Exhibition Place GM Laura Purdy to Chair New UFI

Exhibition Place’s Laura Purdy has been appointed as the inaugural Chair of the newly established North American chapter of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), together with vice chairs Kim Carcone from the Toy Association (U.S.A) and Pepe Navarro from Tarsus/Informa (Mexico). This announcement was made during the 90th UFI Global Congress in Las Vegas, the largest annual gathering in the exhibition industry. 
UFI will work with MAD Event Management, a trade show management company led by President Martha Donato and CEO Marty Glynn, to manage the activities for the new North America chapter. 

I am proud to serve on the newly established UFI North America Chapter and to be representing Canada alongside my esteemed peers from the USA and Mexico. Together, we will harness the collective expertise and resources of the industry in our regions to help shape the future of the exhibition industry, fostering innovation, collaboration, and growth. I am honoured to embark on this endeavor and contribute to the success of the exhibition industry on a global scale, said Purdy.

Kai Hattendorf, UFI CEO, adds, “As a long-standing UFI member, Exhibition Place and Laura Purdy have been involved in many UFI activities over the years, especially with a focus on sustainability. We are thrilled to welcome her to our global volunteer leadership as Chair of the North America chapter and look forward to working together closely”.

As Chapter Chair, Purdy will represent the region on both the UFI Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for the term from 2023 to 2026.

About Laura Purdy
Laura Purdy is an accomplished leader in Canada’s exhibition and event management industry. With over 35 years of experience, she has been a part of the leadership team at Exhibition Place throughout some of its most high-profile events, including the Pan American Games, the Papal World Youth Days and the G20 Summit. Today, Laura brings her wealth of expertise to her role as Exhibition Place’s General Manager, where she provides strategic leadership to venue event operations in all aspects of Event Management, Sales, Production, Security and Transportation.  Laura is a strong believer in giving back and making a positive impact on the exhibitions, meetings, and conventions industry. She sits on the board of various industry Associations, including the Canadian Association of Exposition Management (CAEM), Convention Centres of Canada and Meetings Mean Business Canada. She is also a passionate advocate for sustainability, DEI, and women’s empowerment, having co-founded the Women in Exhibitions North America Chapter. 

CONTACT: Alexandra Serrano, Exhibition Place, Manager, Marketing and Communications, aserrano@explace.on.ca.