With some 455 exhibitors crammed into nearly a half million square feet of indoor and outdoor display space — the organizational logistics behind Agri-Trade are mind-boggling.
Thankfully, show manager Patrick Kennedy and his team have some high-tech tools to help them.
“We used to run the show on foolscap sheets,” recalled Kennedy of Agri-Trade’s early years.
This year, the registration process was done entirely online. That’s helped reduce the confusion, cost and potential for errors that can result when juggling faxed, mailed and in-person registrations.
Kennedy credits Rob Gilgan, promotions and projects specialist with the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce — which operates Agri-Trade in conjunction with the Westerner Exposition Association — for helping make the jump from manual to electronic.
“Previously it was a paper process, and it wasn’t an efficient process and it was an expensive process.
“It really turned the corner when Rob joined the team.”
Part of the motivation for computerizing the Agri-Trade planning process is Kennedy’s pending retirement after the 2013 show.
His replacement will be hired prior to the 2012 show to help ease the transition.
Despite supporting the electronic streamlining of Agri-Trade, Kennedy said there’s no substitute for the human touch in much of what he does. This includes interacting with exhibitors and listening to their feedback.
“That’s the one thing I have to instill in my Number 2: make sure you get off your butt and get out there and talk to exhibitors.”
There’s also no software that can handle the complexities of mapping out the show. Exhibitors’ needs change from year to year and they have a myriad of requests, such as being located away from competitors and/or near complementary businesses.
Some areas are better suited for certain product types — like smaller consumer items in the busy but congested pedway between the Stockmen’s and Agricentre pavilions — while areas like the Centrium are needed for exhibitors with large equipment.
“Last year they were letting the air out of the tires to get a tractor through the door,” said Gilgan.
Kennedy even consults with Red Deer Emergency Services to ensure his floor plan is safe.
The whole process starts around June and continues until shortly before Agri-Trade starts.
“I try to map the show five times,” he said.
Agri-Trade will run from Nov. 9 to 12 at Westerner Park.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com