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Orlando's Gary Sain Passes Away After Apparent Heart Attack Orlando, FL – Te trade show industry is stunned and deeply saddened by the sudden death of Gary Sain, CEO of Visit Orlando, who collapsed and died Friday, May 4 of an apparent heart attack. He was 61. Sain was stricken at a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, according to Visit Orlando Chairman Paul Tang. Sain had just returned from ASAE's Springtime held Tursday, May 3 in Wash- ington, DC, where he was his usual lively and energetic self. "As the leader of Visit Orlando, Gary served as our community's brand ambas- sador working tirelessly on behalf of Or- lando and the entire travel and tourism industry," said Tang. "He was honored numerous times for his contributions. Te Visit Orlando team, our destination partners and our community have lost a wonderful leader and friend. He will truly be missed." "He was a true visionary in the trade show industry and probably had the best marketing mind of anyone I have known," said William Carteaux, presi- dent and CEO of SPI: Te Plastics Indus- try Trade Association. "His ability to look at every problem and obstacle as an op- portunity was tremendously refreshing." Sain joined Visit Orlando in 2007 and was previously partner and chief mar- keting officer of the tourism marketing company Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, now known as Y Partnership. He also headed up marketing at GES, now Global Experience Specialists (GES). Sain was an active fixture in the exhibi- tion industry and served on the boards of directors of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), Meet- ing Professionals International (MPI) and Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). He also served on Trade Show Executive's Exposition Forecasting Board. The Family Legacy Gary's father, Frank Sain, passed away three months ago aſter a long battle with cancer [read more at www.tradeshowex- ecutive.com/TeVault.asp under February 14]. Frank Sain headed up two leading CVBs during his career — the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority and the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau. Together with Gary's leadership at the Orlando CVB, the Sain family's legacy is their incredible class and skill in direct- ing the CVBs of the nation's three largest trade show cities. In a eulogy to his father on February 15, Gary Sain said, "We will strive as his family to live his memory fully by making each day count and never taking for granted tomorrow will come. We all come into this world ordinary and it's how we live our lives, how we serve those we are responsible for and how we love others that determines if we leave this world extraordinary." Gary lived 79 days aſter that touching eulogy, and truly leſt an indelible mark on the trade show and tourism industry as an extraordinary leader. Farewell, dear friend. Reach Paul Tang at (407) 363-5872 or ptang@salamanderhospitality.com www.TradeShowExecutive.com | May 2012 9