No, this isn't another all-too-familiar headline from the day's news, this is a shout-out to the closing party at The NAFEM Show 2017. The band The Killers won over a crowd that seemed pretty equally divided between enthusiasts, keenly anticipating the evening, and Baby Boomers who weren't too sure about what to expect. It turned out to be a bold choice and a home run for The NAFEM Show's Trade Show Advisory Council. Closing night capped off a great show. I would estimate the crowds to have been well over a million people, maybe a million and a half.
I would like to thank everyone who made it a point to stop by our booth at The NAFEM Show and get their picture taken on the cover of either FE&S or rd+d magazine. We had great fun with our photo booth and were blown away by all the encouraging comments from readers both old and new.
That feedback only serves to reinforce our commitment to making you, the reader, our primary customer. Our philosophy has always been that if we can give you a publication worth reading and that contributes positively to your professional life ... the advertisers will naturally follow.
The landscape for trade publications has changed in recent years and in ways that are hardly subtle. We are proud of our independence and adherence to the overarching principle of creating original content for professionals who buy, sell, or recommend foodservice equipment and supplies.
We will be with readers from the dealer community at the FEDA Convention, which takes place next month in San Antonio around the time that FE&S' 2017 Distribution Giants study is released. Look for this — the oldest and most comprehensive study of its kind — in the April edition of FE&S.
And now it's time to turn our attention to the next big industry show, NRA 2017, and of course that means the Dealer of the Year party, which will take place Sat., May 20 at The Four Seasons-Chicago. (For a list of FE&S' 2017 award winners, turn to page 10 in People and Events.) It is meant to be an intimate affair, so seats are limited, but we promise to cover the event with online videos, social media and in print, so that you can experience it as if you were there.
