Saluting success at RX US
As 2024 draws to a close, we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate our colleagues in the USA. Not only have they earned prestigious industry awards and crafted unforgettable events, they have even faced down extreme weather events to deliver for their customers. Throughout it all, they've remained committed to their communities and played a pivotal role in championing the careers of women at RX, as our story reveals.
Once, twice, three times a winner
It’s thrilling to be recognised by our industry for excellence and innovation – not only for our teams, who put in the hard work, but for our customers who put their trust in us. So, we were delighted when our US colleagues secured not one but three major awards at this year’s Trade Show Executive Gold 100 Awards & Summit in September.
The event’s most coveted prize – Greatest Trade Show of 2023 - went to ISC West. Notably, this is the second consecutive year that RX US has won this coveted award (last time it went to the JCK Show, Las Vegas). The judges were impressed by ISC West’s 56% increase in attendance and 89% surge in participation it its SIA Education @ ISC Programme. Satisfaction levels from attendees and exhibitors reached an all-time high with an elevated ‘look and feel’ and enhanced customer experience across the event.
The ’Best Exhibitor ROI’ award went to Luxury, the premier destination for elite jewellery retailers, designer brands, and manufacturers team. In 2023, $187 million was spent with Luxury exhibitors, with a 14 to 1 ratio of attendees to exhibitors. The retailers also registered incredibly high satisfaction, loyalty and NPS levels.
And kudos to the JCK team for winning the "Do-Gooder" award for their outstanding efforts in making the jewellery industry a better place. Their work with the JCK Industry Fund, partnerships with organizations like the Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC), Jewelers For Children and Women's Jewelry Association, and dedication to sustainability and DEI are truly inspiring.
NYCC – the con that keeps on giving
Every year it seems that NYCC has delivered the con to beat all cons – and then the ReedPop team goes and does it all over again!
The atmosphere at New York Comic Con 2024 (17-20 October) was electric as more than 200,000 fans converged on the Javits Center to celebrate everything pop culture. They were rewarded with exciting announcements, sneak peaks and trailer drops from some of the most highly anticipated new series, including HBO’s The Penguin, and incredible guests like Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Orlando Bloom and the cast from House of Dragons. The Cosplay was phenomenal too with Patterner Cosplay’s Firesong K’Treva taking home the first prize in the Cosplay Central Crown Championships.
On the show floor, con-goers were excited to get their hands on the hottest merch from over 650 top exhibitors like Funko, Bandai, ThrillJoy, Marvel, Penguin and Random House, while Artist Alley featured over 500 participants, including fan-favourites Jeff Lemire, Dexter Vines, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Frank Cho, Jimmy Palmiotti, Tom Taylor, and many more.
Social media was buzzing with stories about the work our NYCC team put in to make the con accessible to all, and how much guests appreciated it. One fan (a senior HR Director) called out her own industry saying ‘this is how you do inclusion’. Meanwhile, NYCC’s annual Charity Art Auction raised $69,000 for St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, thanks to the incredible generosity of the donating artists and buyers.
NYCC is excited to be back next year with even bigger plans alongside NYC Tourism as they celebrate New York City's 400th anniversary and the United States’ 250th anniversary!
The magic of vision
Vision Expo is the ultimate destination for innovation and education in the eyewear and eyecare world, and with over 11,000 industry professionals, this year’s event was a stand-out edition.
The show was packed with exciting innovations from industry leaders like Bausch + Lomb, EssilorLuxottica, Clear Vision, and Hoya. New features like the “Tech & Innovation” neighbourhood and the “Sun & Sport” zone—complete with live pickleball demos—added a fun, interactive element. Attendees also enjoyed over 320 hours of continuing education across 23 specialty tracks and inspiring talks on the Innovation Stage, including a motivational session by Olympic athlete Alaysha Johnson. Eyewear enthusiasts were treated to the latest trends during the “Flaunt the Frame” fashion shows, and networking flourished at the V Bar’s “Cocktails and Connections.” Plus, the Career Resource Center helped students and professionals connect with top eyecare companies.
As Ruben Tellez, Global Marketing Director at Carl Zeiss Vision, put it, “The discovery at Vision Expo West is unparalleled. There’s a lot of product innovation that gets brought here and it simulates not only what’s out there in the market but what can be there in the future.”
The innovation doesn’t stop there. With a fresh new look and a significant shift from New York to its new home in Orlando, Florida, the Vision Expo East team is promising to carry the energy and passion forward in a reimagined and working enhanced experience for the optical community in February. “A new Vision Expo is coming,” says Beth Casson, Group Vice President. “Stay tuned for more announcements!”
Calm in the face of Hurricane Milton
As event organizers, we’re always prepared for the unexpected, and this fall, our JIS colleagues truly showcased their resilience. Despite the looming threat of Hurricane Milton near Florida’s Gulf Coast, the JIS Fall Show (6-9 October) went ahead smoothly, delivering a vibrant and successful experience for jewelry retailers. Thanks to the team’s quick thinking and proactive measures, the show floor was bustling with buyers and countless opportunities, even under challenging circumstances.
As the hurricane approached, the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved was our top priority. Working closely with the Miami Beach Convention Center and the City of Miami Beach, the team kept a close eye on the storm’s path. While Miami Beach was expected to avoid the worst, they understood many attendees were focused on securing their businesses and families, and travel disruptions across Florida could still occur.
In response, they took the decision to wrap up the event one day earlier than planned. However, to make sure participants still had valuable opportunities, they encouraged everyone to attend the Cocktails and Connections event on Monday, October 7th. Exhibitors also had the option to extend their hours until 7:30 PM for last-minute meetings, enabling allowed exhibitors and attendees to complete their business before heading home safely.
JIS Event Director Sara McDonough reflected on the experience: “While Hurricane Milton required us to adjust the show’s timing, we’re incredibly proud that JIS Fall still delivered a strong and successful event. Our commitment is always to provide a seamless, rewarding experience for both exhibitors and attendees, no matter what challenges come our way.”
Championing equality at RX
At RX, we are dedicated to building communities where women can thrive, and our US colleague Toni Piela is a shining example of our mission in action. Since joining RX US in 2009, Toni has worked her way from Marketing Associate to Head of Strategy and M&A. Now, as the newly appointed Global Executive Sponsor for our Global Gender Equity Committee, she is focused on ensuring equal opportunities for everyone at RX.
The Gender Equity Committee is just one of several Global Diversity Committees at RX, all working to promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Other committees support a variety of diversity dimensions including disability awareness, LGBTQ+, age diversity, and race and ethnicity. Toni has been an active member of the Gender Equity Committee since its founding in 2021.
In the same year, while balancing her career with being a working mom to a toddler (she’s now a mom of two), Toni became acutely aware of how the global pandemic was disproportionately affecting working women. This inspired her to launch an Employee Resource Group (ERG) in the US, giving women a platform to share their challenges, access career resources, and connect with mentors to stay on track in their careers. Today, the ‘Women Connected’ ERGs have spread across RX, and Toni serves as Secretary of Women in Exhibitions North America, is on the global Advisory Board for Women in Exhibitions, and is a member of the SISO DEI Special Interest Group. . She is also on the Nominating Board for IAEE, helping to ensure representation for all diversity dimensions in the event industry’s largest association.
Reflecting on Toni's appointment as Global Executive Sponsor for Gender Equity at RX, our Global Head of I&D, Ray Rhodes, said: Toni’s devotion to enabling women to flourish in their careers, her deep knowledge of our business, and her ability to quickly gain the trust of those around her make her an outstanding fit for this role.”
Thank you, Toni, for everything you do to support women at RX!
Caring for our US communities
Not content with delivering exceptional face to face experiences for their customers, our US colleagues are generous with the time and energy they give to their local communities.
September is ‘Cares Month’ at RX, and volunteers from across every area of our US business took part in support of local charities and projects close to their hearts. Members of our HR and M&A teams served a delicious home cooked meal to families whose children are receiving life changing medical treatment at Ronald McDonald House in New Haven. And there was a terrific turnout of volunteers from RX at Filling in the Blanks packing weekend lunch bags for food challenged school children.
Every RXer gets two days a year to volunteer, and support continued throughout November and December. Eight colleagues used their time to clear out the Perennial Gardens at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary in Newtown. Fifteen volunteers supported Bridgeport Rescue Mission’s Great ThanksGiving Project on November 20th, handing out turkeys and bags of Thanksgiving Dinner to families in need. And on December 6th, colleagues served pancake breakfasts to appreciative senior residents at the Ludlow Senior Center’s Housing Holiday Breakfast Party, complete with games, holiday décor and music. Happy holidays one and all!
Whether you’re looking for a great place to build your business or your career in 2025, you can count on our US events and colleagues to deliver. Visit our website to check out up-coming events and the latest job openings.
Leading the way in the USA
What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving, than by giving a shout-out to our amazing colleagues in the USA who absolutely smashed it in 2023. From inspiring leadership and award-winning talent to best-in-class brands and recording-breaking events, they show how it is possible to build business for our customers, while continuing to care for our communities and each other.
Inspiring leadership
Widely respected for his innovation and results-oriented focus on customers and employees, RX Americas President Fernando Fischer shared his vision for success in his keynote for the Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF) 2023 in Washington, DC on 31 May.
Passionate about ROE (Return on Expectation), Fernando revealed to a record ECEF crowd how RX is using talent, digital tools and data insights, powered by RX’s Exhibitor Dashboard, to prove and improve exhibitor ROI at RX’s shows. The key to change, said Fernando, is a shift away from discussing price and towards proving value.
Responding to his keynote, Sam Lippman, President of ECEF organiser, Lippman Connects, said: “We are all indebted to Fernando for sharing so much of the details of why and how RX achieved such stunning results.”
Award-winning brands and talent
Our US colleagues were honoured and excited to receive not one, but FOUR Trade Show Executive Gold 100 Awards in September, including ‘Greatest Trade Show of 2022’ for JCK!
JCK, Las Vegas, was honoured for the 2022 edition of the event, having broken 2019 pre-pandemic sales and attendance while delivering one of the most important, valuable, and FUN experiences for the jewellery industry.
PGA Show won the DEI Leadership Award for its ongoing actions to support and increase diversity in golf. For the past three years the PGA show has supported the African American Golf Expo & Forum by sponsoring a ‘Share Your Story’ video contest for AAGEF exhibiting companies, with the winner receiving a complimentary exhibit space at the PGA Show in Orlando each January. The team also worked with diverse community leaders to deliver an expanded Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum and reception on the opening day of PGA Show 2023.
Senior Director of Marketing Services, Jacy Barker, was named as one of Trade Show Executive’s 2023 ‘Women to Watch’ which identifies and encourages growth of the next generation of women leaders in the trade show industry. Jacy was selected for her leadership qualities, creativity, problem-solving skills, and high level of excellence in trade show management, and we couldn’t be prouder of her.
The ‘Best Use of Technology Award’ at a 2022 event went G2E (Global Gaming Expo) for its innovative use of interactive technology to maximise visitor engagement and help attendees to ‘Build Your G2E Experience’. “Taking bets is something that comes naturally to us, and exploring advancements in technology allows G2E to stay ahead of the curve,” said a delighted Korbi Carrison, Event Vice President, G2E.
Record-breaking events
Continuing to ‘build back better and smarter’ after the pandemic, some of our US events set new all-time records! Among them, Bar Convent Brooklyn, the leading beverage industry trade show, was the largest in its five year history, with 198 brands from 51 countries, 121 education speakers, 4,500 professional attendees and 475,000 samples served! The sold-out gathering generated over 8,000 business leads and 4 million+ media impressions. What can we say team, but ‘Cheers!’
JCK, Las Vegas, the most important jewellery industry gathering globally, also sold-out its show floor in June and attracted record attendance levels. “The energy at JCK 2023 was the best we’ve felt in years” said J exhibitor, Morgan Waters, Executive Director of Marketing Services & Events at fine jewellery manufacturer and JCK exhibitor, Stuller.
Functional Fabric Fair, New York, powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS®, made a triumphant return to the Javits Center on July 18-19, uniting outdoor and sports apparel brands with top suppliers showcasing cutting-edge trends and innovations in textile development for the Summer 2024/2025 seasons. With record-breaking participation from over 140 exhibitors, it was New York's largest gathering yet, attracting 2,300 industry professionals and generating over 4,600 sales leads.
Inclusive and friendly communities
We’re so proud of our US colleagues for their commitment to creating inclusive and friendly communities inside and outside RX, where ‘Everyone Belongs’. And boy have they been active this year.
Among several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in the US who are committed to shaking things up for the greater good, is RX Pride whose mission is to support and represent the LGBTQIA+ community. The group organised a fun-packed and community-minded programme of activities for Pride Week in June, including volunteering alongside one of our US charitable partners, Kids in Crisis, at Pride in the Park, Norwalk. Among numerous educational events organised for colleagues throughout the year, RX Pride hosted “A Conversation on Supporting your LGBTQ+ Child”, with Polly O’Brien Morrow and “Queerness as a Superpower for Behavior and Change”, with Meghan Crutchley.
The RX African Ancestry Network (AAN) aims to promote diversity, cross-cultural dialogue, and the promotion and inclusion of African Ancestry employees through networking events, guest speakers, shared resources and more. The AAN’s Chair, Milton
Montaque, Senior Director of Innovation and Development, joined us from the US in October to deliver an inspiring panel session at the Black Young Professionals (BYP) London Leadership Conference. Alongside UK colleagues Des Massicott, RX’s Chief Information Security Officer and Jeffrey Asare Boamah, Global Director of Product Analytics, they shared their personal stories, career strategies and insights in an engaging, informative, and fun session, opening delegates eyes to the attractions of RX and the events industry!
Committed to making RX the best place for women to work, the US Women Connected ERG is also dedicated to supporting and empowering women in the community. In September volunteers joined a Career Clinic organised by their local Women’s Mentoring Network, where they reviewed resumes and offered advice to local women to support their job searches.
And highlighting that prioritizing women’s health isn’t just good for women, but is also good for business, global Head of Inclusion and Diversity, Ray Rhodes, joined a panel at the Women in Work Summit on November 9th in NYC to explore how businesses can attract and retain female employees throughout important life stages.
Caring colleagues
Our US colleagues are incredibly generous people with huge hearts, as is clear from the amount of time and energy they give to support people in their local and event communities.
In May 2023, a group from our US international sales team volunteered at the Bridgeport Rescue Mission in Connecticut which provides vital services to men, women, and children facing hunger, homelessness, and addiction. The team helped in the food pantry, sorting, organising, and distributing food to those in need.
Colleagues from HR, legal and compliance came together in July to spend a day at Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary which promotes compassion and healing through human-animal connection. The team worked to set up for the Sanctuary’s ‘For the Love of Horses’ event, including weeding in the ecotype pollinator garden, which provides shelter and sustenance for insects, butterflies, and pollinators.
New York Comic Con held its annual NYCC Art Auction in September in support of St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. This year’s event raised $125,000, smashing through the $1 million target of total funds raised since the auction was first held in 2011! The ReedPop team also worked with Make-A-Wish and the Marty Lyons Foundation to grant wishes for seven families at NYCC 2023 – the most wishes granted at one event.
RX has been supporting Connecticut-based Kids in Crisis (KIC) for more than a decade through volunteering and direct funding. Earlier this year, the team donated $12,000 to support Kid’s in Crisis ‘Teen Talk’ programme which works with 16 Connecticut public schools to identify and support at risk students. In October, our PGA Show colleagues took part in KIC’s annual charity golf tournament, donating gift cards to Titleist and FootJoy as well as two US Open tickets for their silent and live auction. And this holiday season, RX Pride has reached out to all their colleagues to sponsor a KIC family with four children, gathering donations specific to the family’s needs.
Last but by no means least, a team from finance and accounting spent a day with the Connecticut Foodshare in November, packing and sorting almost 7,000 Ibs of food into boxes for seniors in need!
Way to go RX USA. We can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2024!
Built with Shorthand
