Medtrade Producer Announces Blue Ribbon Task Force

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Nielsen Expositions, owner and producer
of Medtrade
and Medtrade Spring,
announces the creation of its Blue Ribbon Task Force. The task
force is designed to provide guidance and ideas towards the
continued improvement and success of the Medtrade and Medtrade
Spring conferences and expositions, which are the leading events
for the home medical equipment industry. Members of the task force
are executives from organizations involved in each major aspect of
the HME industry.

“Medtrade and Medtrade Spring are truly the ‘industry’s shows’
and for them to continue to meet the needs of attendees and
exhibitors, ongoing feedback, creative suggestions and concrete
advice on the current state of the industry are essential,” said
Kevin Gaffney, CEM, group show director.

Kirsten DeLay, Pride Mobility Product’s executive vice president
of sales management and operational planning, has been named chair
of the task force.

“I am very pleased to represent Pride Mobility and Quantum Rehab
on the Medtrade Blue Ribbon Task Force. We are long time supporters
of both Medtrade and AAHomecare and are very pleased about their
strong focus and partnership to evolve Medtrade for the future
needs of the industry,” she said. “The ongoing collaboration
between Medtrade and AAHomecare is providing excellent strategies
to expand the scope and evolution of the spring and fall
conferences and expositions. The task force has identified
opportunities in the expansion of the show’s educational component,
strengthening the overall value of the show to all HME industry
stakeholders, and growing consumer education and advocacy
involvement.”

The task force will work together to provide show management
with ideas and suggestions that will then be delivered to the
Education Advisory Board, Exhibitor Advisory Board and Consumer
Advocacy Steering Group for further action.

“It is very exciting to have the opportunity to serve on
Medtrade’s Blue Ribbon Task Force and work with industry leaders in
providing guidance into the direction of future shows. My
colleagues on the panel come from so many different aspects of the
industry and collectively offer a tremendous amount of industry
experience,” said Spencer Kay, president of Fastrack and co-chair
of the task force. “Together, I believe we can accomplish our goals
of expanding the show and ultimately bring in more attendees. Now,
more than ever, this industry needs us all to work together and
Medtrade can be that central meeting place we need.”

Members include representatives from AAHomecare, Nielsen
Expositions, manufacturers and providers.

“The purpose and mission of this group will be to help make
Medtrade a more meaningful and useful event for all HME providers
and exhibitors through improving and bringing new innovation to its
education programs, exhibits and networking opportunities, as well
as through creating new outreach opportunities for the advocates of
home care across the country,” said Randy Wolfe, president of
Lambert’s Health Care. “With new commitments by AAHomecare and
Medtrade to work together to nurture this venue, which has already
become the nation’s greatest opportunity to unite our industry,
those of us serving on the task force are hopeful and excited about
its opportunities.”

Nielsen Expositions’ upcoming health care events include
Medtrade 2010, which will take place at the Georgia World Congress
Center in Atlanta on November 15-18. Medtrade Spring 2011 will take
place April 12-14 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las
Vegas. For more information about the events, visit www.medtrade.com or
call 800/933-8735.