chicago

OVERVIEW “What made this year’s meeting stand out,” said Sacha Carey, the Water Environment Federation’s director of exhibition sales and operations, “was the number of new initiatives, [and] record-breaking attendance and sold square footage, which translated to an extremely successful event.”

CHALLENGES When Convene first spoke to Carey last spring, she was concerned that the show would overflow its exhibit hall at McCormick Place. (Read our Pre Con profile.) Indeed, WEFTEC 2017 will have even more breathing room, as WEF is planning to take over two halls of the vast Chicago convention center.

INITIATIVES While WEFTEC 2015 was an overwhelming success, organizers hit a bump with a new RFID-scanning program. “A warning to other show managers is that from a logistical standpoint, implementing RFID was more costly than we expected,” said Stephanie D. Jones, CMP, WEF’s director of conference operations. “Particularly the cost for electrical, Internet, and rigging overhead antennas.”

2015: Chicago

25,000+ attendees

1,033 exhibitors

2014: New Orleans

22,600 attendees

1,028 exhibitors